June 2007 - astronomy@lists.redbrick.dcu.ie

[Astronomy Ireland] Venus skims Saturn, Blue Moon, Mars Dust Storm, Coming Events
by AI Chairman 29 Jun '07

29 Jun '07

1. Venus Passes Close to Saturn! A rare, once-in-16-year planetary conjunction will be visible on Saturday and Sunday evening. The planets Venus and Saturn will come so close together that they will be visible through a telescope in the same field of view. This will not happen again in Irish evening skies until January 2023. Roughly one Moon-diameter (just over half a degree) will separate them this weekend with Saturn sitting just above Venus. Saturn is about 100 times dimmer than Venus, but once evening twilight begins to fade you should have no difficulty spotting it with the naked eye. The Venus-Saturn conjunction is only a line-of-sight effect. Whereas Venus is very close - 80 million km away, Saturn is 20 times as distant. Venus is currently a thick crescent through a telescope, but as it moves between the Sun and Earth over the coming weeks it will widen and become a thin crescent - a sight worth catching as it only occurs every few years. See the diagrams in the June and the July issues of our magazine, both are on page 26. Even simple cameras should record the scene in twilight every evening. Email observe(a)astronomy.ie and tell us what you see. In a telescope, the view of Saturn (with its rings) and Venus (a growing crescent) both being visible in the same field of viewing should be stunning. You can then watch Venus' crescent swell in size and become an even thinner cresent as it closes in on Earth during July. This too is quite rare and you'll only see Venus as a big thin crescent for a few weeks every few years so get your telescope out every clear night. Saturn will sink in to the Sun's glare soon so get your last telescopic views of its rings and moons now. Jupiter is also on view to the south during the evening. The Moon was near it on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Seen in a telescope it is perhaps the best planet to view with its 4 main moons always providing interest and its cloud belts and Great Red Spot (times to see it are in the magazine's Sky Diary pages). Add in the Moon being in evening skies every 2 weeks and there is a lot of planetary viewing to be done with telescopes in the coming weeks! if you don't get Ireland's only monthly colour astronomy magazine, with details of these and many other sights you might miss, please do so now at www.astronomy.ie/sub and call our Shop staff for advice on choosing and using a telescope 6 days a week on (01) 847 0777 2. Blue Moon on Saturday The Full Moon on Saturday June 30 is the second Full Moon of the month. This "second Full Moon in the same calendar month" is some times referred to as a "Blue Moon" from the expression "once in a blue Moon" because only every 2 or 3 years is there a month that has two Full Moons. Despite the title the Moon will not change colour. The Full Moon will be very low on the horizon. To many people it will appear larger than when high in the sky, however, this is just an optical illusion. If you stand with your back to the Full Moon, bend over and view it upside-down between your legs, it should appear normal sized again. Try this, and let us know if this breaks the illusion by emailing observe(a)astronomy.ie 3. Mars Dust Storm To see the planet Mars you will have to get up around dawn, and the planet is still a fairly small (8 arcsecond) disk in a telescope. But experts around the world are reporting that a dust storm has appeared on the planet. It started in the Hellas basin and is moving West. Owners of larger telescopes should check this out and email observe(a)astronomy.ie. Mars is coming closer to Earth and will be a spectacular naked eye sight later in the year. 4. Coming Events: All July: See JWST (Hubble's successor) in Ireland!!! www.dias.ie/index.php?section=general&subsection=JWST Or make a paper model of JWST!: www.jwst.nasa.gov/papermodel.html (See our picture www.astronomy.ie/DMJMJWST.jpg ) July 9: Lecture (&DVD nationwide) "Birth of Stars & Planets" www.astronomy.ie/lecture200707.html July 11: Evening Class special offer ends, save 50euro now www.astronomy.ie/eveningclass.html Sept. 8: Star-B-Q - Ireland's Biggest Annual Astro Event. For everyone in Ireland! Book now, save 10euro: www.astronomy.ie/sbq Astronomy Ireland www.astronomy.ie Telescope Advice Monday to Saturday: Tel (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] New Evening Classes (50euro off!), Wanted: Office Equipment
by AI Exec Secretary 27 Jun '07

27 Jun '07

(1) Special Offer - Save 50 Euro on our Evening Classes Our ever-popular evening classes just got better! Now in their 10th year, Astronomy Ireland's beginner-level classes have been thoroughly revised and updated, with the course duration changed to 8-weeks. The new course is designed and taught by Emmet Mordaunt, Astronomy Ireland's Education Officer and one of Ireland's most talented science-communicators. There is no mathematical content, the format is informal, and questions are very much encouraged. Topics Covered Include: Understanding the Moving, Changing Night Sky. Prominent Constellations. The Planets. Stars. Clusters Nebulae, Galaxies and other Deep Sky Objects. Telescopes. The History of Astronomy. Cosmology. The next course begins on Thursday, 11 October, at 7:30pm in Trinity College Dublin's physics building. The classes last for 2 hours, with a 10-15 minute break in the middle. The last class is on Thursday 29 November. Enrol before July 11, and Save 50 Euro! Normal Price - 130 Euro for members / 180 Euro for non-members (includes magazine subscription). (Deduct 50 Euro from these prices if you book before July 11) All Welcome You can book your place online by going to - www.astronomy.ie/eveningclass.html Or call (01) 847 07 77 Monday to Saturday. If you cannot get to Dublin for the nightclasses, we are seeking teachers to run them NATIONWIDE. If you or anyone you know would like to run these classes, email us or call (01) 847 07 77. We asked before, but had very little response, however we still believe there is a need for this service nationwide. Please send this email to your friends (2) Astronomy Ireland is expanding its office. Does your business have any surplus office furniture to donate? We need any of the following - desks, chairs and office dividers, stationery cabinets and filing cabinets (in fairly good condition). Or - if you know of any good-value office furniture suppliers, please send us their contact details. Any other equipment considered - please reply to this email or sec(a)astronomy.ie Astronomy Ireland Society · Magazine · Telescopes www.astronomy.ie Tel (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Moon covers Venus!, Lots more to see!
by Astronomy Ireland 17 Jun '07

17 Jun '07

1. MOON TO PASS IN FRONT OF VENUS! As announced in our June magazine, for the first time in 3 years the Moon will pass in front of ("occult") the planet Venus on Monday June 18 as seen from Ireland. Back on May 21st, 2004 it was cloudy from Dublin at Astronomy Ireland's office and Shop so it's been a long time since such an amazing sight has been seen. It will be daytime when the event happens but with binoculars and telescopes everyone should be able to see it. First a warning, DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN WITH YOUR EYES, BINOCULARS OR TELESCOPES! YOU WILL BE BLINDED. Try to stand in the shadow of a building so the Sun is just covered by the building. The exact time that the Moon passes in front of Venus will vary by up to 6 minutes depending on where you are located around Ireland. The Moon will pass in front of Venus from between 2:47pm and 2:53pm with those on the West coast seeing it earlier, and those in the East see it those few minutes later. Starting around 2pm to 2:30pm, with the naked eye, look 45 degrees to the left of the Sun and about 10 degrees lower than the Sun and you should be able to see the thin crescent Moon (14% of its diameter will be sunlit). Now aim your binoculars at the Moon (being very careful never to look near the Sun!) and you should easily see Venus just to the lower left of the Moon in broad daylight with even the smallest binoculars. 10x50s are ideal. If it's a good clear day you should be able to see Venus with the naked eye next to the Moon! This will be a remarkable sight with the naked eye or binoculars and we want you to email us to tell us if you could see this or not: observe(a)astronomy.ie Now for the occultation itself: If you have even a small telescope you'll get an amazing view of the occultation at the times above (2:47pm-2:53pm)! The disk of Venus is about 26 arc seconds wide and 44% sunlit so it will appear almost 'half full'. The dark (invisible) edge of the Moon will begin to cover Venus' brilliant disk and it may take a few seconds for you to realise the occultation has begun. It will take 72 seconds for the Moon's edge to cross Venus' full diameter, but because only 44% of Venus is sunlit you'll only see the sunlit side of Venus passing behind the Moon for roughly half that time i.e. about 36 seconds. Try to time this if you can. It should be one of the most remarkable 36 seconds of your life. This "disappearance" happens slightly left of the bottom edge of the Moon's (dark and therefore invisible) edge. See link to diagram below. Then you have to wait an hour and a quarter until Venus reappears from behind the Moon. Again, the times vary depending on where you are around Ireland but it will be between 4:03pm and 4:12pm, again, with those in the West seeing it first. As Venus will "reappear" from behind the bright (sunlit) edge of the Moon a telescope will be better than binoculars to get the first glimpse of this occurring. Again try to time how long it takes and email us your report. Venus will reappear from behind the right hand edge of Moon so have your telescope or binoculars trained there. For naked eye observers we want to know how soon after Venus begins to reappear from behind the Moon can you see it? Send us your location and the exact time (dial 1191 to get the speaking clock which is very accurate). WEATHER: Both the disappearance and the reappearance happen high in Irish skies so let's hope for clear weather or at least some breaks in any clouds. Don't give up just because it's looking dismal. We saw the Saturn occultation on May 22nd when the clouds miraculously parted just minutes before the event! And remember, for several hours after the event you will still get a chance to locate Venus in the daytime sky with the naked eye by using the Moon as signpost, an observation well worth performing. After dark, the Moon will be spectacularly close to Venus all evening also. Don't miss this! See the diagram at www.astronomy.ie/press/Venus_Occ.jpg. There are more details of all this in the Sky Diary pages of the June issue of our magazine on page 27 and diagrams too (but note the times on the diagram "15:10" and "16:00" should read "16:10" and "17:00"). Click on www.astronomy.ie/sub if you don't already get our magazine, there are lots of other things to see, all for only 5euro incl postage. We await your reports (and photos?) so please email observe(a)astronomy.ie and we'll report your sighting for posterity in our magazine. 2. Lots More To See I.S.S.+Shuttle: record numbers called our Newslines to get the time to see these last week and hear the latest news. They are no longer visible from Ireland but you can still follow the story until Atlantis lands around 7pm June 21 at www.nasa.gov/shuttle. I.S.S. is next visible in Irish skies August 4th-16th. Hundreds more beginners joined this emailing list as a result - welcome! If you want to get our magazine or if you know anyone else interested in space please get them to sign up at www.astronomy.ie/sub Venus: blazing in the West until after midnight until mid July. View it with a telescope in strong twilight when it's highest and glare against a dark sky is less of a problem. Telescope owners will now see its disk swell up to over 40 arc second wide crescent by mid July - a rare sight. Saturn: easy to find every evening as Venus is a getting close (closest on June 30 just 0.7 degree apart!). Glorious sight in a telescope with its rings and its main moons on view (see Titan diagram in our magazine's Sky Diary). Only a few more weeks to see it well so get your telescope out. Jupiter: the 'star' of the summer. Now closest to Earth and visible all night in the South sky as the brightest 'star' (after Venus). Brilliant sight in a telescope with some or all of its 4 main moons visible every night even in binoculars. Times to see its Great Read Spot amongst its impressive cloud belts are in our magazine's Sky Diary pages. It's the main attraction at Star-B-Q on Sept. 8 (book now and get 10euro off www.astronomy.ie/sbq) Moon: This is always a fantastic sight in a telescope and over the next 2 weeks it will be a specially glorious sight in evening skies giving lots to see. Try 'snapping' it at your telescope's eyepiece with even your camera phone and email us any good results. Sun: Remember, new sunspots can break out any time. As they did last month. NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN - use AstroSolar Filter sheets available from our Shop. Call the number below. Great Summer Planet Viewing: Don't let the late evenings put you off observing when there is so much planetary viewing to do, you can even observe Venus in daylight remember! So get your telescopes out and keep sending in those reports and photos to observe(a)astronomy.ie this summer. Telescopes: If you don't have a telescope yet you can get advice 6 days a week from our Shop staff on (01) 847 0777 and remember they are there for the rest of your life to help you use the telescope to its best so please do call for advice - you can get an impressive telescope for just a few euros per week e.g. the new NexStar SE range which were featured on the insert in the latest magazine (www.astronomy.ie/NexStarSE.doc) and which are a real price breakthrough, and our Shop will match or beat any price in the world. Ask for a free catalogue when you call or download it here www.astronomy.ie/AItelescopes.pdf (most models are in stock now). And email observe(a)astronomy.ie with a brief note of everything you see. Astronomy Ireland Society · Magazine · Telescopes www.astronomy.ie Tel (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Irish Pulsar Discoverer on BBC, ISS times not always given online
by Astronomy Ireland 13 Jun '07

13 Jun '07

BBC Documentary on Jocelyn Bell-Burnell Irishwoman Prof. Jocelyn Bell-Burnell, who gave our Christmas 2006, lecture will be the subject of a programme called "Northern Star" on BBC1 Television tonight (June 13). Prof Bell-Burnell discovered the first pulsar in 1967, but the Nobel Prize (1974) for this discovery went to her PhD supervisor, Anthony Hewish instead. Bell-Burnell has been at the forefront of many fields of astronomy since, and has been honoured with countless awards for her achievements, The BBC consulted Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore to assist in the making of the programme, which airs on BBC1 from 10:45pm to 11:25pm tonight. Prof Bell-Burnell will also possibly be interviewed on Newstalk 106-108FM tomorrow, on the 'Lunchtime Show with Eamonn Keane', between 12:30pm and 2:00pm. For more information and pictures of Prof Bell-Burnell see our Christmas 2006 lecture page www.astronomy.ie/lecture0612.html I.S.S. and Shuttle The space shuttle mission currently visible in Irish skies continues to generate enormous public interest with thousands of people watching the 10 astronauts in their 350 tonne combined craft every night. Some websites do not give all passes visible e.g. there is one tonight at 10:32pm which is not given online, so the most complete service, along with brief daily mission updates is on our Newsline 1550-111-442 - call every afternoon to get the time to watch that evening. Astronomy Ireland Society · Magazine · Telescopes www.astronomy.ie Tel (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Massive Space Telescope Lands in Ireland, AI Lecture, ISS+Shuttle
by Astronomy Ireland 11 Jun '07

11 Jun '07

1. Massive Space Telescope Lands in Ireland A life-size model of the multi billion euro James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has come to Ireland direct from its Washington premier to highlight Ireland's enormous contribution to space research. The huge model is 2-storeys high, weighs 4 tonnes, and took three days to erect in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin. The public are welcome to view it there www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=53.3428&lon=-6.2978&scale=200000&icon=x Speaking to David Moore, Leo Enright said "we were lucky to get the JWST model to Ireland from the U.S.A. and it will make no other public appearances in Europe!" The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) plans to use the huge model of the space telescope to raise public awareness of Ireland's involvement in cutting-edge science - Prof Tom Ray at DIAS has designed optical filters to be used on the instrument. Prof Ray told David Moore "We'll have a coronagraph instrument that will allow us to directly see planets around other stars" so it could be Irish astronomers who get the first pictures of some of the hundreds of planets found around other stars to date. DIAS is organising a symposium of scientists involved in the Space Telescope that will last until Thursday, when the 2006 Physics Nobel Laureate, Dr John C. Mather, gives DIAS's School of Cosmic Physics Statutory Public Lecture entitled 'Finding our Origins with the James Webb Space Telescope'. For further information about this talk go to - www.dias.ie/text/en/cosmic/files/stat_pub_lec_2007.pdf In 2013 the JWST will replace Hubble as mankind's sharpest eye on the cosmos. It is an infrared optimised telescope, that will search for answers to the question of our cosmic origins. Astronomy Ireland is urging everyone to go along and view this extremely impressive model. Just look at the picture below! It should be on display for at least 2 weeks in Dublin and then possibly other locations around Ireland for about 6 weeks - we'll let you know when we hear any definite details. Great thanks are due to everyone who made this happen from the manufacturers of the model Northrop Grumman corporation to Omega Air who transported it to Ireland, and also DIAS, FAS, and Enterprise Ireland. Well done! Pictures - www.astronomy.ie/DMJMJWST.jpg Caption: Astronomy Ireland Chairman Davis Moore chats with 2006 Physics Nobel Prize winner Dr John C. Mather alongside the life-sized model of the James Webb Space Telescope in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on Monday. 2. AI June Lecturer on Pat Kenny Radio Show NASA scientist Dr Peter Gallagher gives our June Public Lecture tonight in TCD and a DVD will be made for everyone in Ireland who wants a copy. Dr Gallagher was on RTE RADIO 1 this morning talking to Tom McGurk who is presenting the Pat Kenny Today show this summer. You can hear the 10 minute interview at www.astronomy.ie/audio (along with lots of other past interesting interviews). If you are reading this AFTER the lecture you can still get the DVD (5euro + p&p) at www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html 3. See ISS + Atlantis until June 16 We've been all over national and local radio, newspapers (big piece in Sunday Independent) about the space shuttle Atlantis docking with the International Space Station and their on going mission which we can see every night until this coming Saturday June 16. Our Newsline is giving details and the time to watch each afternoon so do call 1550-111-442 (calls cost 95c/min - see our last email explaining why this is necessary). Atlantis docked to ISS on Sunday evening and some of you said you could see both separately after they docked as they flew over. Please email any sightings especially details like this to observe(a)astronomy.ie and let's get everyone in Ireland out watching space history in the making! P.S. Watch out for pictures of ISS in Irish skies possibly appearing in the Irish Independent in the next few days! Astronomy Ireland Society · Magazine · Telescopes www.astronomy.ie Tel (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Rare "Space Chase", Lecture & DVD/Pat Kenny Show
by Astronomy Ireland 07 Jun '07

07 Jun '07

1. Shuttle & Space Station together over Ireland for next Fortnight. The 100 billion-Euro INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS) will be flying over Irish skies every night this week! Incredibly, on Friday night it will be joined by the Space Shuttle Atlantis, which is undertaking an 11-day mission, that includes spacewalks to attach 2 new truss segments and another giant 80-metre solar panel. These extensions will make the Space Station the largest and brightest object ever to fly in Earth-orbit. Atlantis should be launched from Florida at 12:38am our time on Saturday morning (i.e. just after midnight Friday night). Then 18 minutes later (approximately 12:56am) Atlantis should be visible low in the South from Ireland with it's giant external fuel tank next to it in the sky - an amazing and extremely rare sight! SPACE CHASE: Over the weekend the Shuttle can be seen chasing the space station across the sky; an amazing and very rare sight. Docking is scheduled for Monday, but we'll keep you posted on the Newsline. Newsline: To give people a better chance of seeing the International Space Station, Astronomy Ireland has set up a special Newsline with a brief message giving the exact time and where to look and other information about the mission. The Newsline is updated by 12 noon each day with the exact minute that I.S.S. (and Atlantis) will pass over Ireland that evening. Simply call 1550-111-442 (calls cost 95c/min) after 12 noon and before sunset. There are websites that give this information but they are often not updated promptly and especially not with special events like the External Fuel Tank story on Friday night/Saturday morning. The message is less than a minute long so if you cannot afford 1 euro do not call. Also, this Newsline can handle hundreds of callers simultaneously, something our staff could never do on our landlines! So please pass this number on to everyone you know and let's get the whole country out watching space history in the making! The ISS is the most expensive piece of space-hardware ever, representing a collaborative effort of nearly 20 countries, including Ireland. Currently onboard are two men and one woman - Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, Flight Engineers Oleg Kotov and Suni Williams. The space shuttle Discovery will have a crew of 7 men. There is a page about I.S.S. on our website (see the left hand menu). The ISS will be visible EVERY NIGHT until Saturday 16 June. Please email any sightings, ESPECIALLY of the Shuttle+External Tank to observe(a)astronomy.ie giving the time and your location and a brief description of what you see. 2. NASA Sun Expert - Public Lecture & Pat Kenny Show Interview Just this week a giant sunspot group, bigger than Earth, appeared on the Sun's surface. It's almost as if it was arranged to coincide with our June public lecture, which is all about the Sun on Monday June 11th. See the latest SOHO image of the sunspot here http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/mdi_igr/1024/latest.html. Be careful if you try to view the sunspot yourself and always use AstroSolar filter in front of your telescope, binoculars or eyes. It's available from our Shop at modest cost, call the number below. Our speaker is NASA Sun expert Dr Peter Gallagher who worked on the SOHO and RHESSI spacecraft at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland, USA and also at the Owens Valley Solar Array and the Big Bear Solar Observatory (both in California) spacecraft. He is currently a lecturer with the School of Physics in Trinity College Dublin. Dr Gallagher will be appearing on the Pat Kenny Show (RTE Radio 1, Monday 10am - 12pm) to discuss the lecture, recent solar discoveries, and much else. This can be heard NATIONWIDE. We think of our planet as a ball of rock isolated in the vacuum of space, affected only by the Sun's constant light and gravitational pull. But our active star regularly fires blobs of super-heated ionised gas at us, which when the reach our upper atmosphere can produce spectacular auroral displays, disrupt electrical grids, and destroy equipment in orbit, including endangering astronauts in the International Space Station. If you can't make it to Dublin on the night you can pre-order a DVD of the lecture at www.astronomy.ie (click on "Lecture DVD" on the menu at left). This is an important service for all those of you who live outside Dublin. More 'national' services, and events, like this are being planned this year also. Given Dr Gallagher's appearance on RTE you can reserve tickets for this talk on our website or call the number below, or come along a few minutes early to get tickets on the night. Doors open 7:30pm. Bookings: www.astronomy.ie or (01) 847 07 77 Lecture Title: "The Heliosphere-Living inside the Sun's Atmosphere" Lecture Venue: Physics Building, Trinity College Dublin. Date: Monday, 11 June 2007 Time: 8:00pm Admission: 5euro (3euro concessions) ALL WELCOME Astronomy Ireland "The world's most popular astronomy club" Society · Magazine · Telescopes www.astronomy.ie Tel (01) 847 0777

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