Our Events
Unless otherwise stated, monthly talks start at 7.30pm in the Assembly Hall at the Subud Centre where complimentary refreshments are available. Free entry for members. Non-members pay £4.00 at our talks, with free entry for anyone under 18 when accompanied by a responsible adult on a one-to-one basis. Accompanying adults must be members or fee-paying guests. Age restrictions and different fees may apply at other venues and events.
6th May 2026
Mapping the Universe: A Journey Through the Past, Present, and Future of Sky Surveys
Behnood Bandi
Subud Centre, Lewes BN7 2DS
For centuries, astronomers have been mapping the night sky. We began with star catalogues made by eye, and we now have digital surveys that measure billions of stars and galaxies. Each new survey has changed what we know about the Universe: it has revealed the shape of the Milky Way, found exploding stars and powerful collisions, and helped show that the expansion of the Universe is speeding up.
In this talk, we'll go on a journey through the story of sky surveys and see how they shape modern astronomy. We'll start close to home with surveys of our own Galaxy, including the Gaia survey. We'll then look at surveys that keep watch for sudden events in the sky, from supernovae to other short-lived flashes. After that, we'll travel farther out to surveys that map distant galaxies to trace the cosmic web and learn about dark matter and dark energy. Finally, we'll arrive at the next generation of major projects—q4MOST, DESI, LSST, and Euclid—which will build the most detailed maps of the cosmos yet. Together, they will help us tackle some of the biggest questions in astronomy: How did galaxies grow over time? What is dark energy? And how does our Milky Way fit into the Universe?
Everyone is welcome. Non-members £4.
3rd June 2026
AGM, followed by Neutrinos - The Quest for the Ghost Particle
Tony Gwyther
Subud Centre, Lewes BN7 2DS
The discovery of X-rays in 1895 by Wilhelm Röntgen, of radioactivity by Henri Becquerel the following year, and of the negatively-charged electron by J. J. Thomson in 1897, turned our understanding of the world of the atom upside-down. That same year, Ernest Rutherford, discovered two further types of radioactivity that differed from X-rays in their penetrating powers; these he termed 'alpha rays' and 'beta rays (he later found a third type of radiation, with even greater penetration, 'gamma rays'). He was later to identify that the nucleus of a hydrogen atom is a positively charged particle: the proton.
Conservation of energy had been known for many decades; it is the principle underscoring the First Law of Thermodynamics. In 1905, Albert Einstein formulated his famous equation, E=mc2 in his Theory of Special Relativity, which postulated how energy could be stored and transferred. Radioactivity is an example of E=mc2. When alpha and gamma decay occurs, energy is conserved but, with beta radiation, where electrons are created during nuclear transmutation, this doesn't seem to be the case, and a fixed value for the energy of the electron emitted is not seen. Although he was regarded as relatively minor, and ignored by many physicists at the time such as Neils Bohr, the young and brilliant Austrian theorist, Wolfgang Pauli, refused to believe that energy conservation did not occur and proposed that an unknown particle took away the missing energy. This particle must be neutrally charged and with little or no mass: he named it the 'neutron'. A few years later, James Chadwick discovered the true neutron, at the heart of the nucleus, much the size and mass of the heavy proton. It was Enrico Fermi who took up Pauli's idea, developd the theory, and renamed Pauli's neutron as the 'neutrino' (the little neutral one). It took a further 25 years before real neutrinos were observed by Fred Reines and Clyde Cowan, and the work of a lifetime by Ray Davis and others on solar neutrinos before the nature of the elusive neutrino was ultimately revealed. This is their story.
Everyone is welcome. Non-members £4.
21st June 2026
Summer Solstice walk up Malling Hill
8pm to 10pm
Malling Down Nature Reserve
Once again, we are holding a free and informal gathering on the Lewes downland to celebrate the Summer Solstice, which this year falls on Saturday 21st June. Weather permitting, we will have the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking view of the Ouse Valley while the sun goes down. This is a free event for everyone.
1st July 2026
Guided Tour of Harvey's Brewery
6:15pm to 8:00pm
Harvey's Brewery, Lewes BN7 2JW.
Now a staple event in our annual programme is our social evening tour at Harvey's Brewery in Lewes. Steeped in tradition, Harvey's is the oldest independent brewery in Sussex. Experience an engaging 90-minute private guided tour around the wonderful historic building and then enjoy tasting a variety of beers to conclude the evening, all included with your ticket. £12 for members, £15 for non-members. Adults only. See our Harvey's Brewery Tour webpage for full details. Tickets are on sale, subject to availability, until midday on 30th June.
Find Us
Our monthly public meetings are held in the Assembly Hall at the newly-renovated Lewes Subud Centre, East Sussex BN7 2DS (formerly Lewes New School). Entrance is in Talbot Terrace. Municipal car parks are free after 5pm. The Brook Street car park is just a few minutes easy walk from the venue.
Latitude 50.8765N Longitude 0.00835E /// tripled.collide.flattens