2002

Society membership exceeded 60 members, of whom more than 35 regularly attended meetings.

The good news this year was the National Trust for Scotland suggesting the incorporation of an observatory into their proposed new Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre. In the meantime, our rotating shed was renovated and transformed into an observatory by a group of our members, led by Arthur Milnes and Bill Jappy, and sited behind the current visitor centre.

We had an open day in April, followed by a public viewing session in the evening which attracted over 100 people, despite intermittently cloudy weather.

August saw the start of a monthly astronomical column, Seeing Stars, published in the Inverness Courier and written by members Maarten de Vries and Andy Ferguson.

Awareness of HAS was growing and some of our members were invited to Skibo Castle and Ackergill Tower to show guests views through their telescopes. A Youth Fellowship group asked if we could show youngsters the night sky.  

In September, Dr. Mark Sims, Mission Manager of Beagle 2, came to the Highlands at our request and gave a joint talk to HAS, SIGMA  (Moray Society) and ADAS (Aberdeen Society). It was also open to the general public and well attended.

Sadly, Jim Savage-Lowden, our founder and former Chairperson, died this year.