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

[Astronomy Ireland]Mars, FIREBALL!
by Astronomy Ireland 28 Aug '03

28 Aug '03

Firstly, our apologies, but the emailing server we use was down yesterday for maintenance so you would only have received the notice about all the publicity AFTER it happened! There's a new powerful machine being installed and more outages may occur today. Sorry. 1. MARS You can still hear the Dave Fanning show when he interviewed me on air Aug 27 on 2FM using RealPlayer at: http://www.rte.ie/rams/radio/davefanning.ram click on play then click on "seek to" and key in 1 hour 0 min 30 sec Don't be put off by the weird electronic noises you hear for the first 30 seconds - they are part of the show! Our 13 Mars Watches around Ireland saw huge attendances. 500 in Cork (cloudy!), several thousand in Dublin (100% clear sky), 200 in Boyle, are just some results in so far. Loads of new members have joined the club, and are continuing to do so today. Our magazine will be packed full of Mars images including many taken from Ireland so don't miss it. Remember you can still hold your own Mars Watch in your own back yard for months to come, but we're too exhausted to run any more major Mars Watches! Call our Shop staff at the number below and get your own telescope now! 2. FIREBALL We are being inundated with calls about the brilliant fireball (very bright meteor or "shooting star) seen around 11:30pm from all over Ireland, especially the southwest. We saw it in Dublin from the Phoenix Park and so did loads of other people around the country. I've already done several radio interviews about it this morning. If you saw it please go to our website below and fill in the report form (click on "report a fireball" in the left had menu sidebar) NOW while your memory is fresh and tell absolutely everyone else who you know saw it to do the same, TODAY preferably! Next week we will analyse all the reports and publish a notice on the Fireball Report Form page about if any meteorite may have fallen as a result, and where. NEXT EVENTS: Sept. 3 "Astrology & Astronomy" Public Lecture by David Moore Mont Clare Hotel, Dublin 2 at 8pm Sept. 8 "New Advances in Rocket Engines" Public Lecture by Martin Houston, who launched Ireland's first rocket - DO NOT MISS! In D.C.U. 8pm Sept. 10 "Creationist Cosmology" AI Cork Branch Public Lecture, Jurys Hotel, Western Rd, Cork. 8pm. Please forward this message on to everyone you know and invite them to join our FREE emailing list at the bottom of our website: www.astronomy.ie ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open til 6pm Mon.-Sat. Tel (01) 847 0777. WWW: http://www.astronomy.ie

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[Astronomy Ireland]RTE TV, Radio1 and 2FM
by Astronomy Ireland 27 Aug '03

27 Aug '03

Astronomy Ireland: 1pm Aug 27: We've done between 10 and 20 radio interviews today about Mars (and dealt with several hundred callers jamming our lines) so we expect a healthy turn out at our 13 Mars Watches around the country this evening. A couple of big interviews are still coming though: 1:45-2:45pm LIVELINE on RTE Radio 1, live with Valerie Cox and David Moore 3pm RTE are sending a camera crew in to our Shop in Artane so watch the 6pm RTE 1 news and Network 2 News later this evening. 6pm-7:30pm DAVE FANNING talks to David Moore once again on 2FM, expected to go on air with Mars songs etc around 7pm but tune in to the whole show just in case. Remember, even if you have no radio to hand, you can tune in to Radio 1 and 2FM on the net - see www.rte.ie And don't forget those 13 Mars Watches start at 9:30pm - see www.astronomy.ie for your closest one. Please forward this on to everyone in your address book and tell them all to SUBSCRIBE to our FREE emailing list for more news and events all year round - our next big public watch campaign will be for the Total Eclipse of the Moon on November 8, so subscribe FREE now at www.astronomy.ie (see the bottom of that page) ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open til 6pm Mon.-Sat. Tel (01) 847 0777. Fax (01) 847 0771. WWW: http://www.astronomy.ie (Subscribe FREE to AI's Events emailing list) Email: info(a)astronomy.ie

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[Astronomy Ireland] TV3, MarsWatches, Star-B-Q, Columbia, Jobs, Chapman
by Astronomy Ireland 25 Aug '03

25 Aug '03

1. TV3 Watch out for a familiar face back on breakfast television on Tuesday morning just after the 7am news. "Ireland AM" want to talk about Mars. We should also be in the Irish Times Monday or Tuesday. Please email info(a)astronomy.ie if you see anything in this or any other paper. 2. MARS WATCHES COUNTRYWIDE Astronomy Ireland members will set up telescopes on Wednesday August 27th at venues all around Ireland to show the general public the planet Mars through telescopes on the day when it comes closest to Earth. Closest approach is officially at 10:51am when 34,646,418 miles will separate the centres of both planets - the closest they have been since September 57,617 B.C., almost 60,000 years ago. Public Mars Watches will take place in Boyle, Carlow, Castlebar, Clonmel, Cork, Downpatrick, Dublin, Kerry, Mullingar, Nenagh, Sligo, Waterford and Wexford. More details of the venue closest to you are on our website www.astronomy.ie or call us on (01) 847 0777 Monday to Saturday up to 6pm. All Mars Watches start at 9:30pm and will go ahead even if it is raining so go along for a chat and buy a copy of our magazine which has details of viewing Mars every month. The caption for the Mars map notes that Syrtis Major, one of the most prominent dark features on Mars, will be visible on Mars Watch night from our part of the world. If you miss the Mars Watch, or it's cloudy, don't forget that you can have your own Mars Watch every clear night from your own back yard for months to come by getting a telescope from our Astronomy Shop - call the number below. 3. STAR-B-Q SETS RECORD Astronomy Ireland's fund-raising "Star-B-Q" took place on Saturday night (Aug 23) in the GAA grounds just outside the highest village in Ireland, Roundwood in Co. Wicklow. Over 500 people bought tickets making Star-B-Q by far the biggest star party in Ireland each year. All proceeds from the event go towards running Astronomy Ireland. Beautifully clear dark skies graced the event with Mars the main target of course, the detail visible in the telescopes was absolutely incredible. The event went very well especially considering this was our first night in this new location. Food was provided by a professional catering company. The crowd in the hall was one of the largest 'live' audiences I've ever spoken to. PHOTOS: just as I feared NO ONE has sent in any photos they took of the event, just like last April. If you took any then please please send them now to info(a)astronomy.ie Our next major event is our annual exhibition and astronomy weekend in November ASTRO-EXPO 2003 (see www.astronomy.ie) which has now become Ireland's premier astronomy weekend and will be the biggest ever this year. The next Star-B-Q will be April 9 or May 7 next year. Which date do you prefer? Email info(a)astronomy.ie and let us know. 4. COLUMBIA REPORT OUT TUESDAY The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) will issue its final report on the February 1st shuttle disaster at a press conference at 4pm (our time) on Tuesday August 26. It's sure be all over the news later that day. We expect the report will be very similar to Colm J. Cannon's article in the September issue of our magazine "Astronomy & Space". Have you read it yet? If not turn to page 13. You can watch the press conference live on the net at www.caib.us at 4pm. 5. JOBS Applications are still invited for the jobs in our Shop (salespeople, manager and also accounts and administration). If you are looking for a career change or know anyone in sales, or anyone that might be interested in managing Ireland's biggest telescope shop, please send them our way. 6. ALAN CHAPMAN Zero people replied to my last email saying we should bring Dr. Alan Chapman over from the U.K. to speak in Ireland. Is his new Channel 4 series really that bad? I thought it brilliant. Let me know if any one at all wants to hear him speak in Ireland? Anyone? Email info(a)astronomy.ie now. 7. Please JOIN Astronomy Ireland online and support Irish astronomy: www.astronomy.ie/sub ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open Mon.-Sat. until 6pm Tel (01) 847 0777. Fax (01) 847 0771. WWW: http://www.astronomy.ie Email: info(a)astronomy.ie

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[Astronomy Ireland]Webcast, Star-B-Q, TV & P.Moore in a Toga!, Jobs
by Astronomy Ireland 21 Aug '03

21 Aug '03

1. WEBCAST Our August Public Lecture recorded in Dublin City University on Aug. 11 is now available to all members countrywide online at our website www.astronomy.ie. Just click on "Lecture Webcasts" on the left-hand sidebar and then click on "August". Lynn Moran from U.C.D. gave an excellent and lively presentation on "Gamma Ray Bursts". Her personal enthusiasm for the subject she is researching came across as she described what might cause the most powerful explosions in the universe. Our next Public Lecture in D.C.U. is very special: "Recent Advances in Rocket Engine Design". Such things as Ion Drives etc. and how the cost of space travel will come down dramatically so one day we can all travel in to space. The speaker is Martin Houston who led the team from the University of Limerick that launched the first rocket from Ireland - you may remember it all over the newspapers and TV a few years ago. He has since been working for the European Space Agency so it promises to be a very special lecture from a unique Irish individual on Monday September 8th in the Henry Grattan Building, D.C.U., Glasnevin, Dublin 9. Call (01) 847 0777 to book seats. 2. STAR-B-Q All records have been smashed since we lasted emailed you. Our record previously was just over 200 people at our April 2003 "barbecue under the stars". For our August 22 Star-B-Q (tomorrow!) we have already sold over 500 tickets, and the phones are still hopping! This is in no small part thanks to the Irish Times who gave us a huge write up last Saturday in the Irish Times Magazine across 2 pages with an 'award' for "the coolest name for an event". If you saw, or see, any event mentioned anywhere please let us know by email to info(a)astronomy.ie We still have enough telescopes and professional catering for several hundred more people so tickets are still available for Star-B-Q if you know anyone who wants to see the wonders of the universe and be a part of the single biggest astronomical gathering ever held in Ireland. And remember, it may be postponed to the Saturday or future Fridays/Saturdays so booking could be possible for a long time to come yet. Tickets are 25euro for adults and 20euro for under 16s and include all food, soft drinks, lecture, naked eye tour, binocular training, and telescope viewing. All proceeds go to Astronomy Ireland. Call our Astronomy Shop staff on (01) 847 0777 to book by credit card and bring as many family and friends as you can. 3. TV and PATRICK MOORE IN A TOGA! Horizon on BBC 2 tonight at 9pm is all about the asteroid threat from space. Aside: Jay Tate from SpaceGuard UK will be coming to give Public Lectures for Astronomy Ireland in Dublin and Cork in November about this very subject - watch the Society News pages of our magazine for details. Stay up until 1:15am tonight and BBC 2 has a programme about the search for magnetic monopoles. On Sunday you can see the second part of Dr Alan Chapman's 3-part series "Gods in the Sky" all about ancient astronomy. He's a real character who has told us he would like to come to Ireland to give a lecture again. We had him speak in Dublin once before. Lot of sexual antics involved in all these gods! Watch him cycle around Greece in a suit, waistcoat and dickie bow! The song "Mad dogs and Englishmen..." comes to mind. Beware of a cameo appearance by Sir Patrick Moore as a god, but he's wearing only a toga! >shudder< Riveting stuff. Alan is a superb public speaker, a real performer. Email info(a)astronomy.ie if you would like us to bring Alan to Ireland for a lecture? 4. JOBS Don't forget that we are seeking more staff to join our team in the Astronomy Shop in Artane - see the notice on the insert in the September issue of our magazine or email info(a)astronomy.ie for details. Join Astronomy Ireland online and support Irish astronomy: www.astronomy.ie/sub ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open Mon.-Fri. 9am-6pm and Sat. noon-6pm. Tel (01) 847 0777. Fax (01) 847 0771. WWW: http://www.astronomy.ie (Subscribe FREE to AI's Events emailing list) Email: info(a)astronomy.ie

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[Astronomy Ireland]Celestial Fireworks Tuesday, Scary Moon Wednesday!
by Astronomy Ireland 12 Aug '03

12 Aug '03

Astronomy Ireland Press Notices 11-Aug-03 Tel (01) 847 0777 --------------------------------------------------------------------- SHOOTING STAR SHOWER TONIGHT The best shooting star shower of the year, called the Perseids, peaks tonight Tuesday August 12th. 10 to 20 times more Perseids than normal shooting stars will be seen that night. The Full Moon will spoil the view somewhat for those in dark rural skies but Perseids are so bright that everyone across the country is in for a spectacular celestial fireworks display. Go outside after dark and look anywhere in the sky and you should see the meteors flash across every minute or so. Perseids are known for being very bright. Most of the paths of the Perseids will point back to a point in the northeast which is where the constellation of Perseus is, hence the name, but don't look in the northeast, look anywhere in the sky. The Perseids are caused by the Earth slamming into particles of dust left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle which last passed the Sun in 1992. "We hit them at 130,000 mph and they burn up in a fiery streak in a fraction of a second giving a celestial fireworks display" said David Moore, Chairman of Astronomy Ireland. "These Perseid meteors are known for being particularly bright and leaving glowing trails behind them for several seconds. They are quite spectacular" he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMAZING NEW 'STAR' NEXT TO MOON WEDNESDAY IS PLANET MARS An awesome sight will greet anyone outdoors on Wednesday night (Aug. 13) when the brilliant planet Mars, now approaching Earth closer than it has ever done for 60,000 years, will very close to the Full Moon in the sky. "It will be years before Mars is ever seen this bright so close to the Moon. Anyone looking at the Full Moon on Wednesday is going to be shocked by what they see" said David Moore, Chairman Astronomy Ireland. "Most people will never have seen a fiery orange-red brilliant 'star' like this just to the right of the Moon. We expect to be inundated with calls asking what it was because it will only last one night, so we want to alert the general public in advance" he said SEE MARS CLOSE-UP! Members of the public will get two chances to see Mars close up in powerful telescopes this month when Astronomy Ireland runs: STAR-B-Q (Friday August 22nd): the biggest annual gathering of star-gazers in the mountains south of Dublin. It's a barbecue under the stars with the biggest portable telescopes in Ireland. Tickets include all food and drinks and must be purchased in advance on (01) 847 0777. People come from all around Ireland for this event and more tickets have already been sold than for any previous event with Mars making its record breaking close approach. MARS WATCHES (Wednesday August 27th): On the very day that Mars is at its very closest (34.6 million miles - the closest since 57,617 B.C.!) Astronomy Ireland will set up telescopes in over a dozen locations all around Ireland. The biggest will be in Dublin's Phoenix Park and a full list of all other locations is kept up to date on the club's website www.astronomy.ie or call Astronomy Ireland on (01) 847 0777. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ASTRONOMY IRELAND is a club for those interested in space! Membership is open to everyone in the 32 counties all of whom receive 12 issues of IRELAND'S ONLY ASTRONOMY MAGAZINE published by the society. Contact: (01) 847 0777 or write: P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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