SOUTH DOWNS ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

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Latest News:   Sagas website moved. Sagas, the Southern Area Group of Astronomical Societies has moved it’s website to www.sagasonline.org.uk. The Southern Area Group of Astronomical Societies provides a forum where representatives of Astronomical Societies from the South of England can meet to share best practice and discuss items of mutual interest or concern. SAGAS also provides the conduit to and from the FAS Council via our FAS representative. Business meeting are usually held every 3 months near Chichester, Sussex. India Launches Moon Probe India has successfully Launched a rocket with it’s first Moon Probe, called Chandrayaan-1. The probe will map the moon in Hi-resolution detail. Cern Goes Live (Sort of!) The Large Hadron Collider at Cern had begun it’s historic final test phase leading up to a full turn on at the end of the year. Actual proton collisions where expected to take place in the coming weeks and months, except one of the coils have gone down, leaking tons of liquid Helium into the tunnels. Repairs are underway and the system will now be switched back on formally in the spring, as electricity is much more expensive in the winter!   The LHC will hopefully help solve many of the major questions we have , about the nature of space and how it is made. It will further refine our theories on the fabric of matter, and hopefully find the elusive Higgs Boson , the particle (or one of the particles!) that are thought to give everything it’s Mass.  Eventually it is hoped to actually detect Dark Matter, this is done by adding up the energies  of all the detected particles and seeing what’s missing (since Dark matter does not interact with normal matter (at least not at a detectable level). If the missing material corresponds to the predicted amount for dark matter then we will have detected dark matter for the first time!   Phoenix Discovers Water on Mars! Nasa’s Phoenix Mars Lander has discovered Water Ice on Mars. Investigations continue but the suspected white material is indeed Ice, This discovery adds weight to the prospect of Mars containing life, however It is worth keeping in mind, water isn’t the only ingredient required for life,  Mars is still a very barren, salty and hostile place. Phoenix Lands on Mars! Nasa’s Phoenix Mars Lander has made it! Phoenix has sent back some remarkable images. The press has been full of the usual criticism that the images are ‘boring’, however this is simply not so!, they represent the first images from ground level of the polar regions of another planet, rounded pebbles in some of the images hint at Glacial type activity and solid Ice has been found just below the surface!. The real science work will begin when soil is analysed using the Landers robotic scoop, as Phoenix is carrying one of the most advanced science suites ever taken into space, expect this to be once of the classic space missions of the decade, many new discoveries await. Click Here for the latest Phoenix news   Microsoft Launch New Online Worldwide Telescope:  Microsoft have launched their own on-line telescope and astronomy resource (in memory of Jim Gray a Microsoft researcher). Click here for more info. Astronomers Discover ‘A Solar System Look Alike’ : Astronomers from St Andrews University have discovered a solar system similar to our own.  The solar system contains two planets similar to Saturn and Jupiter, making the case for more Earth like planets even stronger. Click Here for more details. SDAS Wednesday Meetings: The committee have taken the decision to stop having the SDAS Wednesday meetings, partly due to low turn out, (typically less than 5), but also due to not having any key holders available to open up the Planetarium on a regular basis, (and no one to formally run the Wednesday meetings and give all the talks!). Should demand increase, the committee will naturally of course  reconsider. In the meantime if any members  wish to do observing,  it is suggested they could perhaps arrange their own meet up at a mutually convenient place. (I believe we still have access to a dark observing site in Tangmere for example). And don’t forget the society has telescopes available to loan to members free of charge. Our ever popular main Friday meeting of course continues as normal!  ... Mars: Nasa’s two Mars Rover’s Spirit and Opportunity, are braving severe dust storms on Mars, which may pose a significant threat to the continued operation of the mission. Latest results from Mars appear to be indicating that whilst Mars was possibly wet in the past it, was possibly too salty to harbour life. Some of the scientists I have spoken too, are becoming more and more sceptical about finding any evidence of life on Mars, in short—“The great ‘Mars life band wagon’ appears to be turning around” . Welcome For those in the Chichester, West Sussex and surrounding areas, South Downs Astronomical Society (SDAS) is a friendly and informal way of meeting others with similar interests and of learning more about the science and fun of astronomy.  (From this enthusiasm has also evolved the South Downs Planetarium Trust, based in the Sir Patrick Moore Building, in the Chichester High Schools campus, Kingsham Road, Chichester). Benefits of SDAS membership include: · Monthly Meetings on the first Friday of every month at 7.45 pm. (No meeting in August) - At the Chichester High School for Boys Main Hall · A Programme of Lectures on astronomical, space and allied subjects by visiting speakers, all experts in their particular fields. · A free monthly Newsletter and other publications available to purchase · Technical Library based at the Planetarium, (a large collection of books on astronomy, space exploration and related topics, is available for loan to members). · Loan of Telescopes including mounts and eyepieces. · Social Activities & friendly competitions with other local astronomical societies, Gain practical knowledge from fellow astronomers. Visitors and prospective members - including complete beginners - are always welcome! -  If you are hesitant about joining us without first seeing what goes on, do come to a meeting or two to sample the atmosphere! South Downs Astronomical Society is a registered Charity No. 1052270) Registered office is 46 Central Avenue, Bognor Regis West Sussex PO21 5HH Trustees P.E. FRAY, J.K.W GREEN MBE, Dr J.W. MASON and I.A.WOOD

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