About RAS

The Society

The Reading Astronomical Society was founded in 1972 to help promote amateur astronomy in the Reading area. The Society runs a main and an AstroBASICS section and maintains a membership of around 100 members, which makes Reading AS one of the larger societies in the UK.

Members come from all parts of Berkshire including Bracknell, Basingstoke, Slough and Reading, south Oxfordshire and some from further afield including Wiltshire, Hampshire and London.

The society is affiliated to the British Astronomical Association and is a member of the Federation of Astronomical Societies.

You are welcome to attend your first meeting as our guest. To join the society please complete and return a membership form or fill in a form at a main meeting.

Annual subscription rates are as follows.

• Standard : £25
• Retired/Unwaged : £15
• Student* : FREE

Attending astrobasics meetings does not require a full membership. Members are welcome to bring guests to main meetings for £2.50 per guest per meeting.

* for members under 16 at beginning of session, students at schools, colleges and universities.

The Meetings

The main focus of the society is the monthly meetings. Speakers are invited from a wide range of backgrounds to give astronomical talks. Professionals and fellow amateurs speak on a variety of subjects.

The society has two sections, a main section and an astrobasics section. You are welcome to attend either or both meetings.

Main Section

Meets regularly each month between September and June. Meetings are held at St Peter’s Church Hall, Church Road, Earley from 7.00pm. See the programme for full details.

The usual format of the meetings is that we have an invited speaker who gives a one hour talk, followed by a break where you can have a drink, talk to other members and browse the library. This is followed by short talks by members on a variety of subjects e.g. observing techniques, things to observe, images. The meeting closes at 9.45pm.

Astrobasics

The BASICS section also has monthly meetings. Membership is not required for these meetings which are to encourage, motivate and generally inform about amateur astronomy.

The meetings consist of a talk on an aspect of astronomy and if clear after the talk, we stay outside with telescopes for observing. Young children are recommended to come for the latter part of the evening from about 8.00pm when telescopes will be set up if the sky is clear.

Further Details

The society organises trips to local observatories and places of astronomical interest. Last May we visited the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

In recent years we have also visited the Jodrell Bank Observatory and the Science Museum, and organised a trip to witness the 1999 solar eclipse from Bulgaria.

The society publishes a bulletin with society news and detailing upcoming astronomical events and an annual report, which has members’ contributions, meeting reports and other interesting articles.

The Society holds an extensive library of astronomical books and DVDs – many donated by members – available for loan at a very modest fee. The library is kept right up to date with the purchase of new books.

We have two telescopes available for members to loan, including a 6″ Dobsonian reflector. We also have a PST solar telescope available for loan.

Our president is Dr Allan Chapman, the well-known historian and teacher of the history of Science in the Faculty of Modern History, Oxford.

Observing

The society arranges observing evenings at a dark sky site. Occasionally these evenings are themed, e.g. the Moon or Photography, or timed to coincide with a particular astronomical event e.g. meteor showers or lunar eclipses. Of course you are always free to observe whatever you wish in the company of other members of the society. Owning a telescope is not essential, sharing instruments and observing tips and techniques is an excellent way to increase your astronomical knowledge and skills.

The biannual starcamps to a very dark site in mid-Wales are becoming popular. There are camping, self-catering and B&B options. Bring your own instruments or use those taken by other members.

The society organises annual public observing events at Dinton Pastures Country Park, where the public come to enjoy the views through members’ telescopes. These are excellent opportunities for members to meet the public and share their knowledge with them.

We also arrange special public observing sessions for astronomical events, in recent years we have observed a lunar eclipse, a Mercury and a Venus transit in the company of the general public.