Leasowe Lighthouse, Friday 26 January 2001

Notes by Dave Thomson:- The Leasowe Lighthouse event on Fri 26 Jan 2001 went very well. The estimated attendance was about 150. I had missed last years event but was determined not to miss this years! The weather during the day looked promising but began to cloud over when I was driving home from work. The forecast over the radio mentioned clear spells and showers. I spoke to Dave Owen during the day and we decided it might be worth trying to get both the newly completed 16 inch telescopes down to Leasowe for that evenings meeting for the first time together. We planned to meet down at the lighthouse at around 0630 or just after. I packed up the 16inch and headed off down the motorway to the end of the Wirral. When I arrived I met up with Alan Cavilier who was the first to arrive (family in tow). Next was the Ranger who directed us to the set up area for the telescopes. The first 16 inch was up and running in less than 10 minutes..! Soon others started to arrive and Davie Owen and Geoff Regan assembled the other 16 inch with help from other LAS and LASSA members.

Alan Pritchard took some photos with his digital camera and has kindly mailed them to me to pu up on the site. Some of these are given below. A picture always speaks more than words. Thanks Alan..

The image below shows the two 16 inch telescopes assembled together for the first time.

The sky was now quite clear. By now, many people where starting to arrive and the queue's began to grow behind all the telescopes. Ages ranged from 6 to 60 or more. I think most who climbed the short ladder to look through the telescopes had never looked through one before. The response by most was of amazement and wonder at the sight they had just seen. There where many wow's and oohhss from the kids also. The primary objects where Jupiter and Saturn with other objects like M42 when the queue's reduced and people had already seen the planets. Some came back for another look many times..

The image below shows Dave Owen with a queue of people waiting to look through the telescope.

Who needs dark adaption anyway!!!  Dave, Phil, Me and yes..Phil again hogging the telescopes.

Inside the lighthouse Geoff Regan enlightened (no pun intended) the audiences with magical talks on the Heavens above. Is that Venus...I think it is.

The evening passed quickly and people began to make their way home. By now it was 2130 and it would soon be time to pack up. The hardy few had a look at a few other objects, M1, NGC2158 and a few others. We packed up and made for home. We will be back next year and hope to get good weather again next year.

DIRECTIONS TO LEASOWE LIGHTHOUSE

The light house is positioned at the end of the Wirral Peninsula. The map below gives a detailed view of its location. A good road map will show the lighthouse or railway station indicated below.