| Membership
of the society is open to all who are interested in astronomy. In
general the activities of the society will be at a non-technical level,
although facilities for more advanced work will be available for those
members who wish to go deeper into the subject.
To cover
the working expenses such as postage, typing, an annual subscription of
10s. will be charged to all member. This will entitle members to take
part in almost all the activities of the society., to attend the
lectures and other meeting, and to make some use of the observing
equipment. There are some members who will want to do more than this
however, such as taking part in more serious observing programmes we
hope to start, and this will mean using equipment rather more
frequently, taking photographs, constructing apparatus, etc. The expense
of which could not be covered by the 10s. fee. These members will be
asked to pay an additional £2 per year. This extra fee however is
voluntary, and the committee wish to emphasise that all members who pay
the basic 10s. fee will be able to take part in all the society activities,
including looking through telescopes, except the research activities. We
hope to hold meeting at least monthly, with perhaps more frequent
observing meetings
The society
will be based at the School of Physics, Robert Gordon's Institute of
Technology, St Andrew Street, because not only is this central, but a
flat roof is available for mounting telescopes. The equipment to
be setup on St Andrew Street consists, at present of a 4 inch
refractor telescope kindly loaned by Dr. Jason, and a 6 inch reflector
will be available on occasional loan from the Department of Physics,
Aberdeen University. In a short time an 8.1/2 inch reflector telescope,
now on order, will be mounted permanently on the roof of the School of
Physics, St Andrew Street, where there are also adequate laboratory and
darkroom facilities which society members may use.
A
provisional programme of future activities has been drawn up, ad this
includes lectures on making and using telescopes, radio astronomy,
meteorite astronomy, space travel, general astronomy, history of astronomy,
the philosophy of time, etc. Most of the lectures will be of general
non-technical nature and should be of interest to all members. We also intend
to arrange some other lectures of a more technical nature for those
members who are interested in obtaining more specialised knowledge of
various aspects of astronomy.
We intend also
to organise practical sessions for members who wish to learn more how to
use equipment, and such topics as astronomical photography, measurement
techniques, mirror and telescope making, will be covered. We hope some members
will wish to make their own telescopes and other equipment, and members
of the society who have experience in these matters will be happy to
assist in these aspects.
The society
will organise practical and theoretical project study groups if enough
members are interested. Projects suggested at present are (1) a lunar
observing group; (2) a meteorite observing group; (3) a study of the
history of astronomy in Aberdeen. Please let us have ideas about other
projects you think would be of interest to our members.
Other
activities of the society will include film shows, visits to
observatories,, and talks by visiting speakers if funds allow.
Above all,
however, we intend to ensure that all members have ample opportunity to
observe the heavens for themselves through the telescopes which will be
mounted on the roof of the St Andrew Street building, and we hope to
have frequent viewing sessions once we have organised our equipment.
We hope
also to take part in the observing activities which be of use to other
astronomers and play some part in the national programme of work. Mr. Patrick
Moore has suggested the we concentrate upon the topics of Aurorae (and
we are, of course, ideally sited geographically for this), variable
stars and surface features n Jupiter.
January,
1970
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