Ordinary Meeting, 2003 January 4

This document is also available in pdf format. The British Astronomical Association website is here.

Ordinary Meeting, 2003 January 4

held at the St Bride Institute, Fleet Street, London EC4Y

Guy Hurst, President

Ron Johnson, Nick Hewitt and Nick James, Secretaries

The President opened the 3rd Ordinary Meeting of the 113th session, and invited Dr Hewitt to read the minutes of the previous meeting, which were approved by the members present. Mr Johnson stated that no presents had been received. The election of 15 new members was proposed, and the 16 members proposed at the previous meeting were elected. The President invited any new members who he had not already met to introduce themselves after the talks. Mr James announced that one paper had been approved by Council for the Journal:

Lancaster Astronomical and Scientific Association by Peter Wade

Mr Hurst pointed out that the meeting was the first to be held at the St Bride Institute, and requested feedback with regard to its suitability as a venue for Ordinary Meetings. He then advertised an exhibition organised by John Alcock, brother of George Alcock, which would take place at Priestgate in Peterborough until the end of January. The Association would be supporting Astrofest on February 7, and would have a stall. The next meeting would be on February 15 at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge, and this would be the first of the Association's observing workshops. It would be free to members and non-members alike, and the President recommended the meeting to all, hoping it would be of use to observers ranging from beginners to the experienced. The arrangements for the meeting were experimental, and support was requested.

The President then proceeded to introduce the afternoon's first speaker, Prof Joseph Silk. He currently held the Savilian Chair of Astronomy at the University of Oxford, but during his distinguished career had previously held numerous other chairs around the world.