Mystery

🌌Ever look up like I do and marvel with insatiable curiosity at both the beauty and wonder of the **universe?** That wild sobering thought that somewhere in the chaos of creation - the emergence of life - the universe became **conscious** enough to look back and ask the big questions; How it all started, our evolution and place in it, and where else in the cosmos other complex life might exist (almost every star you see at night has planets orbiting with up to **20 billion habitable exoplanets** easily in our galaxy alone!)? 🪐🌟🌟🌟 🌍Then RSVP to view the potential life harbouring moons of **Jupiter**, the 3I Atlas **interstella** **Comet** ☄️(estimated to be 8+ billion years old), the famous **Orion Nebula** where stars like our sun were born, the majestic rings of **Saturn**, the international space station, the Tau Ceti star system with **2 Earth like planets** orbiting in the habitable zone, remnants of **supernova** witnessed by our early ancestors plus a range of other fascinating celestial wonderments (comets, star systems, galaxies) over drinks and engaging chats and banter this Dec fully hosted by me - a passionate amateur astronomer and former global Journalist covering big picture stories including cutting edge science related ones. 🚀In between observing - we'll have **drinks and engaging chats** on all astronomy related topics for those inclined (Astrobiology, SETI/Femi Paradox, cosmology, space exploration, exoplanetology, astrophysics, paleontology etc) as well as non space chatter and banter too. No doubt I'll hear the usual jokes we've all heard hundreds of times before! If those don't make you laugh, then my impersonation of Los Angeles ET will! 👽 **======= Joining Astronomers Group & Telescopes =======** I'm able to take a limited number of people (please only RSVP if you can make it) to join my friendly informal relaxed London amateur astronomers' club that have been for over a decade with their regulars made up of up to about 150 people. As there will be people attending from this private Astronomers group as well as others from one of my other groups - the total attendees will be far higher than rsvps here and the public liability insurance only covers a max number of people - hence I need to impose strict limits on attendance. Over the years we have enjoyed numerous social evenings of stargazing and thought provoking chatter with people of all ages and varying levels of astronomy knowledge - so complete beginners that are genuinely curious about the universe are very welcome. If you are just looking to meet generic randoms then there are others groups that will better cater for that. The world renowed **BBC Television Sky at Night** also attended our events pre covid and interviewed some of us for it's show that aired on BBC1 in Feb 2019. BBC **Radio London** (94.9 FM / digital) were there Aug 2023 to cover our meteor shower event broadcasting live to millions of Londoners for 3 hours You don't need a telescope as you will be able to view through scopes belonging to me and other club members (as long as you behave responsibly and don't temper with expensive equipment). If you have your own telescope/binoculars feel free to bring along and I can help you setting it up if you're a newbie **==== Food & Drinks With Seating From Warm Indoor Cafe ====** Alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, cider only), hot drinks and food/snacks will be available to purchase from an indoor cafe at the observation point which Regent's park keep open exclusively for the astronomers group so please don't bring your own drinks **==== ITINERARY =====** We will meet outside Camden Station. After a short wait for anyone delayed, I will escort everyone to our observation point in the local park 15 minutes walk away and brief you in terms of what to expect, observing etiquette, tips, equipment handling and take any questions you have - weather general or astronomy/cosmology related. **After Drinks:** Unless I have a very important 9AM Thursday deadline for a client presentation or something that I'm still gonna be writing 2 mins before start - most of us usually head our way back to Camden for another drink. If so - I will annouce the pub when we leave the park **==== What Can You Expect To See (this time of year)? ====** * Orion Nebula * Jupiter and 4 moons * Meteors * Andromedia Galaxy * Saturn, rings & moon * Star clusters such as the Pleiades & Owl Cluster etc * International Space station fly by * Venus & Mercury * Binary & tripple star systems (think planet *Tatooine in* Starwars!), * Neptune * Uranuus * Mars * Our moon * A look towards the galactic centre where that supermassive £22b Labour black hole sits (Sagittarius A) More here from Jodrell Bank Observatory/Astrophysics Centre: [http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/](http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/) Guide to viewing the cosmos for beginners: [https://phys.org/news/2018-05-universe-distant-starstips-cosmology-backyard.html#jCp](https://phys.org/news/2018-05-universe-distant-starstips-cosmology-backyard.html#jCp) **===Weather Dependent=====** The event is subject to clear skies forecasts on the night so if on the actual afternoon of the event the weather forecasts looks unsuitable beyond doubt then I will postpone so please check the event status on the day of the event . If this event is still listed here at 5PM on the day, it will be going ahead at the designated day and time! Happy Stargazing Lucas Skywalker - The Singin, Dancin, DJin Astronomer

**The village of Marylebone is one of London’s most underrated gems.** With its elegant streets, hidden courtyards and quiet charm, it often feels like a little corner of Paris — and that’s no coincidence. In 1801, this neighbourhood became home to scores of French refugees escaping the guillotine. On this walk we wander through the heart of *Mary-le-bone*, tracing the course of the hidden Tyburn River and meeting remarkable women who defied expectations — including Britain’s first woman surgeon and a love story that inspired a wealth of beautiful poetry. We’ll slip through narrow passages, uncover tucked-away corners, and soak up the unmistakable village feel that makes Marylebone so special. **Where we meet:** Across the road from Baker Street Tube, outside **The Globe** pub on the corner of Baker Street and Marylebone Road — opposite Madame Tussauds with its gold-domed roof. **Where we finish:** Marble Arch Tube An optional finish in a nearby cafe for those who want to talk and mingle. **Tickets:** £10 per person cash on the day at start of tour Electronic payments on: https://flockless-but-free.square.site/s/shop **Practical bits:** Please arrive on time — once the tour begins I can’t answer calls or messages as it isn’t fair on the group. Most of my walks are 3–4 miles, so a moderate level of fitness is useful. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a waterproof; this is the UK, after all, and dry weather can never be guaranteed. **What3Words meeting point:** **drives.pack.noises**

Closes mid January: "Top secret. Redacted. Falsified. Forgotten. Unlock the secrets of history’s most mysterious maps." Tickets for this exhibition cost £20, and £10 with an Art Fund pass. £3 Universal/Pension Credit (ID required). Please book your own ticket: [https://events.bl.uk/exhibitions/secretmaps](https://events.bl.uk/exhibitions/secretmaps) I haven't used my Art Fund pass often enough yet to make it worthwhile, so I need to catch up. This exhibition sounds really interesting, come and join me! Where to meet: In the entrance hall to the right of the "open book" bench.

Walk length 2 miles/3 km approx. Linear. A really varied urban walk exploring some of London's hidden secrets from scandals to old burial grounds and the location of one of the world's most famous fictional detective characters. A guided walk, pointing out these and other historical sights. We will visit a wonderful grandiose pub at the end with many original features. It was used as offices for the Metropolitan Railway the world’s first underground line that still runs through Baker Street Station. The walk is FREE tonight, the host is a qualified London guide. Please keep your 'RSVP' updated for this event as it would help me get accurate numbers, and determine who is turning up for the walk; my phone number is Colin 07709 305681. The walk starts from Bond Street underground and will finish near Baker Street Underground. Meet close to the Davies Street entrance to Bond Street station next to the King of Trainers (see photo above) from 6.15pm for the walk to start at 6.30pm. See Transport for London (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/) We will go for optional drinks after the walk at the Metropolitan Bar, 7 Station Approach, Marylebone Road, Marylebone, London, NW1 5LA by 8pm. Walking Safety Walking is a great way to keep fit and generally very safe; however it does contain an element of risk. Before going on any of these walks you need to be reasonably fit and be prepared to be responsible for your own safety. You should wear appropriate clothing such as proper walking shoes, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. COULD EVERYONE PLEASE AVOID COMMENTS BELOW THAT ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO THE EVENT AS THIS GENERATES SPAM, JUST CHANGE YOUR RSVP IF YOU CAN'T GO. YOU CAN MESSAGE THE ORGANIZER, MANY THANKS.

Time for us to do another escape room as a group. We will be venturing out to Greenwich for Houdini Escape Rooms (Voted Trip Advisors #1 Escape Room in the World) for Friday Night Escape Rooms for the below: -Escape From Alcatraz -Escape From Titanic Following this we can head to local pub for a debrief #### Escape From Alcatraz FRAMED FOR A CRIME YOU DIDN'T COMMIT, WILL YOU PROVE YOUR INNOCENCE? The year is 1952, you have been convicted of multiple murders that you claim you're innocent of. With only an hour to go before your execution, surely it's too late for your brother to finally prove your innocence and save your life? ​Can you escape your prison cell in the infamous Alcatraz before the guards come to take you to the electric chair? #### Escape From Titanic THE QUEEN OF THE OCEAN IS ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE DISASTER! On April 10th 1912 the largest ship ever build left Southampton on her maiden voyage. She was called the ship of dreams, transporting people to New York in the height of luxury. ​Just 4 days into the journey disaster struck as she collided with an iceberg. On board, as first class passengers, with the impending doom; what would you do to escape the ill-fated ship? **Location** Hodini's Greenwich 161 Greenwich High Road, London. SE10 8JA Please enter via Davy’s wine vaults and make yourself known to the bar staff. One of our Games Masters will be alerted and will come and collect you. Nearest station/DLR - Greenwich **Cost** Cost is £35 to reserve your place and you can pay using paypal below: https://paypal.me/MeetupSaltyYoga or Message me for Bank Transfer If you can let me know which game you would like to play. There are only 6 X spots for Alcatraz and 6 X Spots for Titanic (Note they are at same time so can only do one). 12 spots in total. See the comments below to see availability as more people RSVP. **Schedule** 7:00pm - 7:30pm - Meet at Escape Rooms and get ready 7:30pm - 8:30pm - Escape Rooms 8:30pm + Debrief down local pub \*Note those later than 7:30pm will miss the briefing, if later that 10 mins later may not be able to play the game Any other questions just message me Chris

A tale of government corruption and the corrupting nature of authority, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion is a tense thriller with some bitter satirical elements attached. It won Best Foreign Film at the Oscars and its Ennio Morricone soundtrack is [apparently also iconic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw1ua8j7SnY). A high-level police inspector kills his mistress and is put in charge of the investigation. Rather than covering things up, he deliberately leaves incriminating evidence to see whether his power essentially makes him untouchable. Timely, you say? Whatever could you mean? Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfXZVqdLKcE Tickets available [here](https://bookings.thegardencinema.co.uk/TheGardenCinema.dll/TSelectItems.waSelectItemsPrompt.TcsWebMenuItem_0.TcsWebTab_0.TcsPerformance_4598475.TcsSection_3060731), I'm in B4. We can go for a drink in the lovely bar upstairs after the movie.

Join us as we get the New Year started with one of the best films of the year: THE SECRET AGENT! This political thriller from Brazil is set in 1977 where a man flees from a mysterious past and returns to his hometown but soon finds the city is far from being the refuge he seeks. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: In 1977, a former professor flees from a mysterious past and returns to his hometown of Recife in search of peace. He soon realizes that the city is far from being the refuge he seeks. The film stars Wagner Moura, Carlos Francisco, Tânia Maria, Robério Diógenes, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Gabriel Leone and Udo Kier in his final film role. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UfrzDKrhEc BUZZ & ACCLAIM: The Secret Agent was the most awarded film at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival where it won Best Actor for Wagner Moura, Best Director for Mendonça Filho, the Art House Cinema Award and the FIPRESCI Prize. At this year’s Golden Globes, it became Brazil’s first film ever to be nominated for Best Film (Drama)! It also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Film, a Best Actor nomination for Wagner Moura and was selected as Brazil’s entry for Best International Film at this year’s Academy Awards. The film is receiving an incredible 99% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes where critics say, its “compelling script, impeccable acting, and striking 1970s aesthetic” make it “impossible to look away!” Critics say The Secret Agent is “one of the few standout movies of the year” and the Chicago Tribune calls it a “masterpiece of a film” and “the best film of the year!” PARKING: Close, convenient parking is available in the nearby garage (located between 9th and 11th, just off High St). Bring your ticket with you and have it validated at the theater and for $2, you’re covered for the night! PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will meet in the lobby area about 30 minutes before showtime! With this being a limited release film, we’ll tentatively plan to see it at the Gateway, but location may change based on where it is showing and the showtimes available. Once details are confirmed, advance ticket is advised. Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. Showtime, location and complete details will be confirmed and announced as the date gets closer. Happy New Year and look forward to seeing you there, Dan

We’ll be reading Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldtree this month! We recommend readingading “Bookshops and Bonedust” and “Legends and Lattes” before reading Brigands and Breadknives.

We’ve updated this due to Java’s being closed for the holiday. See you at Family Room this week! WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.

Welcome, readers! ❄️ Our December read is **_A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella._** A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella is a tender, character-driven novel that follows three people in a small Pennsylvania town as they each cope with loss and seek connection. Chuck, a widower, struggles to find meaning after his wife’s death; Ella, a young woman, faces the heartbreak of her missing daughter; and Kirsten, a veterinary technician, grieves her father while contemplating her future. Their stories intertwine gently, revealing how grief and hope coexist—and how even small acts of kindness can help people rediscover purpose and peace in the aftermath of tragedy. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! At this meeting, our third annual White Elephant book exchange will take place! If you'd like to participate, bring a gift-wrapped book that you already own. On the gift wrap, write the genre of the book. We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Our January program is privileged to have Kristen Tregar as our speaker. Ms. Tregar is the co-author with John de Lancie (the actor who portrayed the character Q on Star Trek next generation) of a radio play depicting the events surrounding the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District trial. The trial decided the issue of some of the Dover school district board members attempting to insert creationism disguised as "intelligent design" into the 9th grade biology curriculum. She will discuss the trial and the process of writing the play. (Bob Leonhard has seen the play and it is riveting and tense). Ms. Tregar's bio is below: Kristen Tregar is a dramaturg, director, playwright, and theatre teacher. She earned her Ph.D. in Drama and Theatre from the UC San Diego and UC Irvine joint program. In addition, she has a MS in Forensic Science from City University of New York- John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a MA in Educational Theatre from New York University- Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. In 2013, in collaboration with Irish colleagues, she founded *The Ireland Project*, an intercontinental devised theatre work with high school students in New York and Tallaght, Ireland. Her original short story "Far From Here" was recently published in *Stay Awhile Longer: More Scenes From Temecula Valley*. She has two rescued dogs (Kira and Harry) and she rides, competes, and foxhunts with her horses, Andromache and Baker Street Irregular. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

The topic for January is "Chemistry" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 7:00 pm, show starts at 7:30 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!