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

[Astronomy Ireland] Winter Solstice, Telescope Nights, Venus Watch, A.I. on Drivetime, Christmas Gifts
by AI Secretary 22 Dec '08

22 Dec '08

1. Winter Solstice Report Sunday, December 21st, marked the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. Newgrange had cloudy weather but Astronomy Ireland had perfect conditions at the James Joyce Monument in Sean Moore Park in Sandymount. A full report and pictures can be found at www.astronomy.ie/solsticereport.html and a webcast of the Newgrange event can be found at www.newgrange.com Newgrange was also featured on APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day) http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081220.html 2. Christmas 'Telescope Nights' (Now until December 24th) Venus is a wonderful sight above the horizon in the evening skies, prompting many to wonder is it the Christmas star? The answer is no but it is still a spectacular sight, and Astronomy Ireland are holding Watches every day at 5pm at our Telescope Shop in Artane. Everyone is invited to come along to this free public viewing and try out a selection of telescopes and binoculars from our Shop. Map to Shop Here 3. Christmas Gifts Christmas Telescopes: Lowest Prices in Ireland - ORDER HERE Evening Classes: Nationwide, 11 towns from January 28th - BOOK NOW Mars Book By Irish Author: - ORDER HERE Christmas Star Video: - ORDER HERE 4. New Year's Eve Watch - Venus next to Moon This New Year's Eve, Venus and our Moon will put on a spectacular show in the night sky to celebrate the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, the United Nations International Year of Astronomy. Venus will be a spectacular sight to the naked eye next to the Moon just like it was on December 1st, when all the phone lines in Astronomy Ireland were jammed - see our report here To ring in the New Year and the International Year of Astronomy, Astronomy Ireland will hold a special New Year's Eve viewing for this event at our Telescope Shop in Butterly Business Park, Artane, using our Shop's fantastic Celestron Telescopes. More information about the Venus Watch can be found Here. Map to Shop. 5. Chairman David Moore to preview IYA 2009 on RTE's 'Drivetime' Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore will be on RTE Radio 1's top-rating Drivetime show (4.30pm to 6.30 pm) on New Year's Eve, and will be discussing Venus next to the Moon and Astronomy Ireland's plan for 2009, the United Nations International Year of Astronomy, including our fantastic New Year Lecture 'Touchdown on Titan' by Professor John Zarnecki, one of the most accomplished space scientists. Last time David spoke about an upcoming Astronomy Ireland lecture on 'Drivetime' people had to be turned away at the door, so book now to avoid disappointment Here Astronomy Ireland wishes to extend its warmest wishes to everyone for the holiday season and we look forward to celebrating the International Year of Astronomy with you in the New Year. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club AND Ireland's Only Astronomy Magazine www.astronomy.ie Email Astronomy Ireland at sec(a)astronomy.ie Call Our Telescope Shop Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat Email the Shop at sales(a)astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe here )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Planetary Alignment, Winter Solstice, New Year Lecture, Christmas Gifts
by AI Secretary 19 Dec '08

19 Dec '08

1. New Year's Eve Spectacular Planetary Alignment This New Year's Eve, 5 planets and our Moon will put on a spectacular show in the evening sky to celebrate the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, the United Nations International Year of Astronomy. Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Jupiter and Mercury, along with our own Moon, will be visible in the evening skies over Ireland in the same stretch of sky. The most spectacular of all will be a blazing Venus beside the Moon. This event only happens a few times every century so don't miss out! Our Chairman David Moore will be on the top rated RTE Radio 1 show 'Drivetime' between 4.30pm to 6.30 pm, and will discussing this conjunction and how it heralds the United Nations International Year of Astronomy. This is an event not to be missed and Astronomy Ireland will hold a special New Year's Eve viewing for this event at our Telescope Shop in Butterly Business Park, Artane, using our fantastic Celestron Telescopes from our showroom. All are welcome and the viewing starts from 4:30pm. A map to our Office and Shop can be found at www.astronomy.ie/map 2. Astronomy Ireland and Newgrange Winter Solstice Viewings Astronomy Ireland are planning a viewing for this event at the James Joyce Monument in Sean Moore Park in Sandymount for the general public, at 8:30 am on Sunday, December 21st. All are welcome. For more information, facts and viewing locations for the Winter Solstice, and for details of the live webcast from Newgrange, check out our website at www.astronomy.ie and for the map to the park click here 3. Astronomy Ireland New Year Lecture Discovery Channel and BBC TV star Professor John Zarnecki will give our exciting New Year Lecture 'Touchdown on Titan'. Check out our website for more details www.astronomy.ie 4. Christmas Gifts There's no need to panic about last minute gifts, Astronomy Ireland have the perfect gifts for the astronomy enthusiast in your life. Check out our website www.astronomy.ie for gift ideas.

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[Astronomy Ireland] Pat Kenny Show, Solstice Viewing, Christmas Gifts
by AI Secretary 16 Dec '08

16 Dec '08

1. Astronomy Ireland Author on Pat Kenny December 17th Scientist, writer and Astronomy Ireland member Kevin Nolan has just published his new book, Mars, A Cosmic Stepping Stone , and will be discussing his fantastic achievement on 'Today with Pat Kenny' tomorrow morning, December 17th between 11:15am and 12:00am, so give your support to a fellow member and tune in! This is a fascinating book, a perfect Christmas gift for you or a loved one, and is available from our website so order your copy now online at www.astronomy.ie/marsbook or call our office at (01) 847 0777. 2. Newgrange and Dublin Winter Solstice Viewings This Sunday, December 21st, is the shortest day of the year and our Winter Solstice. Newgrange, which is probably the oldest astronomical site in the world , is the perfect place to witness the precision and knowledge Irish astronomers had over 5,000 years ago to be able to craft a narrow opening for the pale winter solstice light to travel down and illuminate the inner chamber. Tickets for Newgrange have already been snapped up but everyone in Ireland can still enjoy this event from their live webstream at www.newgrange.com/webcast_08 For those of you in Dublin, there is another location to witness this sight at Sean Moore Park in Sandymount. It is not well known, but the James Joyce monument in this park, which was erected 10 years ago, was aligned in such a way that if you look at the monument towards another stone 100 metres away the Sun will rise directly behind them. Astronomy Ireland are organising a viewing for this event at the James Joyce Monument in Sean Moore Park in Sandymount for all the public at 8:30 am on Sunday, December 21st. All are welcome! For more information and facts about the Winter Solstice check out our website at www.astronomy.ie 3. The Perfect Gifts for Christmas at Astronomy Ireland It's nearly that time of year again and here at Astronomy Ireland we have the perfect gift solutions for you and your loved ones under our Christmas Tree. For these gifts go to www.astronomy.ie or call our office at (01) 847 0777. Gift Classes: For those budding amateur astronomers who want to learn more, enrol them in our Beginner's Evening Classes which will run nationwide from January 28th. ENROL HERE NOW Gift Subscriptions: Subscribe you or your loved one to our society and magazine now and for just 48 euro you will receive 12 monthly magazines with all the latest news, articles, book reviews, pictures and a monthly sky diary to keep you up to date on all the latest celestial events. SIGN UP HERE Gift Lectures: Finally, if you want to add an amazing little stocking filler, book one of our upcoming lectures for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. January 12 "Touchdown on Titan" by Professor John Zarnecki (U.K.) February 9 "Cosmic Casualty" by Doug Ellison (U.K.) March 16 "The European Space Agency" By Professor David Southwood, Director of Science ESA (France) Christmas Telescopes - now open SUNDAYs too! There's still time to get one of our superb Celestron telescopes delivered anywhere in Ireland. Visit our online SHOP Merry Christmas! Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club AND Ireland's Only Astronomy Magazine www.astronomy.ie Call Our Telescope Shop Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat ( subscribe / unsubscribe here )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Christmas Gifts, Discovery Channel Star, Geminids, December Deals
by AI Secretary 12 Dec '08

12 Dec '08

1. The Perfect Gifts for Christmas at Astronomy Ireland It's nearly that time of year again and here at Astronomy Ireland we have the perfect gift solutions for you and your loved ones under our Christmas Tree. Gift Classes: For those budding amateur astronomers who want to learn more, enrol them in our Beginner's Evening Classes which will run nationwide from January 28th. These hugely successful classes run over 8 weeks and encompass a huge range of topics within astronomy from its history, cosmology, telescopes, deep sky objects and much, much more. The fee for these Evening Classes also includes membership to our society and our magazine, Astronomy & Space, and your magazine subscription can begin as soon as you book your tickets, so you can have your first issue in time for Christmas! Enrol now! Gift Subscriptions: If you or your loved ones want to be informed of the latest astronomical news and topics from the comfort of a cosy armchair, subscribe to our society and magazine now and for just 48 euro you will receive 12 monthly magazines with all the latest news, articles, book reviews, pictures and a monthly sky diary to keep you up to date on all the latest celestial events. Book now and add in a personal message to be included with your first magazine! Gift Lectures: Finally, if you want to add an amazing little stocking filler, book one of our upcoming lectures for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. We have amazing speakers lined up for next year including Dr. John Zarnecki, one of the world's most experienced space scientists (see below) , Dr. David Southwood who is Director of the European Space Agency and Professor Tim de Zeeuw, Director General of the European Southern Observatory in Germany. Book your lecture tickets now at www.astronomy.ie/Events2009 or call our office at (01) 847 0777. 2. New Year Lecture and DVD 'Touchdown on Titan' will be our spectacular New Year Lecture which will be given by World Renowned Scientist and TV Star Dr. John Zarnecki. Dr. Zarnecki has worked on some of the most exciting space missions to date, including Cassini-Huygens, Beagle 2, Hubble and Giotto, and has appeared frequently on 'The Sky at Night' on BBC TV and is a professor at the Open University. He is currently team leader on ExoMars (ESA's first Mars rover mission) and is a researcher for an instrument on the Rosetta mission to Comet 46P/Wirtanen. Tickets are already disappearing fast for this exciting talk so avoid disappointment! BOOK NOW! Astronomy Ireland will also be recording this lecture on DVD for everyone in Ireland and this may be ordered online Here or by calling (01) 847 0777 3. Meteors from the Moon this Weekend This Saturday, 13 December 2008, the Moon will appear to spit out meteors! The biggest Full Moon of the year will be located in the constellation Gemini when the Geminid meteor shower (the best shower of the year) peaks this weekend, from Friday evening until Monday morning. This shower often produces brighter than usual meteors, commonly known as shooting stars, so even with the bright Moon you should still be able to spot some. The Geminid meteor shower is caused by dust particles that come off an asteroid-like object known as 3200 Phaethon as it passes through the Solar System. These particles then enter the Earth’s atmosphere and, as they heat up and burn, they appear as beautiful streaks of light. A useful way to observe them is to lie down in a deckchair or on a blanket on flat ground so you can easily see the sky, but remember to wrap up well. Astronomy Ireland is running a Nationwide Geminid Meteor Watch over the weekend, where we want you and everyone in Ireland to take part in real, scientific astronomy. All you have to do is count how many Geminids you see every 15 minutes and we will include your results in our report. Our Chairman David Moore was on Newstalk this morning discussing the wonderful display that will be on show over the weekend. Listen to the interview Here. To take part and contribute to astronomical research people should go to our website www.astronomy.ie. 4. Christmas Deals in Store for the Month of December Take advantage of our amazing deals in our Shop all this month! We are now open 7 days a week! . Members - Spend 300 euro in our Shop or Online and get 12 months membership free. Non Members - Spend 300 in our shop or Online and you will get a free year's membership to our society which includes a one year subscription to our magazine. For more information call our Office/Shop on (01) 847 0777 or order on our website at www.astronomy.ie/shop Merry Christmas! Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club AND Ireland's Only Astronomy Magazine www.astronomy.ie Call Our Telescope Shop Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat ( subscribe / unsubscribe here )

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[Astronomy Ireland] BBC Christmas Party, 11, 000th Member, Evening Classes, ISS + Moon, Venus Report
by AI Secretary 05 Dec '08

05 Dec '08

1. BBC Star for Christmas Lecture & Party The BBC's Dr. Lucie Green will be giving our 2008 Christmas Lecture on Monday December 8th in TCD, entitled 'Living in the Sun's Atmosphere'. It will be followed at 9:30pm by our annual Christmas Drinks Party in a nearby pub and is the perfect chance to chat with Lucie and other astronomy enthusiasts at the end of a very successful year for your society. Tickets are going fast for our annual Christmas Lecture so you need to book now! Dr. Lucie Green of the BBC TV show Stardate and Mullard Space Science Laboratory, U.K. will be giving our Christmas lecture on our tenacious relationship with the Sun and discussing how it affects our daily lives. Without the Sun we would be without the light, heat and energy that ensures the continued existence of all life on Earth Dr. Lucie Green will also be discussing how the Sun affects our daily lives and will examine the threats posed by coronal mass ejections and solar flares. A brilliant public speaker, Dr. Green will have a visual feast of images and movies to illustrate her talk. The lecture takes place in the Physics Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2, near the Westland Row or Lincoln Place entrances. To book tickets for this lecture click Here or call (01)847 0777. Astronomy Ireland will also be recording this lecture on DVD for those who cannot attend and this may be ordered online Here or by calling (01) 847 0777 2. 11,000th member! We are approaching a huge milestone in Astronomy Ireland, our 11,000th member just as 2009, the International Year of Astronomy begins, how fitting! This is a very important event for our society and is due to the continued support and dedication of you, our members. For this great occasion we will be offering a wonderful prize, so sign someone up for Christmas and not only will they get a Gift that keeps on giving all throughout the year, they have the chance to win a fantastic prize too! The continued growth of Astronomy Ireland means we can plan more events for you, our members, and ensure that the United Nations International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a huge success in Ireland. Already planned for the New Year are our Beginners Evening Classes throughout the country, our Venus Watches nationwide and our New Year lecture, "Touchdown on Titan", by Professor John Zarnecki, one of the world's most experienced space scientists, who has worked on Hubble, Giotto, Cassini Huygens, and Beagle 2 missions to name but a few. We will be keeping you updated with all the latest news and events and more information can be found out at our website www.astronomy.ie SUBSCRIBE A FRIEND NOW AND THEY COULD BE OUR PRIZE WINNER AND 11,000TH MEMBER - www.astronomy.ie/sub 3. Beginner's Astronomy Evening Classes 2009 It's nearly that time of year again and here at Astronomy Ireland we have the perfect Christmas Solutions for those budding amateur astronomers, our Beginner's Evening Classes! Our hugely successful Evening Classes are the perfect way to introduce your loved ones to the exciting world of astronomy. Our classes will be commencing in the New Year on January 28th nationwide. For your nearest venue go to our website at www.astronomy.ie/class These classes are a perfect gift for anyone who wants to learn about astronomy and your fee includes a one year subscription to our society and our magazine, Astronomy & Space. Book your Evening Classes now and your subscription can start immediately so you or your loved ones will have your first issue in time for Christmas! To book your Evening Class tickets now please go to our website Here or call our Office at (01) 847 0777. 4. ISS to Pass in Front of Moon The ISS is still blazing across Irish skies every night from now until December 10th so don't miss out on your opportunity to see it, you can even tell the kids it's Santa! It will also be passing in front of the Moon which will be a spectacular sight not to miss, so make sure you subscribe to our text service now to ensure you witness it! If you wish to avail of this service just text the word SPACE to 57003 or call 1550-111-442 after 12pm each day for that night's information. Calls cost 95c a minute and texts cost 1 euro per day. More info about our services can be found Here. 5. Venus Occultation Report On Monday December 1st, Ireland had the opportunity to witness a wondrous celestial event, the Moon occulting a blazing Venus in the early evening skies, with Jupiter shining above them - see our December magazine. The event sparked huge public and media interest and we were inundated with calls for information, comments and interviews! If you were one of the lucky ones to see this sight be thankful because another evening Venus occultation won't occur again until 2095! Log on to our website to see some of the pictures taken by amateur astronomers all around the country Here. Pictures and a full report will be in our magazine in the near future so secure your subscription now. If you saw or photographed it please email observe(a)astronomy.ie now. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club AND Ireland's Only Astronomy Magazine www.astronomy.ie Call Our Telescope Shop Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat ( subscribe / unsubscribe here )

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