We have covered a wide range of topics under the science umbrella, including Astronomy, Chemistry, Geology and Maths. Social sciences have included a look at a number of environmental issues and our sessions on the Circular Economy with Catherine Weetman of Rethinkglobal are available for free here. Our close working relationship with Greener Berwick has resulted in a number of jointly run events, most recently a very successful short course on Biodiversity and Climate Change.
Power to the Borders: Monday 19 Oct, 10.00am, William Elder Building, Berwick upon Tweed. Tickets £6.
This lecture by Nick Edgar is held in cooperation with Greener Berwick.
Nick Edgar lives in the North East of England and has 20+ years experience advising, funding & working hands-on with companies across the technology & clean energy sectors. The lecture will discuss
The Big Picture:
- A look at UK Net Zero and Clean Power 2030 framework,
- The current position and trajectory
- Policy landscape: Westminster vs. Holyrood’s targets
- North Northumberland and its strategic positioning
The Numbers:
- the real costs of solar, onshore wind, and battery storage
- commercial export vs. Behind-the-Meter (BTM) rooftop solar
Keeping Energy Profits Local:
- opportunities, challenges, and innovative models.
- how community benefit schemes work
- Octopus “Fan Club” and crowdsourcing models
- ethical finance providers (Thrive/Triodos).
- CoRE Legacy Fund (Berwick) and opportunity for repowering
- Eyemouth’s green O&M transformation
- Great British Energy Community Fund (GBECF) (£40kfeasibility / £100k development grants).
- accessing free technical support via the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub.
- local action: a toolkit for what can be done.
Autumn Astronomy: On-line course, Saturdays 7 Nov-5 Dec, 11-12noon. Tickets £15.
Join Dr. Adrian Jannetta for a fascinating exploration of the universe over five weeks!
We will explore astronomy, from the familiar night sky to the largest scales of the Universe. Participants will learn how to identify celestial objects, understand the Solar System, investigate the life cycles of stars, and explore galaxies, black holes and dark matter. The final week introduces modern cosmology, including the Big Bang, the expansion of the Universe and its possible future. No prior scientific knowledge is required.
Week 1 — Reading the Night Sky
An accessible introduction to observing the sky and understanding what we see.
- Finding stars, planets and constellations
- How the sky changes through the night and through the year
- The celestial sphere, the ecliptic and the zodiac
- Why the Moon has phases
- Using star charts and astronomy apps
- Simple observing projects that can be completed without a telescope
Week 2 — Other Worlds: Exploring the Solar System
A tour of the planets, moons and smaller bodies of our planetary system.
- How the Solar System formed
- Why the planets are so different
- Volcanoes, oceans and atmospheres on other worlds
- Asteroids, comets and meteor showers
- Recent and forthcoming space missions
- The possibility of life on Mars, Europa, Enceladus and Titan
Week 3 — The Lives and Deaths of Stars
An introduction to stellar astrophysics without requiring advanced mathematics.
- How stars produce light and energy
- Colour, temperature, brightness and stellar spectra
- How astronomers measure the properties of stars
- The Hertzsprung–Russell diagram
- Red giants, white dwarfs, supernovae, neutron stars and black holes
- How stars create the chemical elements
Week 4 — Galaxies, Black Holes and the Invisible Universe
A journey beyond the Milky Way into large-scale astrophysics.
- The structure of the Milky Way
- Spiral, elliptical and irregular galaxies
- Galactic collisions and evolution
- Supermassive black holes and active galaxies
- Dark matter and the evidence for it
- Gravitational waves and other forms of “invisible” astronomy
Week 5 — The Story of the Universe
A concluding cosmology session covering the origin, development and possible future of the Universe.
- The expanding Universe
- Evidence for the Big Bang
- The cosmic microwave background
- Dark energy and the accelerating Universe
- Dark matter or a different theory of gravity?
- Possible futures of the cosmos
- Strings, loops and into the unknown…
This course will be delivered via Zoom. If you haven’t used Zoom before, please go to www.zoom.us and look at the tutorials. Once you have booked, you will find the Zoom invitation in the Online Event Page on Eventbrite. You will also receive an email with the invitation 24 hours before the event. If you can’t find the invitation, please email berwickea@gmail.com.
You can follow Adrian on Instagram and find useful local astronomical news, photos and commentaries here: Northumberland Astronomical Society.
No previous knowledge is assumed for any of our courses and all are welcome