Meetings are held on the first Friday of every month at Birnie Village Hall near Elgin.

Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

Non-members are always welcome and refreshments are provided (for a small donation).

Going Nova – Forres Science Festival 10th, 11th and 12th November.

Friday 7th January 2005
The first meeting of 2005 sees the AGM and is a chance to recap on 2004 and to see what SIGMA has planned for 2005. Weather permitting, there will be an observing session immediately following the refreshment break.

Friday 4th February 2005
Dave Rutherford, Senior Met Officer from the Kinloss Met Office, explains how computers are involved and used in providing today’s weather forecasts.

Friday 4th March 2005
Near and Far
Guest speaker Pauline Macrae, from our sister club Highlands Astronomical Society, tells us what we currently know about the two planets, Mercury and Pluto.

Friday 8th April 2005
Douglas Cooper from The Association of Falkirk Astronomers will be giving us a talk and some other members of the Association will be coming up with him for an astronomy weekend. Douglas will be giving a talk on the Transit of Venus and how it was observed from Egypt, as well as sharing some other images with us.

Friday 6th May
Astro Navigation
SIGMA member, Eric Hughes, enlightens us as to how the stars have influenced navigation and how, even in today’s technological world, they are still being used to find our way around!

Friday 3rd June
A Trip to the Southern Skies
Aberdeen and District Astronomical Society member Darren Moody recalls his trip to New Zealand in March 2003.

Friday 1st July
The Aurora
SIGMA Secretary Ian Brantingham explains the science behind this phenomena.

Friday 5th August
Observing the Sun – The Old Ways and New
Longstanding SIGMA member, and keen sun observer, Bill Leslie will explain how the changes in technology have influenced sun observing and how we can now see so much more than just sunspots!

Friday 2nd September
James Nasmyth & His Telescopes
SIGMA favourite Dave Gavine returns to give us an insight in to this fascinating character, who was well known for his mechanical inventions as well as his astronomical interests.

Friday 7th October
Orbital Mechanics
SIGMA member, John Watson, will be talking about conic sections, Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion and the six classical Kepler elements.

Friday 4th November
The Eclipse Which Created a Megastar
2005 is the 100th anniversary of Einstein’s theory that changed the world and honouring this, during The World Year of Physics, SIGMA member Bill Leslie will give a talk on the 1919 eclipse expedition, and explain how it went on to provide proof of the General Theory of Relativity

Friday 2nd December
Quiz Night
It has been decided to have a quiz night for our December meeting. It will be a general knowledge quiz with various rounds for all levels of knowledge!! Of course there will be an astronomy round, just to make sure everyone has been listening over the year!! Partners and guests are more than welcome and there will be mince pies and general festiveness!!