Space Guard Centre UK

[UBT - Timbo]

Hi all

Just seen a great news item about the Space Guard Centre, based in Knighton, Powys.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53082475

This is a totally self-funded project, lead by Jonathan ("Jay") Tate who has recognised the importance of being able to recognise comets and asteroids that might be on a collision course with Earth (these are known as Near Earth Objects, or NEO's) and he has set up a Centre to track these objects so that, if they are found, efforts can be made to divert them.

A decommissioned 24" Schmidt telescope has been provided to the Centre from it's original owners in Cambridge and he and his volunteers are re-assembling it so as to improve their ability to spot "NEOs". This is called Project DRAX.

But Covid-19 has meant they cannot allow visitors to the Centre and so donations have dried up.

So, if you like "space stuff" and want to help, visit their website and maybe donate a few pounds? Or maybe visit them once lockdown is over?

https://spaceguardcentre.com/drax/

regards
Tim

[damienh]

Sounds like fun!

[chriscambridge]

Very interesting. Definitely worth a small donation.