When was the society founded?

Newcastle upon Tyne Astronomical Society was founded in 1904 and is a registered charity.

Is there a bias towards practical or theoretical astronomy?

The society is, primarily, a learned society with a number of members engaged in astronomical research at the local Universities. Many of the ordinary members of the society are active in both the practical and theoretical aspects of astronomy and the aim of the society is to provide lectures and activities that will appeal to everyone, no matter their background.

What do I have to know about astronomy to join the Society?

Absolutely nothing - you don't even need to own a telescope. All you need is enthusiasm to learn about the subject and a desire to share this interest with other like minded people. Some of the lectures are of a highly specialised nature and so require some knowledge of the subject to gain maximum benefit. However, we always encourage our speakers to target their lectures at a lay audience.

Where are the meetings held?

Nearly all of our meetings are held in Croft House, which is the Red Cross Building off Western Avenue near the West Road in Newcastle. The easiest way to locate Western Avenue is to find the entrace to Newcastle General Hospital and then go down Grainger Park Road. Western Avenue is about 100 meters on the right. Meetings are normally held monthly on Thursday nights and start at 1900 hours.

A map of the area can be found on the Find Us page.

When are meetings held?

Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of every month although, occasionally, external meetings are held in other venues. Details of all meetings and lectures are available from the front page under the Meetings link. Additional meetings and Star Parties are usually announced on the facebook group NewcastleAstro and Twitter NewcastleAstro account.

Do you have an Observing Group?

There is an observing group and some of its members are very active indeed, especially in areas such as astrophotography.

Does the society have an observatory?

At the moment, no. However, we recently acquired a 10-inch reflecting telescope from the estate of a former member, Robert Scott, and we intend to construct a new observatory at a suitable dark site based around this instrument.

What about Star Parties?

The Society also holds regular Star Parties, all of which have proved to be a big success with both members and non-members alike. These events are held at a number of locations around the North East where visitors may look through the society's telescopes and those provided by the members, weather permitting.

Each year the Society holds a special late-summer meeting to observe the ever-popular Perseid meteor shower. Always reaching peak activity around August 12th, the shower sometimes can be quite spectacular and is surely an annual event not to be missed.

My child is interested in astronomy. What sort of telescope should I buy?

Like motor cars, there are many types of telescope on the market and some are better suited to beginners than others. We recommend that you come along to one of our meetings and ask for advice, particularly from members of the Observing Group, who eat, sleep, think and breath telescopes.

What sort of telescope should I buy?

Telescopes come in three flavours, refractors (lenses), reflectors (mirrors) and a combination of the two (Compound). Refractors are good for looking at the Moon and the planets. Reflectors are better suited to looking at stars and nebulae. Compound instruments offer most of the benefits of both instruments but can be expensive. Instruments with GoTo drives are becoming very popular, especially with beginners because they make it much easier to locate objects in the sky. As a general rule, bigger equals better though, invariably bigger means more expensive

I want to build my own telescope...

Telescope making is a dying art mainly because it is a long, complex task and absolutely not for the faint-hearted. However, it is possible to build a superb instrument, which will out perform nearly all commercially available instruments by a considerable degree. A number of our members have ground and polished their own mirrors so the best place to start is to come along to a meeting and ask for advice.

Should I consider a second-hand telescope?

You should, but only if you know what you're looking at. Telescopes are very easy to drop and damage, especially compound instruments. They can also be very expensive to put right. Buyer Beware!

Can you recommend any good text books on the subject?

Patrick Moore, the well-known TV astronomer, has written many excellent books for beginners. They're always written in plain, straightforward English and form the ideal first step. They're also very easy to find and most good bookshops have then in stock. Strongly recommended.

Do you have a Twitter or Facebook Group?

We have a Twitter account anyone can follow called NewcastleAstro.

A new Facebook group called NewcastleAstro has been created an is available to anyone who is signed up to facebook.

What do I do next?

We recommend that you attend one or two meetings to see if the society meets your needs. If you are more interested in the practical side of astronomy them, ideally, you should introduce yourself to a member of the Observer's Group.

I think I've seen a UFO?

The skies above us are filled with a number of phenomena that can puzzle and astonish newcomers as well as experienced observers. Weather Balloons, satellites, meteors, the planet Venus are all commonly mistaken for UFO's. If you think you've seen something unusual and can't find an answer then why not contact the society?

Have you ever seen Uranus?

Yes, but only with a special lens and a well-polished mirror.

Yes, we've heard all of these jokes before and, occasionally, we laugh at them too. Sometimes.