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SAS are a dynamic, active, open and friendly group of local amateur astronomers.
Our aim is to promote, inspire, inform & advance the education of the public in the science of Astronomy and related subjects.
We support the whole of Tyne & Wear community and North East region with anything astronomical.
We cater for all levels of Astronomy interest and experience.
We are especially pleased to welcome newcomers into the fascinating study of the heavens.
Regularly provide astronomically themed talks, observing sessions, projects & workshops in schools, at other venues/establishments, within the North East region and at our public observatory at the Washington Wetlands Centre.
Run outreach projects & programs that are recognised by NASA.
Especially encourage Schools, Cubs, Brownie and Scout groups of all ages to inspire & learn about astronomy and view the night sky.
Our season runs from September to May each year.
See our Events Calendar for all our SAS related events, for e.g. visits, lectures, public outreach, local community engagement events, etc.
We hold meetings on the 2nd and 3rd Sunday of each month at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Washington, in the Discovery Centre and all meetings start at 7 pm.
Meetings are free to attend so you can come along and see if the Society is for you before you join up. Also to socialize and join in the craic on all things astronomical.
On the 2nd Sunday of each month: Held all year round, Workshop Meetings are held in the Discovery Room of Wetlands Centre, when the more experienced astronomers help the those new to the science to get acquainted with their instruments and with finding objects in the night sky.
On the 3rd Sunday of each month: From September to May each year, lecture meetings are held and feature a talk lasting around 30 to 45 minutes, either by a visiting professional astronomer or an experienced amateur astronomer. The Cygnus observatory will be open afterwards for observing if weather is permitting.
For more information on lectures, see our Society News and/or Events Calendar web pages.
Now held all year round, the Cygnus Observatory is open on Thursday evenings to the public and members from 7pm till 9pm, given available volunteers & weather permitting.
For for any changes to the above meetings you can also see updates and/or join our Facebook SAS Group page.
September is the start of our new season. SAS Memberships will be due from 1st September (payable throughout September) for this season 2016/2017.
Joining/Renewing helps support your local astronomical society & community.
So come on down to Cygnus Observatory join or renew your SAS membership. One of the largest & most active astronomical society’s in the North East, for advice, information, join in the ‘Craic’ on all things astronomical.
Details
Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS. Emeritus Professor of Physics, 14th Astronomer Royal of Durham University will be giving a talk on “The Search for Intelligent Life” on Sunday 18th September 2016 from 7 pm in the Discovery room of Washington Wetlands Centre .
‘Are we alone in the Universe?’ It’s is one of the greatest questions of our age.
The lecture will deal with historical attitudes to this question and explore what we know of relevance.
With the help from the audience a conclusion of the likelihood of intelligent life out there will be arrived at or not, and the Sir Arnold will give his own conclusions.
The question of ‘where do we go from here?’ will also be examined.
So please come on down and see this world class speaker.
As you may know the Cygnus observatory is has a new observatory dome installed with a remote access dome control system.
Therefore we have invited Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS to officially open the Cygnus Opening Ceremony. Taking place before the lecture on Sunday 18th September 2016 from 6:30 pm at the Cygnus observatory.
Details
SAS have been invited by North Shields Customer First Centre (i.e. the North Tyneside Libraries) to participate in this event: observing, talks & SAS stuff at St Mary’s lighthouse on Wednesday 28th September 2016.
Date: Wednesday 28th September 2016.
Event Times: 7 pm to 10 pm.
Location: St Mary’s Island causeway, Whitley Bay. NE26 4RS.
Details
The Durham University’s physics department is running a new outreach activity called “Saturday Morning Physics” on six Saturdays in October, November and December, starting at 10:30.
Barbara Atkinson (Volunteer) will be giving a talk on “Introduction in the Egyptian Belief in Astronomy” on Sunday 16th October 2016 from 7 pm in the Discovery room of Washington Wetlands Centre .
Egypt’s most important star deities were those which were visible every night, and their belief was so strong that various tombs and temples had their ceilings decorated with views of the night sky.
Seti I and Rameses VI’s burial chambers depict these scenes as does the tomb of Senmut. These ‘astronomical ceilings” are amongst the most important surviving Egyptian “astronomical documents.”
Senmut’s tomb contains the ‘oldest and intact representations of the northern constellations, and is also ‘the earliest preserved ceiling discovered to date’.
Details
Sunderland Astronomical Society (SAS) have been invited to participate in the Kingcon Comicon Convention this year in/at the Stadium Of Light on the Saturday 22nd & 23rd October 2016.
Details are TBC, but here is what we have so far. There may be some solar observing outside and promoting astronomy & the society inside.
So if you have a telescope or not and just want to help out your society, contact:
visits-events@sunderlandastro.com or chairman@sunderlandastro.com for more information.
Details
Dr David Rosario Research Associate Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy Durham University will be giving a talk on “Active galaxies and Super massive black holes.” on Sunday 20th November 2016 from 7 pm in the Discovery room of Washington Wetlands Centre .
Super massive black holes have moved firmly on to the main stage in the story of the Cosmos. Once regarded as oddities, they are now known to serve as powerful engines in the evolving life of galaxies.
Details
From humble beginnings and as a pre-season event, the annual SAS Starbeque event has now become the stuff of legend and it was our largest attended Starbeque to date.
Held usually on last Saturday in August, but due to the nearest new moon phase it’s the 3rd September 2016, starting at 6:30 pm until very late, observing afterwards if weather is favorable.
This is our traditional celebration of the return of darker nights and, as in previous years, will take place at our other site at Derwent Resevoir located at our Millshield dark sky site.
The event is free to attend (members, invited guests & the public) though you will need to supply your own barbeque goodies (for e,g, food, disposable barbies, etc), scopes, etc.
Details
On Friday, July 8th, the SAS at Washington Wetlands Centre we were presented with a very kind donation for £1000 from the Freemasons of the province of Durham has kindly donated from their Durham Benevolence charitable fund £1000 to the SAS.
This will help enormously in funding for our newly constructed Cygnus Observatory’s dome control system laptop/equipment.
The Chairman, Vice-Chairman , Treasurer and Secretary were there to receive the donation from Dave Dorward and Rod Scott from the Freemasons of the province of Durham .
It’s quite poignant as the Freemasons of the province of Durham had previously kindly donated £1000 in 2002 that was part of a number of community-based funds from local businesses & organisations that helped towards the initial construction of the Cygnus Observatory.
DetailsRegistered Charity No. 1071527. Registered Office: Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Tyne & Wear.
