Please can you post on here if you intend to book your pitches for 2021  .....  I will keep the pitches as this current year unless anyone lets me know
they do not require their pitch.  Once we have the list I can then send out booking references to book at Kelling this year
 
Sheila

EMS is now listed on the directory of the new native app being developed for this software. If you want to try this out, you can now do so.
 

 
Important: this is a beta...
 
I can't emphasise the above enough. The app has had only limited beta testing, limited to the developer's own forums, and is only now being opened up to a wider audience. I will be able to provide only very basic support. If you are not able or willing to work through bugs, do not download the apps at this time.
 
If you're happy to test new functionality and provide feedback on the beta experience then you can do so, using the below links:
 
 
 
I've personally only tested the iOS app, as an iPhone is what I have access to. In order to access the beta I had to install Apple's beta app store, called TestFlight, and download the beta from that. I believe Google runs a similar testing approach through its own store but I can't tell you how that works as I've never used it.
 
When attempting to sign it the first time I did get a blank white screen and needed to kill the app (demonstrating that it's still very much a beta). It worked fine on the second attempt.
 
When you open the app you can browse or search for communities on it. EMS is under the Hobbyist section.

With Kelling fast approaching and Coronavirus still very much on everybody's minds, be sure to keep informed by keeping an eye on this thread.

Welcome to the newest version of the East Midlands Stargazers website
 
Thank you all for your patience while the website was offline.
 
Reminder: the first step in fixing any bugs is to clear your browser cache! 😉
 
New Features...

Downtime this Saturday, 12 September 2020
 
East Midlands Stargazers will be down, this Saturday, while a software upgrade and server migration are performed.
 
What's changing?
 
EMS is being modernised, once again, to bring us up to modern standards and introduce a few new features.
 
Customisation options
 
You'll be able to customise the way EMS looks and feels according to your own preferences, including the use of a light or dark theme (see the next paragraph)...

All,
 
I am pleased to announce that we have the green light from Wymeswold Parish Council to start holding meets again but (and its a strong but), there are a number of restrictions in place.
 
If you intend to go up to the Wymeswold dark site, then the following MUST BE ADHERED TOO......
 
1. 12 people MAXIMUM will be permitted to attend at any one time and the 2 meter rule is to be adhered too.
 
2. NO looking through other peoples equipment and / or sharing of equipment.
 
3. You must state you are going up to the site by creating a post on here, it will be 12 people only and first come, first served.
 
4. A one way system will be in place.  You are to arrive and park as you currently do but access the field via the gate way (to the right of the club house if the scout hut is behind you).  If leaving or going back to your vehicle, please make your way to the car park walking around the other side of the club house (so you emerge from the left hand side of the club house, if the scout hut is behind you).  This means the 2 meter rule can be maintained while setting up / dismantling your kit.
 
5. The club house will NOT be opened up, so please bring any food / drink with you.
 
6. No exceptions to the above.
 
Also, this can be revoked at any time in line with local and national guidelines, if we the staff decided to, or if Wymeswold Parish Council decides too.
 
The staff have decided to NOT open the club house up, as the cricket team (both home and visiting teams) are using the club house and we cannot guarantee that a sufficient level of cleaning has taken place.  It more than likely will have but we cannot 100% guarantee that. 
 
Any questions, please ask a member of staff.

All,
 
I am pleased to announce that we have the green light from Sharon to start holding meets again but (and its a strong but), there are a number of restrictions in place.
 
If you intend to go up to the Belper dark site, then the following MUST BE ADHERED TOO......
 
1. You can ONLY go up to the site Monday to Thursday (No weekends).
2. You will have to set up in the middle of the field (NOT at the edges).
3. 6 people MAXIMUM will be permitted to attend at any one time and the 2 meter rule is to be adhered too.
4. NO looking through other peoples equipment and / or sharing of equipment.
5. You must state you are going up to the site by creating a post on here, it will be 6 people only and first come, first served.  EMS staff still need to agree gate openings with Sharon.  Sharon will also monitor amount of people in attendance.
6. No exceptions to the above.
 
Also, this can be revoked at any time in line with local and national guidelines, if we the staff decided to, or if Sharon decides too.
 
Please bear in mind that the site is Sharon's business and livelihood, so please DO NOT abuse the above instructions.
 
I also need to point out that school holidays are now in affect, so it is very likely that she will be busy on weekdays too, I know from talking to Sharon that she is fully booked up at weekends for many weeks to come, hence why there are NO meets at weekends.  If it turns out that she is at full capacity during the week, then meets may be temporarily suspended, until a time that number of people on site reduce.
 
This applies to the BELPER DARK SITE ONLY - Wymeswold IS STILL CLOSED.
 
Any questions, please ask a member of staff.

Internet Explorer will no longer be supported. Internet Explorer has been clinging to life for a lot longer than many anticipated. It uses an archaic rendering engine, has numerous vulnerabilities that impact both security and privacy, requires workarounds to get it to work with many websites, including ours, and has been surpassed by Microsoft's own newer Edge browsers (in two versions.)

This is a brilliant and moving poem about our heroes in the NHS fighting the virus. The poem was heard on the radio and the creator of this video combined it with images of the crisis in our hospitals. Please stay safe everyone.

Hi,
Some Astro show dates for your diary's.
 
European Astrofest 2020 :  Friday January 31 + Saturday February 1st      Kensington, London.  (yes, its early this year !)   Links below for full details :
https://europeanastrofest.com
 
 
Practical Astronomy Show 2020 :  Saturday 21 March 2020     Kettering     Show link and speaker info just released below :
https://practicalastroshow.com/speakers/?fbclid=IwAR1ZGlvAG2q_OUcRbKzONo8E9puSIqyN9ABnqfNWEtu3g5FyOp8TJFkDv_M
 
 
International Astronomy Show 2020 :   Dates in November to be confirmed.   Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.   Link below to homepage for more info :
https://www.ukastroshow.com
 
 
After 15 consecutive visits to Astrofest, i have decided to give it a miss this year 😓
Reasons include me being disappointed with the show in 2018 & 2019, the travel involved, as well as 2 other shows closer to home.
 
But i will definitely be at the PAS in March and almost certainly at the IAS in November as well.
I thought the PAS was excellent last year, and for a first show for them, they hit the ground running and its all for free !!
 
@Derbyshire Dave : you may be interested in the 'APT' talk ?
 
Hopefully i'll see some of you there in Kettering ??  
Regards, Rob 😀