2015-01-10 Astronomical Observatory Ride

RIDE CANCELLED

Just to be clear, 2pm at the statue overlooking Canary Wharf outside The Greenwich Observatory.

UPDATE: No shoes with protruding cleats inside at the observatory, they have nice polished wood floors and do not want it scuffed by many sharp feet. Bring a change of shoes if you don't want to walk around in socks.

Same deal as before really. A ride from the Royal Greenwich Observatory in the South to the University of London Observatory in Mill Hill up North.

I work part time at the ULO and have access to the telescopes after hours for public tours, as such this ride is a slightly curated ride taking in some astronomical highlights of London. Including the Royal Greenwich Observatory which defines the standard meridian of zero degrees longitude and greenwich mean time, the Royal Astronomical Society in Piccadilly and some other bits and pieces up to ULO.

At ULO we will be able to tour the site and make some naked eye observations either through the 3 metre Fry refractor or a modern C14 Schmidt Cassegrain.

As the observatory is small there is a maximum of 20 riders for this, and to cover staffing costs out of hours there is a price of £5 per head (I don't get any of this.).

There are some other rules about the observatory but I'll update later.

Please note that observing is weather dependent and as a working observatory prone to mechanical breakdowns.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6752730

Note: Mostly correct route

This listing without replying is freaky. I was starting to get paranoid.

I think threads should get bumped when someone new registers their attendance.

Sounds like a great ride. Looking forward to it :)

Woo!

In. All I need now is a shirt with scantily clad women on it.

I have a scantily clad lady with a shirt on, if that's any good to you?

Dibs

Some pics from previous rides:

and the ULO website with some other nice pics:
http://microcosm.app/out/25Wng

Ys pls

Bump.

And if anyone wants a sneak preview then look out for this on Sunday: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04vkfvp

Sky at night have done some filming up there and feature ULO on their program on Sunday.

@hairnetnic can't remember what time we got to Mill Hill. I'd like to come along but would need to leave for home by 6:45 Maybe just do the ride and miss the interesting bit at the end?

The ride is open to all, the limit is on attendance at the observatory, so yeah, join the ride as it works for you.

For the record I expect to get the obs between 6:30 and 7:oo.

Yes! I managed to get onto the list. Looking forward to the ride.

iPlayer link to the Sky at Night episode filmed at the obsevatory: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04vkfvp/the-sky-at-night-the-pillars-of-creation

Featuring hints but no full frontals of the telescopes we will be seeing ...

Also the observatory are turning other groups from observing on that night, so from nowish if you're on the list I'm considering you as a definite and I'll need a fiver one or the other to pay for staffing.

My plus one is no longer a plus one, Liverpool beckons that weekend but I am definitely in.

.

Sounds fun yes please

Yes missed the last one so will be defo attending this time thanks!

diarised and committed to attend + debut the Obs. rides, :-)

Is there any places left on this ride, if so I have a possible 2 attendees?

19/20 places gone by the looks of it but people will drop out. Perhaps get a reserve list going?

Nice, looking forward to this. Finally got round to signing up officially!