| Date |
Time |
Info |
Activity |
Notes |
| January |
| Sun 1 |
|
|
Discovery of Ceres, 1801 |
211th anniversary |
| Sun 1 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Mon 2 |
|
|
New Year's Day Holiday |
|
| Tue 3 |
|
|
Quadrantids Meteor shower |
Unfavourable |
| Thu 5 |
|
|
Earth at perihelion |
Earth at its closest distance to the Sun |
| Mon 9 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
| Mon 9 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Wed 11 |
19:30 |
|
January Additional Meeting |
Presentations by members of the Society |
| Mon 16 |
From 17:30 |
|
LDAS Stargazing Live evening
Free |
Join us at St Christopher School in Letchworth.
Click on "Info" for further details.
All welcome! |
| Mon 16 - Wed 18 |
|
|
BBC's Stargazing Live |
Three evening programmes on BBC 2 |
| Mon 16 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Fri 20 + Sat 21 |
19:30 |
|
Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Mon 23 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Wed 25 |
19:30 |
|
January Meeting |
Andrew Coates |
| Sat 28 |
14:00 |
|
Society for Popular Astronomy |
Quarterly meeting:
School of Oriental and African Studies, London |
| Tue 31 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| February |
| Wed 1 |
13:00 |
|
Carolin Crawford
At the Museum of London |
Rotation in Space |
| Fri 3 / Sat 4 |
19:30 |
|
Lunar Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Tue 7 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
| Fri 10 / Sat 11 |
|
European AstroFest 2012 |
At Kensington Conference & Events Centre |
| Mon 13 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Tue 14 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Fri 17 / Sat 18 |
19:30 |
|
Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Sat 18 |
|
|
Discovery of Pluto, 1930 |
82nd anniversary |
| Mon 20 |
|
|
Mercury-Atlas 6, 1962 |
50th anniversary of first USA orbital flight, by John Glenn |
| Tue 21 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Wed 22 |
19:30 |
|
Committee Meeting |
|
| Wed 29 |
19:30 |
|
February Meeting |
Sheridan Williams
“Fascinating Astronomical Facts” |
| March |
| Thu 1 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Fri 2 |
19:30 |
|
Lunar Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Sat 3 |
09:00 |
|
Society Visit  |
The National Space Centre, Leicester (LDAS Members only) |
| Wed 7 |
13:00 |
|
Carolin Crawford
At the Museum of London |
Clusters of Galaxies |
| Thu 8 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
| Fri 9 - Sun 18 |
|
National Science & Engineering Week (NSEW) |
Across the UK |
| Sat 10 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session
Select "Info" for details |
Welwyn Garden City, outside the Howard Centre. Includes solar observing, and possibly Venus. |
| Sat 10 - Fri 16 |
From 19:00 |
|
Venus and Jupiter close together in the evening sky |
|
| Tue 13 |
|
|
Discovery of Uranus, 1781 |
231st anniversary |
| Thu 15 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Fri 16 |
19:30 |
|
Observing session |
Messier Marathon. At Standalone Farm. |
| Sat 17 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Letchworth Town Centre. The square mid-way down Leys Avenue.
Including Solar observing, and possibly Venus. |
| Sat 17 |
From 19:30 |
|
Public Star Party : Free |
Watch for details of the venue for this special event.
Featuring the Planets Venus, Jupiter and Mars. |
| Mon 19 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Tue 20 |
|
|
Spring Equinox |
|
| Thu 22 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Thu 22 - Mon 26 |
|
Spring Sky Camp |
At Kelling Heath, Norfolk |
| Fri 23 / Sat 24 |
19:30 |
|
Observing session |
Messier Marathon. At Standalone Farm. |
| Sat 24 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session
Select "Info" for details |
Hitchin. The Market Place, off Bucklersbury. Includes solar observing, and possibly Venus. |
| Sat 24 |
19:00 |
|
The Spring EquiNosh |
Our Annual Celebration Meal (LDAS Members only) |
| Sun 25 |
02:00 |
|
British Summer Time begins |
|
| Mon 26 |
|
|
Moon Between Venus & Jupiter
Moon close to Venus |
08:40 - 09:40
19:23 - 22:06 |
| Wed 28 |
19:30 |
|
March Meeting |
David Whitehouse
“Space Exploration in the Next 50 years” |
| Fri 30 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Fri 30 |
19:30 |
|
Lunar Observing session |
At Standalone Farm. |
| Sun 31 |
|
|
Discovery of Makemake, 2005 |
7th anniversary |
| Sat 31 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Stevenage town centre. At the north end of the pedestrianised shopping centre, near Waterstones and the Armillary Sphere. Includes solar observing, and possibly Venus. |
| Sat 31 |
From 19:00 |
|
Young Observers' Star Party : Free |
A Public Star Party for school pupils (and accompanying parents)
Featuring the Planets and First Quarter Moon. |
April |
| Tue 3 |
From 21:00 |
|
Venus and the Pleiades |
|
| Fri 6 |
|
|
Good Friday |
|
| Fri 6 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
| Mon 9 |
|
|
Easter Monday |
|
| Wed 11 |
19:30 |
|
April Additional Meeting |
Featuring the LDAS Chairman's Lecture |
| Thu 12 |
|
Yuri's Night |
Celebration of the first human spaceflight.
Contact us to book a presentation. |
| Fri 13 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Sat 14 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Royston. At the new Town Centre Square, at the northern end of Fish Hill. Includes solar observing, and possibly Venus. |
| Mon 16 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Fri 20 |
20:30 |
|
Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Sat 21 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Sat 21 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Letchworth town centre. The square mid-way down Leys Avenue.
Including Solar observing, and possibly Venus. |
| Sat 21 |
From 19:30 |
|
Public Star Party : Free |
Featuring the Planets and the Lyrid Meteor Shower |
| Mon 23 - Sun 29 |
|
|
Spring Astronomy Week |
|
| Wed 25 |
19:30 |
|
April Meeting |
James Fradgley
“Orbital Oddities” |
| Fri 27 / Sat 28 |
20:00 |
|
Lunar Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Sat 28 |
|
|
Spring Astronomy Day |
|
| Sat 28 |
14:00 |
|
Society for Popular Astronomy |
Quarterly meeting:
School of Oriental and African Studies, London |
| Sun 29 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| May |
| Tue 1 - Mon 7 |
|
|
Sci-Fi-London |
London's annual science-fiction and space convention |
| Thu 5 |
From 21:30 |
|
The Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower |
Unfavourable |
| Sun 6 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
| Mon 7 |
|
|
Bank Holiday |
|
| Wed 9 |
13:00 |
|
Carolin Crawford
At the Museum of London |
Large Telescopes and Why We Need Them |
| Sat 12 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Mon 14 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Wed 16 |
19:30 |
|
Committee Meeting |
|
| Fri 18 / Sat 19 |
From 21:30 |
|
Observing session |
At Standalone Farm. |
| Sat 19 |
09:00 |
|
Society Visit
"LDAS Goes West" |
Avebury, Silbury Hill, Woodhenge & Stonehenge (LDAS Members only) |
| Sun 20 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Fri 25 / Sat 26 |
From 20:30 |
|
Lunar Observing session |
At Standalone Farm. |
| Mon 28 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Wed 30 |
19:30 |
|
May Meeting |
Mark Hurn
“The Story of Star Names” |
| June |
| Mon 4 |
|
|
Bank Holiday |
|
| Mon 4 |
|
|
Full Moon / Partial Lunar Eclipse (Not UK) |
|
| Tue 5 |
|
|
Jubilee Bank Holiday |
|
| Wed 6 |
04:37 - 04:55 |
|
Transit of Venus |
|
| Fri 15 - Sun 24 |
|
|
Welwyn Festival |
|
| Mon 11 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Mon 11 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Wed 13 |
13:00 |
|
Carolin Crawford
At the Museum of London |
Star Dust |
| Fri 15 |
From 21:00 |
|
June Lyrid Meteor Shower |
Meteor Watch : Free |
| Wed 19 |
|
|
New Moon / Partial Solar Eclipse (Not UK) |
|
| Thu 21 |
|
|
Summer Solstice |
|
| Wed 27 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Wed 27 |
19:30 |
|
June Meeting |
Jerry Workman
"Mars Express" |
| Fri 29 / Sat 30 |
From 21:30 |
|
Lunar Observing session |
At Standalone Farm. |
| July |
| Tue 3 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
| Thu 5 |
|
|
Earth at Aphelion |
Earth at its furthest distance from the Sun |
| Sun 8 |
|
|
Olympic Torch passes through Letchworth / Stevenage / Welwyn Garden City / Hatfield / St Albans |
| Mon 9 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Wed 11 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Wed 11 |
19:30 |
|
July Additional Meeting |
Presentations by members of the Society |
| Sun 15 |
02:58 - 03:22 |
|
Grazing occultation of Jupiter by the Moon |
Special observing event. Location to be confirmed |
| Thu 19 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Wed 25 |
19:30 |
|
July Meeting |
Ann Bonell
“Ladies of the Night” |
| Thu 26 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Fri Jul 27 - Sun Aug 12 |
|
Olympic Games 2012 |
|
| Sat 28 |
14:00 |
|
Society for Popular Astronomy |
Quarterly meeting:
School of Oriental and African Studies, London |
| Thu 28 + Fri 29 |
From 21:30 |
|
The Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower |
Unfavourable |
| Fri 29 |
|
|
Discovery of Eris, 2005 |
7th anniversary |
| Fri 29 / Sat 30 |
From 21:30 |
|
The Capricornid Meteor Shower |
Unfavourable |
| August |
| Thu 2 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
| Sun 5 |
|
|
Mars Science Laboratory - "Curiosity" - due to land on Mars |
Launched on November 26, 2011, NASA's latest Mars rover is due to land on the red planet. |
| Sun 5 |
13:00 |
|
Royal Astronomical Society Picnic |
(Location to be confirmed) |
| Mon 6 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Wed 8 |
19:30 |
|
Committee Meeting |
|
| Thu 9 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Sun 12 |
From 21:00 |
|
The Perseid Meteor Shower |
One of the most famous displays of "shooting stars". Click on "Info" for more details. |
| Wed 15 |
19:30 |
|
Special Meeting |
LDAS President's Lecture : Carolin Crawford |
| Fri 17 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Fri 17 / Sat 18 |
From 20:30 |
|
Observing session |
At Standalone Farm. |
| Fri 24 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Fri 24 / Sat 25 |
From 20:00 |
|
Lunar Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Mon 27 |
|
|
Bank Holiday |
|
| Wed 29 |
19:30 |
|
August Meeting |
Paul Money
“Images of the Universe - Part 3” |
| Fri 31 |
|
|
Full Moon |
"Blue Moon" |
| September |
| Tue 4 - Sun 9 |
|
British Science Festival |
Aberdeen |
| Sat 8 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Welwyn Garden City, outside the Howard Centre. Includes solar and lunar observing. |
| Sat 8 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Sat 8 |
From 17:30 |
|
Society Star-B-Que |
Our combination Star Party and Bar-B-Que : The Autumn EquiNosh
(LDAS Members only) |
| Mon 10 - Fri 21 |
|
Autumn Sky Camp |
At Kelling Heath, Norfolk |
| Fri 14 / Sat 15 |
20:00 |
|
Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Sat 15 - Sun 16 |
|
Autumn Sky Camp main weekend |
At Kelling Heath, Norfolk |
| Sat 15 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Hitchin. The Market Place, off Bucklersbury. Includes solar observing. |
| Sun 16 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Mon 17 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Fri 21 |
19:30 |
|
Lunar Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Sat 22 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Sat 22 |
|
|
Autumn Equinox |
|
| Sat 22 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Letchworth Town Centre. The square mid-way down Leys Avenue.
Including Solar observing. |
| Sat 22 |
From 19:30 |
|
Public Star Party : Free |
Featuring the craters of the Moon |
| Sun 23 |
|
|
Discovery of Neptune, 1846 |
166th anniversary |
| Wed 26 |
19:30 |
|
September Meeting |
Guy Hurst
“The Changing Face of Amateur Astronomy” |
| Sat 29 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
| Sat 29 |
10:00-17:00 |
|
Federation of Astronomical Societies |
At the Institute of Astronomy.
(Date to be confirmed) |
| October |
| Thu 4 - Wed 10 |
|
World Space Week |
Celebrating Sputnik 1 and the UN Treaty on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space |
| Sat 6 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Stevenage town centre. At the north end of the pedestrianised shopping centre, near Waterstones and the Armillary Sphere. Includes solar observing. |
| Sat 6 |
19:30 |
|
"My Telescope Doesn't Work" Free |
Do you have a telescope you don't use, or are you thinking of buying one?
Book a place and we'll help you out. |
| Mon 8 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Mon 8 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Mon 8 - Tue 9 |
From 21:00 |
|
The Draconid Meteor Shower |
Moderately favourable |
| Fri 12 / Sat 13 |
19:30 |
|
Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Sat 13 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Baldock. Includes solar observing. |
| Mon 15 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Mon 15 - Sun 21 |
|
|
Autumn Astronomy Week |
|
| Wed 17 |
19:30 |
|
October Additional Meeting |
Presentations by members of the Society |
| Sat 20 |
|
|
Autumn Astronomy Day |
|
| Sat 20 |
11:00-16:00 |
|
Public Astronomy Session |
Letchworth Town Centre. The square mid-way down Leys Avenue.
Including Solar and Lunar observing. |
| Sat 20 |
From 19:30 |
|
Public Star Party : Free |
Featuring the Moon and the Orionid Meteor Shower |
| Sun 21 |
From 21:00 |
|
The Orionid Meteor Shower |
|
| Sat 22 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Sat 27 |
14:00 |
|
Society for Popular Astronomy |
Quarterly meeting:
School of Oriental and African Studies, London |
| Sun 28 |
02:00 |
|
British Summer Time ends |
|
| Mon 29 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
| Wed 31 |
19:30 |
|
October Meeting |
Tom Boles |
| November |
| Wed 7 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Fri 9 / Sat 10 |
19:30 |
|
Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
| Mon 12 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Tue 13 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Wed 14 |
09:24 - 10:14 |
|
Occultation of Mercury by the Moon |
Observing location to be confirmed |
| Wed 14 |
19:30 |
|
Committee Meeting |
|
| Sat 17 |
From 21:00 |
|
The Leonid Meteor Shower |
|
| Sat 17 + Sun 18 |
|
Standalone Farm Craft Fair
(To be confirmed) |
LDAS public display |
| Tue 20 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Sat 24 - Fri 30 |
06:30 - 07:30 |
|
Venus and Saturn close together in the morning sky |
|
| Wed 28 |
|
|
Full Moon / Penumbral Eclipse |
|
| Wed 28 |
19:30 |
|
November Meeting |
Bob Forrest |
| December |
| Sat 1 - Sat 8 |
06:30 - 07:00 |
|
Mercury, Venus & Saturn close together in the morning sky |
|
| Thu 6 |
|
|
RAL Space Conference |
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot |
| Thu 6 |
|
|
Moon Last Quarter |
|
| Mon 10 |
19:30 |
|
Astrophotography meeting |
|
| Tue 11 |
06:30 |
|
Mercury, Venus, Saturn & the Moon close together |
|
| Wed 12 - Thu 13 |
From 21:00 |
|
The Geminid Meteor Shower |
|
| Thu 13 |
|
|
New Moon |
|
| Fri 14 / Sat 15 |
19:30 |
|
Observing session |
At Standalone Farm |
Wed 19 |
19:30 |
|
December Meeting |
Our AGM and Annual Quiz |
| Thu 20 |
|
|
Moon First Quarter |
|
| Fri 21 |
|
|
Winter Solstice |
|
| Tue 25 |
|
|
Christmas Day |
|
| Wed 26 |
|
|
Boxing Day |
|
| Sun 1 |
|
|
Discovery of Haumea, 2004 |
8th anniversary |
| Fri 28 |
|
|
Full Moon |
|
