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

[Astronomy Ireland] Waterford Lecture, Dublin NASA Lecture + DVD
by Astronomy Ireland 28 Sep '06

28 Sep '06

Here are two lectures for you to consider: 1. WATERFORD Austrian expert to speak in WIT on energy potential of robot soccer in space The potential for delivering solar power from outer space to earth will be explored by a leading Austrian academic when he briefs staff and students at Waterford Institute of Technology on Monday next (October 2) about a Japanese/European study involving the use of robot soccer players in earth's orbit. Prof Peter Kopacek has headed up the Institute for Handling Devices & Robotics at Vienna University of Technology since 1990 and is President of the Austrian Society for Systems Engineering and Automation. The author of six textbooks and more than 250 academic articles on robotics and information technology in automation, Prof Kopacek has been actively contributing to the field of advanced systems engineering for a quarter of a century. During this time, he has conducted over 30 systems engineering-related courses and seminars and continues to lecture and research at the University of Linz as well as Vienna University of Technology. Prof Kopacek has developed courses in mobile, intelligent and cooperative robotic systems. His work has led to the introduction of robot applications to curricula in Austria and topics covered include the use of robots in medicine and healthcare as well as in clearing landmines and the use of robotic systems for entertainment, leisure and hobbies. Earlier this year, Prof Kopacek became the first Austrian to receive the industry's ultimate honour, an Engelberger Robotics Award. Honouring significant achievements in the areas of leadership, application, education and technology development, the awards are named after the "father of robotics", Joseph F Engelberger. Now being applied in space as part of efforts to identify alternative energy sources for earth, Prof Kopacek's interest in robot soccer was sparked in September 1997 when two Korean teams demonstrated the sport at the Vienna University of Technology. He started the first Austrian robot soccer team in 1998 and since then Prof Kopacek and his colleagues have helped develop the 'sport' to a point where it has pan-European and global competitions. According to Dr Larry Stapleton of the ISOL Research Centre in the Department of Computing, Mathematics and Physics at Waterford Institute of Technology, "Prof Kopacek is a world leader in advanced systems engineering and we are tremendously excited that he's agreed to speak in Waterford in what is the first of a series of seminars and lectures we will host between now and the year-end. Our series will bring a number of leading thinkers in computing and information systems to Ireland. "As well as being fascinating for its application of 21st century advanced technologies, the work that Prof Kopacek is involved in with robot soccer in space has tremendous potential in exploring how we can tap in to extra-terrestrial resources as we seek out alternative energy sources for earth now that our oil dependency can no longer be sustained." a.. Members of the public are welcome to attend Prof Kopacek's presentation in the auditorium at Waterford Institute of Technology's Cork Road campus on Monday, October 2 at 4.15pm. Ends For further information please contact: Edel Flynn - Bracken PR - (01) 677 3277 2. DUBLIN "NASA's Vision for Space Exploration and ESA's Aurora Program" By Kevin Nolan of the Planetary Society Trinity College Dublin, Monday October 9 at 8pm For almost fifty years our ventures into space have been incredibly successful - sending people to the Moon, robotic reconnaissance of the Solar System and rovers to Mars, for example. But our aspirations (and the resulting challenges) of space exploration are rapidly expanding. With plans of a permanent Moon base by about 2020, deep space telescopes such as the Terrestrial Planet Finder and LISA and a human mission to Mars in 2033, space exploration must be pursued from here on in a fundamentally different way. In response, both NASA and ESA have developed and are already implementing far-reaching strategies to achieve such space exploration over the coming decades. This lecture will provide an overview of those strategies, the resulting roadmaps, programs and planned missions to accomplish our goals. The lecture also explains how through 'phased and synchronized' priorities and milestones by both ESA and NASA; major projects such as sending to people to Mars (perhaps unachievable by any one organization) become politically, economically and socially viable. Speaker: Kevin Nolan is lecturer in Physics at the Institute of Technology, Tallaght, Dublin. As part of ongoing PhD research, Kevin is a software developer for ESA's 'INTEGRAL' multi-wavelength space observatory; and coordinator to Ireland for The Planetary Society (founded by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray and Louis Friedman). Admission: 5euro (3euro members and concessions) Get tickets from the Astronomy Ireland Shop or book online at www.astronomy.ie Venue: Schrodinger Theatre, Fitzgerald Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2. (Near the Westland Row or Lincoln Place entrances - see maps on website above) Further events at www.astronomy.ie/events 3. DVD A DVD will be produced of the above Dublin NASA lecture for just 5euro for anyone who wants a copy. Let us know if you want one by ordering now on www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for Telescopes and Information We need your support: Join and get our magazine at www.astronomy.ie/sub or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Shuttle in trouble on AI Radio Show!!!, Observing
by Astronomy Ireland 19 Sep '06

19 Sep '06

1. A.I. Radio Show Covers Shuttle Bad News STOP PRESS Sept 19: The latest from NASA is that something was seen moving away from the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it was preparing to land, having undocked from the International Space Station. Tonight's edition of the AI Radio Show (AIRS) interviewed Astronomy Ireland Space Correspondent Colm J. Cannon live on air right at the start with the latest, and updated listeners at the end. If you missed it, it is now available online at www.astronomy.ie/AIRS The NASA press conference referred to on AIRS is at 9pm our time and should be online on NASA TV: www.nasa.gov/ntv (check CNN, Sky News etc and other news bulletins also) With a Russian Soyuz on its way to ISS, and it being uncertain Atlantis has enough fuel to get back to ISS, it seems there would be too many people on ISS for supplies to last. Whatever happens we wish all the crews well in the coming hours and day. Download the AI Radio Show now for more now! P.S. The August 29th recording of AIRS was unavoidably delayed and was only put online today so you can download that too if you are collecting all the shows (they're only 3MB each). 2. Observing The thin crescent Moon next to Saturn this morning was an incredible sight. If you saw or photographed it please let us know at observe(a)astronomy.ie as usual. We alerted you to this in the Sky Diary pages of our magazine - see the diagram on page 27 of the September issue ( www.astronomy.ie/sub to subscribe) On Thursday morning it is Venus' turn to be close to the Moon. Look at 6:30am low in the East. The Moon will be only 1% sunlit and 30.2 hours from being a New Moon - a very rare sight. Again, email sighting reports and photos please for our magazine report. ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for Telescopes and Information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Solar System Supplement, Cork Lecture, DVD, Viewing
by Astronomy Ireland 13 Sep '06

13 Sep '06

1. The Examiner's Solar System Supplement Today's copy of The Examiner carries a superb 16 page supplement on the Solar System. Their feature writer Mark Evans did a wonderful job and included contributions by Leo Enright (Mars), David Moore (the Introduction) and our own Shop (Telescope Competition on back page). Grab a copy at your local newsagent before they sell out! Tomorrow (Sept. 14) there will be a Solar System Poster in The Examiner also - don't miss it. 2. Cork Lecture Thursday Astronomy Ireland will be presenting a lecture for the general public on Thursday September 14th at 8pm in the Silversprings Hotel entitled: THE SPACE SHUTTLE Everyone is welcome and admission is 3euro for children/students/unwaged and 5euro for adults For more details see www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777 ALL WELCOME 3. DVD of our E.S.A. Lecture available A packed crowd attended the lecture on Monday Sept. 11 by Prof David Southwood, Director of Science at the European Space Agency - and why not, he has over a dozen spacecraft worth billions operating beyond the Earth at present, and plans for more. As promised, for all of you living outside Dublin this lecture has been put on DVD and is available for just 5euro plus P&P at www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html Our next Public Lecture and DVD is about NASA's plans for space exploration and will take place in Trinity College Dublin on October 9th. Kevin Nolan, one of Carl Sagan's Planetary Society Co-ordinatiors will explain how NASA is going back to the Moon and Mars, and their involvement with E.S.A. to continue exploring the final frontier. Please book your places for the October lecture now at www.astronomy.ie/lecture0610.html and order the DVD soon at www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html 4. Observing Highlights Did you hear David Moore's 'live' report last night on the A.I. Radio Show as Jupiter lay just above Zubenelgenubi in the southwest? You can still see this over the next few evenings also. Then there was the spectacular sight of the Moon covering the Pleiades star cluster after the radio show all evening. Download the A.I. Radio Show FREE now from www.astronomy.ie/AIRS or get the podcast, and tune in live on 103.2FM or the internet every Tuesday at 8pm. Always check out the Sky Diary pages of our magazine (www.astronomy.ie/sub) for events like this - the next big prediction is Saturn very close to the Moon next Tuesday - see the magazine. If you saw the Moon and Pleiades (or took a photo) please email observe(a)astronomy.ie for our monthly magazine report. David Grennan got a nice photo from Dublin 5 and Martin McKenna in Co. Derry saw an aurora at the same time! We want to know what you saw? ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] 2FM, Lectures, Examiner Supplement, Eclipse
by Astronomy Ireland 11 Sep '06

11 Sep '06

1. E.S.A. on 2FM Gerry Ryan Show Prof. David Southwood (E.S.A. Science Director) has arrived safely in Ireland and will give our Public Lecture Monday night (see below). He is scheduled to appear on 2FM just after Monday's 10am news on the Gerry Ryan Show. Gerry is a bit of a space fan as you may know so it should be a good show. You can listen on 90Mhz-92Mhz or online 'live' at www.rte.ie/smiltest/2fm_new.smil If you miss the show you can hear it online for the next week at www.rte.ie/2fm/ryanshow/audio.html 2. Dublin Lecture "European Space Agency Explores the Cosmos" You can still get tickets to come to Prof David Southwood's lecture on Monday night (or order the DVD if you can't get to Dublin - see below) in Trinity College Dublin at 8pm. There are still tickets left as we have booked a larger Theatre than normal (Joly Theatre, Hamilton Building). See maps and directions at: www.tcd.ie/Maps/tcd_east.html www.tcd.ie/Maps/tcd_directions.html If you heard Prof. Southwood's interview on the A.I.Radio Show last Tuesday (listen here: www.astronomy.ie/AIRS/AIRS060905.mp3 ) you'll know it's about his spacecraft orbiting Venus, Mars, Earth, Saturn, the Sun, worth billions, and his plans for future exploration of the cosmos. After NASA, he is probably the most important 'space explorer' on the planet. Book tickets online at www.astronomy.ie or take your chances at the door on the night Date/Time: 8pm, Monday, September 11 Venue: Joly Theatre, Hamilton Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2 Admission: 5euro (3euro children/students) LIVING OUTSIDE DUBLIN? Order the DVD of this lecture now at www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html 3. Cork Lecture - Space Shuttle Launch Reminder: Don't forget Astronomy Ireland member John McCarthy will give a lecture in Cork on Thursday: Date/Time: 8pm, Thursday, September 14 Venue: Fortwilliam House, Silversprings Hotel, Cork Admission: 5euro (3euro children/students) No advance-booking needed for this event 4. The Examiner "Planets" Supplement Wednesday On Wednesday The Examiner newspaper will run a 16 page supplement about the planets. That's a major piece of work! A.I. Chairman David Moore was invited to write the introduction and Leo Enright wrote the section on Mars. There will be a poster in Thursday's edition as well. Should be a collector's item so watch out for it. Oh, check out the competition in the supplement to win a superb Celestron Firstscope 70EQ telescope supplied by our Shop (and even if you don't win we'll give you 100euro off the old 399euro price now! Just call our Shop at the number below) 5. Eclipse Reports The partial eclipse last Thursday was a fantastic site. Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore saw it from the 5th floor of the Guinness Storehouse as it rose over the Dublin skyline under perfect conditions. He narrowly missed showing it to Justice Minister Michael McDowell (our next Tanaiste!) who had just given a speech, but the Minister left only minutes before the Moon rose - it obviously wasn't a bad omen for him! Now, you don't have to have an unusual story like that to tell, but we do want you to email us for a special Eclipse report in our magazine telling us if you saw the eclipse, what you thought of it and where in Ireland you were. Please email us now at observe(a)astronomy.ie ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Southwood on AIRS and RTE, Moore on RTE, Eclipse, Shuttle
by Astronomy Ireland 06 Sep '06

06 Sep '06

1. Prof David Southwood gave an excellent interview last night on AIRS (the Astronomy Ireland Radio Show) which you can now download from www.astronomy.ie (click "Radio Show" in the menu on the left side). He talked about the fascinating results of finding water, methane and formaldehyde on Mars, the latest results from Venus Express which arrived this year and even the Moon probe his team crashed last Sunday. Plus lots more besides. Already more than half of the tickets to his lecture on Monday have been sold and it has just been confirmed that Prof Southwood will be on the Gerry Ryan Show next Monday between 10am and 11am. As one of the top radio shows in Ireland this should guarantee the event will be sold out so book your places soon at www.astronomy.ie/lecture0609.html ALL WELCOME. Tickets 5euro. Tune in to 2FM next Monday and download and listen to AIRS now at www.astronomy.ie/AIRS Remember, if you can't get to Dublin you can order a DVD of the lecture now at www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html for just 5euro+p&p 2. Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore will be on TV today at 5:20pm on RTE 2's News2day talking about the Pluto debate and tomorrow's eclipse. RTE were filming in our Shop this morning. If you read this after the event there may be a clip on RTE's webpage for News2day at www.rte.ie/tv/theden/news2day/index.html The eclipse is generating lots of media interest with interviews already done with the Belfast Telegraph and on local radio stations in Donegal, Connemara, Louth, Wicklow, the Southeast, Clare, to name but a few so far. 3. Just a reminder to view the partial eclipse of the Moon on Thursday from 8pm to 10pm. Details in our magazine and on www.astronomy.ie. Please send your sighting report and photos to observe(a)astronomy.ie and we'll put them in our magazine. If it's clear in your area please tell us where you are by TEXT as we expect media interest in how people fared weather-wise. TEXT us on 086 081 99 86 between 8pm and 10pm. 4. Launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis has been postponed to Thursday at 5:03pm our time. Details on www.nasa.gov/shuttle and watch the launch live on the net on NASA TV at www.nasa.gov/ntv ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Dublin & Cork Lectures, AIRS Special, Eclipse
by Astronomy Ireland 05 Sep '06

05 Sep '06

Astronomy Ireland will be showcasing two important lectures next week. Prof David Southwood "the billion dollar astronomer!" will be speaking at 8pm on Monday, September 11, at Trinity College in Dublin. John McCarthy will be speaking at 8pm on Thursday, September 14 in Cork . There's an Eclipse this week also , and our weekly A.I. Radio Show has a special guest! Details below.... 1. Dublin - Billion Dollar Astronomer! Astronomy Ireland presents a very special event this month at Trinity College Dublin. It will also be made available on DVD for members nationwide. Prof David Southwood has spacecraft orbiting Venus, Earth, Mars and Saturn, including the Hubble Space Telescope, all worth billions of Euro. He is Director of Exploration for the European Space Agency (ESA) and he has very kindly agreed to come to Dublin to open our new season of Public Lectures in TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN - this will be a much more central location and is right next to the DART station. Prof. Southwood, is responsible for a several billion Euro armada of spacecraft orbiting the planets, and space telescopes orbiting Earth. Did you heard about the SMART-1 probe that hit the Moon last Sunday? That was one of his craft. He will discuss the achievements of the last few years and outline the missions that the ESA is planning for the next ten, including a mission seeking life on other planets. Also tonight (Sept. 5) at 8pm, Prof. Southwood will discuss his upcoming lecture on the Astronomy Ireland Radio Show! Don't miss AIRS (see below)! ADVANCE BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL - our last Trinity College lecture in January was booked out remember! So please go to www.astronomy.ie now. Prof Southwood may be on a top rating national radio show also - more news when we get a confirmation (so be sure to book BEFORE that!) Time of Lecture: 8pm, Monday, September 11 Venue: Joly Theatre, Hamilton Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2 Admission: €5 (€3 children/students) To book places visit www.astronomy.ie (or call 01-847 0777) advance-booking is essential Order the DVD of this lecture at www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html 2. Cork - Space Shuttle Launch On Wednesday, NASA will once again attempt a launch of the 18-story supply vessel, Atlantis. Meterologists are currently predicting an 80-percent chance of suitable weather conditions. The mission's main objective is to install a new segment, including two giant solar wings, onto the International Space Station (ISS). See www.nasa.gov/shuttle for the latest news. Astronomy Ireland member John McCarthy is currently in Florida covering the launch and he will be in Cork next week to discuss it in a much anticipated Public Lecture. Time of Lecture: 8pm, Thursday, September 14 Venue: Fortwilliam House, Silversprings Hotel, Cork Admission: €5 (€3 children/students) No advance-booking for this event 3. A.I. Radio Show "Special" tonight To whet your appetite for next Monday's Public Lecture in Dublin there will be a special interview with Prof David Southwood 'live' from his offices in France on A.I.R.S. by Ben Emmett and his crew of Christy Creely and John Dickson who present the show every week. A.I.R.S. gives you an incredible space news round up every Tuesday - never miss it. Tune in to 103.2FM (Tuesday at 8pm as always) if you live in the Leinster area, or go to our Radio Show page on www.astronomy.ie where you'll find the link to listen to it 'live' on the net from anywhere in the world! If you miss the show 'live' you can download the recording from our Radio Show on www.astronomy.ie for day, weeks, and months thereafter. If you're in the Leinster area be sure to book your ticket for his talk next Monday soon, before they run out (see above). 4. ECLIPSE OF MOON On Thursday (Sept. 7) there will be a partial eclipse of the Moon. Full details of this and other fascinating events to see this month are in the September issue of our magazine Astronomy & Space (order online www.astronomy.ie/sub ). There are also details on www.astronomy.ie . Note in the magazine how close the planet Uranus will be! Briefly, the eclipse begins at sunset as the Moon rises in the East around 8pm. Up to 19% of the Moon will be inside Earth's shadow. The partial phase ends at 8:37pm but the Moon's edge should still be discoloured for half an hour or more after that. The next Lunar Eclipse is not until March 3 next year so make sure you're facing east this Thursday at sunset! Did you nearly miss this eclipse? Shouldn't you be getting Ireland's astronomy magazine? Please visit www.astronomy.ie/sub and support Astronomy Ireland - we need you! ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777

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