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).

SIGMA regularly holds public observing sessions at its dark site outside Elgin. Visit our Public Events page to see what we have planned.

Friday 5th January
Coming In From The Cold
SIGMA member Christopher Jennings takes us on a journey through the Universe, utilizing today’s virtual reality software, pit stopping along the way for images and information!

Friday 2nd February
The Celestial Alphabet
Going Nova’s very own Howie Firth will be giving us the story of Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo, the people responsible for sorting the Solar System, before telescopes.

Friday 2nd March
How On Earth Can They Tell That Too?!
In October last year, SIGMA member Bill Leslie showed us how early astronomers measured the distances, masses and sizes of the planets without the aid of modern technology! Now find out how they also managed to measure the Universe!

Friday 6th April
Noctilucent Clouds
Ken Kennedy from Dundee Astronomical Society is NW Europe’s Noctilucent Cloud Co-ordinator and will be enlightening us to this late night phenomena before the new season is upon us.

Friday 4th May
Hinode and STEREO
Dr Lyndsay Fletcher from The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Glasgow University will be talking about the first observations from the Hinode and STEREO solar satellites. Visit Glasgow University’s website to learn more about Dr Lyndsay Fletcher

Friday 1st June
Annual General Meeting
A chance to recap up on what SIGMA has been doing in 2006/2007, Committee elections and a look forward to the rest of the year.

Friday 6th July
Observatory DIY
Highlands’ Astronomical Society member, Eric Walker will be showing us how he managed to build his own observatory, right in his own back garden.

Friday 3rd August
Equipment Night
Following the success of last year’s equipment night, once again you will be able to find out what is available to use to observe your favourite astronomical objects – from binoculars to telescopes and various other bits in between! There will also be a display from Strathspey Binoculars who are a highly respected local binocular retailer and back by popular demand!

Friday 7th September
From The Heavens to Sigma
Jamie and Deidre Shepherd will be bringing along their collection of meteorites for us to amaze over! A rare opportunity to view some cosmic rock!

Friday 5th October
Electrogravity
SIGMA member, Mike Reuss-Newland will be talking about Electrogravity, the latest theory to explain gravity.

Friday 2nd November
Radio Astronomy
Dr Megan Argo, a Jodrell Bank astronomer who has close links to SIGMA, will be giving us the inside story of radio astronomy from the world famous Jodrell Bank Observatory.

Friday 7th December
SIGMA Quiz
Yet another night of fun and mince pies to finish off 2007