This was a 2 part meeting. we started with a General Meeting where we discussed a few important matters and then Heather gave a talk on how to use setting circles.

The outcome of the GM was that

• Jay Tate was elected as our Honorary President.

• Anne Tate was appointed as an Honorary Member.

• we agreed that our financial year would run from 1st September.
• We agreed the keep the current subs at £24 per year or part thereof.
• We agreed to keep using email as our group communications.

Heather’s talk took us through a slightly light hearted view of how to use setting circles for both Drax and other smaller telescopes. Her presentation is available on request.

A good turnout for this meeting with 13 members present. We are open to anyone interested in Astronomy and are very friendly and welcoming to astronomers of all ages.

Jay talked us through the Parker probe, a solar orbiting mission that is passing through the sun’s outer layers. After sling shotting itself around Venus a few times to decelerate and bring perigee closer and closer to the sun it has already done some great science, found some new comets, measured some interesting facts about the magnetic fields on the Suns surface, seen some effects that were previously only being theorized about and generally managed to ask more questions than it has answered! Lots of great pictures (both actual and artists impressions – cover picture Credit: ASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben)

As usual we finished with tea/coffee and biscuits and lots of general natter about Astronomy related things.

This was Jay’s 211th talk to MAG. A truly monumental total. Jay claimed it will be his last talk to us, so a huge thanks go out to him for all 211 talks!