Stirling Astronomical Society

Meetings

The next public lecture meeting will be held on Wednesday 8th May 2024, at the Old People's Welfare Hall, Laurieston, FK2 9PS from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm.

Speaker: To be confirmed

The meeting is free and open to everyone, members and non-members.

Evening classes

Our winter series of monthly Evening Classes take place on the first Thursday of each month, from October 2023 through to March 2024.

These will be in the Stirling Highland Hotel, Spittal St, Stirling FK8 1DU from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Evening classes will resume again in the autumn

Contact details

For more information about meetings and activities, or if you would like to become a member please email:

Astronomy news - April 2024

08 April: Total solar eclipse
The total solar eclipse on the 8th April will be visible in parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada. While the total phase of the eclipse will not be visible from any part of the UK, it will be possible to watch it live online via the NASA website.
Remember never to look directly at the Sun. The NASA website has information on safe solar viewing and eye safety.

08 April: Partial eclipse from the UK
In the UK a thin partial eclipse may just be visible for a few minutes at sunset from a high vantage point with a clear view of the horizon.
Remember never to look directly at the Sun. The NASA website has information on safe solar viewing and eye safety.

02-24 April: Moon Phases
02 April: Third Quarter (04:14h)
08 April: New Moon* (19:20h)
15 April: First Quarter (20:13h)
24 April: Full Moon (00:48h)
* Total solar eclipse visible in Mexico, United States and Canada.

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Comet 12P/Pons-Brookes
Comet 12P/Pons-Brookes will be visible in the western sky towards the end of March. Look for the comet near the horizon shortly after sunset using binoculars or a small telescope. Towards the end of the month it may become bright enough to be visible to the naked eye. The comet approaches perihelion in April.

14 - 15 March: Moon and Pleiades
The Moon passes close to the Pleiades on the evenings of the 14th and 15th March.

13 March: Jupiter and Moon
The crescent moon will be close to Jupiter in the evening sky on the 13th March. Less than three degrees apart, the two will be visible for about an hour after sunset.

3-25 March: Moon Phases
03 March: Third Quarter (15:23h)
10 March: New Moon (09:00h)
17 March: First Quarter (04:10h)
25 March: Full Moon (07:00h)

2-24 February: Moon Phases
02 February: Third Quarter (23:18h)
09 February: New Moon (22:59h)
16 February: First Quarter (15:00h)
24 February: Full Moon (12:30h)

18 January: Jupiter-Moon Conjunction
Jupiter will shine brightly in the night sky all through January, and will come into a close conjunction with the first quarter Moon on 18 January. The two will move across the sky together from sunset until around 01:00.

08 January: Moon, Venus and Mercury
On the morning of Jan 8th, the waning cresent Moon, Venus and Mercury will all be briefly visible in the morning twilight. Look to the south-eastern horizon just before sunrise (07:30) - you will need a clear view to the horizon and a clear sky.

4-25 January: Moon Phases
4 January: Third Quarter (03:30h)
11 January: New Moon (11:57h)
18 January: First Quarter (03:52h)
25 January: Full Moon (17:54h)

Meetings and events

Meetings

Evening classes

Contact details