The 2012 Olympic games has got off to an amazing start during a spectacular opening ceremony in London.
The ceremony show-cased Britain throughout its history from the industrial revolution, the two great wars, and the culture of modern life from the 1960s to the present day
Britain’s ‘green and pleasant land.’
Look into the southern sky at 10pm on a clear night and the star clouds of the Milky Way may be seen meandering up from the horizon from the constellation of Sagittarius in which lies the centre of our galaxy. This is an ideal time to view many star clusters & nebulae with a pair of 10 x 50 binoculars. The constellation of Capricornus lies low in the SW, and Ophiuchus lies a little higher in the SE. Then we come to the ‘Summer Triangle’ marked by the bright stars Altair in Aquila (The eagle), Deneb in Cygnus (The swan) and Vega in Lira (The Lyre).
In the head of Cygnus can be found Albireo which is a fine double-star visible in small telescopes with a contrast of orange & blue. To the west of Vega is the lovely double/double star epsilon-Lyrae. M57 lies midway between the stars Beta & Gamma Lyrae, this is a ‘planetary-nebula’ visible in medium sized telescopes as a small misty patch of light.
In the northern sky Ursa Major (The great bear) lies in the NW, and the double-star Alcor/Mizar may be found second star along the the bear’s tail. It is visible to the naked-eye while binoculars will show it well.
The constellation of Perseus lies in the NE where on the night of 11 August the meteor shower known as ‘The Perseids’ may be seen. The Moon is a thin crescent that rises about three hours before the Sun, so it will provide little interference. At the shower’s peak you might see a few dozen meteors per hour.
Above Perseus may be seen the district ‘W’ pattern of stars of Cassiopeia (The queen), sometimes known as ‘the lady in the chair’. The Milky Way passes through this constellation so lots of star clusters are visible in binoculars.
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Ephemeris data for the planet Venus
RA Dec Const’ Rise Trans Set Mag Illumination
5h 36.871m 19° 11.161' Taurus 02:06 10:00 17:55 -4.39 42%
5h 39.922m 19° 15.428' Taurus 02:05 10:00 17:55 -4.38 42%
5h 40.069m 19° 15.642' Taurus 02:05 10:00 17:55 -4.38 42%
5h 40.216m 19° 15.857' Taurus 02:05 10:00 17:55 -4.38 42%
5h 40.362m 19° 16.070' Taurus 02:05 10:00 17:55 -4.38 42%
Venus is visible as a brilliant star-like body in the Eastern sky around sunrise, and will be at its greatest western elongation on the morning of August 15th making it an ideal opportunity for photography.
The illustration on the left shows how the planet will look through a good telescope.
The giant planet Jupiter can be seen to the upper right of Venus in the dawn sky, and lies close to the Moon on the 11th August. It looks like a bright yellow star.
This is the planet Jupiter as seen through a 14 inch reflector telescope on July 8th 2012. The famous Great Red Spot can just be seen on the eastern (Right) limb of the plant, while the cloud belts are easily visible. It will be better placed for observation in the autumn sky.
The planet Saturn is not visible from the northern hemisphere at the moment, however, this photograph of the planet was taken through a 12 inch telescope in Australia on July 12th by a Mr Ray Johnston. The planet’s rings are well seen.
Sky at Night Newsletter: 125 Sir Patrick Moore and Pete Lawrence's astronomical guide for July, August and September: Click here
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SKY DIARY
01st Full moon
03rd Neptune 5.1 deg S of the Moon
06th Uranus 4.3 deg S of the Moon
08th Meteor shower N Delta Aquarids
09th Last quarter Moon
10th Pleiades 4.8 deg N of the Moon
11th Hyades 4.3 deg S of the Moon
11th Aldebaran 3.9 deg S of the Moon
11th Jupiter 1.0 deg N of the Moon (Not visible from the UK)
12th Meteor shower the Perseids
13th Venus 0.3 deg N of the Moon
15th Venus greatest elong W (45.8 deg)
16th Mercury greatest elong W (18.7 deg)
16th Beehive/Praesepe 7.3 deg N of the Moon
17th New Moon
17th Regulus 6.5 deg N of the Moon
21st Spica 1.9 deg N of the Moon
22nd Saturn 6.1 deg N of the Moon
22nd Mars 2.8 deg N of the Moon
24th Neptune at opposition
24th First quarter Moon
24th Antares 4.8 deg S of the Moon
27th Meteor shower Pi Eridanids
30th Meteor shower Gamma Doradids
31st Full Moon
Outcomes and progress recorded in April/May 2012 for crime within 1 mile of Nottingham NG3 2GJ, UK
April 2012
Magson Close (1 burglary) No further action
Police outcomes relate to outcomes reached in April 2012 for crimes recorded between January 2012 and April 2012.
Court outcomes relate to outcomes reached in April 2012 for crimes recorded between January 2012 and April 2012.
May 2012
Lytton Close (1 burglary) (1 Theft) No further action
Near Eastham Close subway (1 Violent crime) Suspect charged
Wray Close (1 Public disorder + weapons) Under investigation
Magson Close (1 Robbery) Under investigation
St Matthias Rd (2 ASB)(2 Drugs under investigation)
Police outcomes relate to outcomes reached in May 2012 for crimes recorded between January 2012 and May 2012.
Court outcomes relate to outcomes reached in May 2012 for crimes recorded between January 2012 and May 2012.
Outcomes are not available for anti-social behaviour.
Invitations have now been sent out to our MP Chris Leslie, Government ministers, Managers & Senior officers of Nottingham City Council & City Homes, Local councillors, local business leaders, along with Tenants & Residents living on the Stonebridge Park Estate .
The site presently has over 1,200 hits a month which includes a world wide audience of visitors from: Canada, USA, Germany, Australia etc..
If you would like to participate in this programme, and have not already received an invitation, please send an email to richard.pearson53@yahoo.co.uk
There has been a recent increase in burglaries in Nottinghamshire predominantly through insecure doors and windows, and sometimes whilst homeowners are at home. A number of burglaries have occurred where people have failed to lock front/rear doors at night before going to bed. Please ensure you do not become a victim of burglary, because you haven’t locked your doors and windows.
Please ensure that any items of value, such as laptops, cameras, handbags, keys, wallets etc. are NOT left in view of windows. It only takes a burglar seconds to reach through an open window and grab items, so even if you are only leaving rooms for a few moments, it allows a thief the opportunity to take items quickly.
If you are spending time in another area of the house or garden, make sure doors and windows are not left open and insecure.
General Advice:
•Make sure you have locked doors and windows at night – every night.
•Key operated locks should be fitted to all your windows and doors.
•Fit good quality locks to your exterior doors.
•Install PIR (movement sensitive) lights outside your external doors.
•Use timers for lamps.
•Installing an intruder alarm will greatly improve your household security.
•Register you property FREE online at www.immobilise.com
•Protectively mark your valuable property by using UV pens, Selectamark, Smartwater or other asset marking products - if you would like any advice on these, please contact the Pre Crime Unit on 101.
For additional security advice please see the attached home security guide.
Message sent by
Lindsay Donnelly (Police, Administrator, Nottinghamshire)
| And abandons Improvements to 61 homes -- off road parking areas and perimeter fences -- until late October |
Bernard Cribbins – Hole in the ground
Contractor WATES are now in Limmen Gardens making preparations to install external wall cladding to properties on the north of the estate. For tenants of Nottingham City Homes this will be carried out free of charge, while home owners are being asked to pay a contribution of £6,550.
On Wednesday a home owner in Eastham Close contacted the website to say that they had been given a ‘special offer,’ of £1,126 for external wall cladding of their home, which they have decided to accept because of its good value. It is not known whether this ‘special offer’ is being made to other home owner/occupiers on our estate.
However, WATES has abandoned plans to provide off-road parking areas, and new perimeter iron railings & wooden fences for the 61 properties in the first phase consultation areas in Lytton Close, Dennett Close, Stonebridge Road, Wray Close and Magson Close until October at the earliest. Although their remains a considerable amount of uncertainty surrounding an actual start date.
Project Manager Sharon Brookes informed the 61 residents that work on their homes would be done first in July, while WATES flatly contradicted her saying that it could be late October before they got round to their houses.
I did ask Sharon Brookes on two occasions at consultation events in June when the work would begin, and she specifically said July. However, as there is only a week remaining this month, this now seems most unlikely.
WATES then sent around its representative who informed everyone it would not be until October! Housing Patch Manager Ajit Gill then made enquiries and both Steve Edlin (Head of Service Capital Programme., Asset Management Nottingham City Homes) & Project Manager Sharon Brookes did not give him an answer/reply to his correspondence.
Several hundred visitors came along to Stonebridge City Farm Fun-day this afternoon to enjoy a Fairy theme gala, with rides and attractions. In bright warm sunshine it was the highlight of 2012 in St Ann’s which helped to boost the farm’s charity donations used to keep the visitor attraction going through out the year.
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Everyone one is invited for our annual Grand Open Day, this year being Fairy-themed, so look out for the fairies hidden in and around the farm!
Confirmed so far: Shades of Blue (Live Music), Capoeira (Martial Arts Display), African Drumming, Local Food Market, Arts & Crafts Stalls, Children’s Activities, Games, Raffles, Tombola, and Cafe Refreshments. FREE Admission, although donations are welcome.
Children's Activities include: Fairy walk, Fairy parade, Bug hunt, Green games, Pirate corner and more yet to be confirmed.
With six weeks to go before the new completion date, these are the latest photographs taken around the estate today. New home owners have now moved into some of the properties. The area of land originally associated with Eastham Close flats has now been renamed Dennet Close. Despite myself and others asking for temporary street name plates to be put in place they remain absent causing chaos for the new home owners, the postman does not pay a visit, and delivery men drive by without stopping!
This video was recorded 12 months ago for comparison
Just after 1pm a gay parade of school children and their parents walked down the length of St Ann’s Well Road, the first in recent memory, reroute to the Robin Hood Chase. Once there there were side stalls, good Caribbean food and great music. Over 500 locals turned out for the special day of unity. The video shows a few photos taken during the afternoon.
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These changes also mean that the pot of money from the government to help people in Nottingham will be less than the amount the Government currently spends on helping people to pay Council Tax. In Nottingham this could mean there will be up to a £6 million shortfall in early 2013.
Nottingham City Council now has to devise a scheme for the city. Before it does this, we would like to know your views on the best way forward. Please visit our website where you can answer some questions about how these changes might affect you and how the council should think about helping citizens with their Council Tax next year.
The questions can be found at this link www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/CouncilTaxBenefitsHYS
If you don't have access to the internet you may use computers in our libraries and contact centres.
We will also be running drop-in sessions in neighbourhoods where you can have your say in person. The events take place at:
St Ann's Valley Centre (South)
Monday 16 July 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm
If you are interested in coming along, please register in advance by calling 0115 8763040 or reserve your place online at the above address.
It had been expected that the Westminster public house planning application was to be discussed at the Development Control meeting on 18th July, however, for a second time the application has been deferred to be heard at a later date. This is really good news for local residents as it could mean that there are serious concerns surrounding the application brought about by the number and type of objections made to Nottingham City Council.
Shown above is an artist illustration of the proposed new Kingdom Hall seen from St Ann’s Well Road
Today is the official completion date of the first phase of the Stonebridge Park regeneration scheme, however, due to unforeseen delays this has now been extended by 8 weeks to the end of August – meet the team members behind the project.
Shown above is the latest video taken around Stonebridge Park this afternoon.
This video was taken around the estate a year ago
This is the site of Pym Walk flats as seen in 2007 located in Flewitt Gardens.
These flats were demolished in 2008.
Three years later in 2011 the same land was left vacant until the autumn of that year when it was used as a depot to store district heating pipes, and later building materials by construction company Lovell (east).
Nottingham City Homes are now preparing to submit a Report to the Executive Board in July seeking consent to build new houses on this land.
Councillor David Liversidge(Portfolio holder for housing & regeneration at Nottingham City Council) said today he was pleased that this was taking place and that it showed things were happening in the near future to help move the regeneration scheme forward.
The government are now allowing Nottingham City Homes to keep all of its revenue from rents paid by its tenants, and are investing some of this to build new homes on 40 sites around the city including Stonebridge, and on the Robin Hood Chase.
The top update takes a look at the land earmarked for development with an additional 122 new houses by keepmoat Homes Ltd & Leicester Housing Association. It also takes in the latest views of the new homes presently under construction. Look out for the new ‘Blake Close’ ~ On the Busses!
The bottom video is taken around the Phase 1 area which includes Dennett Close, Lytton Close and Eastham Close.
In St Ann's WATES living Space & Nottingham City Homes held a consultation event at Stonebridge City Farm on Thursday where Stonebridge Park locals heard that improvement works to their properties are to begin in July.
