🚀Moon & Orion Artemis Rocket Rendezvous Stargazing 🌕With Telescope

🌌Ever look up and marvel with insatiable curiosity at 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 in time and not just ask the existential questions, but try to answer them.

And now, in our own small moment of cosmic history, as we return to the Moon aboard the most powerful rocket ever built, the Artemis mission carries that ancient curiosity forward. As the manned Orion spacecraft -currently just 18k miles from the moon - reaches its closest approach, join for the last chance to view the Orion Nebula through a telescope as the historic lunar rendezvous unfolds above us.

🚀 But there’s more celestial wonder: As those four astronauts venture deepest into space than any humans have ever been before - we’ll tale a look at Venus, Jupiter along with planet's potential life‑harbouring moons, iconic beautiful star fields, the remnants of supernovae witnessed by our earliest ancestors, multi‑star systems reminiscent of the twin suns of Star Wars and even Tau Ceti, a star hosting two Earth‑like worlds in its habitable zone.

All of this under the spring evening - with drinks, engaging conversation, and good‑natured banter — this April. In between observing - we'll have drinks and engaging chats on all astronomy related topics for those inclined: Space exploration | Fermi Paradox | Astrobiology | Cosmology | paleontology, | SETI & Drake Equation for alien civilisations estimates | exoplanetology etc as well as non space chats and banter too. No doubt we'll hear the usual jokes we've all heard before! If those don't make you laugh, my impersonation of Los Angeles ET will! 👽

And to help set the mood and make the night feel even extra galactic, I’ll put my DJ hat to play some space‑themed tunes and songs about the stars!

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

==== ITINERARY =====
We will meet outside H&I Station in Highbury Islington. After a short wait for anyone delayed, I will escort everyone to our observation point in the local park 5 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 Tue deadline for a unfinished client presentation or something - most of us usually head to a cosy bar for a 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
• Star clusters such as the Pleiades & Owl Cluster etc
• International Space station fly by
• Binary & tripple star systems (think planet Tatooine in Starwars!),
• Neptune
• Uranuus
• Our moon
• A look towards the galactic centre of the Mlikyway 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/
Guide to viewing the cosmos for beginners:
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!

Lucas Skywalker - The Singin, Dancin, DJ-in Astronomer