Public talks

We meet approximately every two weeks for talks on astronomy and related topics. These talks are open to the public - no need to book.

Our meetings are in the small hall, Shirley Methodist Church, Eldon Avenue, CR0 8SD and will be held on the first and third Friday of each month. Our meetings will run, as now, from 7:30 – 9:30.

Shirley Methodist is within walking distance of Trinity School and is easily accessible by bus from East Croydon. There is parking on site but, if it is full, there is ample parking on nearby roads.

Programme

The dates for the rest of 2026 will be the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month:

January 2nd & 16th, February 6th & 20th, March 6th & 20th.

We will not meet on Good Friday 3rd April.

April 17th, May 1st & 15th, June 5th (AGM) & 19th, July 3rd & 17th..

June

Our next meeting is Friday 5th June. We start with the AGM (details here with the orange background).

The AGM won't take long although there will be an opportunity for you to give feedback on what we have been doing and our plans for the future. Following the AGM and discussion Roy Easto will give a talk on the Carrington Event.

The Great Carrington Event of 1859: in this year the Earth was hit by a huge burst of charged particles from the Sun electrocuting telegraph operators and lighting up the Earth with incredible aurorae. We look at observations made at the time and discover what would happen if such an event happened in today’s world.

Location

The church is between Wickham Road and Eldon Avenue, but the entrance is in Eldon Avenue.

If driving from West Wickham turn right down Shirley Avenue then first left to Eldon Avenue.
If driving from Croydon or London Eldon Avenue is a turning on the left off the dual carridgeway.
If driving from New Addington go right at the roundabout into Wickham Road, then left into Shirley Avenue then left into Eldon Avenue..

There is a small parking area in the church grounds, otherwise park on the local roads (Barnfield Avenue, Eldon Avenue or Shirley Avenue for example).

These buses stop close by and all of them connect with East Croydon Railway Station and tram stop.

119: Croydon Airport to Bromley Catch the bus at stop E1

194: West Croydon to Lower Sydenham Catch the bus at stop E1

198: Shrublands to Thornton Heath Catch the bus at stop E1

466: Caterham-on-the-Hill to Addington Village Catch the bus at stop E3

If coming from East Croydon get off at Valley Walk. This stop is on the dual carriageway. Walk up the slight hill, left into Eldon Avenue, and the church entrance is on the right.

(Note that to go back to East Croydon you will need to go to stop M (named Upper Shirley Road) in Wickham Road and catch the 119, 194 or 198 )