December 2006 - astronomy@lists.redbrick.dcu.ie

[Astronomy Ireland] I.S.S. in front of Moon from Galway to Dublin on Friday
by Astronomy Ireland 28 Dec '06

28 Dec '06

[adapted from a Press Notice being issued to over 600 media contacts on Friday morning! Check Newslines for any last minute updates on Friday afternoon if you can] Rush hour traffic congestion in Dublin on Friday could be a little worse if motorists stop on or near the Red Cow Roundabout at 5:31pm to watch the biggest man made object in space blaze across the face of the Moon. The 100 billion dollar International Space Station is the brightest star like object in the sky when it flies over Ireland every night this week and next week so bright city lights will NOT be a problem. It is extremely rare to see I.S.S. pass in front of the Moon so Astronomy Ireland is urging everyone in the capital to watch the Moon at 5:31pm on Friday. No matter how bright streetlights may be in your area you will easily see the I.S.S. as it approaches the Moon and then passes in front of it. Everyone in Dublin will see I.S.S. pass close to the Moon and those along a thin track covering most of the south side of the city will see the Station pass in front of the Moon for about 2 seconds. A thin line from Clondalkin, over the Red Cow Roundabout, to Terenure and then to Booterstown is the ideal place to see I.S.S. pass across the centre of the Moon, but 5 km north or south of this line will see a "transit" of the Moon. Dublin is not the only place favoured on Friday. Anyone living along a line from Clifden to Tuam to Athlone to Dublin, and all parts in between, will see I.S.S. pass in front of the Moon or very very close to it. I.S.S. looks like a brilliant 'star' to the naked eye. It is home to three astronauts, two men and one woman, over the holiday period. Over the coming nights I.S.S. will blaze across the sky at different times each evening until January 3rd when it will be the most spectacular sight in the sky. This is an extremely rare event but it should be repeated for different parts of the country every day until early into the New Year so Astronomy Ireland has set up a phoneline on 1550-111-442 to issue daily predictions. Although we have predicted this before, only two people in Ireland has ever seen I.S.S. cross the Moon since it was launched in 1998. Of course, everyone near (in the same county) the line will get to see I.S.S. pass quite close to the Moon at 5:31pm so we encourage everyone to watch carefully, and email ISS(a)astronomy.ie if you see it please (you can also TEXT 086 081 99 86) Happy New Year! P.S. And book now for Scotland's Astronomer Royal (and magician) Lecture or DVD at www.astronomy.ie on Jan. 8. ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Christmas Events - lots to see and do
by Astronomy Ireland 24 Dec '06

24 Dec '06

Astronomy Ireland will be keeping busy over the Christmas - New Year period. Here is a list of events and activities to see, hear and do. We will be issuing Press Notices every day so listen out for us as we've been on national and local radio every day this week so far! If clear, please send reports of what you see to observe(a)astronomy.ie Dec. 25 - Uranus is above Moon - less than one Moon diameter away as they set that night. See page 26 of our December magazine!!! Dec. 25 - New weekly 3-minute Newsline updated on 1550-111-442 (09001 88 1950 in N.Ireland/UK) Dec. 25 - I.S.S. passes in front of Moon (details on 1550-111-442 over holiday period) Dec. 25 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm. Great target in a good quality telescope if you got one from us for Christmas. Dec. 25 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop CLOSED Dec. 26 - A.I.Radio Show 8pm 103.2FM or listen live www.astronomy.ie/AIRS email radio(a)astronomy.ie Dec. 26 - I.S.S. passes in front of Moon Dec. 26 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm Dec. 26 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop CLOSED Dec. 27 - A.I.R.S. recording should be online for downloading as an MP3 by this morning www.astronomy.ie/AIRS Dec. 27 - FIRST QUARTER MOON Dec. 27 - I.S.S. passes in front of Moon Dec. 27 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm Dec. 27 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop CLOSED Dec. 28 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop re-opens 9:30am to 5:30pm. ***SALE BEGINS*** call 01-8470777 Dec. 28 - I.S.S. passes in front of Moon Dec. 28 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm Dec. 29 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop open 9:30am to 5:30pm ***SALE ON*** Dec. 29 - I.S.S. passes in front of Moon Dec. 29 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm Dec. 30 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop open 10am to 6pm (Saturday) ***SALE ON*** Dec. 30 - I.S.S. passes in front of Moon Dec. 30 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm Dec. 31 - I.S.S. passes in front of Moon Dec. 31 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm Dec. 31 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop CLOSED Jan. 01 - I.S.S. passes over Ireland Jan. 01 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm Jan. 01 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop CLOSED Jan. 02 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop re-opens 9:30am to 5:30pm ***SALE ON*** Jan. 02 - A.I.Radio Show 8pm 103.2FM or listen live www.astronomy.ie/AIRS email radio(a)astronomy.ie Jan. 02 - I.S.S. passes over Ireland Jan. 02 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm Jan. 03 - Astronomy Ireland office and Shop open 9:30am to 5:30pm ***SALE ON*** Jan. 03 - A.I.R.S. recording should be online for downloading as an MP3 by this morning www.astronomy.ie/AIRS Jan. 03 - I.S.S. passes over Ireland Jan. 03 - Saturn rises in East by 9pm Jan. 03 - FULL MOON Jan. 03 - Quadrantids Meteor Shower peaks around midnight (spoiled by Moon) OTHER MAJOR JANUARY EVENTS : Jan. 08 - Astronomer Royal gives our New Year Public Lecture (Black Holes and magic show!) www.astronomy.ie/lecture200701.html for tickets or to get the DVD Jan. 09 - 13 - Come see our stand at the BT Young Scientists Exhibition in RDS www.btyoungscientist.ie Jan. 31 - Our Evening Classes begin in Trinity College Dublin. You should enrol NOW at www.astronomy.ie/eveningclassjan2007.html ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] I.S.S. in front of Moon Christmas Eve onwards
by Astronomy Ireland 23 Dec '06

23 Dec '06

Anyone along a thin strip just a few kilometres wide from Kenmare, Co. Kerry to Dalkey, Co. Dublin should see the International Space Station pass in front of the Moon on Christmas Eve at 5:12pm Although we have predicted this before, only one person in Ireland has ever seen I.S.S. cross the Moon since it was launched in 1998 and that is Martin Brady in Co. Tipperary who lays out Astronomy Ireland's magazine. Maybe this will change on Christmas Eve? Of course, everyone near the line will get to see I.S.S. pass quite close to the Moon at 5:12pm so we encourage everyone to watch carefully, and email ISS(a)astronomy.ie if you see it please (you can also TEXT 086 081 99 86) I.S.S. will pass near the Moon every night after that also, until Dec. 30 inclusive. And you will still be able to see I.S.S. blaze across the sky every evening until Jan. 3rd. Our Astronomy Shop will be open until 6pm Christmas Eve and then closes until 9:30am December 28 but we will be updating our Newsline every day over the Christmas Period if you want to get the prediction for when and where to see I.S.S. pass in front of the Moon on 1550-111-442 (calls cost 95cent/minute but it's a short call). Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! P.S. Don't forget our Radio Show every Tuesday online www.astronomy.ie/AIRS including Dec. 26. And book now for Scotland's Astronomer Royal (and magician) Lecture or DVD at www.astronomy.ie on Jan. 8. ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Space Chase Starts Tonight
by Astronomy Ireland 20 Dec '06

20 Dec '06

Right now there are 10 people in space as the latest Space Shuttle mission to re-wire the International Space Station comes to a close. Last night (Tuesday at 10pm) the Shuttle Discovery undocked from I.S.S. It will land on Friday night around 9pm. This is perfect timing for Ireland as I.S.S. starts a 15 day series of evening passes across our sky tonight (Wed.)! Both craft will be visible to the naked eye as extremely bright star-like objects crossing the sky in a couple of minutes for at least the next three nights, and the weekend if the Shuttle landing is delayed as can often happen due to poor weather at the Florida landing site. On board the Space Shuttle are 7 astronauts, while on board I.S.S. are 2 men and 1 woman who will spend all of Christmas and New Years in space hurtling around the Earth every 90 minutes at nearly 30,000 km per hour. Tonight, Wednesday Dec. 20, Astronomy Ireland is predicting that the "space chase" will take place in Irish skies, for all to see at 5:19pm. On this first pass you will have to look very low in the southeast but it will be higher up on the following nights. Once Discovery lands the even bigger I.S.S. will still be visible every night until Jan. 3rd and, what is more, we predict that it will pass in front of the Moon for some of you. The "space chase" itself is a rare and spectacular sight, a passage in front of the Moon is extremely rare - we know of only one sighting from Ireland in the past, ever. Daily predictions will be available from the society on a special telephone Newsline on 1550-111-442 (calls cost 95cent per minute). In N.Ireland dial 09001 88 19 50 (60p/min). See past emails as to why we still use a premium rate number (it's less than a euro to get the prediction after all and proceeds help promote astronomy in Ireland, other reasons too). By 12 noon each day this Newsline will give the exact time to see the Space Station every evening until January 3rd, plus news of the landing, the space chase and where to see I.S.S. pass in front of the Moon. Astronomy Ireland is urging everyone in Ireland to go outdoors each evening until Jan. 3rd and see this brilliant spectacle, so please tell everyone you know. Here is some background to the current mission: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6188359.stm And our own I.S.S. page is at: `www.astronomy.ie/iss.html BRIEF OTHER NEWS: New Year Lecture by Scotland's Astronomer Royal www.astronomy.ie Geminid meteors - several brilliant fireballs seen, report on www.astronomy.ie Pat Kenny Show - Geminids, Christmas Telescope Advice. We gave him our 10x50 binoculars as a Christmas Present See www.astronomy.ie and listen to the 7 minute interview. Giant sunspot last week spawned aurora sightings around the world, mostly cloudy here. On Christmas Day aim your new scope at Uranus just above the Moon (see our December magazine) and Saturn rising at 9pm. More details on this week's A.I. Radio Show at www.astronomy.ie/AIRS - download the MP3 GIFT IDEAS: - Beginners Evening Classes enrolling now for Jan. 31 start - Give a Gift Subscription to A.I.'s magazine (40euro) - Telescopes for Christmas - beware inferior models, order from A.I. Details of all the above on www.astronomy.ie ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] AI on RTE Radio 1 with Pat Kenny, Telescopes, Aurora
by Astronomy Ireland 13 Dec '06

13 Dec '06

1. RTE,GEMINIDS,FIREBALLS Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore will be in studio with Pat Kenny on RTE Radio 1 between 11am and 12pm to talk about the Geminid Meteor Shower later tonight (Dec. 13) and giving telescope advice for Christmas. David was last on air with Pat in February - www.astronomy.ie/PKDM.html There are Geminid Watches around Ireland this evening at 8pm don't forget - see www.astronomy.ie Two major fireballs were seen on December 11, one may have been a Geminid and was seen all over Ireland and from Wales. If you saw it please fill out the "Report a Fireball" on www.astronomy.ie After tonight please email a report of what you see of the Geminids to observe(a)astronomy.ie All Geminid Watches will go ahead regardless of weather by the way. Our biggest Watch will be in Dublin at the Papal Cross car park in the Phoenix Park. All welcome. FREE. 2. ONLINE TELESCOPE SHOP Pat Kenny and David Moore will also talk about choosing a telescope for Christmas. We have just set up a secure online Shop where you can order the most popular telescopes as the lines to our Shop are often jammed with callers seeking advice and placing orders. Check out the special "package deals" that have been put together at www.astronomy.ie/firstscope.html These "package deals" are not just telescopes but magazine and staff available in person and by phone to help you use the telescope. Delivery anywhere in Ireland is included. Quality is guaranteed so these telescopes will NOT disappoint this Christmas. 3. AURORA An Aurora is possible over the next few days as we had the 15th biggest flare in almost 30 years on Dec 5th, and are expecting more over the coming days. (Thanks to Dr Peter Gallagher at T.C.D. for this info). ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Celestial Fireworks over Ireland: Geminid Watches Nationwide!
by AI Exec Secretary 11 Dec '06

11 Dec '06

Celestial Fireworks over Ireland: Geminid Watches Nationwide! On Wednesday 13 December, pieces of the Earth's atmosphere will be bombarded by fragments of an asteroid. Astronomy Ireland will be assembling in the Phoenix Park, and many other locations nationwide to watch the event. The barrage has occurred at this time of year since 1860, but has steadily increased in intensity since then. The culprit, a 5km wide asteroid, was first discovered in 1983. 3200 Phaethon is in fact the asteroid that travels closest to the Sun. It will have a close shave itself with our planet on 14 December 2093, but for the next 80 years or so it's chips of the old block that represent the biggest threat. What we'll see on Wednesday is a meteor shower that's become known as the Geminids meteor shower, named after the constellation Gemini, from which these blazing bolides appear to originate. People looking up on Wednesday should expect to see bright streaks in the sky, up to one roughly every 20 to 30 seconds. These 'shooting stars' occur when pea-sized fragments slam into our atmosphere at 35 km per second, burning up at heights of 100km. This is the best meteor shower of the year, with one or two blazing across the skies each minute. Many Geminid fireballs leave trains; a spectacular sight! Astronomy Ireland's Geminid watches take place nationwide, in Dublin, Carlow, Clare, Cork, Dundalk, Clonmel, Waterford and Wexford (see below for details) where we will be setting up telescopes to many other sights to the public as well. Admission is free and all are welcome (except impacting meteorites, that is). The Dublin Geminids Watch is at the Papal Cross Car Park, 8pm on Wednesday 13 December. Nationwide events occur at the following venues, all at 8pm - Co.Carlow - IT College Carlow - Contact Gerry Moloney (087) 9184000 Co. Clare - Kilmihil - Angus Sealy (087) 2308428 Co. Cork, Ballyphehane Community Centre - Contact Martin Lynch (087) 2404104 Co. Louth Dundalk - Derek Watters (086) 0806908 Co. Tipperarary, Clonmel, Dunnes Stores Car-Park, NB:Davis Road (Waterford Road) branch, Contact Ray Parle (051) 842957 or 052-21892 Co. Waterford, - Contact Liam Walshe (087)2329103 Co. Wexford, - Contact Oliver Gargan (086)3592956 ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 ============ 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] Christmas Lecture available nationwide, Shop open Sundays
by AI Exec Secretary 08 Dec '06

08 Dec '06

1. DVD CHRISTMAS LECTURE As a service to the majority of our members (and friends) who live too far from Dublin to attend the monthly lectures we make them available on DVD at low cost so you can watch them right in the comfort of your own home. You can order the lecture(s) on DVD online by going to www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html Just send us EUR5 to cover the cost of the disc and copying, plus EUR5 P&P (for 1 or more DVDs). You can pre-order lectures, such as our eagerly awaited Christmas Lecture by Professor Jocelyn Bell-Burnell, a Belfast-native who discovered the first pulsar in 1967. Since then she has been at the forefront of several branches of astronomy, and the talk promises to be a classic. Just go to www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html, and within a few days, and you can be fascinated by experts from across the world in the comfort of your own home. 2. SHOP OPEN SUNDAYS The Astronomy Ireland Shop is now open Sunday from 10am to 6pm every weekend until Christmas Eve. Call or drop in to Butterly Business Park for all your astronomy needs from telescopes to books. This now means the AI Shop is open every day until Christmas Eve. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 6pm How to find us: www.astronomy.ie/map.html ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Christmas Lecture by Discoverer of Pulsars
by AI Exec Secretary 05 Dec '06

05 Dec '06

There’s a great way to top of a joyous day’s shopping in Dublin city centre - Christmas Lecture by Discoverer of Pulsars Probably the world’s greatest female astronomer, Irishwoman Professor Jocelyn Bell-Burnell will give Astronomy Ireland’s Christmas Public Lecture, entitled “Women in Astronomy”, at Trinity College Dublin, on Monday 11 December at 8:00pm. The talk will be given in the Physics Building, near the Westland Row and Lincoln Place entrances. Astronomy is a science where many women made an early and valuable contribution. In the early 1800s, Caroline Herschel, sister of William Herschel who discovered Uranus, was herself one of the world’s leading comet discoverers, bagging 25 of them in as many years. Later that century, Annie Jump Cannon began to revolutionised the system by which we classify stars. Her system, which was adopted internationally in 1911, is essentially unchanged today. The foremost woman astronomer of recent years is Jocelyn Bell-Burnell, the discoverer of pulsars (1967). She was controversially passed over for the 1974 Nobel Prize, which was awarded instead to her PhD supervisor. Prof. Bell-Burnell is unusual in that she has at one time or another been at the forefront of almost every branch of astronomy, unlike most astronomers who specialise early, and stick with their chosen field. Most recently, she officiated at the meeting of the International Astronomical Union that removed Pluto’s planetary status (see www.astronomy.ie/lecture0612.html ) In 1967 Prof. Bell-Burnell was a PhD student, working with an unusual radio telescope consisting of a clothesline array of wires covering 1.5 hectares of fields near Cambridge. With this she discovered a strange pulsing radio signal from outer space, that for a while seemed to be originate from an intelligent source - "We did not really believe that we had picked up signals from another civilisation, but obviously the idea had crossed our minds and we had no proof that it was an entirely natural radio emission. It is an interesting problem - if one thinks one may have detected life elsewhere in the universe how does one announce the results responsibly? Who does one tell first?" The signal turned out to come from a rapidly spinning condensed star, what we now call a ‘pulsar’; but back then these bizarre objects were unknown to science. For the discovery, Bell-Burnell was passed over for the 1974 Nobel Prize for Physics, as she had not completed her PhD at the time of her discovery. It was awarded instead to her PhD supervisor, Antony Hewish, even though he acknowledged her as the true discoverer. In the Astronomy Ireland Christmas lecture entitled “Women in Astronomy” Professor Bell-Burnell pays tribute to the largely unacknowledged contribution of women to our understanding of the universe. Speaker Professor Jocelyn Bell-Burnell Title “Women in Astronomy” Venue Physics Building, Trinity College Dublin. Date Monday 11 December, 8:00pm Admission €5 (€3 for members and concessions) For general info (including a map to locate the venue) go to our website – www.astronomy.ie ---ends--- ADVANCE NOTICE: Our NEW YEAR Lecture on Jan. 8 will be given by Scotland’s Astronomer Royal "Black Holes and White Rabbits" By Professor John Brown www.astronomy.ie/lecture200701.html ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information call (01) 847 0777 www.astronomy.ie

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[Astronomy Ireland] NASA man to speak at Astro-Expo, ESO for Ireland?, Book Launch. SHOP CLOSED!
by Secretary AI 02 Dec '06

02 Dec '06

Including the Lord Mayor of Dublin there will be 5 talks at Astro-Expo on Saturday December 2nd - well worth the effort of coming to Dublin once a year for Ireland's biggest astronomy meeting. NASA Astrobiology Institute scientist Dr Martin Griffiths will give a public lecture "Reaching out to E.T." >From Germany, the Dr Claus Madsen will describe the work of the "European Southern Observatory" Survey: Do you think the government should invest approximately 10 million euro of taxpayers money once-off and about 1 million per year to give Irish astronomers access to the biggest telescopes in the world? Email eso(a)astronomy.ie and let us know your feelings, especially after you have heard the lecture A brand new book by Irish author Anthony Murphy is the subject of the 1pm lecture "Island of the Setting Sun - In Search of Ireland's Ancient Astronomers". His book is due out on December 7th and is sure to cause a stir. Rounding off the programme is a lecture by Dr Neil Trappe of NUI Maynooth about "Far Infrared Astronomy" Including the Lord Mayor's address it promises to be a superb programme of important talks, while all the time the exhibition runs in the giant hall. Make sure you get there! Further details on www.astronomy.ie Astro-Expo emergency line: 086-081 99 86 SHOP CLOSED - MOVED TO ASTRO-EXPO!!! Please note that our Astronomy Shop will be moved to D.C.U. for Astro-Expo on Saturday Dec. 2nd so please go along to D.C.U. not our Artane premises(which will be closed up for the day). There will be lots of special offers and bargains at Astro-Expo too! ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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