The following is a list of local astronomical societies who can be contacted for more information about astronomy and their own activities.
please note that not all links are active.
I'm alway's looking out for updates/corrections so please let me know if your url changes or is outdated.
Thanks, Bill.
Forthcoming Events The Scottish Astronomers Group 2006 AGM will be held in the Airdrie Public Library, Wellwynd, Airdrie on Saturday 25th November. Doors open at 1.00pm. Please come along and share your observations. All welcome.
The Scottish Astronomers Group (frequently referred to as SAG) was founded over 20 years ago to coordinate observers across Scotland participating in specific campaigns and to provide a forum for the dissemination of observations. Halley's comet was the impetus for this. Over the past few years the Group has evolved into a more general gathering with the role of bringing the astronomical societies across Scotland together and providing members of the societies an avenue for keeping in touch with others who have similar observing interests.
The Group is open to anyone and I would encourage everyone who has an interest in actively observing the sky to join. Many astronomical societies are affiliated to the Scottish Astronomers Group and members are encouraged to contribute their observations to our newsletter. Indeed any material of an astronomical nature is welcome.
Meetings are held twice a year and are hosted by astronomical societies at locations throughout central Scotland. To make to Group truly national I am hoping that over the next few years we can add meetings further afield! Our meetings are open to all. Visitors, guests and the public are welcome.
This sharing of experience is, I believe, the very essence of the Group and is the most important aspect of our meetings.
If you are an absolute beginner then a local astronomical society will be able to help you find your feet, indeed several societies in the table above run classes specifically for novices. However no matter what your level of experience is, come, join us and join in!
Members of the group use everything from just their eye's to some of the most advanced telescopes and camera's available. The difference between just stargazing and making a useful observation is nothing more that a pencil and piece of paper! Even if that observation is of little scientific interest it just might be crucial to another SAG member who is looking for that little extra piece of help.
Among our members are some of the most prominent and knowledgable astronomers in the country such as Dave Gavine, Ron Livesey and Tom McEwan (column editor with The Astronomer journal) and expert astro imagers like Douglas Cooper. There are many others...
The Scottish Astronomy Weekend (SAW) is another activity in which the Group is involved. Although the SAW is an independant entity many Group members participate. The weekend offers the highest quality lectures and activites and attracts people from all over the UK and oversea's
The Scottish Astronomers Group has undergone some changes in recent times but I hope that it will continue to grow and develop and play a bigger part in Scottish astronomy. As the President of the Scottish Astronomers Group I look forward to welcoming you to our meetings.
This is a personal page hosted by the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at the University of Glasgow. It does not represent the interests or opinions of the Department or the University of Glasgow in any manner whatsoever.
Bill Ward FRAS, July 2005