Forums:  Website News and Help Just to remind everybody that the BAA website will be offline from 8am on Thursday for essential maintenance and upgrades. The BAA will be launching a new website later on Thursday evening. During the upgrade, all of the BAA's section websites, image galleries, member albums, etc, will be temporarily unavailable. Please rest assured that all your forum posts and image uploads will still be available after the upgrade is completed ..read more

Forums:  General Discussion When observing Alnitak zeta Orionis recently, I noticed that one side of it appears creamy yellow and the other side blue. Increasing magnification split the stars into a double consisting of a blue white with a yellow companion. The main star is listed as a class O with the companion being a B2 III. Neither of these stars are yellow so what is giving the yellow appearance?  Unfortunately I am unable to image this but wondered if someone could explain what I am seeing ..read more

Forums:  Variable Stars A probable Nova has been discovered in M81 ATel #15246: Independent Discovery of a Probable Nova in M81 (astronomerstelegram.org ..read more

Forums:  Sun It has been a tradition, started in 2000 by Patrick and Joanne Poitevin to organise a Solar Eclipse Conference in any year that does not have a central solar eclipse. So Sheridan and Xavier Jubier have stepped up to organise one for this year. To ease the administration Astro Trails (a company Sheridan has worked with since the 1980s) has offered to put together various package options to include travel, accommodation, excursions, catering etc ..read more

Forums:  Variable Stars The March 2022 Variable Star Section Circular can be downloaded in PDF format here.  I do hope you enjoy reading the articles. Many thanks, as ever, to all our authors and to our Editor, Gary Poyner.  Do consider writing something for our next circular. The deadline is May 15, 2022. Please send contributions to Gary.  Clear skies! Jeremy Shears Director, BAA Variable Star Section   ..read more

Forums:  General Discussion At the recent Kelling Heath star party I ran my AllSkyCamera for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The results can be seen here: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/633708572   Friday 8th Oct https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/633708719   Sat 9th Oct https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/633709881   Sun 10th Oct ..read more

Forums:  General Discussion The BAA have been notified of an online concert for International Women's Day, centred on the Astronomer & Mathematician Mary Somerville (1780-1872). International Women's Day Online Concert #IWD2022 7pm 8th March 2022 Songs & Stories from “The Somerville Connexion” performed by electric voice theatre. Book at https://bit.ly/3Jxf9mq ..read more

Forums:  General Discussion The IMO Algorithm shows a Track of this event over the Thames Estuary..   My photo at 04-34-37UT with stars will enable some more specific assessment I guess?.. The frame speed was around 4fps. The sudden emergence in the skies was very different to any Starlink Event that i have videod over the years.. and perhaps will be of interest?  ..read more

Forums:  History Back in 2011 I set up a web site, using google sites, to celebrate the work of Grubb Parsons and David Sinden. Recently google introduced a new site format and have phased out the old format which my original site was set up on. To ensure the site was kept live I have had to migrate the old site to the new format. In doing this some of the original content was lost. I have been working to correct this and add new material. For those with an interest in Grubb Parsons and David Sinden new site can be found here ..read more

Forums:  Comets In his short note about comet on the month 19P Borrelly, Nick states ..read more