Starlearner on Countryfile

Great to see Ian Glendinning on Countryfile Northumberland last night.  Ian gained his GCSE Astronomy with Starlearner in 2013, passing with a high grade!  His photography is outstanding and it was wonderful to see him showing Ellie Harrison the wonders of the night sky near home in Northumberland.

  

Ian has a real talent for astrophotography and the picture above is one he has taken of the Milky Way.  His original photograph is much sharper than the image displayed here.

Royal Astronomical Society at 200 years old

In 2020, the Royal Astronomical Society will be 200 years old.  Ideas to receive awards of up to £100,000 for the promotion of Astronomy and Geophysics are being gathered at meetings like the one held in Winchester on Wednesday at the Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium.

It was great to hear the ideas and experience the enthusiasm from scientists from the area. Town Hall meetings are being held all over the UK to find the best projects - most to run in the UK, but some overseas as well. 

Local or national organisations are in the running for the awards.  The RAS fund itself will support up to 20 projects with sums between £50,000 and £100,000.  The grants will be released in two calls – the first in 2015, the second in 2016, to initiate projects that run up to and beyond the RAS bicentenary.  Dr Sheila Kanani, the Education, Outreach and Diversity Officer at the RAS is the organiser of all the meetings that will lead to the best ideas being chosen to compete for the awards.  If you have a good idea, get in touch with Sheila at https://www.ras.org.uk/200.

RAS 200: Sky & Earth

Timetable for RAS200 grants

Deadline for Outline Proposal

Applications open on the 1^st December 2014.
Deadline for outline proposal is on the 2^nd February 2015.

First meeting of Grants Panel

This will be on the 16^th February 2015.
Maximum 12 proposals will be chosen.
These people will be notified by the 2^nd March 2015.

Deadline for Full Proposal

Deadline for full proposal is on the 10^th April 2015.

Second meeting of Grants Panel

Grants panel will meet to pick the maximum 6 finalists (first tranche) on the 24^th April 2015.
The ‘winners’ will be presented at the RAS AGM on the 8^th May 2015.