Monthly Meetings

Next speaker details

7th MayDr Phil Evans – University of LeicesterBy Zoom: Cosmic Explosions, Merging Stars and Hungry Black Holes — an X-ray Astronomer's Menu

Dr Phil Evans is a Lecturer in Astrophysics, in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester. He describes himself as, “an X-ray pyromaniac” as his main research interests involve the X-ray study of cosmic explosions. He studied undergraduate astrophysics (with computer science) and did his PhD at Keele University in the UK, and in 2006 he moved to Leicester on a 6-month contract… and is still there. For most of his research career he has worked as part of the post-launch support team for the NASA/UK/Italy satellite, “The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory” which was designed to study gamma-ray bursts: the most powerful explosions in the universe. In 2021 he took over leadership of the Leicester Swift team and in 2023 (finally) obtained an academic post; he is also now one of the leading members of the Science Ground Segment for the upcoming ESA “large” mission, NewAthena. He is an avid reader and is currently eagerly awaiting Naomi Novik’s new series (Folly) and Stormlight #5 from Brandon Sanderson (which he will have read by the time he visits CDAS). He is also a committed and passionate Christian, and sees no conflict or incongruency between science and Jesus.

Entry is free for members while non-members are charged £4.00 (children under 18 and accompanied by an adult are free). Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided at a cost of 50p. After the talk, if the skies are clear, the observatory will be opened up for an observing session using the 16 inch telescope in the observatory and smaller telescopes outside.

Talks List

Click to download a meetings poster for 2025 or 2025 with speaker bios.

Speaker details for 2025

8th JanuaryPaul Money FRAS – Freelance Writer and Lecturer10 Stunning Images of our Solar System

Paul Money attended his first meeting of an astronomical society back in 1980 at the Boston Astronomical Association, later changed to Boston Astronomers. He gave his first talk (an impromptu one) to the Boston Astronomers about the planet Saturn based on the Voyager missions when a planned 'Star-watch' was clouded out. His first talk to a society other than his own was to the Cleethorpes and District Astronomical Society. He is now a well-known speaker across the country. Paul was Reviews Editor of the Sky at Night magazine until January 2024, and he organises the annual Horncastle Astronomy Weekend. The Federation of Astronomical Societies awarded Paul the 'Eric Zuker' award for 2002/2003 for contributions to Astronomy, along with the Arthur Clarke Lifetime achievement award for the public promotion of astronomy in 2012'.
In the last few years, he has become a popular author of science fiction and has released 6 ghost books in the “James Hansone Ghost Stories Series”, and four Sci Fi / apocalyptic novels with more on the way.

5th FebruaryPeter Rea FRAS – CDAS Founder MemberThe Parkes CSIRO Radio Dish and Siding Spring Observatory – An Australian Adventure

Peter Rea is a founder member of the Cleethorpes and District Astronomical Society. He started school in the same year that the first artificial satellite was launched (Sputnik 1 in October 1957). He has followed with great interest the exploration of space ever since. In April 1972 aged 20 he was at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida to see the launch of Apollo 16, the second to last Apollo moon landing mission. In 1997 he saw the launch of the Cassini mission to Saturn. Now retired he spends a lot of time giving lectures across the country to various astronomical societies. Not being a regular observer, he says he is still not sure which end of a telescope to look through. Since 2016 he has been a contributing author to the annual “Yearbook of Astronomy” first published in 1962. In December 2019 Peter was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.

5th MarchRod Hine – Bradford Astronomical SocietyThe Life and Works of Edward Emerson Barnard

Rod Hine took physics, chemistry and maths at A-level and in 1964 went up to Churchill College, Cambridge to study Natural Sciences. He later switched to Electrical Sciences and after graduating joined Marconi at Chelmsford working for several years on satellite communications. That job eventually took him to Nairobi, Kenya where he worked in Meteorological communications and later switched to teaching at the Kenya Polytechnic. Since then, he has had a variety of jobs in electronics and industrial controls. He was a co-founder of Bradford Instruments Limited which designed and supplied industrial control systems from 1982 and only finished trading in 2012. From about 2000 to 2017 he was lecturing part-time at University of Bradford.

2nd AprilDr Steve Barrett – University of LiverpoolBy Zoom: Astrophotography – Photographing the Night Sky

Steve Barrett is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Liverpool. His research interests have centred around the applications of imaging and spectroscopy to fields such as nanoscience, geomaterials, biomedical imaging and infrared spectroscopy. His teaching to undergraduate students has covered many topics and included supervision of astrophysics students on astronomy field trips to the Teide Observatory in Tenerife.
His interest in astronomy predates his professional career as a physicist. He has given hundreds of astronomy-related talks to astronomical societies, special interest groups and schools. As a result of giving these Outreach Talks he was awarded the Sir Patrick Moore Prize in 2019 by the British Astronomical Association.

7th MayDr Phil Evans – University of LeicesterBy Zoom: Cosmic Explosions, Merging Stars and Hungry Black Holes — an X-ray Astronomer's Menu

Dr Phil Evans is a Lecturer in Astrophysics, in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester. He describes himself as, “an X-ray pyromaniac” as his main research interests involve the X-ray study of cosmic explosions. He studied undergraduate astrophysics (with computer science) and did his PhD at Keele University in the UK, and in 2006 he moved to Leicester on a 6-month contract… and is still there. For most of his research career he has worked as part of the post-launch support team for the NASA/UK/Italy satellite, “The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory” which was designed to study gamma-ray bursts: the most powerful explosions in the universe. In 2021 he took over leadership of the Leicester Swift team and in 2023 (finally) obtained an academic post; he is also now one of the leading members of the Science Ground Segment for the upcoming ESA “large” mission, NewAthena. He is an avid reader and is currently eagerly awaiting Naomi Novik’s new series (Folly) and Stormlight #5 from Brandon Sanderson (which he will have read by the time he visits CDAS). He is also a committed and passionate Christian, and sees no conflict or incongruency between science and Jesus.

4th JuneDr David Benoit – University of HullHunting for Ghost Particles from Outer Space

David Benoit is a molecular astrophysicist with interests in planetary biosignatures, molecules in extreme environments, quantum computing and machine learning. He is an award-winning senior lecturer in molecular physics and astrochemistry at the University of Hull and teaches advanced quantum mechanics, astrochemistry, data science and scientific computing. He holds a (bio-)chemistry degree (U. Lausanne), a PhD in theoretical chemistry (UCL) and a German “habilitation” in theoretical chemistry (U. Ulm). David has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications and has 25+ years’ experience in developing high-performance computing solutions for problems in quantum chemistry, molecular physics and astrochemistry.
He is an associate editor of Frontiers in Astronomy & Space Sciences (Astrochemistry division), the principal UK investigator for the EU-ATMOS project and a collaboration partner for the KM3Net neutrino experiment.

2nd JulyRoy Gunson – Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical SocietyThe First Astrophotographer

Roy Gunson was born 1950, and retired 2011, after 32 years at Sheffield Hallam University, prior working in various Research Associations. He has been an amateur astronomer since age 10 or so. He is interested in History, a recreational wargamer, with an interest in genealogy and history. Has been giving talks on Astronomy and associated historical topics since retirement. Currently he is Vice-Chair of Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society.

12th AugustBarrie & Georgina Watts, CDAS Founder MemberPerseids Meteor Watch

Barrie Watts is known for running a night school class on astronomy at Havelock School and later Beacon Hill School in 1967/1968. Most of the attendees were interested in starting up a local astronomical society and it was Barrie who founded the Cleethorpes and District Astronomical Society in July 1969. The inaugural meeting was held at Barrie’s house in Mill Road, Cleethorpes. He was the key person in overseeing the building the Beacon Hill Observatory. Since the mid 1980’s has been the proprietor of Beacon Hill Telescopes, a major UK manufacturer of telescopes for the amateur.

3rd SeptemberMartin Holland – CDAS MemberBackyard Astrophotography Basics

Martin Holland comes from an engineering background, and only became interested in astronomy around 10 years ago. After many false starts he decided that astro photography was the path he wanted to take and over the next few years he built a fully automated robotic imaging setup.

1st OctoberMike Foulkes – Director of the British Astronomical Association's Saturn, Uranus andNeptune SectionNeptune, the Outermost Planet

Mike Foulkes has been interested in astronomy since a young age. He is an active amateur observer, particularly of the Moon and planets. For many years Mike has been the Director of the British Astronomical Association’s Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune Section, which coordinates amateur observations of these three planets. For many years, he has given various talks to amateur astronomical societies and participates in the BAA Back to Basics courses, which are aimed at beginners in amateur astronomy. Mike has a joint degree in Mathematics and Physics. He has recently retired from working in the spacecraft industry, having worked on several scientific spacecraft such as LISA Pathfinder and Solar Orbiter. Mike was for many years a member of this Society before moving out of the area.

5th NovemberRay Emery – CDAS MemberTarget Luna: Orientale Impact Basin

Ray has been interested in astronomy from the age of 7, and joined the CDAS in 1973. He attended Leeds University, and is past president of The Leeds University Astronomical Society, and the Leeds Astronomical Society. Before retirement he was a lecturer in social sciences, photography and astronomy to post-16 age groups. He was also examinations officer at a Further Education College in south Leeds. He has been to six total solar eclipses and seen three. He has had a long-standing interest in the history of astronomy and photography.

3rd DecemberSue Parr – CDAS SecretaryThe Life and Times of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin

Sue is a retired teacher who also worked with young people in music making. Her interest in Astronomy started whilst in the Brownies when Brown Owl pointed out Orion’s Belt. She has been a member of the CDAS for some years and is Secretary. She is also part of the Outreach team and is coordinator of the Informal Evenings. Every aspect of Astronomy Sue finds fascinating, but her leaning is towards the characters who helped found Astronomy as we know it today.