South West Herts Astronomical Society

SWHAS Monthly Meeting March 2025
2025-03-28 20:00 - 22:00 UTC | Royal Masonic School, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 4HF, United Kingdom
Mechanics of Solar Eclipses by Sheridan Williams

As there are 3 central solar eclipses through Spain in 2026 this will be the focus of the talk.
Sheridan Williams is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, recipient of the British Astronomical Association’s Lydia Brown medal, secretary of the Open University Astronomy Club and former professional ‘rocket scientist’ for the UK Ministry of Defence. He watched his first total solar eclipse through smoked glass from his school playground in 1954. Since then, Williams has travelled the world – from Antigua to Australia, Mexico to Madagascar, Siberia to Sumatra – to see 18 total solar eclipses. He has written extensively about total solar eclipses, including authoring previous Bradt guides to the total solar eclipses of 2006, 2008/09, and 2012/13. He lectures widely to astronomical societies, is an astronomy-travel consultant, and guides groups to see astronomical events such as aurorae and meteor showers. He initiated education tours at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park, where attractions include Colossus, the world’s first programmable digital computer.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting April 2025
2025-04-25 20:00 - 22:00
Spaceship Earth: A Journey in Time and Space by Dr. Mike Leggatt

Dr Mike Leggatt, a founder member of the South Lincolnshire Astronomical and Geophysical Society in 1976, has been an active presenter and lecturer in astronomy for various organizations across the UK. He serves as General Secretary and Council member of the Society for the History of Astronomy (SHA), and coordinates SHA surveys for Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Rutland. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Astronomical Society and British Interplanetary Society, and a member of several other astronomical and space societies. Dr Leggatt holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Nottingham, is a Chartered Chemist, and a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He also possesses a Postgraduate Diploma in Technical Authorship and Communication.
Affiliations
· Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (since 1986)
· Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society (since 1984)
· Founder member, Council Member, and General Secretary of the Society for the History of Astronomy
· Member of the British Astronomical Association (since 1993)
· Member of the Planetary Society (since 1996)
· Member of the Society for Popular Astronomy (since 2013)
· Member of the Herschel Society (since 2014)
· Member of the National Space Society (since 2016)
· Member of the Milton Keynes Astronomical Society (since 1993)
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting May 2025
2025-05-30 20:00 - 22:00
Join us for our AGM & Members Images Meeting.
This is your chance as a member of the SWHAS to have your say on how the society is run, elect the committee members and make suggestions as to how to improve the way things are done.
In addition we hope that you will be inspired by the astrophotography images captured by our members.
The meeting will also include a news item and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting September 2025
2025-09-26 20:00 - 22:00
In Search Of The Aurora by Andrew Ritchie Green BSc (Hons) FRAS

Andy is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society has been actively involved in astronomy and space for over 48 years becoming interested in astronomy & space aged 7. He has travelled the world many times to promote astronomy and give presentations and lectures far and wide, talking to varied groups including those at the University of Cambridge, Sheffield Hallam University and visiting observatories as far afield as Hawaii, mainland USA, Europe, Australia, and Chile. He has visited several space agencies and their facilities including those at NASA and the European Space Agency, ESA. He was involved in grass roots astronomy for many years, and he has seen astronomy at all levels from the local astronomical society level to the public understanding of science and space to professional astronomy.
Andy’s particular interest is in the Auroras and has spent over 16 years researching, observing and photographing them in Iceland, he has many friends in the country. He has a degree in Geo-Science / Planetary Geology from the University of Sheffield. He is also a freelance space journalist/photographer and has had articles published in several magazines both in the UK and USA. Andy recently wrote on Space Flight for the US Navy’s training manual for the ROTC Programme. An accomplished photographer his images have been published in many publications and used online in addition to many hard copy publications and books worldwide. One of his Aurora images was used on the title page of the 2021 Philips Stargazing Guide
Affiliations Director & Senior Lecturer – StarDome Astronomy & Astronautics Fellow – Royal Astronomical Society Director – AAAEP Astro Education – Australia Aurora and Eclipse Travel Guide and Astronomer Freelance Space Journalist & Broadcaster Cunard “Insights” Lecturer
The meeting will also include a news item and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting October 2025
2025-10-31 20:00 - 22:00
Dr. Paul Fellows: Once Around the Sun’s Sisters
A talk which looks at the question of whether the Sun was born as a solitary star and if not how we might find its sisters!

Paul leads the public observing events at the University of Cambridge and presents lectures on Cunard Queen Mary 2 and other ships on a frequent basis, his talks are always popular. Having borrowed a small telescope and seen the rings of Saturn for the first time aged 13 Paul went on to build his own 8in reflector and do the O-level in astronomy the following year. His undergraduate studies were in Natural Science at the University of Cambridge specialising in Spectroscopy after which he joined the university Computer Laboratory for his postgraduate degree. He worked on the first generation of home computers and lead the design of the RiscOS operating system for the ARM processor, including inventing the apps and icon bar user interface that has since spread to phones and computers across the world.
Paul was a pioneer of streaming video across the internet and twice a winner of the Queens award for Technology. In 2005 he was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and was recently given a lifetime achievement award by Emmanuel College Cambridge and was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the public understanding of science and technology in the new years honours of 2025. Through this time he maintained his interest in astronomy and has lead the public observing events at the University for over 20 years giving hundreds of live presentations, lectures and planetarium shows. He teaches the introduction to astronomy course and leads the monthly “Cambridge young astronomers” events for younger children. He is also an elected Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. Since 2016 he has been a lecturer on board Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and other ships and frequent presenter to clubs and societies as well as at the international astronomy show.
The meeting will also include a news item and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting November 2025
2025-11-28 20:00 - 22:00

SWHAS Monthly Meeting December 2025
2025-12-12 20:00 - 22:00
For our last meeting of 2025 we will be showing a selection of members images in the Cadogan House Hall, Royal Masonic School For Girls, Rickmansworth.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting January 2026
2026-01-30 20:00 - 22:00
‘Rocky Planet Formation in the Outer Solar System’ by Dr. Ben Rider-Stokes
Join us for this fascinating talk at our first monthly meeting of 2026.
Dr. Ben Rider-Stokes is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at The Open University, specialising in planetary materials and asteroid science. His current research integrates laboratory spectroscopy with meteorite microanalysis to interpret the mineralogy of asteroids, providing ground truth for astronomical observations and supporting ongoing and future space missions. His focus is on linking differentiated planetesimals and their meteorite analogues to asteroid spectral properties, with implications for planetary formation, resource utilisation, and the evolution of the early Solar System.
Looking ahead, Dr. Rider-Stokes aims to build an academic career that advances our understanding of planetary bodies through chemical and spectroscopic techniques, while contributing to the teaching and mentoring of the next generation of planetary scientists.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting February 2026
2026-02-27 20:00 - 22:00
An Astronomer’s Guide to Strange Things in the Sky
by Andrew Mowbray BSc (Hons). MSc.
This fascinating talk covers lots of different things and includes some audience participation!
Andrew Mowbray is a former IT Professional who worked mainly in local government as well as teaching IT for several years. Having retired early he is a fully qualified tour guide who gives walking tours in the City of Colchester in Essex. Andrew has numerous interests, one of which has always been astronomy. He has been a member of Castle Point Astronomy Club for many years and served fifteen years as the Secretary and Webmaster.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.
