Astronomy in Edinburgh
We are now back to physical/hybrid meetings but keep an eye open as things are changing rapidly. Stay involved and keep watching 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.
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
7 January 2022 Meeting Report
We had a good audience on Zoom as well as through our YouTube channel, with members and visitors enjoying a fascinating talk by Rebeka Higgitt of National Museums Scotland, on “Nevil Maskelyne and the global projects of 18th-century astronomy”.
Scotland’s Sky in January 2022
January’s Quadrantids meteor shower could be the best of 2022
17 December 2021 Meeting Report
We had a highly entertaining and informative talk on the history of Thomas Cooke telescopes and other business enterprises, from Martin Lunn. Andrew Farrow also gave us an update on our work on the Cooke telescope on Calton Hill.
More 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.
Observe the ever-changing Moon
Surely the Moon is boring because nothing ever changes on it? Not at all - it changes its appearance daily. The angle of Sun hitting the surface varies and casts strange and beautiful shadows across its landscape.
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?
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.
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!