2000 March 18: Hosted by the Hampshire Astronomy Group [HAG] in the Clanfield Memorial Hall - Clanfield - Hants - UK, this was [IMHO] perhaps the best annual meet of the BAA Deep Sky Section with nearly 60 attendees. Most ably chaired by BAA President and Deep Sky Director - Dr Nick Hewitt - there was an excellent range of talks. Starting the morning session Dr Paul Roche’s dynamic Powerpoint presentation was a match for the subject matter - Twinkle, twinkle little [neutron] star - where soberingly a sugar-cube of matter would equal the [current] mass of humanity.
A luchtime break allowed some to visit the impressive HAG observatories just outside the village and local pubs. Dr Stewart Moore started the post-lunch session with Observing the NGC planetary nebulae and set some challenging targets. Next Dr Allan Chapman was in cracking form with Two centuries of deep sky observation. He covered at an extraordinary pace and with great authority man's increasing awareness of the realm beyond the transfixed celestial sphere. He drew prolonged applause.
After the tea-break Mark Armstrong and Tom Boles laid bear the secrets of their supernova discoveries via new instrumentation and sheer dedication. Member’s closing contributions included Graham Bryant of CfDS on some lighting successes, Owen Brazell on faint galaxy clusters and BAA Curator of Instruments - Bob Marriott on the Browning solar spectroscope then reluctantly released to moi ! Stands throughout the day by Earth & Sky Books, Venturescope, Nightlife and the Webb Society were well attended. Venturescope’s Coronado Ha-scope proved a magnetic draw before sunset in clearing skies and [unlike my bad luck at Chichester Solar Section meeting] the solar disk was ringed with beautiful prominences of every classic description. Most impressive ! The meeting closed - some heading home and others back to the HAG observatories for a meal and evening of observation - under a near-full moon ! Maurice Gavin
