Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society
@msas78.bsky.social
Formed in 1978 with just five members and meeting in members front rooms over the years the society has grown into a group of about fifty members who meet every Thursday evening.
The Society also own and runs its own observatory at nearby Hoober Stand.
The Society also own and runs its own observatory at nearby Hoober Stand.
This week MSAS welcomed Tom Gillespy of Alyesbury AS. Tom described Tsiolkovsky' Rocket Equation in depth, explaining along the way why Δv matters when trying to get anything off the Earth's surface. He showed how rockets are inefficient the and the measures used to overcome some of these issues.
November 7, 2025 at 1:05 PM
This week MSAS welcomed Tom Gillespy of Alyesbury AS. Tom described Tsiolkovsky' Rocket Equation in depth, explaining along the way why Δv matters when trying to get anything off the Earth's surface. He showed how rockets are inefficient the and the measures used to overcome some of these issues.
Comets are difficult objects to see in the UK, mainly due to the weather, but this autumn Comets Swan(C/2025 R2) and Lemmon(C/2023A6) have been visible. MSAS' Phil M took this image of Comet Swan on the 27th October from his back garden managing to avoid the glare from the street lights.
November 4, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Comets are difficult objects to see in the UK, mainly due to the weather, but this autumn Comets Swan(C/2025 R2) and Lemmon(C/2023A6) have been visible. MSAS' Phil M took this image of Comet Swan on the 27th October from his back garden managing to avoid the glare from the street lights.
This week's speaker was John Jack McGill from Michigan, USA. John described how his interest developed after buying a telescope for his son and becoming interested in astronomy. He went on to share the equipment and preperations needed to get an 'up close and personal' photograph.
October 31, 2025 at 12:05 PM
This week's speaker was John Jack McGill from Michigan, USA. John described how his interest developed after buying a telescope for his son and becoming interested in astronomy. He went on to share the equipment and preperations needed to get an 'up close and personal' photograph.
MSAS member Simon C. observes from a suburban site but can still take advantage of clear nights with a Celestron Origin. Simon took this image of the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, IC 1396A, part of a much bigger gas cloud IC 1396 in Cepheus some 2,400 light years away.
October 27, 2025 at 12:05 PM
MSAS member Simon C. observes from a suburban site but can still take advantage of clear nights with a Celestron Origin. Simon took this image of the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, IC 1396A, part of a much bigger gas cloud IC 1396 in Cepheus some 2,400 light years away.
Adam McMaster gave the MSAS weekly meeting with a talk on the star HD38451. In 1848 John Russell Hind observed this star as red but over the next two years watched it turn to blue. Adam showed how modern methods have revealed it to be a shell star spinning at high speed casting off material.
October 24, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Adam McMaster gave the MSAS weekly meeting with a talk on the star HD38451. In 1848 John Russell Hind observed this star as red but over the next two years watched it turn to blue. Adam showed how modern methods have revealed it to be a shell star spinning at high speed casting off material.
MSAS' Paul D'Silva usually fronts the meetings but this week, after the speaker had to cancel, presented a talk on the Gemni Project. Paul described how NASA had to squeeze a program between Mecury and Apollo in order to fufil President J F Kennedy's dream to land a man on the Moon by 1970.
October 10, 2025 at 10:04 AM
MSAS' Paul D'Silva usually fronts the meetings but this week, after the speaker had to cancel, presented a talk on the Gemni Project. Paul described how NASA had to squeeze a program between Mecury and Apollo in order to fufil President J F Kennedy's dream to land a man on the Moon by 1970.
MSAS' busy Programme Coordinator Roy G. still gets time to take images and managed to take this one at the end of September with his Seestar S50 from his back garden for this image of the Pacman Nebula, NGC 281. Roy not only has to contend with urban light pollution but also a busy train line!
October 6, 2025 at 4:45 PM
MSAS' busy Programme Coordinator Roy G. still gets time to take images and managed to take this one at the end of September with his Seestar S50 from his back garden for this image of the Pacman Nebula, NGC 281. Roy not only has to contend with urban light pollution but also a busy train line!
This week MSAS was visited by Dr Vincent Eke who explained how he used computational models to explore how the Moon was created. He described the three major pre-Apollo era models and how his work shows that a model based on elements of all three models fit the geological evidence bought back.
October 3, 2025 at 4:58 PM
This week MSAS was visited by Dr Vincent Eke who explained how he used computational models to explore how the Moon was created. He described the three major pre-Apollo era models and how his work shows that a model based on elements of all three models fit the geological evidence bought back.
MSAS members got together on Monday & Friday last week with their smart telescopes to share their know-how, and skills at the J A Jones Observatory. Apart from Seestars S50s there were examples of Celestron Origins, Unistellar Evscope and Vespera Pro giving the chance to compare and contrast.
September 29, 2025 at 9:18 AM
MSAS members got together on Monday & Friday last week with their smart telescopes to share their know-how, and skills at the J A Jones Observatory. Apart from Seestars S50s there were examples of Celestron Origins, Unistellar Evscope and Vespera Pro giving the chance to compare and contrast.
Ian Muirhead outlined the difficulties faced by operators of satellites constellations and astronomers as the skies above the Earth become more crowded. He showed how the number of satellites has increased to over 15000 and the issues to be solved as launches to LEO and beyond become more difficult.
September 27, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Ian Muirhead outlined the difficulties faced by operators of satellites constellations and astronomers as the skies above the Earth become more crowded. He showed how the number of satellites has increased to over 15000 and the issues to be solved as launches to LEO and beyond become more difficult.
Last week MSAS' Tom W took this image of M13 in Hercules. Tom also caught the galaxy NGC 6207, to the right, which is a spiral galaxy some 30lyr away. However, look out for IC 4617, just below the line between M13 and NGC 6207. This is galaxy 553 Mlyr from the Milky Way and slightly larger.
September 22, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Last week MSAS' Tom W took this image of M13 in Hercules. Tom also caught the galaxy NGC 6207, to the right, which is a spiral galaxy some 30lyr away. However, look out for IC 4617, just below the line between M13 and NGC 6207. This is galaxy 553 Mlyr from the Milky Way and slightly larger.
Andy Devey brought us up to date on Solar Cycle 25. Andy explained how the Sun is half way through Solar Cycle 25. He described what features can be observed and illustrated his talk with his own images and videos with features such as sunspots, granulations, prominences and flares.
September 20, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Andy Devey brought us up to date on Solar Cycle 25. Andy explained how the Sun is half way through Solar Cycle 25. He described what features can be observed and illustrated his talk with his own images and videos with features such as sunspots, granulations, prominences and flares.
This image of the Dumbell Nebula, M27, was taken by MSAS member Simon B. late in August. Simon used his Seestar 50 to take it. M27 is in Vulpecula (the Fox) some 1360 lyr away. At 8.0' x 5.6' (arcminutes) and magnitude 7.4 it should be an easy binocular or small telescope object on a dark night.
September 15, 2025 at 3:37 PM
This image of the Dumbell Nebula, M27, was taken by MSAS member Simon B. late in August. Simon used his Seestar 50 to take it. M27 is in Vulpecula (the Fox) some 1360 lyr away. At 8.0' x 5.6' (arcminutes) and magnitude 7.4 it should be an easy binocular or small telescope object on a dark night.
This week MSAS welcomed Phoebe Ryder who intoduced us to Galactic Magnetic Fields. She explained the Faraday Rotation (Effect) of light in a magnetic field to detect the field strength in that region using data from SKA and POSSUM surveys. Concluding Phoebe discussed new detection techniques.
September 12, 2025 at 3:05 PM
This week MSAS welcomed Phoebe Ryder who intoduced us to Galactic Magnetic Fields. She explained the Faraday Rotation (Effect) of light in a magnetic field to detect the field strength in that region using data from SKA and POSSUM surveys. Concluding Phoebe discussed new detection techniques.
Mark W. has been on his holidays to the Greek Islands and took his Seestar with him. He captured this image of the M20, the Triffid Nebula in Sagittarius. In addition is M21, Webb's Cross the open cluster in the top left of the frame. M21 is a comparitively young system just 6.6 million years old.
September 8, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Mark W. has been on his holidays to the Greek Islands and took his Seestar with him. He captured this image of the M20, the Triffid Nebula in Sagittarius. In addition is M21, Webb's Cross the open cluster in the top left of the frame. M21 is a comparitively young system just 6.6 million years old.
MSAS' own Kris Hudson-Lee presented his quarterly briefing on the Autumn Sky. Kris described how the ecliptic confines the Moon and planets to a path close to the horizon and the up coming Lunar Eclipse on the 7th Sept. He also described the objects close to the zenith, the darkest area of night sky
September 5, 2025 at 1:53 PM
MSAS' own Kris Hudson-Lee presented his quarterly briefing on the Autumn Sky. Kris described how the ecliptic confines the Moon and planets to a path close to the horizon and the up coming Lunar Eclipse on the 7th Sept. He also described the objects close to the zenith, the darkest area of night sky
Jonny and Rachel Wood from DAS are good friends of MSAS and take wonderful images of DSOs. They took this image of the 'Cave Nebula' (Sh2-155) in Cepheus. Rachel reports that this is not the finished image and requires some extra work. Thanks for sharing the intermediate results with us.
September 1, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Jonny and Rachel Wood from DAS are good friends of MSAS and take wonderful images of DSOs. They took this image of the 'Cave Nebula' (Sh2-155) in Cepheus. Rachel reports that this is not the finished image and requires some extra work. Thanks for sharing the intermediate results with us.
Simon Banton travelled from Wiltshire to present this week's MSAS meeting. Simon has a long interest in Stonehenge and the astronomy behind it's construction over 5 000 years ago. He described how the stones have been aligned to the solstices and other different Sun/Moon positions.
August 29, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Simon Banton travelled from Wiltshire to present this week's MSAS meeting. Simon has a long interest in Stonehenge and the astronomy behind it's construction over 5 000 years ago. He described how the stones have been aligned to the solstices and other different Sun/Moon positions.
MSAS' final 'Solar Sunday' of 2025 took place at RSPB Old Moor. Although the weather forecast was poor, we still managed an hour and a half before the clouds rolled in. Members put out six instuments allowing the public to look at the Sun safely. Thanks to all members and staff. See you next year!
August 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
MSAS' final 'Solar Sunday' of 2025 took place at RSPB Old Moor. Although the weather forecast was poor, we still managed an hour and a half before the clouds rolled in. Members put out six instuments allowing the public to look at the Sun safely. Thanks to all members and staff. See you next year!
MSAS welcomed Dr Jacco Van Loon, and his cat, this week when he told of his work on DIBs (Diffuse Interstellar Bands). He showed how light from some stars can be used to explore interstellar regions around the Sun and some surprising compounds found there, including Buckminsterfullerene- Buckyballs.
August 22, 2025 at 4:03 PM
MSAS welcomed Dr Jacco Van Loon, and his cat, this week when he told of his work on DIBs (Diffuse Interstellar Bands). He showed how light from some stars can be used to explore interstellar regions around the Sun and some surprising compounds found there, including Buckminsterfullerene- Buckyballs.
Join MSAS this Sunday, 24th August, at RSPB Old Moor for the final Solar Sunday of the summer. Members will be on hand with equipment to allow you to look at the Sun in full detail and answer your astronomical questions. Admission it is FREE! details at https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/114762
August 18, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Join MSAS this Sunday, 24th August, at RSPB Old Moor for the final Solar Sunday of the summer. Members will be on hand with equipment to allow you to look at the Sun in full detail and answer your astronomical questions. Admission it is FREE! details at https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/114762
This week saw the return of MSAS' 'Astro Clinic' (the first since before 2020) with Kris H, Tony M and Peter L dealing with members' astronomical problems. The panel dealt with questions including how to begin taking images, the apparent size of the Moon, the choice of equipment and and many more.
August 15, 2025 at 4:03 PM
This week saw the return of MSAS' 'Astro Clinic' (the first since before 2020) with Kris H, Tony M and Peter L dealing with members' astronomical problems. The panel dealt with questions including how to begin taking images, the apparent size of the Moon, the choice of equipment and and many more.
With night skies returning Simon C took this image of the Crescent Nebula (also known as NGC 6888, Caldwell 27, Sharpless 105) in the constellation Cygnus, about 5000 light-years away from Earth. It was taken by celestron origin, 40 minutes of 15 second exposures using a nebula filter
August 11, 2025 at 8:04 PM
With night skies returning Simon C took this image of the Crescent Nebula (also known as NGC 6888, Caldwell 27, Sharpless 105) in the constellation Cygnus, about 5000 light-years away from Earth. It was taken by celestron origin, 40 minutes of 15 second exposures using a nebula filter
At this week's meeting Tom Joshi-Hartley described how stars create energy and how it moves through them. He explained basic energy transfer, stellar formation and how star size determines how energy is transferred. Finishing, Tom showed why our Sun will last for much longer than larger stars.
August 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
At this week's meeting Tom Joshi-Hartley described how stars create energy and how it moves through them. He explained basic energy transfer, stellar formation and how star size determines how energy is transferred. Finishing, Tom showed why our Sun will last for much longer than larger stars.
MSAS' third Solar Sunday go off to a gloomy start yesterday, 3rd August. However, the weather did finally cooperate and members welcomed 30+ members of the public to a tour of the observatory and a chance to observe the Sun in white light, Hɑ, Cal-K and OIII frequencies. Thanks to all who took part.
August 4, 2025 at 11:34 AM
MSAS' third Solar Sunday go off to a gloomy start yesterday, 3rd August. However, the weather did finally cooperate and members welcomed 30+ members of the public to a tour of the observatory and a chance to observe the Sun in white light, Hɑ, Cal-K and OIII frequencies. Thanks to all who took part.