…or at least via the A917.

Yesterday the DB Astronomy Club was asked to host a star party in the grounds of the rather posh Fairmont Hotel near St Andrews.  It was rumoured that a local business man was flying in his dinner guests by helicopter from his private lighthouse (where do you land a helicopter on a light house?  Do you have to send a winchman down to grab each guest and haul them in?  Wouldn’t that be really uncomfy if you’d just had your tea?)  but in the event a minibus load of very pleasant and interested people arrived, once the sky had darkened as much as it could.   The chap in charge had also advertised the event in the local press and on Kingdom FM,  which was good as a few other visitors turned up.

I did not take enough warm clothes with me though, fooled as I was by the recent balmy climes, even though my brain keeps telling me “It’s Scotland! It’s March!”.  Therefore the heated front seat of the car was on full throttle all the way home.

The event deliberately coincided with Earth Hour, an initiative where everyone, major landmarks included, switches off the lights for an hour.  This is a boon for star gazers as it greatly diminishes the light pollution.   I showed off the new app on my iPad which identifies the stars at which one may be gazing, but also allows you to go swoosh swoosh swoosh around in a figure of eight and pretend you are re-calibrating.   BTW, thanks to Brian for showing me how to work the Tomb Runner thing.  Maybe next time he’ll help me onto Angry Birds level IV.

Did not see much of the Fairmont itself but all the staff to whom we spoke were extremely courteous and efficient.