Spring BAA Meeting Leicester – PRACTICAL AMATEUR ASTRONOMY
Friday 22nd May 2026 - Saturday 23rd May 2026 Friday 19.00 to 21.30 and Saturday 09.45 to 17.45
This meeting is dedicated to modern practical amateur astronomy. This is your chance to hear experienced amateur astronomers talk about their latest projects. It’s also an opportunity to get help with any problems you have with your kit or observing techniques.
Venue: Phoenix Arts & Cinema, Screen 2
Tickets are £15 for BAA Members, SPA members and members of Leicester AS (discount codes available online for BAA members and circulated to others), and £20 for non-members.
The discount code for BAA members is shown here if you are logged in or you can access the BAA Discount Codes document.
You can download the programme as a PDF
Friday 22nd May
Doors open 19:30
| Time | Speaker | Talk |
|---|---|---|
| 20:00–21:00 | Prof Suzie Imber University of Leicester |
Latest update from BepiColombo |
Saturday 23rd May
Doors open 09:45
| Time | Speaker | Talk |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00–10:15 | President of the BAA | Welcome & Introduction |
| 10:15–10:45 | Pete Lawrence | Observing the Sun |
| 10:45–11:15 | Nick James Director BAA Comet Section |
Observing interstellar comets |
| 11:15–11:45 | Tea & Coffee | |
| 11:45–12:15 | Gary Poyner Assistant Director of the BAA Variable Star Section |
Variable Star observing in urban skies |
| 12:15–12:45 | Dr Chrysa Avdellidou University of Leicester |
Pro-Am collaborations on observing asteroids |
| 12:45–13:15 | Dr Tony Cook Director BAA Lunar Section |
Lunar impact flashes |
| 13:15–14:30 | Lunch | |
| 14:30–14:45 | Ann Bonnell Leicester Astronomical Society |
Leicester Astronomical Society |
| 14:45–15:15 | Sandra Brantingham Director BAA Aurora and NLC Section |
Aurora and Friends |
| 15:15–15:45 | Mike Foulkes Director of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune Section |
Saturn’s rings edge on |
| 15:45–16:15 | Tea & Coffee | |
| 16:15–16:45 | James Dawson | Mercury rising: imaging the solar system’s most elusive tail |
| 16:45–17:15 | Peter Tickner | Venus – getting attracted to the dark side |
| 17:15–17:30 | BAA President | Closing remarks |
Sunday 24th May
10:00–12:00: University of Leicester Observatory (if weather conditions permit!)
The Observatory address is: Manor Road, Oadby, Leicester. LW2 2LL.
Venue
Phoenix Art Centre Leicester LE1 1TG