Astronomy in Edinburgh
As of 1 October 2021 we are now back to physical/hybrid meetings. Stay involved and keep an eye open here, on Facebook and Twitter. Visitors are welcome to join us on our YouTube channel or in person at our physical meetings.
We aim to have something happening at least three times a month. The first Friday of each month will be a hybrid meeting at 7:30pm at the Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. This will also be broadcast on Zoom for ASE members and YouTube for visitors. Our second talk, sometime around the middle of the month, will just be on Zoom and YouTube. 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
3 December 2021 Meeting report
It was great to hear from Will Joy about his passion for meteorites and his intrepid Indiana Jones adventures, hunting them in the deserts of the world. Nigel Goodman also gave us a really good presentation about the night sky in December.
What does ASE membership mean?
We always welcome visitors to our meetings at the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh (ASE) - and that will never change. But what does it actually mean if you choose to join us?
Scotland’s Sky in December 2021
Planets align as the James Webb telescope readies for launch
More news
What’s in a name? The Tribbles are loose!
How do astronomical objects get their common names? Some are very obvious, others less so. But who says that's what they'll be named? I say these are the Tribble Nebulae - who's going to say they aren't?
19 November Meeting Report
The legend that is David H Levy gave us a wonderful talk about his love of astronomy and literature. And to hear him recount the story of the discovery and impact on Jupiter of Shoemaker- Levy 9 was very special.
5 November meeting report
Stellar bonfires on Bonfire Night from Dr Justyn Campbell-White who gave us a talk about the accretion disks of stars and his work interpreting their spectra. Really interesting stuff and a good demonstration of the software he wrote for the task, STAR MELT.
15 October Meeting Report
From science fiction to reality. Dr. Martin Elvis from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian told us all about asteroids and how our future in space will be tied up with them and mining of their resources.
1 October meeting report
Our first in-person meeting back since the pandemic started was a great success with a very engaging talk from Dr Mike Shaw live from the USA on Getting started in Nighttime photography.
An elegant mathematical solution for the Venus Tablet of Ammisaduqa
Download the document and watch the video from Bruce's excellent talk. In it he outlines his solution and methods for determining the dates of Ammisaduqa’s reign in Babylon from the Venus Tablet.
17th September Meeting Report
Katrin gave us a very well delivered and fascinating talk and we were treated to not just an introduction to the study of and collection of postage stamps (philately), but to a whole historical journey of astronomy and space seen through stamps. This was a terrific talk and very highly recommended!
Astronomical inspiration at the Dynamic Earth Planetarium
Yes - Edinburgh has a fantastic new planetarium at Dynamic Earth! I went to visit Planetarium Manager and former Royal Observatory Edinburgh astronomer, Dr Alastair Bruce yesterday for a look around the dome and a sneak preview of some of their shows.
New interactive solar system map
ASE member Radim Stano has been working on a number of projects since he joined the Society and he has now released the first of them - an interactive solar system map.
3 September Meeting Report
The society’s regular talks resumed for the new season with a fascinating talk from Professor Don Pollacco of the University of Warwick. His talk covered the science of detecting terrestrial exo-planets and the work involved in untangling the natural activity of a star from the influence of its orbiting planet(s).
Watch the Perseid meteor shower this August 2021
The Perseids, one of the best meteor showers of the year, reaches its peak on the night of August 12-13, not long after New Moon, so conditions are quite favourable. Some will be visible each night from 23 July to 20 August.
Our Autumn Programme 2021
We've got a great programme of talks and events lined up this Autumn. Here's a taster of what's to come. More talks are still to be confirmed.
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!