Postponed - DM: Oxford Area, March 28, 2020

So I have 28th cemented in the family calendar, so have the whole day to enjoy taking photos. Sunrise is 5:51am which might be a challenge (though if anyone else fancied it, I could be tempted). Sunset of 6:34pm is more palatable. So assuming no super early risers, perhaps we aim to meet around 10am? I’m easy about where. I’m not too fussed about centre of Oxford, but surely must be some nice spots on outskirts. Didcot railway centre was also mooted and happy to spend a few hours there, perhaps after lunch before heading somewhere nice for sunset and then possibly a well earned bite to eat and beer.

Any place around the area will do but yes meeting at 10am is preferable to sunrise.

It would be nice to have some company from/to London. If there is company I am happy to drive and if not I'd prefer public transport (by which I mean a place with good public transport connection would be ideal but not necessary for me).

I will be mostly inactive for the next month or so (out of the country) but I am interested in taking part even if I don't reply.

Oxford has expensive city centre parking but a number of Park and Rides around the ring road. Happy to advise when a plan is formulated!

I missed the discussion in the general UK and Ireland topic , but I am glad I didn't miss this topic too.

If I may, I would like to join you all in Oxford. I will be coming from London by train.

For astro/stars, light pollution is only one aspect. The other is clear sky and being in the UK I like your optimism

I'd not heard of Higgins's Copse until today. If it is where I think it is on the hill besides the A420 going down into Oxford from Swindon. See this OS map here. There doesn't appear to be any access and the view, southwards would be of the suburb of Botley - which is as ordinary as it gets, I'm afraid.

I have a pass for Wytham woods just north of Higgins, if it's woodland you want. You'd have to be out by dusk, I'm afraid (it's University land and a SSSI, more at https://www.wytham.ox.ac.uk/). My pass would be good for a half-dozen people. There's a pub in the village of Wytham which might be a meeting place.

I'd have thought that for sunset you might want a view westwards, where the sun is going down. In Oxford that would point to South Park, which has views across the spires of Oxford to the sunset over the hills to the west.

Photographer's Ephemeris link here.

On 6 April 5 years ago we had a nice sunset





So a good day on 28/3 should afford similar views. However, as Nandbytes observes nothing is guaranteed with British weather. On the plus side there are several pubs close to South Park that do food, and the coach to London comes through this part of town.

The west of Oxford isn't so picturesque. This was taken from North Hinksey, about a kilometre or so from Higgins's Copse



Further out, at Boars Hill, there is a great view of Oxford, but it is much more distant. I made this 14 years ago on a point and shoot Olympus, but if you click through to Flickr you'll see it clearer.



Finally, I'm not that keen to go all the way out to Bourton on the Water for some night sky, but I am keen to try some astrophotography and would welcome the chance to learn. Just to the north east of Oxford is Otmoor, where there an RSPB reserve. Otmoor is fairly empty and very flat - and not hugely lit. CPRE organised a starcount last year (2020's results are not available yet) - see here for national results, and in the 'night blight' view looks pretty promising.

Well, we've been instructed at corporate level to halt all local, regional and international travel for the time being, together with restricting visitors to all business sites unless they are there for business critical purposes. In addition, in the Q&A that goes with the corporate statement, there is a question about vacations and meetings of groups - the message comes across clearly that the Board see it as being only just a small step too far to prescribe that people do not take leave etc., but only by a small margin. It's a very worried World out there at the moment and I can fully understand Brian's point - those at risk need to take care.

Keep safe everyone and best regards, Neil.