November 2003 - astronomy@lists.redbrick.dcu.ie

[Astronomy Ireland] Major Aurora in progress!!!
by Astronomy Ireland 20 Nov '03

20 Nov '03

Dave Gradwell in Birr, Co. Offaly just called Astronomy Ireland (5:36pm) to say there is a major aurora in progress! There was a corona overhead! Keith Geary in Cavan just sent a TEXT saying RED aurora overhead. I can see it from our Shop window in the brightly lit Butterly Business Park in Dublin 5! Heading to country-side soon! Checking the web sites and emails confirms a massive geomagnetic storm is in progress and has been since 8am (been a little too busy in the aftermath of our extremely successful Astro-Expo to be checking as regularly as I usually do! see website for Astro-Expo report by the way, with photos!). The aurora was caused by a CME (coronal mass ejection) from sunspot group number 484 that has survived a complete rotation around the back of the Sun and is nicely on view again (I saw it from the office just before the Sun set in a pair of 10x50s fitted with AstroSolar filter). The CME happened on Nov. 18. So get out and watch all night long and tell you friends! This could be bigger and better than the one 2 days before Halloween which you may have seen on the TV news and in the newspapers the day after? Moon rise is not until 4am tonight and clear skies are forecast so conditions are ideal again. We are very lucky! I'll tell you another time about how I got a private audience with Neil Armstrong last Monday and don't forget to book tickets for our Christmas Lecture on December 8 when Prof David Hughes will fly in from the UK (Sheffield University) to give a lecture on the subject of his book and video documentary "The Star of Bethlehem" (available from our mail order dept) in Dublin City University at 8pm on Dec. 8. Ticket only so call during office hours to book seats. TEXT any sightings of the aurora along with your name and location to 086 081 99 86 all night long! And send us an email with your comments and observations, and any photos to observe(a)astronomy.ie ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open until 6pm Mon.-Sat. Tel (01) 847 0777. Fax (01) 847 0771. www.astronomy.ie (Subscribe FREE to AI's Events emailing list) Email: info(a)astronomy.ie

1 0

[Astronomy Ireland] Astro-Expo: Biggest ever astronomy event for Ireland on TV and NASA - be there!
by Astronomy Ireland 13 Nov '03

13 Nov '03

Over 20 exhibitors are now confirmed for Astro-Expo 2003 this Saturday and Sunday in Dublin City University. There will be everything from the most advanced telescopes in the world to ESA's giant rocket models, to an Art Exhibition. Plus Planetarium shows all day Saturday, Birr Castle (home of the 72-inch) and most of the universities offering degree courses in astronomy (it's really wonderful to see them at Astro-Expo in force). There will be 3 large shops selling everything from telescopes to meteorites! Our own Astronomy Shop will be offering discounts on all books (300 titles in stock) and free delivery on all telescopes (and few other special offers!). See the new giant 25x100mm SkyMaster binoculars - the biggest on sale in Ireland. You'll see some of these exhibits on Ireland AM on TV3 on Friday morning. Tune in from 7am or set your video! Admission to the 5,000 square foot Exhibition is just 3euro!!! Or *FREE* if you bring latest A&S magazine! ALL WELCOME. LECTURES: Add in the Beagle 2 team flying in to Dublin to tell us about their probe that will land on Mars on Christmas Day and find life or not, along with all the other excellent speakers (3 each day) and it's going to be one helluva weekend! There's a full list of exhibitors at http://www.astronomy.ie/astroexpo.html where you can find more details, maps, prices, parking, etc This is the one event in the Irish astronomy calendar where everyone interested in astronomy+space comes together to meet up. You may never see anything like it again. Make sure you get along - noon til 6pm Saturday & Sunday. We especially want to see all our country members. If you still want to book for the Dinner call Tom now on 086-810 5155 P.S. Even NASA have listed Astro-Expo! See their JPL Space Calendar: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/ ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Tel (01) 847 0777. www.astronomy.ie

1 0

[Astronomy Ireland] Eclipse preview on TV, Astro-Expo
by Astronomy Ireland 06 Nov '03

06 Nov '03

ECLIPSE ON TV Tune in to TV3 around 7:45am Friday morning to hear me talk about Saturday's eclipse of the Moon. Here's details in case you miss it and you haven't got our November magazine yet: Giant telescopes will be set up in Dublin's Phoenix Park (Papal Cross car park) and 9 other locations around Ireland by Astronomy Ireland on Saturday night to watch the best evening Total Lunar Eclipse of the past three years, and everyone is invited. Viewing begins at 10pm with the planets Mars and Saturn on view close-up and 'live'. Then at 11pm the Full Moon will begin to show signs of the Eclipse beginning with First Contact at 11:32pm and totality 93 minutes later at 1:06am. Totality lasts 25 minutes until 1:31am. Then the Moon comes out of the Earth's shadow until 3:05am. Loads of details about what to watch out for and how best to enjoy the eclipse are on pages 28-29 of the November issue of our magazine. Which will be on sale at all the eclipse watches (and in our Shop in Dublin 5 right now). Non-members: Please support our club and buy a copy. The 93 minutes from First Contact to Totality (11:32pm-1:06am) are the most remarkable to watch the eclipse progressing to totality I think. Astronomy Ireland will set up telescopes at 10pm Saturday all around Ireland at 9 other venues also. For details of the nearest one to you see www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777. ASTRO-EXPO 2003 The following Saturday (Nov. 15) Astronomy Ireland opens the biggest ever exhibition of astronomy and space called Astro-Expo 2003 for two days (Nov. 15-16) in 5,000 sq foot exhibition Hall at The Hub in Dublin City University (next to The Helix). There will be telescopes galore, giant rocket models 5 metres high, a portable planetarium, plus dozens of other exhibitors on everything from meteorites to UFOs, and talks going on all day by speakers from around the world. Anyone know where can get a fork lift truck!? (email tom(a)astronomy.ie) Very Special Astro-Expo guests this year are: The U.K. team that build the Beagle 2 Lander now en route to Mars The European Space Agency Rockets Ireland's Susan McKenna-Lawlor who is running 8 spacecraft missions Further details at www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777. All welcome. Members free in to exhibition. Loads of people are coming from all over Ireland to the Saturday evening dinner (Beagle 2 Team guests of honour) so book that and the 20euro Weekend Pass is my advice. SPACEGUARD UK SPEAKER IN DUBLIN & CORK Don't forget you should book your places at Jonathan Tate's Public Lectures to AI's Dublin & Cork Branches on Monday in Dublin and Tuesday in Cork. See www.astronomy.ie for details. All welcome. RTE Radio1 MORNING IRELAND will have J. Tate on their show on Monday morning. The event is sure to be sold out if they plug the lecture as requested so book your place now by calling (01) 847 0777. It's only 5euro (3euro if you bring the latest issue of our magazine). REQUEST: Please don't leave it until the last couple of days to book Astro-Expo and Lecture places as we can hardly cope with the numbers of phone calls, especially when we need time for final preparations for such big events. Thanks to all those who have booked so far (note that your Astro-Expo tickets will be posted early next week). ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open until 6pm Mon.-Sat. Tel (01) 847 0777. Fax (01) 847 0771. www.astronomy.ie (subscribe to this Events emailing list) Email: info(a)astronomy.ie

1 0

[Astronomy Ireland] Apology, and more Aurora!
by Astronomy Ireland 03 Nov '03

03 Nov '03

Astronomy Ireland www.astronomy.ie 1. First an apology. You probably got a notice about the Halloween night aurora the day after Halloween! This was due to a technical problem with the email server we use, which is hopefully now fixed. Fortunately (or unfortunately!) the Halloween aurora was not strong enough to come as far south as Ireland as it happened. 2. The good news is that another massive X8 class flare erupted on the Sun on Monday morning and it too was directed towards Earth so we could have another aurora tonight (Monday) and/or tomorrow Tues. Nov. 4. If you see it please TEXT your NAME and LOCATION to 086 081 99 86 and email a report to observe(a)astronomy.ie 3. Next week, at great expense, we are bringing in Jonathan Tate, Director of the professional body Spaceguard UK to speak on "The Asteroid Threat from Space". As a world authority on such matters, and especially the latest news on what can and is being done, it should be a remarkable evening. Booking has been heavy so expect this to be admission by Ticket Only so call (01) 847 0777 to book now and avoid disappointment: Monday November 10 in Dublin City University and Tuesday November 11 in Jury's Hotel Western Rd Cork, both at 8pm 4. Eclipse Watches this weekend remember. See www.astronomy.ie 5. Astro-Expo 2003 the weekend after (Nov. 15-16). Please Book Early: Weekend Pass(20euro) and the Dinner(32euro) with "The Beagle 2 Mars Lander Team" as soon as possible so we can plan for numbers. ===== David Moore, Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open until 6pm Mon.-Sat. Tel (01) 847 0777. Astronomy Ireland www.astronomy.ie

1 0