- Details
Members of the Society are welcome to come and join us at our observatory in Mugdock Country Park, just outside Glasgow. We hold impromptu observing sessions on many clear nights. ASG members can bring their own telescopes or use the society's. This is a great way to learn about the different types of telescopes, and if you are thinking of buying, what better way to 'try before you buy'.
As weather conditions allow we also occasionally meet at the observatory for solar observing throughout the year. Members use our Whatsapp and private Facebook groups to arrange impromptu observing opportunities both solar and nighttime and we email others to alert them. Please note that the Society has purpose designed solar telescopes allowing safe viewing of the Sun.
Please see the Membership page for information on joining the Society.
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The ASG will be running a free public event at our observatory in Mugdock Country Park between 1000 and 1215 on Saturday 29th March. First Contact of the Moon on the Sun is at 1008 and Last Contact is at 1207, maximum eclipse is at 1106. Specially filtered telescopes will be available for members of the public to safely view the partial eclipse. You should never use a normal telescope or binoculars to view the sun. Viewing is obviously weather dependent but we are hoping for a great show! Note that no booking is required for this event, just turn up. The observatory is at the north end of the overflow car park near the Mugdock Visitor Centre.
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There will be a partial solar eclipse viewable from Scotland on the morning of Tuesday 25th October. NASA provides this information.
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEanimate/SEanimate2001/SE2022Oct25P.GIF
Other solar eclipses this decade are listed at here.
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2020
| Date | Local Time |
Event | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug | 01 | Sa | 09:47 | Moon South Dec.: 24.1° S |
| 01 | Sa | Venus: 45.2° W | ||
| 01 | Sa | 21:14 | Mercury-Pollux: 6.7° S | |
| 02 | Su | 00:30 | Moon-Jupiter: 1.6° N | |
| 02 | Su | 14:17 | Moon-Saturn: 2.4° N | |
| 03 | Mo | 16:59 | Full Moon | |
| 09 | Su | 08:57 | Moon-Mars: 0.8° N | |
| 09 | Su | 14:51 | Moon Apogee: 404700 km | |
| 11 | Tu | 17:45 | Last Quarter | |
| 12 | We | 14:02 | Perseid Shower: ZHR = 90 | |
| 13 | Th | 01:59 | Venus Elongation: 45.8° W | |
| 14 | Fr | 20:22 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 15 | Sa | 14:01 | Moon-Venus: 4.2° S | |
| 15 | Sa | 21:40 | Moon North Dec.: 24.2° N | |
| 17 | Mo | 15:47 | Mercury Superior Conj. | |
| 19 | We | 03:41 | New Moon | |
| 21 | Fr | 11:59 | Moon Perigee: 363500 km | |
| 25 | Tu | 18:58 | First Quarter | |
| 27 | Th | 12:52 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 28 | Fr | 15:06 | Moon South Dec.: 24.2° S | |
| 29 | Sa | 02:33 | Moon-Jupiter: 1.5° N | |
| 29 | Sa | 17:40 | Moon-Saturn: 2.3° N | |
| Sep | 01 | Tu | Venus: 44.7° W | |
| 02 | We | 06:22 | Full Moon | |
| 06 | Su | 05:42 | Moon-Mars: 0° | |
| 06 | Su | 07:31 | Moon Apogee: 405600 km | |
| 10 | Th | 10:26 | Last Quarter | |
| 11 | Fr | 00:05 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 11 | Fr | 20:15 | Neptune Opposition | |
| 12 | Sa | 06:25 | Moon North Dec.: 24.4° N | |
| 13 | Su | 01:10 | Venus-Beehive: 2.6° S | |
| 14 | Mo | 04:19 | Moon-Beehive: 1.9° S | |
| 14 | Mo | 05:43 | Moon-Venus: 4.6° S | |
| 17 | Th | 12:00 | New Moon | |
| 18 | Fr | 14:44 | Moon Perigee: 359100 km | |
| 22 | Tu | 07:06 | Mercury-Spica: 0.3° N | |
| 22 | Tu | 14:31 | Autumnal Equinox | |
| 23 | We | 13:33 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 24 | Th | 02:55 | First Quarter | |
| 24 | Th | 20:11 | Moon South Dec.: 24.5° S | |
| 25 | Fr | 07:46 | Moon-Jupiter: 1.7° N | |
| 25 | Fr | 21:46 | Moon-Saturn: 2.5° N | |
| Oct | 01 | Th | Venus: 40.3° W | |
| 01 | Th | 16:59 | Mercury Elongation: 25.8° E | |
| 01 | Th | 22:05 | Full Moon | |
| 02 | Fr | 18:09 | Venus-Regulus: 0.1° S | |
| 03 | Sa | 04:21 | Moon-Mars: 0.8° N | |
| 03 | Sa | 18:22 | Moon Apogee: 406300 km | |
| 08 | Th | 01:29 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 09 | Fr | 14:07 | Moon North Dec.: 24.6° N | |
| 10 | Sa | 01:39 | Last Quarter | |
| 11 | Su | 13:27 | Moon-Beehive: 2.2° S | |
| 14 | We | 00:10 | Mars Opposition | |
| 14 | We | 00:57 | Moon-Venus: 4.4° S | |
| 16 | Fr | 20:31 | New Moon | |
| 17 | Sa | 00:46 | Moon Perigee: 356900 km | |
| 20 | Tu | 16:53 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 21 | We | 06:21 | Orionid Shower: ZHR = 20 | |
| 22 | Th | 03:00 | Moon South Dec.: 24.7° S | |
| 22 | Th | 18:10 | Moon-Jupiter: 2.1° N | |
| 23 | Fr | 04:49 | Moon-Saturn: 2.7° N | |
| 23 | Fr | 14:23 | First Quarter | |
| 25 | Su | 18:14 | Mercury Inferior Conj. | |
| 29 | Th | 16:13 | Moon-Mars: 3.3° N | |
| 30 | Fr | 18:46 | Moon Apogee: 406400 km | |
| 31 | Sa | 14:49 | Full Moon | |
| 31 | Sa | 16:05 | Uranus Opposition | |
| Nov | 01 | Su | Venus: 34.2° W | |
| 04 | We | 02:39 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 05 | Th | 05:50 | South Taurid Shower: ZHR = 10 | |
| 05 | Th | 19:30 | Moon North Dec.: 24.8° N | |
| 07 | Sa | 19:34 | Moon-Beehive: 2.4° S | |
| 08 | Su | 13:46 | Last Quarter | |
| 10 | Tu | 16:59 | Mercury Elongation: 19.1° W | |
| 12 | Th | 05:06 | North Taurid Shower: ZHR = 15 | |
| 12 | Th | 21:31 | Moon-Venus: 3° S | |
| 14 | Sa | 11:48 | Moon Perigee: 357800 km | |
| 15 | Su | 05:07 | New Moon | |
| 16 | Mo | 13:24 | Venus-Spica: 3.8° N | |
| 17 | Tu | 00:07 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 17 | Tu | 11:24 | Leonid Shower: ZHR = 15 | |
| 18 | We | 11:27 | Moon South Dec.: 24.9° S | |
| 19 | Th | 08:54 | Moon-Jupiter: 2.6° N | |
| 19 | Th | 14:57 | Moon-Saturn: 3° N | |
| 22 | Su | 04:45 | First Quarter | |
| 27 | Fr | 00:29 | Moon Apogee: 405900 km | |
| 30 | Mo | 09:30 | Full Moon | |
| 30 | Mo | 09:44 | Pen. Lunar Eclipse | |
| Dec | 01 | Tu | 07:46 | Moon Ascending Node |
| 01 | Tu | Venus: 27.5° W | ||
| 03 | Th | 01:22 | Moon North Dec.: 24.9° N | |
| 05 | Sa | 01:10 | Moon-Beehive: 2.5° S | |
| 08 | Tu | 00:37 | Last Quarter | |
| 12 | Sa | 20:40 | Moon-Venus: 0.8° S | |
| 12 | Sa | 20:42 | Moon Perigee: 361800 km | |
| 14 | Mo | 00:35 | Geminid Shower: ZHR = 120 | |
| 14 | Mo | 11:03 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 14 | Mo | 16:15 | Total Solar Eclipse | |
| 14 | Mo | 16:17 | New Moon | |
| 15 | Tu | 22:23 | Moon South Dec.: 24.9° S | |
| 17 | Th | 04:28 | Moon-Jupiter: 3° N | |
| 17 | Th | 05:25 | Moon-Saturn: 3.1° N | |
| 20 | Su | 02:56 | Mercury Superior Conj. | |
| 21 | Mo | 10:02 | Winter Solstice | |
| 21 | Mo | 23:41 | First Quarter | |
| 22 | Tu | 09:00 | Ursid Shower: ZHR = 10 | |
| 22 | Tu | 09:35 | Jupiter-Saturn: 0.1° N | |
| 23 | We | 14:48 | Venus-Antares: 5.6° N | |
| 24 | Th | 16:32 | Moon Apogee: 405000 km | |
| 28 | Mo | 15:03 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 30 | We | 03:28 | Full Moon | |
| 30 | We | 07:53 | Moon North Dec.: 24.9° N | |
2021
| Date | Local Time |
Event | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 01 | Fr | 07:05 | Moon-Beehive: 2.5° S |
| 01 | Fr | Venus: 20.2° W | ||
| 02 | Sa | 08:59 | Perihelion: 0.9833 AU | |
| 03 | Su | 14:47 | Quadrantid Shower: ZHR = 120 | |
| 06 | We | 09:37 | Last Quarter | |
| 09 | Sa | 15:39 | Moon Perigee: 367400 km | |
| 10 | Su | 20:14 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 11 | Mo | 20:11 | Moon-Venus: 1.5° N | |
| 12 | Tu | 08:18 | Moon South Dec.: 24.9° S | |
| 13 | We | 05:00 | New Moon | |
| 20 | We | 21:02 | First Quarter | |
| 21 | Th | 13:11 | Moon Apogee: 404400 km | |
| 24 | Su | 01:59 | Mercury Elongation: 18.6° E | |
| 24 | Su | 02:26 | Saturn Conjunction | |
| 24 | Su | 21:47 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 26 | Tu | 15:39 | Moon North Dec.: 24.9° N | |
| 28 | Th | 14:50 | Moon-Beehive: 2.4° S | |
| 28 | Th | 19:16 | Full Moon | |
| 29 | Fr | 00:51 | Jupiter Conjunction | |
| Feb | 01 | Mo | Venus: 13° W | |
| 03 | We | 19:33 | Moon Perigee: 370100 km | |
| 04 | Th | 17:37 | Last Quarter | |
| 07 | Su | 00:29 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 08 | Mo | 13:39 | Mercury Inferior Conj. | |
| 08 | Mo | 15:34 | Moon South Dec.: 25° S | |
| 11 | Th | 19:06 | New Moon | |
| 18 | Th | 10:22 | Moon Apogee: 404500 km | |
| 18 | Th | 22:47 | Moon-Mars: 4.1° N | |
| 19 | Fr | 18:47 | First Quarter | |
| 21 | Su | 01:44 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 23 | Tu | 00:12 | Moon North Dec.: 25.1° N | |
| 23 | Tu | 07:38 | Mercury-Saturn: 4° N | |
| 25 | Th | 00:16 | Moon-Beehive: 2.5° S | |
| 27 | Sa | 08:17 | Full Moon | |
| Mar | 01 | Mo | Venus: 6.3° W | |
| 02 | Tu | 05:19 | Moon Perigee: 365400 km | |
| 03 | We | 23:32 | Mars-Pleiades: 2.6° S | |
| 05 | Fr | 05:11 | Mercury-Jupiter: 0.3° N | |
| 06 | Sa | 00:56 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 06 | Sa | 01:30 | Last Quarter | |
| 06 | Sa | 10:59 | Mercury Elongation: 27.3° W | |
| 07 | Su | 20:45 | Moon South Dec.: 25.2° S | |
| 09 | Tu | 23:02 | Moon-Saturn: 3.9° N | |
| 10 | We | 15:35 | Moon-Jupiter: 4.3° N | |
| 10 | We | 23:36 | Neptune Conjunction | |
| 11 | Th | 01:02 | Moon-Mercury: 3.9° N | |
| 13 | Sa | 10:21 | New Moon | |
| 18 | Th | 06:04 | Moon Apogee: 405300 km | |
| 19 | Fr | 18:48 | Moon-Mars: 2.1° N | |
| 20 | Sa | 04:31 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 20 | Sa | 10:37 | Vernal Equinox | |
| 20 | Sa | 20:15 | Mars-Aldebaran: 6.9° N | |
| 21 | Su | 15:40 | First Quarter | |
| 22 | Mo | 09:35 | Moon North Dec.: 25.3° N | |
| 24 | We | 10:58 | Moon-Beehive: 2.7° S | |
| 26 | Fr | 07:17 | Venus Superior Conj. | |
| 28 | Su | 19:48 | Full Moon | |
| 30 | Tu | 07:12 | Moon Perigee: 360300 km | |
| Apr | 01 | Th | Venus: 2° E | |
| 02 | Fr | 03:41 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 04 | Su | 03:08 | Moon South Dec.: 25.4° S | |
| 04 | Su | 11:02 | Last Quarter | |
| 06 | Tu | 09:34 | Moon-Saturn: 4.2° N | |
| 07 | We | 08:15 | Moon-Jupiter: 4.7° N | |
| 12 | Mo | 03:31 | New Moon | |
| 14 | We | 18:47 | Moon Apogee: 406100 km | |
| 16 | Fr | 06:53 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 17 | Sa | 13:09 | Moon-Mars: 0.1° N | |
| 18 | Su | 17:02 | Moon North Dec.: 25.5° N | |
| 19 | Mo | 02:31 | Mercury Superior Conj. | |
| 20 | Tu | 07:59 | First Quarter | |
| 20 | Tu | 19:25 | Moon-Beehive: 3° S | |
| 22 | Th | 13:16 | Lyrid Shower: ZHR = 20 | |
| 27 | Tu | 04:31 | Full Moon | |
| 27 | Tu | 16:24 | Moon Perigee: 357400 km | |
| 29 | Th | 10:17 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 30 | Fr | 22:15 | Uranus Conjunction | |
| May | 01 | Sa | 10:37 | Moon South Dec.: 25.6° S |
| 01 | Sa | Venus: 9.4° E | ||
| 03 | Mo | 18:02 | Moon-Saturn: 4.4° N | |
| 03 | Mo | 20:50 | Last Quarter | |
| 04 | Tu | 04:01 | Mercury-Pleiades: 2.2° S | |
| 04 | Tu | 22:00 | Moon-Jupiter: 4.9° N | |
| 05 | We | 02:30 | Eta Aquarid Shower: ZHR = 60 | |
| 11 | Tu | 20:00 | New Moon | |
| 11 | Tu | 22:54 | Moon Apogee: 406500 km | |
| 13 | Th | 11:29 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 13 | Th | 18:59 | Moon-Mercury: 2.4° N | |
| 15 | Sa | 23:25 | Moon North Dec.: 25.6° N | |
| 16 | Su | 05:47 | Moon-Mars: 1.6° S | |
| 17 | Mo | 06:59 | Mercury Elongation: 22° E | |
| 18 | Tu | 02:08 | Moon-Beehive: 3.1° S | |
| 19 | We | 20:13 | First Quarter | |
| 26 | We | 02:52 | Moon Perigee: 357300 km | |
| 26 | We | 12:14 | Full Moon | |
| 26 | We | 12:19 | Total Lunar Eclipse | |
| 26 | We | 20:38 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 28 | Fr | 20:21 | Moon South Dec.: 25.6° S | |
| 29 | Sa | 04:01 | Mercury-Venus: 0.4° N | |
| 31 | Mo | 02:22 | Moon-Saturn: 4.3° N | |
| 31 | Mo | 12:39 | Mars-Pollux: 5.3° S | |
| Jun | 01 | Tu | 09:57 | Moon-Jupiter: 4.9° N |
| 01 | Tu | Venus: 17.5° E | ||
| 02 | We | 08:24 | Last Quarter | |
| 08 | Tu | 03:27 | Moon Apogee: 406200 km | |
| 09 | We | 17:42 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 10 | Th | 11:43 | Annular Solar Eclipse | |
| 10 | Th | 11:53 | New Moon | |
| 11 | Fr | 02:06 | Mercury Inferior Conj. | |
| 12 | Sa | 05:11 | Moon North Dec.: 25.6° N | |
| 12 | Sa | 07:44 | Moon-Venus: 1.6° S | |
| 13 | Su | 20:52 | Moon-Mars: 3° S | |
| 14 | Mo | 07:47 | Moon-Beehive: 3.1° S | |
| 18 | Fr | 04:54 | First Quarter | |
| 21 | Mo | 04:32 | Summer Solstice | |
| 21 | Mo | 16:57 | Venus-Pollux: 5.2° S | |
| 22 | Tu | 21:54 | Mercury-Aldebaran: 6.4° N | |
| 23 | We | 06:21 | Mars-Beehive: 0.3° S | |
| 23 | We | 07:07 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 23 | We | 10:58 | Moon Perigee: 360000 km | |
| 24 | Th | 19:40 | Full Moon | |
| 25 | Fr | 06:49 | Moon South Dec.: 25.6° S | |
| 27 | Su | 10:30 | Moon-Saturn: 4.1° N | |
| 28 | Mo | 19:38 | Moon-Jupiter: 4.6° N | |
Sky Events Calendar by Fred Espenak and Sumit Dutta (NASA's GSFC) https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SKYCAL/SKYCAL.html
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Prior to some of the public lectures, we have an Observing Section talk, the purpose of which is to highlight topical items of interest in the night sky over the following few weeks - planets that will be above the horizon, nebulae, interesting stars and asterisms, etc.
Delivered by the supremely knowledgeable Charles Cavanagh, for the 2018 - 2019 session these talks are scheduled for:
- Thursday 18th October
- Thursday 20th December
- Thursday 21st March
- Thursday 16th May
In each case, the talk starts promptly at 6:45 pm, with the aim of finishing in good time for the following scheduled lecture.
Recently, Charles prepared a short note about Observing our Solar System in 2019.
The talks are generally be held in Room 6.41, Royal College, Strathclyde University. Access is via the Montrose Street entrance, take the lift to Level 3, exit the lift (turning left) and take the 2nd (furthest away) set of steps, and go through the double glass doors. Room 6.41 is on your left approximately half way along the corridor.