Astronomy in Edinburgh
Because of Covid-19 all our meetings are now online – and we’re doing more of them. Stay involved and keep an eye open here, on Facebook and Twitter. Visitors please join us on our YouTube channel.
We’re aiming to have something happening online at least twice a month – often on Fridays at 7:30pm. We also have the monthly Imaging & Observing Group meetings for ASE members on the Wednesday after the first monthly meeting.
The priority for the ASE is the health and safety of our members and the public but we also want to continue engaging with you all through our love of astronomy.
Follow our Facebook page and Twitter feed for more up-to-the-minute observing ideas, information and results.
Observing forecast for Edinburgh
A green block indicates a clear sky, orange partially clear, red cloudy. Blue blocks show cloud level – darker blue is clearer. Click on the chart for hourly detail and ISS passes. Forecast provided by clearoutside.com
Featured news
Scotland’s Sky in March 2021
Mars and the Pleiades in closest rendezvous in 32 years
The Solar Cycle Meeting – All About Sunspots!
Lyn Smith, BAA Solar Section Director, talks Sun, Solar Cycles and Sunspots!
“Losing the Sky”
Andy Lawrence has written a new book - a popular-level polemic about the pollution of the night sky by satellite mega-constellations.
More news
Expanding the ASE Technical Support
To help spread the workload maintaining the website Mark has enlisted some Elves
From SWARM to JUNO meeting
Dr Ciaran Beggan of the British Geological Survey gave us a fascinating talk on how magnetic fields work on Earth and Jupiter, and also how missions are expanding our understanding of them.
Ron Livesey
We are sad to inform members of the death of Ron Livesey who passed away on the 25th Jan 2021.
The ASE Messier project
We've started a new project! ASE members are are going to try capturing all of the objects in the Messier Catalogue and gather them on our website.
Navigating the Night Sky
Watch Alan Pickup's brilliant presentation on finding our way round the night sky.
Vera Rubin talk and January Sky meeting report
Prof Aaron Roodman from Standford University and Alan Pickup gave us some great talks about the Vera Rubin Observatory and Scotland's night sky in January 2021.
2020 Review: what a year!
2020 started normally but soon became unlike any other year. But we stepped up and were more active than ever.
Imaging & Observing Group 2020 in pictures
We've had a record number of images by more members than ever this year. Here's a sample.
Asteroseismology & Exoplanets with the NASA TESS Mission meeting report
Last night's meeting was a very well attended, fascinating and informative talk by Prof. William Chaplin from the University of Birmingham.
Here come the Geminids – and no Moon!
The reliable Geminids peak on the night of 13/14 December and the Moon won't get in the way. We can expect rates of up to 50 meteors per hour.
Meeting report: Edinburgh to Hawai’i – the short astronomical career of John Walter Nichol
Thank you to Dr Rebekah Higgitt of NMS for this fascinating historical talk. The links to Edinburgh added even more local interest.
Meeting report: Looking for life on Mars with the Rosalind Franklin rover
A very engaging and very well attended talk from Professor Andrew Coates on Looking for life on Mars and also the Sky in November from Alan Pickup.
Ask an Astronomer
Is there something you always wanted to know about our universe?
How to observe a planet? Take a photo of the stars? Which telescope to buy? Why is space black? …
Well here’s your chance: just ask your question in the form and we’ll try and get back to you with an answer. The answer may just be: “we have no idea” – but that’s the beauty of astronomy!