\u2018Our Active Sun\u2019<\/strong><\/em>. After giving a brief but technical description of our local star, Phillipa explained the results being obtained by the later means of examining the Sun such as Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) and recent data from SoHO. The solar cycle was outlined and the current cycle\u201423, was discussed. In fact Cycle 23 has lasted over 12 years and is the longest for over a century.<\/p>\nThe first on after the lunch break was Dr. Steve Owens who gave an interesting review of IYA 2009. The breadth of activities organised by many, many societies showed how active amateur astronomy is in the UK.<\/p>\n
It was opportune (!!) that Steve was here to give this review because it had been decided that his efforts on IYA 2009 deserved him being the receiver of this year\u2019s Eric Zucker award. The presentation was made by the 2009 winner, Jerry Workman.<\/p>\n
Steve had also been awarded the Joy Griffiths Award by the BAA Campaign for Dark Skies and so Bob Mizon used the FAS Convention as the place to present this award. It was Steve\u2019s efforts towards the achievement of the UK\u2019s first dark sky reserve at Galloway Forest Park.
\n![\"\"](\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\")
<\/p>\n
The FAS AGM was then held, business being transacted without controversy.<\/p>\n
Professor Tim Naylor (Exeter University) <\/em>then presented his talk \u2018Star Formation\u2019<\/strong><\/em>. He discussed his work on star formation, which he said could be termed \u2018stellar archaeology\u2019. The structure of galaxies and their distribution was outlined. The latest theories on star formation from collapsing areas of gas were discussed and several spectacular simulations of galaxy formation and collision were shown. Tim also discussed star types and gave the best explanation of the Herzsprung-Russell diagram many have seen.<\/p>\nAfter the tea break and the raffle draw, the final speaker of the event was Dr Peter Wheatley (University of Warwick) <\/em>who gave a talk entitled \u2018Hunting for Extra-Solar Planets using Small Telescopes\u2019<\/strong><\/em>. For some this title may have been a little misleading in that they had hope of going home and find extra-solar planets with their 150mm Newtonian! Peter outlined the work he was doing as a founder member of the Wide Angle Search for Planets project (WASP). The problems of finding these bodies were explained as were the methods currently being developed to overcome these difficulties.<\/p>\nOnce again a great programme had been put together\u2014Steve Williams must take the full credit. However, a word must be said for the real star of the convention!! – Brian Lister of Cambridge AS. For those of you who do not know Brian, he was the one who worked tirelessly at providing the tea and coffee\u2014and with a smile!! The biscuits probably kept a number going through the day, bearing in mind the lack of catering at the event.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
2010 Convention & AGM The 2010 FAS Convention will be held at the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, on Saturday 9th October. Speakers: Prof. Philippa Browning ‘Our Active Sun’, Dr Peter Wheatley ‘Hunting for extra-solar planets using small telescopes’,\u00a0 Prof. Tim Naylor\u00a0 ‘Star and Planet Formation’ and Jerry Stone “Visiting the Lord of the Rings”. Traders: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":50,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-54","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"coauthors":[],"author_meta":{"author_link":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/author\/fasadmin\/","display_name":"fasadmin"},"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 14 years ago","modified":"Updated 6 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on 27 August, 2012","modified":"Updated on 10 June, 2020"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on 27 August, 2012 3:58 pm","modified":"Updated on 10 June, 2020 9:29 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","featured_img":false,"series_order":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P9NBna-S","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2037,"href":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/54\/revisions\/2037"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/50"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fedastro.org.uk\/fas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"FAS](\"http:\/\/www.fedastro.org.uk\/docs\/FAS2010Convention.jpg\")
Speakers<\/strong>: Prof. Philippa Browning<\/em> ‘Our Active Sun’, Dr Peter Wheatley<\/em> ‘Hunting for extra-solar planets using small telescopes’,\u00a0 Prof. Tim Naylor\u00a0 ‘Star and Planet Formation’ and Jerry Stone<\/em> “Visiting the Lord of the Rings”.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.fedastro.org.uk\/images\/fas_con2010_3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.fedastro.org.uk\/images\/fas_con2010_1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.fedastro.org.uk\/images\/fas_con2010_2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"