Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society
Encyclopedia
Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society (MSAS) is an amateur astronomical society in the East Midlands
of England
. It was formed in 1969. It is based at Sherwood Observatory
, a 61cm mirror telescope which it owns and operates. The observatory lies 3.9 km SW of the centre of Mansfield
on one of the highest points in the county of Nottinghamshire
.
The society is a member of The Federation of Astronomical Societies
.
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was formed in 1969. It is based at Sherwood Observatory
Sherwood Observatory
Sherwood Observatory is an amateur astronomical observatory in Nottinghamshire, England, owned and operated by Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society. The main dome is 6.5m in diameter and houses a 0.61 m Newtonian Reflecting telescope. There is a club meeting room that hosts society meetings...
, a 61cm mirror telescope which it owns and operates. The observatory lies 3.9 km SW of the centre of Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
on one of the highest points in the county of Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
.
The society is a member of The Federation of Astronomical Societies
Federation of Astronomical Societies
The Federation of Astronomical Societies is an international union of astronomical societies formed in 1974. FAS publishes a newsletter 3 times a year, which is sent to its member societies, and holds an annual convention. FAS is run by a council of elected volunteers.-External links:* *...
.
Aims
The main aims of the society are to:- further the interests of Astronomy and related subjects within the local community
- introduce interested members of the general public to the subject of AstronomyAstronomyAstronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
- provide a forum for education in Astronomy and observational techniques through a joint collaboration with the University of NottinghamUniversity of NottinghamThe University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
- provide members with the best observational equipment possible, subject to the financial limitations of the society.
Meetings
The society holds monthly members-only lecture meetings at the observatory, along with a number of other observing and training evenings for members.Outreach
The society runs a night school for those who wish to learn about astronomy and the universe. These are usually held at the observatory on Friday evenings.Funding
MSAS is a registered charity. It is funded through member subscriptions, fund raising events, public open evenings held at the society's Observatory, charitable donations and grants.Patrons
The patrons of the society are:- Professor Sir Francis Graham Smith, 13th Astronomer RoyalAstronomer RoyalAstronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834....
(1982-1990). - Professor Michael R. Merrifield, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham.