Extra: AstroCamp Spring 2016

Welcome to this AstroCamp podcast extra episode to tell you what
you can expect from the weekend's festivities and listen to on
the way to Cwmdu:


The Discussion: An introduction to star parties and enjoying
practical astronomy under pristine dark skies away from the city.


As the podcast crew run the AstroCamp star party, which many
listeners attend, in the Brecon Beacon’s international dark sky
reserve twice a year, we take you through the events, tutorials
and workshops we run to help you hone your stargazing skills and
win astronomy prizes from the Tring Astronomy Centre. As the
focus of this AstroCamp is the Transit of Mercury, we will also
have two talks on the celestial event, from the University of
Kent's Dr Rebekah Higgitt and solar astronomer Eric Emms.


The Sky guides: In readiness for 3 nights of stargazing in the
Welsh valleys, Ralph, Paul and John choose objects to look out
for this time of year. If you’re not coming to AstroCamp, these
are still great night sky treats to try and locate wherever you
are in the northern hemisphere.


Ralph’s top choices are for beginner astrophotographers,
armed only with a DSLR camera and a telescope, and focuses on the
Leo Triplet

Paul takes five deep sky galaxy treats for visual astronomers
in May and throughout spring. The prime pick is a tricky tricky
double galaxy to test your skills and help develop your averted
vision.

John takes a look at the solar system objects available a
little closer to home this month as he runs through the best of
the planetary offerings and whets our appetites for the coming
transit of Mercury on 9th May.



So welcome to AstroCamp and we'll see you very soon!