Members of the Liverpool Astronomical Society, (founded in 1881), will display several telescopes for viewing objects in the night sky, if clear. There will also be an illustrated talk on astronomy.

This event is free, and is open to all members of the public.

For more information contact:-

Liverpool Ranger Service - 0151 225 5910

Liverpool Astronomical Society - http://www.liv.ac.uk/~ggastro/home.html

Geoff Regan, Observatory Director - 0151 292 7165

Dave Owen, LAS Sidewalk Astronomers 07778 454524 *** http://angelfire.com/pokemon2/pirsig/sidewalk.html *** dowenlas@yahoo.com

EVENT REPORT - Dave Owen - Despite a generaly poor weather forecast I decided to take my 16 inch Dobsonian reflector to this event and was grateful for Jim Lawler transporting it in his Volvo Estate, along with LAS member John Simcock. We arrived at about 19:25 and, with help from Graham Roberts and Pam McAdams, we were able to assemble the 16 inch by about 19:45. Unfortunately, all we were able to see were the lights from the other side of the River Mersey.

We needed to protect the 16 inch from a, mostly, very fine drizzle, by covering the tube assembly with its cloth shroud, as well a waterproof cover. Jim Stacey set up his 6 inch Celestron and Dave Bentley set up his 85 mm short focus refractor.

By about 20:00 Brendan Martin had already completed a talk inside the Visitors Centre and Geoff Regan started another talk about 20 minutes later. In between these two talks I was surprised at the number of people who were queueing up to look through our three telescopes. It remained 100% cloudy so we could only show the other side of our local river.

Other LAS members spotted by me were Jay and Marie Conway, Alan Dennott, Bill Walsh, John Leek and Steve Pitt. Geoff Regan also brought his wife Beverly and their three children. The two Rangers estimated that thee were over 40 visitors who attended the talks and, allowing for those who stayed outside, there were probably about 50 of us "enjoying" a cloudy night in Liverpool.

We started to pack away the telescopes at about 21:15 and were able to leave at about 21:30. Our long run of good weather at this venue, we were last clouded out in 2002, was finally at an end.

Jim Stacey took some photos which will be posted here soon.

Otterspool 2007 Photos HOW TO FIND OTTERSPOOL VISITOR CENTRE - Maps from www.multimap.com

OTTERSPOOL VISITOR CENTRE MAP 1

OTTERSPOOL VISITOR CENTRE MAP 2

OTTERSPOOL VISITOR CENTRE MAP 3