Beginners Astronomy Course (Wk3) [FULL]

**SOLD OUT**

Did you get a new telescope or binoculars for Christmas, or a recent birthday, and want to get out to see the wonders of the night sky?

Have you had a lifelong interest in the night sky and all it holds, or are you new to the hobby and want to get a good grounding for starting out on your astronomical journey?

Are you a complete novice at astronomy, or do you have a basic knowledge?

If you have answered “yes” to any of the above questions, then Wakefield and District Astronomical Society (WADAS) have just the thing to help you along on your journey.

We are an astronomy society based in the heart of Wakefield and have just celebrated our 10^th birthday. As part of our 10^th birthday celebrations, we are introducing our own Beginners Astronomy Course. Where we will have a range of experts on hand to help you on your astronomical journey.

This 4-week Beginners Astronomy Course will run on Tuesday evenings throughout the month of April beginning on the 9^th and ending on the 30^th. The cost of the course is £50 for the full 4 weeks and will be held at Wakefield Bowling Clubhouse, at Wakefield Sports Club WF1 3RR, starting at 7.30pm until 9.30pm. There are a limited number of spaces available so please do get in touch if you are interested via our society email: wakefieldastronomy@gmail.com

The course will run every Tuesday evening for these four weeks with a focus on:

Week 1 – Learning the basics of how telescopes work, advice on which one to choose if starting out, and how to look after them so they give you the best views possible of the night sky, as well as essential equipment needed for an evening of observing.

Week 2 – Learning all about our own solar system, how the Earth, Sun and Moon interact, other objects in our solar system e.g. comets, asteroids… combined with a little information on planetary exploration, and exoplanets.

Week 3 – Understanding how stars work, their life cycle and eventual demise, touching on how Black holes form. We will also cover reading star charts, finding constellations and learning the basics of finding your way around the night sky.

Week 4 – Delving into deep space, and how to observe galaxies, nebula and star-clusters. Where to find the closest and brightest ones to us, and some basic astrophotography techniques. All rounded off with some basic ideas about Cosmology and what it might mean for the Universe in the future, and how it might all end.

At the end of the course, you will be awarded a certificate of completion, to acknowledge all your hard-earned efforts.

Please be mindful, that due to the variable weather in the UK, we cannot guarantee any clear skies over the course of the 4 weeks, but on the off chance that we do get a clear evening we will have telescopes set up outside to allow our students the chance to do some observing.

If you are interested in developing your interest further, then please do come along and join the society. We normally hold two meetings every month, on the first and third Tuesdays, 7.30pm at Wakefield Bowling Clubhouse WF1 3RR. We’ll always provide a warm welcome to anyone interested in joining us for a cuppa, a chin wag or to discuss some of the finer workings of the cosmos with our frequent guest speakers. Full membership is £30 for a single adult and £45 for a family membership.