I began thinking about becoming a member of an astronomical society in the middle of 2020 – in the middle of lockdowns and the height of our northern hemisphere summer for that matter, neither of which sounded particularly beneficial for trying to learn about the night sky! But everyone I spoke to at the Wycombe Astronomical Society couldn’t have been more helpful and welcoming. I joined and within a short space of time I’d purchased a telescope – with the expert advice of some members. While we couldn’t meet in person at that point I enjoyed the excellent speakers that WAS had organised to talk online on Wednesday evenings.
I have not only learned a lot by being a member of the WAS but have also tremendously enjoyed the experience. The group is very friendly and I can’t recommend joining highly enough – becoming a member of the WAS, attending the lectures, socials and practicals is a sure-fire way to get into, improve, or perfect one’s understanding of astronomy – whether you’re a beginner or expert (I’m very much the former) there’s events that are perfectly suited to all, and you’ll always find a member who is happy and willing to share their expertise.
What else have I enjoyed about the Society since I joined in 2020? The Society has a lively WhatsApp group to share ideas, astrophotography images or to arrange in-person events. The annual Perseids barbecue is a great event for meeting up with members socially, getting chance to see various astronomy set-ups in the field – including Wycombe’s own observatory at Woodrow – and of course seeing a meteor shower (weather-willing). I’ve also enjoyed other hands-on observation evenings with members – the winter evenings may be cold but you can always be assured of a warm welcome, no matter one’s level of proficiency. Telescope ‘surgeries’ at the village hall, a well-stocked astronomy library, observation ‘projects’ and this terrific new website are all the more reasons to join.