Poll

Which is your preferred Planetarium show, bearing in mind lunch first or show first? Choose two possible, and just e-mail me whether you'd prefer Saturday or Sunday.

11:00 - Secret of the Cardboard Rocket (40 mins, children's Solar System tour)
 2 (9.5%)
12:00 - Black Holes, 24 minutes
 6 (28.6%)
13:00 - Sky Tonight, Live, 25 minutes
 0 (0%)
14:00 - Star Life, 25 minutes
 9 (42.9%)
15:00 - Black Holes, 24 minutes
 4 (19%)
16:00 - Sky Tonight, Live, 25 minutes
 0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 12

Author Topic: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich  (Read 12315 times)

Alice

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 26264
  • Mergers can make anything - even penguins . . .
    • View Profile
    • Alice in Galaxyland
Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« on: February 23, 2008, 01:27:46 pm »
Geoff Roynon is the star of the show this time. I think it was him who had the idea of going to the Planetarium in London, followed by a (this time) exceptionally carefully chosen pub - or even a picnic - in Greenwich.

He says:

If we can sort out how many people are interested and what day of the Easter weekend (or both) then I can arrange a group booking for the planetarium. I will post details of what shows are on in the Astronomical Dreams thread.

We'll post 'em here too, and as for the food and chat venue, we'll see how the weather is that day! :D

It can't be on Easter Monday, and I don't know whether Easter Sunday is feasible or not. But during the Easter break-up from school would be ideal. Do people definitely need it to be during a weekend?

This one is definitely happening. Let's collect numbers asap so we can make the bookings. Let's collect preferred dates, and any more information. I award Geoff the right to choose the pub if he wishes; if not, he and Halibut have done an awful lot of research into Greenwich pubs in the "Dreams & Schemes" thread and we can vote on it.

As before, send your preferred dates, anyone you wish to bring, likelihood of being able to come and any other relevant information to a_j_sheppard@hotmail.com, and I'll make a list, like last time. If it's anything like last time, people will be travelling to London again. Again, I don't want to list where we're going to be staying on a public forum, but we can exchange information on nice places to stay via e-mail.

See you at Easter, zooites! ;D
« Last Edit: February 23, 2008, 01:31:20 pm by Alice »
   "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding" - Albert Einstein

Geoff

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9897
  • The history of astronomy is a history of receding horizons. - Hubble.
    • View Profile
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2008, 01:45:21 pm »
This is the list of shows at the Planetarium on weekends and school holidays:

11:00  Secret of the Cardboard Rocket
12:00  Black Holes
13:00  Sky Tonight: Live
14:00  Star Life
15:00  Black Holes
16:00  Sky Tonight: Live

Descriptions:

Secret of the Cardboard Rocket (40 minutes) - two children spend a night touring the solar system in a magic cardboard rocket visiting the Sun, Moon and planets.

Black Holes (24 minutes) - Narrated by Liam Neeson, this show brings the current science of black holes to life.

Star Life (25 minutes) - looks at the life of stars, how they are born, grow up, grow old and die; how black holes and pulsars form, ...

Sky Tonight: Live (25 minutes) - An ROG astronomer provides a tour of what you can see in tonight's sky.


I will check if the program is changing over Easter or not.

Geoff

Edit:  I checked with the planetarium and they are not changing the shows for Easter weekend.


« Last Edit: February 23, 2008, 04:19:02 pm by Geoff Roynon »
  Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the prospect is staggering!- Arthur C. Clarke

Hanny

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 15566
  • "Voorwerp kid"
    • View Profile
    • www.hannysvoorwerp.com
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2008, 06:32:30 pm »
I wish all of you going a wonderful time together, just like we had last time! ;)

Alice

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 26264
  • Mergers can make anything - even penguins . . .
    • View Profile
    • Alice in Galaxyland
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2008, 08:16:28 pm »
We need to decide what day we're doing, what shows, and therefore what time we should book lunch for.

I'm more than happy with the kiddies' show if people want to do that. For me personally, the Black Holes one would be particularly helpful because black holes are what all my students want to know about! Although I saw a long one at the South Downs one about the sky that night and it was wonderful . . . and the star one looks good too . . . um . . . indecisiveness rules here.

I could set up a poll on what show we'd like to see, or shall we just post a couple of ideas or preferences? I would be happy to see any or all of them - I really don't mind - and if everybody feels the same way, I'm happy with one person making the decision. :)

Geoff needs an idea of numbers, and he's kindly volunteered to book it. We can each pay him our share of the cost on the day. We also need an idea of numbers for the pub lunch.

Hope to see as many of you there as possible, including some new faces.

(PS: For those of you who want more Planetarium, Geoff has done some more research which I put here.)
« Last Edit: February 23, 2008, 08:20:18 pm by Alice »
   "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding" - Albert Einstein

jules

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6354
    • View Profile
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2008, 11:18:36 pm »
I'd love to go but I think I'm going to have to miss this one.  :'( Just checked the trains for day returns on the only 2 days I will be available over Easter and the ticket price is silly, silly, silly - AND there's railway maintenance work planned over Easter which is disrupting just about everything and incorporating buses where there should be trains...... ::)

Really annoyed as I've never been to Greenwich.

So... I'll be there in spirit. Take lots of pictures to show those of us left behind!!


Do you irregulars too?

Go out and point your camera up!

Alice

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 26264
  • Mergers can make anything - even penguins . . .
    • View Profile
    • Alice in Galaxyland
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2008, 11:19:38 pm »
Does it definitely have to be the Easter weekend, people? Would more be able to make it if it was the one before or after - whichever is during the school holiday? Personally I'd also prefer that.
   "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding" - Albert Einstein

Halibut

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 462
    • View Profile
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2008, 11:54:33 pm »
Quote
"An Evening with the Stars: Saturn"

March 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15 - 17:30, 18:30 and 19:30

Spend an evening at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, and let astronomers guide you around the night skies. If the night is clear you'll have the opportunity to view Saturn close-up through the 28-inch refracting telescope, the largest in the country. The evening includes a planetarium show and access to the new Astronomy Galleries.
£15/£11 Advanced booking essential.


Just had a quick look at the calendar, this sounds awesome and March 15th is the weekend *before* Easter, so worth considering? (I just remembered I can't do this weekend, I'll be in Manchester!)

So if this works out, it might be worth considering that for those who wanted to, and if the night sky is clear, you could move up to Blackheath (just outside the park) and see what you can see. Blackheath mainline rail station is also near by for easy access to central London.

Also, the National Maritime Museum is quite interesting as the navgiation stuff is all about the stars.

Accommodation http://www.greenwichwhs.org.uk/accommodation/index.asp

I'd suggest the Yacht as pub of choice, plus my visit there on Thursday reminded me they have visiting beer!  Always exciting.

I know lots about the bus routes in the area.  For those on a budget and in possession of an Oyster card, the 188 starts at Russell Square and ends in North Greenwich via Greenwich.  An easy way to get from Central London (where there are more hostels) to Greenwich.
However, for those with some kind of travelcard, you can get a discount on the boats that travel up and down the river.  You can get them from Westminster and the Tower of London down to Greenwich Pier.  Quite a scenic route and they have some refreshments on board (I recommend the hot chocolate)

jules

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6354
    • View Profile
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2008, 12:04:32 am »
....snip.............
 (I just remembered I can't do this weekend, I'll be in Manchester!)
.......................


Just down the road from me!!  :D :D


Do you irregulars too?

Go out and point your camera up!

Halibut

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 462
    • View Profile
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2008, 12:06:55 am »
I'm going to a history conference at Salford Uni, riveting eh? ;)

Alice

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 26264
  • Mergers can make anything - even penguins . . .
    • View Profile
    • Alice in Galaxyland
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2008, 12:08:28 am »
Sorry guys, but in order to keep things as straightforward as possible for those looking for information, please could I put my bossy moderator's hat on and ask you to chat in Just Chat or similar? Thanks.
   "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding" - Albert Einstein

Geoff

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9897
  • The history of astronomy is a history of receding horizons. - Hubble.
    • View Profile
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2008, 10:03:00 am »
In case we opt for a weekday instead of weekend, here are the shows and times for weekdays at the planetarium:

  13:00  Black Holes
  14:00  Star Life
  15:00  Black Holes
  16:00  Sky Tonight: Live

Geoff

  Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the prospect is staggering!- Arthur C. Clarke

quarkspin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4196
    • View Profile
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2008, 10:08:49 am »
It all sounds brilliant. I'll be there.

Pity we can't find a weekend to suit everybody - maybe we could book it for after the Easter rush.....??

And JUles, I so agree about the trains at weekends in England, utterly hopeless. I have NEVER had an even remptely successful journey so tend not to travel at all at weekends. Last Sat I had to drive what would have been a direct 30 min rail journey as there was no (easy) way to get back home on the Sunday. ie there was a 5 part rail and bus journey from Reigate to London, via Reading!!!  No wonder people use their cars.

See you hopefully at Greenwich.

Alice

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 26264
  • Mergers can make anything - even penguins . . .
    • View Profile
    • Alice in Galaxyland
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #12 on: February 24, 2008, 02:47:26 pm »
A couple of people have written to me to say they can't make the Easter weekend either. Shall we opt for, for example, a) the weekend after, or b) a weekday shortly after?

Course, what we can do is arrange two or more gatherings, each one nominating one person in charge of the bookings and so on so that not too much work is involved for anybody. ;)
   "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding" - Albert Einstein

Hanny

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 15566
  • "Voorwerp kid"
    • View Profile
    • www.hannysvoorwerp.com
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2008, 06:57:54 pm »
Hey when you start a poll, it doesn't show as a new message, so now I'm starting a new message, because I like the poll. ;) People who are coming, vote now! :D (Yes, I will now mind my own business again, as I can't even make it to this meet-up myself). ;D

Alice

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 26264
  • Mergers can make anything - even penguins . . .
    • View Profile
    • Alice in Galaxyland
Re: Easter Meet-up: Planetarium & Greenwich
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2008, 06:59:00 pm »
Oh, good point, I should have said . . . um, yeah, there's a poll. Right up at the top. Much easier to keep me organised, too. And I must check my calendar because I don't know when I'm free! :D :D :D

We'll miss you, Hanny, but this will be the second of many meet-ups. To those who can't come this time - see you at the next one, or the one after! :-*
« Last Edit: February 24, 2008, 07:00:55 pm by Alice »
   "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding" - Albert Einstein