Mike Frost is Meetings Secretary.
If you wish to contact Mike please use meetings@shastro.org.uk
SHA MEETINGS IN 2026
SPRING CONFERENCE
This was on Fri 24 Apr 2026 at 10 am–4.30 pm at the Birmingham & Midland Institute, 9 Margaret St, Birmingham, B3 3BS.
Appreciation of Dr Allan Chapman by Roger Hutchins
SUMMER PICNIC
The SHA Summer Picnic 2026 was from Fri 12 – Mon 15 Jun 2026 and centred on Dublin with day trips to: Birr Castle, the home of Lord Rosse’s great reflecting telescope—the ‘Leviathan of Parsonstown ’; Newgrange World Heritage Site; and possibly, Dunsink Observatory.
AGM & AUTUMN CONFERENCE
This will be on Sat 7 Nov 2026 at 10 am–4.30 pm in the Lyttleton Theatre of the Birmingham & Midland Institute, 9 Margaret St, Birmingham, B3 3BS. The Conference will be themed around
“Subjects dear to Allan Chapman”.
Conference fee : £20 members; £25 non-members.
Conference Presentations and Speakers
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The next online webinar is on Wed 4th Nov 2026 : 8pm
Title: Measuring the stars and observing the less visible: Australia’s participation in the Astrographic Catalogue and Carte Du Ciel 1887-1963
Australia’s decision to participate in a major international astronomical project
to produce an Astrographic (Star) Catalogue and Carte du Ciel (Chart of the
Sky) ultimately involved Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth
observatories. Participation in this project promised to bring international
recognition of Australia’s capability in astronomy and access to the latest
photographic technology and methods, within a network comprised of leading
astronomers and observatories from around the globe.
Speaker: Dr Toner Stevenson
Dr Toner Stevenson is an honorary affiliate in History at The University of
Sydney and a Doctor of Social Sciences. Her career has been mainly in
museums including Manager of Sydney Observatory, Head of House
Museums for Sydney Living Museums, Manager Exhibitions Co-ordination
for the Powerhouse Museum and Project Manager for the Natural History
Museum, London. Toner is active in amateur astronomy and citizen science
as past President, Sydney City Skywatchers (BAA NSW Branch), and she is a
member of the Royal Society of NSW. Her research is in the history of
astronomy in Australia.
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The last webinar was on Wed 14 Oct 2026
Title: Reaching Across the Gulf of Space: The life and work of William and Margaret Huggins: Speaker Hugh Allen
Link to the webinar can be found here
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A link to the SHA Youtube Channel can be found here
All the webinars are listed and can be viewed.