Check out these online astronomy events taking place in 2026
We will regularly update this page as details of more events become available.
Members will also continue to receive email invitations to join our SWHAS monthly meetings.
January 2026
SWHAS MEMBERS MONTHLY MEETING
Friday 30 January 2026
20:00 – 22:00 GMT
‘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.
Revised RMS meeting protocols now in place
In order to keep everyone safe we still need to adhere to the school guidelines following the relaxation of rules regarding the COVID situation.
We ask you to respect social distancing where appropriate, as not everyone is comfortable in crowds.
Use good hygiene and the wearing of face coverings is a now a personal choice.
We will endeavour to keep the hall well ventilated at all times and this may mean some doors need to be left open from time to time.
1. We will ask you to collect your own chair from the back of the hall and take it to a place in the hall where you would like to sit. This can be either near friends/family or well away from everyone else – the choice is yours, but we encourage you to respect social distancing where appropriate. Be aware that some doors may be left open to aid better ventilation, so bear this in mind when you choose a seating location. It might be advisable to wear layers ! Sanitising wipes will be provided when you collect your chair for you to wipe down your seat.
2. In addition to the school cleaning regime, we will, prior to the meeting, wipe down all accessible surfaces including the handrails, door handles and toilets.
3. All beverages will be dispensed in paper cups and some consumables (such as sugar, UHT milk and biscuits) may be supplied as individually sealed packs. After use, please dispose of these items in the rubbish bags provided.
4. After the talk is over, please return your chair to the back of the hall where it will be wiped down and stacked away.
5. For the time being, we will not be holding planetarium visits. This is because of the ongoing repairs to the instrument. Instead Richard will do a summary of the upcoming night sky in the hall.
Members will be advised of the RMS gate code nearer the date of the meeting.
Keep safe and we look forward to seeing you in person.
