January 2008 - astronomy@lists.redbrick.dcu.ie

[Astronomy Ireland] Evening Classes, Gravity Waves, Magazine and Video Camera
by AI Director 29 Jan '08

29 Jan '08

1. Chairman on National Radio Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore will be a guest on the panel of the current affairs programme "Late Night Live" with Declan Carthy on the national radio station Newstalk 106FM. The show runs from 10pm until midnight tonight Tuesday January 29 Listen live at www.newstalk.ie/newstalk/programmes/8/late-night-live.html 2. Athlone, Cork and Dublin The Astronomy Ireland evening classes for beginners start tomorrow evening (Wednesday 30th January) in Trinity College Dublin, Jurys Hotel Cork and Athlone Institute of Technology. There are now only two days left to book your place at www.astronomy.ie/eveningclass.html This eight week course is designed with the beginner in mind. You do not need to own a telescope and no knowledge of astronomy or maths is required. This is an opportunity to meet with fellow enthusiasts and learn a little about the Sun, Planets, Telescopes, History of Astronomy, Cosmology and much much more. 3. Public Lecture - LISA: Gravitational Wave Mission On Monday 11 February Astronomy Ireland presents its latest public lecture in the Physics Building, Trinity College Dublin at 8pm. Dr. Harry Ward, of the Institute for Gravitational Research, University of Glasgow will tell us about LISA - the first spaceborne gravitational wave observatory which promises to revolutionise our understanding of some of the most exotic objects in the Universe. The three LISA spacecraft will have unprecedented precision of measurement over five million kilometre baselines and require significant advances in a number of technology areas. In this talk the LISA mission will be presented, focusing on the anticipated science return, the measurement techniques, the current status of the mission design and progress, and on the LISA Pathfinder technology-demonstrator mission that will fly in 2010. For those who cannot make it to the venue on the night a DVD will be produced for 5euro Details: Event: Astronomy Ireland February Lecture "LISA - Gravitational Wave Mission" Date: 8pm February 11 (Monday) Venue: Physics Building, Trinity College Dublin. Admission: 5 Euro Tickets are available at the door, or on www.astronomy.ie or call Astronomy Ireland on (01) 847 0777 4. Help Produce Our Magazine "Astronomy & Space" magazine every month documents everything that happens in Irish skies, your sightings and photos, tells thousands of people what to see in Irish skies, and reports on all the latest discoveries from around the universe. We have a large team of people who help to produce our magazine and we are looking for more people who want to get involved in the magazine of the largest astronomy club in the world relative to population. We particularly need a new production editor to oversee the magazine each month as Kevin Sheahan who has been doing the job for several years is stepping down. We thank Kevin for all his hard work over the years. If you want to get involved just reply to this email or call for details. If there is anything else you would like to do for the magazine please get in touch also. 5. Video Camera required. As part of our nationwide service goals and objectives we aim to provide recordings of our monthly lectures at nominal cost to members and non-members alike. The camera currently in use, which was donated by DCU about 10 years ago has developed a number of irreparable faults lately so if you know of anyone or any organisation that would be willing to donate a suitable camera then please get in touch with us at 01 8470777. We would be most grateful. Astronomy Ireland www.astronomy.ie Ireland's Only Astronomy Magazine One of Europe's Biggest Telescope Shops Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat

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[Astronomy Ireland] Mars Watches, Mercury, Evening Classes, Galway Festival, Video Camera
by AI Director 22 Jan '08

22 Jan '08

1. Mars Watches Nationwide On Wednesday 23 January Astronomy Ireland will be assembling some of the largest portable telescopes in the country in Dublin's Phoenix Park and at various venues across Ireland to offer everybody on the island a chance to see the surface of Mars at its best. All Watches begin at 8pm. Mars is now closer to Earth than at any time until 2016. At only 108 million km distance this is an ideal time to view surface detail on the planet. The large, dark surface feature called Syrtis Major will be visible. Syrtis Major is Mars' equivalent to Africa on Earth so don't miss this opportunity to see the surface of another planet. Further details of venues nationwide are available at www.astronomy.ie For our "Mars Watches" no ticket is needed - just wrap up warm and get yourself along to one of the following venues at 8:00pm - Dublin - Papal Cross Car Park, Phoenix Park, Dublin. Cork - Blackrock Castle Observatory, Blackrock, Cork. Co. Clare - Kilmihil (Ph: 087 2308428) Co. Donegal - Letterkenny I.T. (Ph: 087 2203312) Co. Louth - Seabank Car Park, Dundalk. Co. Tipperary - Dunnes Stores Carpark, Waterford Road, Clonmel 2. Mercury in Evening Skies The elusive planet Mercury was spotted from Ireland with the naked eye last week. This week is the very best time to see it. Full details are on page 26 of our January magazine (www.astronomy.ie/sub) Very few people in the world (less than 1%?) have ever seen Mercury so this is your chance to join this elite club. Please send your sightings to observe(a)astronomy.ie 3. Astronomy for Beginners (Evening Classes) The Astronomy Ireland designed evening classes for beginners commence on Wednesday 30th January in Trinity College Dublin, Jurys Hotel Cork and Athlone Institute of Technology. With only a week to go before the classes start, and a limited number of places are available, book now at www.astronomy.ie/eveningclass.html to reserve your place. The eight week course is designed with the beginner in mind and no knowledge of astronomy or maths is required. This is an opportunity to meet with fellow enthusiasts and learn a little about the Sun, Planets, Telescopes, History of Astronomy, Cosmology and much much more. 4. Galway Astronomy Festival Jan. 26 Galway Astronomy Club will stage the 5th Galway Astronomy Festival in the Westwood House Hotel, Galway with an impressive line up of speakers from Ireland and the U.K. Full details of speakers, exhibitors, accommodation and costs can be found at http://galwayastronomyclub.ie/fest08a.html There will also be free session on Friday evening. The Astronomy Ireland Shop will be offering some very special prices on telescopes and accessories on the day only. 5. Video Camera required. As part of our nationwide service goals and objectives we aim to provide recordings of our monthly lectures at nominal cost to members and non-members alike. The camera currently in use, which was donated by DCU about 10 years ago has developed a number of irreparable faults lately so if you know of anyone or any organisation that would be willing to donate a suitable camera then please get in touch with us at 01 8470777. We would be most grateful. Astronomy Ireland www.astronomy.ie Ireland's Only Astronomy Magazine One of Europe's Biggest Telescope Shops Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat

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[Astronomy Ireland] Mars near Moon!, Mars Watches, Classes, Galway AstroFest, Editor
by AI Chairman 18 Jan '08

18 Jan '08

1. Mars and Moon Make Joint Appearance On Saturday evening (19 January) the Moon will sidle up to Mars in the night sky making the pair appear spectacularly close with less than one Moon diameter appearing to separate the two bodies. Beginners: If you are not sure as to which bright star-like object in the sky is Mars then make the most of this alignment to help you identify the Red Planet. Email observe(a)astronomy.ie and tell us when you think the Moon is closest to Mars? See the diagram on page 23 of our January magazine and the write up for this event in the Sky Diary pages. If you don't get our magazine yet then sign up now as the February issue is just out with details of the Total Eclipse of the Moon in February, the last one we will see from Ireland for nearly 8 years! Subscribe at www.astronomy.ie/sub or post 48euro to P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5 for 12 issues, which is only 4 euro a month! There's lots more to see than this Mars-Moon conjunction and the Total Eclipse so subscribe now and don't miss a thing in Irish skies. 2. Mars Watches Nationwide To celebrate Mars being closer to us this month than it will be until 2016 Astronomy Ireland members are setting up powerful telescopes all around Ireland on Wednesday January 23rd at 8pm. Counties: Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Louth and Tipperary already have Mars Watches set up but if you would like to run a Mars Watch in your area please reply to this email or call the number below. The date for the Mars Watch has been chosen as Mars is still very close to Earth, Mars will be high in the sky, and the best surface marking (the triangular shaped Syrtis Major) will be on the side of Mars facing us so you should be able to see what 19th century astronomers saw when they thought the dark patches might be plant life on the surface of Mars and some even thought they saw canals leading to all the stories of little green men from Mars. It should be great fun and information on telescopes will be available on the night at each venue including free telescope catalogues from our Shop. We hope to run more of these Watches during the year and with next year being International Year of Astronomy we hope to run 1,000 Watches in 2009 so get in touch now if you want to try a Watch in your area! Details of all venues for Mars Watches are on our website, see link below. 3. Evening Classes Begin Shortly Our ever-popular evening Classes in Astronomy for Beginners begin again shortly. We are delighted that this time around the course is available in Cork and Athlone in addition to the usual Dublin venue. Advance booking is essential and you only have just over one week left to register. The classes begin on Wednesday 30 January. Booking and further details can be obtained at www.astronomy.ie/eveningclass.html 4. Galway Astronomy Festival Galway Astronomy Club present their fifth annual Galway Astronomy Festival in the Westwood House Hotel on Saturday 26 January. For details of speakers, exhibitors and admission prices go to www.galwayastronomyclub.ie/fest08a.html 5. Help Produce Our Magazine In "Astronomy & Space" magazine every month Astronomy Ireland documents everything that happens in Irish skies, your sightings and photos, tells thousands of people what to see in Irish skies, and reports on all the latest discoveries from around the universe. We have a large team of people who help to produce our magazine and we are looking for more people who want to get involved in the magazine of the largest astronomy club in the world relative to population. We particularly need a new production editor to oversee the magazine each month as Kevin Sheahan who has been doing the job for several years is stepping down. We thank Kevin for all his hard work over the years. If you want to get involved just reply to this email or call for details. If there is anything else you would like to do for the magazine please get in touch also. Astronomy Ireland www.astronomy.ie Subscribe to Ireland's Only Astronomy Magazine call us at one of Europe's Biggest Telescope Shops Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat

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[Astronomy Ireland] Galway Astronomy Festival, Telescope Offer, Colm J. Cannon Memorial
by AI Chairman 15 Jan '08

15 Jan '08

1. Galway Astronomy Festival Jan. 26 Our colleagues in the Galway Astronomy Club will stage the 5th Galway Astronomy Festival in the Westwood House Hotel, Galway with an impressive line up of speakers from Ireland and the U.K. Several of us were at last year's festival and we can highly recommend it. We will be attending this year as well. Here is a brief programme of events to whet your appetite: 09.00: Registration 10.00: Official opening of the Galway Astronomy Festival 10.15: Dr. Matt Redman:"Is Pluto a Planet?" 11.30: Dr. Mark Lang: "Exploring the High Energy Universe with VERITAS" 12.45-1400: Lunch. 13.20: Telescope building workshop Michael O'Connell 14.15: Dr. Nicholas Devaney: "Detecting Extra solar planets with Giant Telescopes" 15.30: Tea/coffee break/ Sale of Raffle tickets. 16.00: Dr. Simon Green: "Stardust: A New View of Comets?" 17.15: Announcements/ AOP / Raffle Draw. 18.00: Tour of NUI Galway Telescopic Observatory 19.30: GAC 10th Anniversary Banquet 20.30: John Flannery: "American Astronomy in 2007" 22.00: Observing Session at Rosscahill (weather permitting) There will also be free session on Friday evening. The full day (Saturday) lecture programme costs 25euro (15euro concessions). Banquet will cost extra. Accommodation is available for those travelling from outside Galway and a group of Dublin members are travelling over on Friday evening if you want to join us for dinner that night. Details of accommodation and lots of background to the speakers and events are at http://galwayastronomyclub.ie/fest08a.html Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore will be there along with David Grennan who writes our Sky Diary and will display some of his astrophotos and work so we hope every member in Galway and surrounding counties will come along and say hello. We have hundreds of members in the area so we hope to see as many of you as possible. The Astronomy Ireland Telescope Shop (www.astronomy.ie/shop) will be there with a display of telescopes and special offers that will apply on the day only - so bring your cheque book and you could save hundreds of euros! Carl O'Beirnes from the AI Shop will be there running the stand. 2. Telescope Offer Those of you who get our magazine in the post every month should have received the February issue (with details of the Total Eclipse visible from Ireland next month! order at www.astronomy.ie/sub) and inside should have been a special offer as part of our Shop's New Year Sale. You can order this telescope online at: www.astronomy.ie/offer Or view the advertisement for this offer at www.astronomy.ie/FirstScope114sale.doc But hurry, this offer is only "while stocks last" as they say! FREE delivery anywhere in Ireland is included in this offer. 3. Colm J. Cannon Memorial On Wednesday January 16th at 11:30am a tree will be planted in the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre (Dublin) as a special memorial to Astronomy Ireland founder Colm J. Cannon who recently passed away unexpectedly. January 16 would have been Colm's 39th birthday. An obituary for Colm was published in the December issue of our magazine on page 46 www.astronomy.ie/colmjcannon.html . You are welcome to go along to the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, where Colm worked, to pay your respects at the ceremony on January 16th at 11:30am. Astronomy Ireland www.astronomy.ie Ireland's Only Astronomy Magazine One of Europe's Biggest Telescope Shops Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat

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[Astronomy Ireland] New Year Public Lecture and DVD - Hold A Meteorite, Evening Classes, Video Camera
by AI Director 08 Jan '08

08 Jan '08

1. NEW YEAR PUBLIC LECTURE: "METEORITES - NEW EVIDENCE UNCOVERED" Date: Monday January 14 at 8:00pm Venue: Physics Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2 Speaker: Dr. Ian Sanders, TCD. Have you ever wanted to touch or hold a real meteorite? Come along to our New Year lecture on January 14th and you can. Dr. Ian Sanders is Ireland's leading Meteorite expert. He studied at Cambridge and has taught at the Geology Department of Trinity College since 1971. He will reveal his new evidence about the origins of meteorites, their formation and just how they ended up falling to Earth. He will pass around a variety of actual meteorites that fell to the Earth from outer space for you to hold. There aren't too many people out there who can honestly say that they have held a piece of an exploded planet. This is an opportunity not to be missed! Early booking is advised. For those who cannot make it to the venue on the night a DVD of the talk will be available to everyone in Ireland for only 5 Euro (plus 5 euro P&P). See www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html or call us today on (01) 847 0777 to reserve your place. Admission 5 euro (3 euro members and concessions) All proceeds help subsidise membership fees for everyone in Ireland Tickets are available at the door, on www.astronomy.ie or call Astronomy Ireland on (01) 847 0777 For more information and to book your tickets, click on the link below www.astronomy.ie/lecture200801.html 2. Seeing the Universe in a grain of sand Professor Monica Grady (Open University, and recent Royal Institution Christmas Lecturer) is giving a talk to the Irish Geological Association on meteorites. It is aimed at a general audience, and will take place in the Davis Theatre, Arts Building, TCD (street level off Nassau Street entrance, Davis is the theatre at the far end of the concourse) on Thursday 17th January starting at 7.30 pm. (This is not an Astronomy Ireland event) 3. Evening Classes - we need your help! As well as the beginners astronomy classes already organised for Cork, Athlone and Dublin, we expect to announce classes in Galway and Limerick soon. Please let us know if you would attend Classes in other areas too? We need your help to tell us which local newspapers and radio stations we should contact in each of the above 5 towns. Your local knowledge would be invaluable to us as we need to promote the classes. Do you know anyone working in any of these newspapers or radio stations that might be able to help us promote Classes in your area? Please reply to this email even if it's just to give the name of your local newspaper or radio station. To book any of the classes click www.astronomy.ie/eveningclass.html 4. Video Camera required. As part of our nationwide service goals and objectives we aim to provide recordings of our monthly lectures at nominal cost to members and non-members alike. The camera currently in use, which was donated by DCU about 10 years ago has developed a number of irreparable faults lately so if you know of anyone or any organisation that would be willing to donate a suitable camera then please get in touch with us at 01 8470777. We would be most grateful. 5. BT Young Scientists Exhibition Astronomy Ireland will have a stand in the Eco Hall at the Young Scientists Exhibition in the RDS Dublin, running from Thursday 10th to Saturday 12th January from 9:30am to 5:30pm (5:00pm on Friday). However, we need your help. We are looking for volunteers to man the stand and talk to exhibitors and visitors to the exhibition, hand out some leaflets and take membership. Can you help out ? If so then please call us at 01 8470777 or email sec(a)astronomy.ie We'd love to hear from you. Astronomy Ireland www.astronomy.ie Telescope Advice: Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat

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