Head's Newsletter 21 June 2019

The Astronomy Club received a solar telescope on loan from the Richmond Scientific Society. This sophisticated and expensive telescope is specifically designed to observe the sun, and can show features of the sun’s atmosphere invisible to normal telescopes. Several students have already used it to look with great detail at prominences, filaments, and the structure of sunspots on the surface of the sun. Back in December, Professor Hatton from Kingston University visited the school to give a talk about visual and digital astronomy and donated a reflecting telescope, which the club uses to observe spectacular views of the moon craters. The Tiffin Astronomy Club would like to thank the Richmond Scientific Society and Professor Hatton for their generosity and the great contribution they have provided to the club. In the photographs, members of the astronomy club are featured alongside the new solar telescope. On 19 th of January, having battled to come top ten in the boroughs, we went to the County Championships at Priory Park in Reigate. Having located the tent, got a race number and lined up on the start line and after lots of jostling and some pushing, the mass of people was in order, and ready to go. 3...2...1…*pause to keep everyone on edge* GO! Off everyone went at what felt like way too fast, which was proved correct when the first narrow, tight corner came and took out about fifteen athletes. Thankfully it then evened out so you could find a rhythm. A steep uphill, a slippery, fast downhill and an enclosed wooded CROSS COUNTRY By Zach Storey Year 8

section around a lake that took up the rest of the lap, twice. Coming round the final bend for the last time, into the finishing straight and realising that you really didn’t want to finish behind the guy next to you, and starting to sprint, next thing you know, you’re over the line and feeling genuinely sick, and looking at the cakes and crisps on offer with a mixture of dread and need. Mr Shaw commented: A great achievement for Zach to represent RBK as the age group for the County Championship was Year 9.