November’s meeting will revolve around my favourite little ‘world’ Pluto, but sadly I may have to miss this session if I get called for Jury Service. My able deputy Brenda will set the introduction before showing a fantastic DVD on the New Horizon’s flyby in 2015, which revealed some amazing and unexpected facts. December will be our Christmas ‘special’ where the topic will be interferometers and gravitational waves. Such waves were predicted by Albert Einstein and can now be detected in deep space when for example two black holes collide.
We will then start the new year with a completely different outlook on Astronomy with a presentation entitled ‘What’s in a Name'. This will give an interesting insight into the names of astronomical bodies and perhaps also into the minds of those who make such decisions.
We meet on the fourth Thursday of every month (except for December which is on the third Thursday) from 10am to 12 noon in the back room of Southwell Library. The dates of the next few meetings are 27th November, 18th December and 22nd January.
We try to cater for beginners by not making the sessions too technical but with enough content to stimulate the more knowledgeable.
After coffee the audience get the chance to ask questions, comment or offer views, which is I think, an important part of our sessions.
I hope to see as many people as possible at the next meeting.
Please see the webpage Astronomy - Southwell u3a where you can contact me.
Richard