Annual Meeting 2026
The date is Saturday the 20th of June 2026 at our normal venue: the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge. There's no need to book in advance. Member or not, you're all welcome to turn up on the day. The doors will open at 9:30am (BST) with tea and coffee available.
Programme
The Society AGM is open to members only and is typically scheduled for 10:15–11:00. Guests are welcome to enjoy their coffee in peace before join us for the most important part of the day.
And on that topic, we have a complete line-up of speakers for you.
Before we begin Steve Rayner will give a short presentation to commemorate Owen Brazell, our President who recently died in a road traffic accident.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 11:00—11:45 | Gerard Gilligan on the history of William Lassell (1799—1880). Telescopes, Planets and Drinking Beer. |
| 11:45—12:30 | Keith Venables on the A New Finder for Visual Observers. |
| 12:30—14:15 | Lunch |
| 14:15—15:00 | Peter Maasewerd will tell us about The Smoking Gun – Astro Photographies as Witnesses to Stellar Catastrophes. |
| 15:00—15:45 | Mark Stuart will provide his notes on Owen's Galaxy of the Month: A Year of Cosmic Highlights |
| 15:45—16:30 | Tea |
| 16:30—17:30 | Our professional keynote talk will be given by Dr. Rob Eyles-Ferris on The extreme and diverse deaths of massive stars being unveiled by the Einstein Probe. |
Price
| Ticket | Member Price | Non-Member Price |
|---|---|---|
| Without Lunch | £14 | £19 |
| With Lunch | £20 | £25 |
We can cater for those with special dietary needs (e.g. Vegan, Vegetarian, Coeliac etc), but would need advanced notice to make arrangements. Please contact Steve Rayner with your requirements.
Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available for everyone at registration and the breaks.
Trade Stands
The following vendors have been invited:
- The Widescreen Centre.
- The British Astronomical Association (BAA).
- The Society for the History of Astronomy (SHA).
And of course the Webb Deep-Sky Society will have our usual stand.
Our Venue: the Institute of Astronomy
The Institute of Astronomy (IoA) is a department of the University of Cambridge that traditionally plays host to the Webb Deep-Sky Society's Annual Meeting.
There are good instructions for finding your way there by just about any means of transport on the IoA's website. They also have an excellent map of the buildings on the site.
