December 2005 - astronomy@lists.redbrick.dcu.ie

[Astronomy Ireland] Shop open late, Christmas Viewing, 2006!
by Astronomy Ireland 22 Dec '05

22 Dec '05

1. SHOP OPEN LATE Our Astronomy Shop is open until 9pm Thursday and Friday this week, and until 6pm on Christmas Eve for all your last minute gift ideas:- Telescope packages from 199euro (telescope, starter pack, extra eyepiece, book, free delivery) Books, many at HALF PRICE in our sale (cheaper than Amazon.com!) DVDs, CD-ROMs, Videos, Posters, Slide Sets, etc etc Drop in and see one of the biggest astronomy shops in Europe in Butterly Business Park, Artane. Map at: www.astronomy.ie/map.html Or call (01) 847 0777 for mail order. OPEN HOURS OVER HOLIDAY SEASON: 9:30am to 9:00pm : Wednesday December 21 to Friday December 23 10:00am to 6:00pm : Saturday December 24 9:30am to 5:30pm : Wednesday December 28 to Friday December 30 10:00am to 6:00pm : Saturday December 31 9:30am to 5:30pm : Tuesday January 3 onwards with business as usual 6 days a week 2. CHRISTMAS VIEWING Venus is blazing in the southwest every evening after sunset. It is a brilliant naked eye sight for an hour or so from 4:30pm. By the New Year it will be getting too low to view anymore so enjoy it over Christmas. If you got a good quality telescope from us for Christmas you'll see Venus is a thin crescent - this is a very rare sight so don't miss it. Email photos or comments to observe(a)astronomy.ie Mars is still a fine sight high in the South each evening over Christmas. Its disk is about 13 arcseconds so its not that much smaller than when at its closest (20 arcsec) in October/November. Again good quality telescopes (if you got our FS70, FS80 or FS114 for example) will show surface detail. See Mars viewing guide in magazine. Saturn is on show by 8pm rising in the East but give it an hour or two to rise higher if trying to view detail in a telescope. The New Year will see Saturn at its best. We plan viewing opportunities nationwide. Stay tuned. Jupiter is a 'morning star' not rising until about 5am, but by dawn it can be seen low in the South easily with the naked eye. More next year. THE MOON will not rise until after midnight from now until the end of the year so only those who stay up late will see it. New Moon is on December 31. More details of all the above, and more, are in David Grennan's excellent Sky Diary pages in our magazine every month. Please send a report of anything you see to observe(a)astronomy.ie so we can share it through the "Observers Log" pages of Ireland's astronomy magazine "Astronomy & Space" Details and GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS at www.astronomy.ie/currentissue.html 3. MORE TO COME We have a fantastic programme lined up for you in 2006 and a massive expansion of the society's activities nationwide with all the new staff we have already hired - and we're still recruiting! And book your holiday of a lifetime on the biggest extravaganza Astronomy Ireland has ever organised, for the total eclipse of the Sun March 29 www.astronomy.ie/turkeyeclipse.html Don't be left behind - next eclipse trip is not until 2017!!! Don't forget to drop in and see us (or call) for those last minute bargains (see Shop open hours above)! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Astronomy Ireland ---------------------------------- David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. Tel (01) 847 0777. Fax (01) 847 0771. www.astronomy.ie info(a)astronomy.ie

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[Astronomy Ireland] Solstice on RTE RADIO 1, ECLIPSE TRIP CLOSING FRIDAY, Telescopes
by Astronomy Ireland 20 Dec '05

20 Dec '05

1. Tune in the RTE's top rating show "Morning Ireland" around 8:30am on Wednesday morning December 21 to hear David Moore, AI Chairman, talking about the Solstice. RTE RADIO 1 2. Remember the closing date for booking a place on our holiday of a lifetime to see the March 29 total eclipse of the Sun in Turkey is this Friday December 23. Details and last minute online bookings at http://www.astronomy.ie/turkeyeclipse.html Please tell all your friends and bring the whole family! Remember, this is the ONLY direct flight from Dublin to Turkey at that time as we have chartered a private aircraft for 200 people. More places MAY be available in the New Year but the price will be higher as a second aircraft would have to be chartered, so please book now. 3. Christmas Telescopes Our huge telescope Shop is open until 6pm Christmas Eve but don't leave it that late to get your telescope from Astronomy Ireland. Great packages now available for the beginner and expert alike. FREE delivery in Ireland - call (01) 847 0777 for advice and orders. Please support Astronomy Ireland and don't buy your telescopes anywhere else - we can then support your interest in the years and decades ahead. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at Astronomy Ireland - the world's largest astronomy society per capita

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[Astronomy Ireland] Free Chrismas Telescope Nights. NEW SHOP OPEN HOURS
by Astronomy Ireland 15 Dec '05

15 Dec '05

1. Here's a Press Notice issued by Astronomy Ireland that will be of interest to many of you!: PRESS NOTICE - December 15 TELESCOPE EXTRAVAGANZA! ( See: VENUS - MARS - MOON ) Astronomy Ireland will set up the biggest array of telescopes ever seen in Ireland at 5pm this Friday, Saturday and Sunday to show the two brilliant naked eye planets that have appeared in Christmas skies: the planets VENUS and MARS and THE MOON !!! VENUE: ASTRONOMY IRELAND, unit 75 Butterly Business Park, Kilmore Road, Artane, Dublin 5. Tel (01) 847 0777 DATES: FRIDAY,SATURDAY,SUNDAY DECEMBER 16,17,18 at 5pm Venus is coming close to Earth and is already a prominent object which people have been calling Astronomy Ireland about - asking IS IT THE CHRISTMAS STAR RETURNING? Mars is closer to Earth now than it will be until 2018! Both are a fantastic sight in the telescopes that will be set up for FREE viewing each evening. "Hopefully, one or all of the nights will be clear and we will be able to show thousands of people these incredible planets up close and FREE!" said David Moore, Ireland's best known astronomer. VENUS will be revealed as a large crescent - a view which prompted Galileo to conclude that the Earth was not at the centre of the universe which ultimately led to his near execution and life imprisonment. MARS will be shown as a large disk whose surface features will be visible - something that very few people in the world have ever seen and a sight that prompted Victorian astronomers to conclude there was intelligent life on the planet which ultimately gave rise to all the stories of "little green men from Mars" which pervades our society with stories of 'aliens' to this day. The incredibly powerful telescopes will give unprecedented views of the planets and the Moon which will also be in the sky. 2. ASTRONOMY SHOP OPEN ALL HOURS! Our Shop in Artane (one of the biggest in Europe) will now be open late on Thursday and Friday and will also be open on Sunday. You can call and have your Christmas telescope delivered anywhere in Ireland for free, or drop in an browse around the huge showroom of telescopes, binoculars, books, DVDs, and more. Opening hours are now: Monday to Wednesday 9:30am to 5:30pm Thursday to Friday 9:30am to 9pm Saturday 10am to 6pm Sunday 11am to 7pm Beware of cheap telescopes on sale this Christmas - call Astronomy Ireland for free advice first. TEL (01) 847 0777 Merry Christmas!

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[Astronomy Ireland] "BBC 'SKY AT NIGHT' PRESENTER" CHRISTMAS LECTURE + PARTY, SUNDAY SHOP!
by Astronomy Ireland 12 Dec '05

12 Dec '05

1. CHRISTMAS LECTURE This Year's Astronomy Ireland CHRISTMAS LECTURE will be given by Chris Lintott Chris is Patrick Moore's co-presenter of the SKY AT NIGHT on BBC TV each month - the longest running TV show in history "COSMOLOGY: FROM BEGINNING TO END" is the title of this year's Christmas Lecture It promises to be a fascinating introduction to explaining how our universe works - the BIG BANG etc. All Welcome, so please bring a friend(s) Admission is 5euro (3euro to children/students/unwaged/over65s/members) payable at the door (doors open 7:45pm) DETAILS 8pm Monday December 12 DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY, Henry Grattan Building, Room CG12 Maps and more details at: www.astronomy.ie/lecture0512.html NOT IN DUBLIN? Well, a DVD of this lecture will be made for all our members outside Dublin at modest cost. Details in a future email. 2. GERRY RYAN SHOW We hope our Christmas Lecturer will be on the Gerry Ryan Show (9am-12pm) Monday morning on 2FM. Everyone in Ireland can hear this! If you hear him being interviewed please TEXT us on 086 081 99 86 thanks 3. CHRISTMAS PARTY As announced in a previous email the annual Astronomy Ireland Christmas Party will take place in The Comet pub immediately after the Christmas Lecture. This is an informal gathering that anyone who supports Astronomy Ireland's goal of promoting interest in astronomy is very welcome to attend. The Christmas Party starts at 10pm. See you all there! 4. SUNDAY OPENING For the first time ever, our Astronomy Shop has started opening on Sunday's. We are now open 7 days a week in the lead up to Christmas. Do drop in to Unit 75 Butterly Business Park, and see one of the biggest displays of telescopes on sale anywhere in Europe! Map: www.astronomy.ie/map.html or call for directions. BEWARE: there are lots of poor quality telescopes advertised for sale this Christmas (even in reputable newspapers like The Irish Times). DO NOT BUY THEM. Some are very poor quality. Some simply have no after sales support and we have heard nightmare stories in the past. Call our Shop on (01) 847 0777 for advice on buying a telescope before spending a single cent! Call and find out why most people in Ireland buy their telescopes from us. FREE delivery anywhere in Ireland!!! Monday to Friday 9:30am-5:30pm and Saturday & Sunday from 12pm to 6pm. 5. ECLIPSE TRIP Remember that if you want to go to see the Total Eclipse of the Sun with us at the end of March next year that bookings for seats on our chartered aircraft will be closing soon (Dec. 23) so hurry! Details and online deposit may be placed at: www.astronomy.ie/turkeyeclipse.html This is the most spectacular sight in nature and THE ONLY direct flight from Ireland to Turkey at that time. Definitely the holiday of a lifetime! Next eclipse trip won't be until 2017!!! Merry Christmas from all at Astronomy Ireland and our Shop.

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[Astronomy Ireland] Astronomy Ireland 2006 Eclipse Trip now taking bookings (and in Irish Times)
by Astronomy Ireland 07 Dec '05

07 Dec '05

Eclipse 2006: Experience of a Lifetime On 29 March 2006 a Total Eclipse of the Sun will pass over Southern Turkey. Astronomy Ireland is offering a unique opportunity to view the eclipse on site by hiring a private jet aircraft to take hundreds of you for a week long holiday in Turkey taking in the eclipse in fantastic surroundings. This will be the last eclipse that will be easy to get to until 2017. A Total Solar Eclipse is the most dramatic experience in nature, an event rich in folklore that has filled mankind with awe throughout history. As the Moon moves across the Sun and day turns to night, the stars will become visible for over three minutes, book-ended by the ethereal diamond ring effect. A full solar eclipse is the experience of a lifetime and you will have a 1 week quality holiday in Turkey as well. The full package will include the following: - Direct flight on a private charter aircraft from Dublin to Antalya, on Sunday, March 26, returning Saturday, April 1 - 6 nights accommodation in a high-quality hotel plus half board (breakfast and dinner included in the price) - Workshops and related talks before the eclipse, led by the Chairman of Astronomy Ireland, David Moore and other experts from the society - Eclipse Party on the night of the eclipse - Opportunities to explore the numerous tourist features around Antalya including rafting, mountain safari, the Antalya Archaeological museum, and the magnificent ancient - Roman ruin of Perge We have received a great deal of interest in this trip and are expecting even greater interest when it appears in the Irish Times on December 8. You can now book seat(s) for the introductory price of 899euro (per person sharing). We believe this is very good value for money as the tourist season has not started by March 29 so there are no 'scheduled' flights from Dublin to Turkey so a private aircraft has been chartered at considerable cost to make this unique 'eclipse holiday' possible. To secure this price you must book by December 23, but places are limited so please book early. You must make a down payment of 200euro now at www.astronomy.ie/turkeyeclipse.html to secure your place. There may be an opportunity to book early next year at a higher price if additional aircraft are chartered. For any more information see www.astronomy.ie/turkeyeclipse.html or please call (01) 847 0777 (office hours) or email the Executive Secretary at sec(a)astronomy.ie. Bernard Gaffney Executive Secretary Astronomy Ireland P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Tel: (01) 847 0777 Fax: (01) 847 0771 www.astronomy.ie sec(a)astronomy.ie

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[Astronomy Ireland] DCU lecture, Belfast Lecture, AI Christmas Lecture, Venus+Moon
by Astronomy Ireland 01 Dec '05

01 Dec '05

1. DCU Lecture December 1 Our Colleagues in DCU invite you to this lecture: With the coming of the Christmas season also comes a new Astrophysics Colloquium Series. There will be a total of four talks this academic year, details of which can be found at www.astrophysics.dcu.ie . Come and join us for the opening one and spend an hour on an otherwise ordinary Thursday afternoon thinking about things astrophysical. Details are given below: Speaker: P R O F E S S O R K E N N I C U T T Plumian Chair, Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge University Title: The Spitzer Space Telescope Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS) Time/Date: 2 pm on Thursday 1 December Venue: Room S209 in the Research and Engineering Building A wine reception will follow the talk. All are welcome to attend, and we very much look forward to seeing you. All the best, Brenda Frye and Turlough Downes 2. Belfast Lecture December 7 Public Lecture DEEP IMPACT Professor Mike F. A'Hearn University of Maryland 7:00pm Wednesday 7th December Larmor Lecture Theatre, Queen's University Belfast This summer the NASA Deep Impact mission spectacularly achieved its primary goal of hitting comet Tempel 1 with a spacecraft at 22,000 mph. Prof. A'Hearn is the Principal Investigator for Deep Impact, in charge of ensuring the mission achieves its objectives. In this lecture Prof. A'Hearn will explain why the mission was important, what happened during the encounter and what scientists have learned so far. This lecture will be free, but we expect interest to be high, so admittance will be through registration with the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Queen's University. If you wish to attend this lecture, please register either via e-mail to physics(a)qub.ac.uk, or by phone on 02890 973941, giving your name and the number who wish to attend. 3. Astronomy Ireland CHRISTMAS LECTURE December 12 BBC television's "Sky At Night" co-presenter (with Patrick Moore) CHRIS LINTOTT will give Astronomy Ireland's 2005 CHRISTMAS PUBLIC LECTURE: "COSMOLOGY - FROM BEGINNING TO END" Monday December 12 at 8pm in Dublin City University Henry Grattan Building, lecture theatre CG12 A fascinating account of the Big Bang, Dark Matter, and Dark Energy to name but a few of the topics he will explain. Everyone is welcome to attend this lecture which is aimed at the general public who want to know what the current understanding of our universe is. More details, including maps, at: www.astronomy.ie/lecture0512.html To book, simply email lecture(a)astronomy.ie saying how many tickets you want to book and state clearly it is for the Christmas Lecture. You then collect and pay for your tickets at the door on the night. Doors open 7:30pm. Admission is 5euro (3euro to members, students, under 18s, over65s, unwaged, DCU staff) ALL WELCOME CHRISTMAS PARTY There is a tradition of having Christmas drinks after our Christmas Lecture. This will take place at 10pm on the night in The Comet pub Map to pub here, click on the "zoom" button to get closer: http://multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=53.3881&lon=-6.2457&scale=200000&ico… 4. Venus & Moon Venus is a prominent sight to the naked eye in evening skies. We've had many emails and calls asking what is the bright object low in the southwest for an hour or so after sunset - Venus of course!. It'll be prominent from now until the last few days of December. The Irish Times will run a piece on December 8. Venus viewing details are in the Sky Diary pages of our magazine "Astronomy & Space" (order/subscribe www.astronomy.ie/sub) In a telescope Venus is a superb crescent, getting larger and thinner as the days pass. Get ready for Sunday (Dec. 4) when the crescent Moon will lie just below Venus - a spectacular naked eye sight. See the diagram on page 23 of the December issue of "Astronomy & Space" magazine. Please send any photos to observe(a)astronomy.ie Astronomy Ireland www.astronomy.ie Tel (01) 847 0777 Your national astronomy society and also the biggest telescope shop in Ireland - call for special Christmas Telescope offers (01) 847 0777

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