The newly-formed Drogheda Astronomy Club had its first outdoor meeting on Wednesday night, Sept. 14th, at the car park across from the round tower at Monasterboice. Around 15 or so people turned up for the event, which was blessed with a clear sky and only slightly hampered by a waxing gibbous moon (which made for a lovely target later in the night).

A number of people generously agreed to bring along telescopes, which included an 11-inch GPS Goto Schmidt-Cassegrain, an 8-inch equatorially-mounted Newtonian GOTO scope, an 8-inch dobsonian, a 4-inch refractor, and several large pairs of binoculars.

Targets viewed in the 11-inch telescope included M81 and M82 in Ursa Major, the double star Mizar in the Plough, several star clusters including M52 and M103 in Cassiopeia, the Little Dumbbell, Mars, Neptune and the craters on the limb of the Moon.

The chief organiser was Michael Rafferty. The club meets again in the same location at 8.30pm on Wednesday evening, 28th September. If the weather is bad, the club has been offered the use of a room in Drogheda for an indoor meeting if required.

Anyone interested in coming along to the meetings should phone Michael Rafferty on 041-9803321 or just turn up on the night. And remember, you don't need to own a telescope to be there.

Participation is free.