About Redditch Astronomical Society

A Lovely Local Astronomy Society

We are a group of Amateur Astronomers in the Redditch and Bromsgrove area aiming to provide a friendly community for like minded enthusiasts

We currently meet on the first Tuesday of each month (except August) for member nights and lectures. Meetings run from 7pm until 9pm. As a group we are interested in a variety of astronomy related subjects at all levels.

Previously at Redditch Astronomical Society

Tuesday July 7th 2026 - 7:00pm

Ulrike Kuchner - Where Art and Science Meet: Understanding the Universe Together

Ulrike Kuchner is an astronomer, artist, curator, and researcher of ArtScience collaborations, actively working across all three domains. Trained in both astrophysics (PhD) and fine arts (MFA), she has spent 20 years developing ArtScience practices that integrate scientific research with artistic creation, alongside scholarly work exploring how knowledge is collaboratively produced across disciplines. She is currently a Senior Research Fellow in Astronomy at the University of Nottingham, where she also co-leads the ARTlab, an ArtScience incubation space for artists in residents, and co-coordinates the international, transdisciplinary SEADS collective (Space, Ecology, Art and Design), a network of over 200 ArtScience practitioners. Her inter-/transdisciplinary research investigates how collaborations between art and science function and how they can be improved, examining methods, practices, culture, and policies that foster effective partnerships. Her own artwork, the exhibitions she has curated, and the public engagement initiatives she has led often address societal needs and have reached over two million people worldwide. Tuesday May 5th 2026 - 7:00pm

Online Guest - Andrew Thornett

An introduction to radio astronomy for amateur astronomers.
Are you frustrated by the amount of cloud and light pollution affecting your visual observing? Do you feel like throwing your equipment away and taking up a different hobby? This talk will introduce you to a wide range of activities in radio astronomy which you can do in your own backyard and some even in your study, from listening to radio transmissions from the International Space Station, detecting meteors by radio, listening to emissions from Jupiter, detecting solar flares and recording Earth's magnetic field. Many of these projects are relatively simple, cheap and the equipment reasonably small in size, so that it will fit in most houses and some the projects can also be carried out in flats and apartments. All the projects work regardless of whether it is day or night, cloudy or snowing! Don't give up! Come to this talk and find out how to get your astronomy mojo back!

Saturday May 16th 2026 - 9:00am

National Space Centre visit

Tuesday June 2nd 2026 - 7:00pm

Prof. Nial Tanvir - The Big Bang Theory in Practice

Tuesday April 7th 2026 - 7:00pm

The Dish

Tuesday March 3rd 2026 - 7:00pm

Nasa Dragonfly Mission

Tuesday February 3rd 2026 - 7:00pm

AGM
Electing of committe and a chance to provide input to our activities for the year ahead.
If weather permits we will head over to Morton Stanleyt fo an observing session.

Tuesday December 2nd 2025 - 7:00pm

Annual Curry and Quiz Night


Food to be ordered from Tilla Balti Please let the committe know if you want to add an order

Tuesday January 6th 2026 - 7:00pm

Telescop workshop
What do do with that new Christmas Telescope

Tuesday May 2nd 2023 - 7:00pm

Member talk - de-bunking Flat Earth Theory followed by lighthearted official NASA team quiz : Have yo got what tajes to lead a mission to the Moon?

Tuesday June 13th 2023 - 7:00pm

NOTE: Second Tuesday of Month - TBD

Tuesday April 4th 2023 - 7:00pm

Member talks about the ESA Juice Mission and de-bunking Flat Earth Theory

Tuesday March 7th 2023 - 7:00pm

Martin Lunn A Zoom presentation (contact us for details)
A Very British Meteorite
In 1881 a team of workmen on a railway line near Middlesbrough had a close encounter with an intruder from outer space when a meteorite crashed onto the track. That meteorite has now become known as one of the most important on Earth. Join me to hear the curious and entertaining story of the Middlesbrough Meteorite.

Saturday February 18th 2023 - 4:30pm

Sidewalk Astronomy @ Morton Stanley Cafe

If the sky is clear, bring a telescope and some warm clothes for an evening of sky watching.

Tuesday February 7th 2023 - 7:00pm

Martin Griffiths gives us a talk "Extraterrestrial Contact - How would it affect us?" Martin is Director of the Brecon Beacons Observatory, a public educational resource in the Brecon Beacons National Park and consultant for Dark Sky Wales. He is also a Dark Sky Ambassador for the Brecon Beacons National Park. was a founder member of NASA™s Astrobiology Institute Science Communication Group, active between 2003-2006 and managed a multi-million pound ESF programme in Astrobiology for adult learners between 2003-2008

Saturday January 21st 2023 - 7:00pm

New Moon observing at Morton Stanley Cafe (weather permitting) - watch this space

Tuesday January 10th 2023 - 7:00pm

Open evening - discuss winter imaging options and observing

Monday December 4th - 7:30pm
Inter-society Quiz Night - Bromsgrove Astronomical Society.

Bromsgrove Astro Society hosts the inter-society annual quiz, lead by last year's winners - Redditch Astronomical Society.

Tuesday December 13th [CHANGED DATE] - 7:00pm
Curry and Quiz Night.

Tuesday November 1st - 7:00pm
Open Evening - The Sun and Astro-imaging.

Member talk from Ben about The Sun plus astro-imaging workshop lead by Paul.

Planning Christmas Curry from Rasoi Cottage (orders please)

Tuesday October 4th - 7:00pm
Open Evening - Telescopes.

Talking about telescope setup, lessons learnt from star party, plans for The Hive and British Space Week.

Saturday September 24th - 5:30pm
Star Party - Morton Stanley Cafe.

Join us at Morton Stanley Park at the new Cafe for Side Walk Astronomy.

Tuesday July 5th - 7:30pm

Members and non-members alike are welcome. The new Cafe owners will stay open late to serve hot drinks.

If all goes well, this may be a new 'Dark Site' for the society during the winter and the Cafe will stay open late to serve drinks and snacks before the observing begins.

Elizabeth Stanway - First in person speaker since March 2020.
Building galaxies one star at a time

Galaxies can now be seen to vast distances, looking back in time to less than a billion years after the Big Bang. But interpreting those galaxy observations is not a simple task - often they are small, faint smudges, and information on the stars they are forming and the impact those stars have on their environment has to be extracted by comparing the light we can see to local galaxies and to computer models. These galaxy models have to consider the complex interplay of influences from stars and from the gas that lies between those stars. In effect, we have to build our artificial galaxies one star at a time, and examining the evolution of those stars. This process is known as population synthesis and gives us a profound insight into what physics may explain the light we observe. In this talk I'll discuss my work and that of others on interpreting galaxies, using the combination of cutting-edge observatory data and equally cutting-edge computer modelling.

A brief biography

Elizabeth Stanway is a Reader in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Warwick, where she has been a lecturer since 2011. In the past she has worked at the University of Bristol, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, after completing her PhD at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge. Her major area of research is in the construction and use of stellar population synthesis to interpret the properties of star forming stellar populations across cosmic time. Side interests include the study of astrophysical transients and the dialogue between science and science fiction media.

Location

Windmill Community Centre Small Hall