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

[Astronomy Ireland] Star-B-Q: only 4 days left AND Telescope/Ticket Offer!
by Astronomy Ireland 27 Jul '06

27 Jul '06

Free Star-B-Q Tickets Darkness has returned. With the return of astronomical twilight Astronomy Ireland wants everyone in Ireland looking at the beautiful structures throughout our night sky. Astronomy Ireland is holding its second and final Star-B-Q of the year on Saturday August 26 down in Roundwood, the highest village in Ireland just south of Dublin where the skies are very dark. Star-B-Q ("barbecue under the stars") is the largest annual gathering of telescopes in the country and is aimed at the general public i.e. you! There will be talks, demos, naked eye stargazing tours, binocular use classes, food and craic. You will see such galaxies as the Great Andromeda Spiral M31 and the Whirlpool Galaxy M51, Globular Clusters like M13 in Hercules and NGC 869/881 the double cluster in Peruses. All these wonderful deep sky objects can be seen in any of the telescopes on the night. The giant planet Jupiter will be on view early in the night and the International Space Station is due to fly over THREE times that night! SPECIAL OFFER - BOOK BEFORE JULY 31: This is an important fund-raising event for Astronomy Ireland so please support the society by passing these details on to everyone you know. All welcome. Tickets are 35euro for adults and 25euro for under 16s (family and group rates available - please call). Prices will increase by 5euro on August 1st so you only have a few days left to avail of this special offer Admission includes ALL FOOD and REFRESHMENTS More details (including photos) and ONLINE SECURE BOOKING at: www.astronomy.ie/sbq BETTER STILL - GET FREE TICKETS: Purchase any telescope from our Shop and we will give you a free Ticket (worth 40euro) to our Star-B-Q in Roundwood on Saturday August 26th, so happy star hopping with your new telescope! Visit www.astronomy.ie/shop for some popular models or call (01) 847 0777 ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] The Horsehead Nebula
by AI Exec Secretary 12 Jul '06

12 Jul '06

All, Since announcing Kevin Sweeney's lecture for this past Monday on Astronomical Imaging, a number of people have requested a copy of Kevin's image of the Horsehead Nebula. I have therefore uploaded a copy to www.astronomy.ie/horsehead.jpg for all to view. The Horsehead is a dark globule of dust and non-luminous gas, obscuring the light coming from behind. As you've guessed, it is the horse-head shape of this non-luminous gas that lends the nebula its name. That's a horse's head roughly 2 light years across! It is situated an estimated 1400 light years away in the direction of constellation Orion. Astronomy Ireland's Neil English did a piece on the Horsehead in our April 2006 issue. Kevin's lecture Monday was an astronomical success. But if you are interested in how you can make such wonderful pictures yourself it is not too late! You can order a DVD copy and view it at your own pace. Just log onto www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html. For those of you planning to join us on our popular Star-B-Q on Saturday, August 26, you have until only July 31 to book before the price goes up! In addition to stimulating lectures led by Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore, and professionally catered barbecue, we will have some of Ireland's most powerful portable telescopes trained on the most beautiful galaxies and star-clusters in the sky. Book today at www.astronomy.ie/sbq. Best, ============ 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] Public Lecture: Astronomical Imaging
by AI Exec Secretary 06 Jul '06

06 Jul '06

[Note: This announcement has been reissued because an embedded image resulted in numerous bounces!] Long-time member Kevin Sweeney will be giving a public lecture on Monday, July 10 on Astronomical Imaging. (Full information is given below.) You can book tickets for this lecture at www.astronomy.ie/lecture0607.html If you cannot get to Dublin for the lecture, you can purchase a full DVD for the same price as a ticket. Simply log onto www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html Kevin has been sending Astronomy Ireland some of the most stunning photographs that we have had the privilege to publish over the years. Despite using relatively inexpensive equipment, many of his images seem as if they were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope itself. Kevin has now agreed to explain to us exactly how he does it! For a sample of Kevin's work, view the image below. This is Horsehead Nebula. Kevin shot this from his back-garden observatory in Co. Meath and presented this picture to Astronomy&Space magazine for its May 2005 issue. [Image of Horsehead Nebula has been removed. If you wish to view this stunning picture, please contact Astronomy Ireland at sec(a)astronomy.ie or (01) 847 0777, and we will be happy to forward you a copy.] Venue: Henry Grattan Building, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 Date of Lecture: Monday July 10 Time: 8:00pm Admission: €5 (€3 children/students) To book places call (01) 847 0777 or visit www.astronomy.ie Astronomy Ireland Visit our Shop - open Saturday 12 noon to 6pm remember. Tel (01) 847 0777 www.astronomy.ie/shop July 10 - Next Public Lecture available on DVD nationwide: www.astronomy.ie August 26 - "Star-B-Q" Ireland's biggest annual telescope event. Book now at www.astronomy.ie

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[Astronomy Ireland] Public Lecture: Astronomical Imaging
by AI Exec Secretary 05 Jul '06

05 Jul '06

Long-time member Kevin Sweeney will be giving a public lecture on Monday, July 10 on Astronomical Imaging. (Full information is given below.) You can book tickets for this lecture at www.astronomy.ie/lecture0607.html If you cannot get to Dublin for the lecture, you can purchase a full DVD for the same price as a ticket. Simply log onto www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html Kevin has been sending Astronomy Ireland some of the most stunning photographs that we have had the privilege to publish over the years. Despite using relatively inexpensive equipment, many of his images seem as if they were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope itself. Kevin has now agreed to explain to us exactly how he does it! For a sample of Kevin's work, view the image below. This is Horsehead Nebula. Kevin shot this from his back-garden observatory in Co. Meath and presented this picture to Astronomy&Space magazine for its May 2005 issue. Venue: Henry Grattan Building, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 Date of Lecture: Monday July 10 Time: 8:00pm Admission: €5 (€3 children/students) To book places call (01) 847 0777 or visit www.astronomy.ie Astronomy Ireland Visit our Shop - open Saturday 12 noon to 6pm remember. Tel (01) 847 0777 www.astronomy.ie/shop July 10 - Next Public Lecture available on DVD nationwide: www.astronomy.ie August 26 - "Star-B-Q" Ireland's biggest annual telescope event. Book now at www.astronomy.ie

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