August 2009 - astronomy@lists.redbrick.dcu.ie

[Astronomy Ireland] Special Shuttle Sighting, Galileo Anniversary, Education Programme, Mars near M35
by AI Secretary 28 Aug '09

28 Aug '09

Join Magazine Events DVDs Shop 'Planets Around Other Stars' 1. Shuttle Visible Over Ireland If you've been following www.nasa.gov/shuttle you'll know that the launch of the space shuttle Discovery has been delayed a third time this week. The launch is now scheduled for Saturday, August 29, at 4:59am Irish time. As with the launch of Endeavour on July 15, people in Ireland will be fortunate enough to see the shuttle and its huge external fuel tank flying over 18 minutes after launch (so that'll be 5:17am our time), a sight that was described by many as "the most spectacular sight they have ever seen". Not only that, but in the nights following the launch, there will be a "space chase" as the shuttle approaches the International Space Station (ISS), and for times to view this amazing sight, and more details, click HERE. Don't forget, If you see any of these extremely rare sights please email observe(a)astronomy.ie to be included in our magazine report. So, definitely set your alarm clock and outside and watch the show. 2. 400th Anniversary of Galileo's Telescope It is 400 years this week since Galileo unveiled to Venetian merchants his new creation - a telescope - the instrument that would ultimately bring him scientific immortality. The telescope - a timeless symbol of scientific discovery - has come alone in leaps and bounds over the last 400 years, however Galileo's telescope with just 8 times magnification is accredited with completely changing the Earth's view of the heavens. This monumental anniversary falls within the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) a year-long global celebration of astronomy, declared by the United Nations, which celebrates astronomy and its contributions to society and culture - something with arguably began when Galileo brought the heavens into focus for so many people 400 years ago. Don't forget we are celebrating IYA with a special offer www.astronomy.ie/offer 3. Education Programme Testimonials With schools reconvening both this week and next, Astronomy Ireland are now once again taking bookings for our Education Programme which has to date seen Kevin, our Education Officer, travel all around Ireland giving talks on astronomy to schools. The Programme has been very successful to date with an incredibly enthusiastic response from pupils, teachers and parents alike. But don't just take our word for it, to read what other teachers have to say about our Education Programme click HERE. For more information and booking details visit www.astronomy.ie/outreach or call Joseph on (01) 847 0777. 4. Mars Near Cluster This Weekend Mars can be seen with the naked eye as a fairly bright 'star' rising in the East from 1am this week. It is at its highest though just before dawn begins to break. Take a close up look in binoculars and you will see it is near the lovely open star cluster M35 in Gemini. If you have a suitable camera this would make a superb photograph. A close up star map showing Mars at 5am on each date is here. The field of view is 10 degrees wide, so it is similar to the view in many binoculars. Mars is closest to M35 on Saturday morning but the planet and cluster are in the same field of view for several days as you can see. If you get up to see the Shuttle, or ISS, be sure to check Mars out too, and watch out for Venus in morning skies also. Jupiter, of course, dominates evening skies. Lots more planet viewing details in our magazine - see special offer above. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop or Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat

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[Astronomy Ireland] Star-B-Q, Irish Independent, "Space Chase"
by AI Secretary 25 Aug '09

25 Aug '09

Join Magazine Events DVDs Shop 'Planets Around Other Stars' 1. Star-B-Q 2009 Astronomy Ireland's annual Star-B-Q went ahead as planned last Saturday, August 22 and the event was a huge success. Over 600 people turned up for the vast line-up of talks, performances and demonstrations we had planned, as well as the delicious professionally catered food and drinks. You can see a full report of Ireland's biggest annual astronomy festival, and pictures of the event on our website HERE. We would like to thank everyone who supported us at the event and we will be sending you a separate email in the coming days with special offers and details of the repeat telescope session. Star-B-Q 2010 takes place next year on September 4, and for all you early birds out there you can book now: BOOK STAR-B-Q 2010 2. Irish Independent - Heavenly Hobby Picks There is a full-page article in today's Irish Independent (page 47), August 25, which explains how in a recession people turn to their hobbies, especially astronomy. The article features Astronomy Ireland member, Gillian Deenihan, who gives her personal account of the hobby and her involvement with A.I. It also gives an outline of the work carried out by Astronomy Ireland. Make sure to pick up your copy this evening to read the full piece, and don't forget, the special offer referred to in the article is available at www.astronomy.ie/offer 3. Shuttle Launch Delayed - "Space Chase" The scheduled launch of the space shuttle Discovery, has been delayed due to bad weather. The launch is now set to take place at 6:10am (Irish time) on Wednesday, August 26. Mission STS-128 will deliver a collection of experiments to the International Space Station (ISS), as well as carrying a crew of seven astronauts, one of whom (Nicole Stott) will stay on board the ISS after the mission. Once launched, Ireland will be in a unique position to see a 'Space Chase' as Discovery approaches ISS and to see this spectacle click HERE for details and the times to watch. ISS will be visible again in evening skies from September 6 - 22. Lots of websites will give you times when it will pass over, but to get reminders just a couple of hours before it passes, text the word SPACE to 57003. Each text costs ?1 and proceeds help us to promote science and astronomy in Ireland Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie Call Our Telescope Shop Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat ( subscribe / unsubscribe here )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Clear Skies GUARANTEED For Star-B-Q
by AI Secretary 21 Aug '09

21 Aug '09

How we GUARANTEE you a clear sky! Astronomy Ireland's Star-B-Q taking place tomorrow, August 22, is an all-weather event with hours of fun-filled activities for guests to enjoy, both indoors as well as outdoors. We guarantee clear skies. How do we do this? It's simple, if the sky is overcast on the night, we will get the powerful telescopes out once again, on the next clear Friday or Saturday night, letting you know in advance. This way you get the full festival of talks, demos, food, music, fire jugglers, and craic on the night and a free pass to the telescopes on the next clear night! Although, we are hoping for good clear spells tomorrow night. So, would you like to come to our barbecue under the stars this weekend? We have a great line-up of events for Ireland's biggest annual astronomy festival, click to see our event programme. As the pinnacle of our event, we will set up the most powerful telescopes in the country to show the general public the wonders of the universe. "This is a unique event anywhere in the world" said David Moore, Ireland's best known astronomer, who will give a talk entitled "The Universe" at the event. "Everyone is welcome to see what few people on the planet have ever seen, the universe, live, in a powerful telescope from a pitch black sky", he said. Star-B-Q is a barbecue under the stars bursting with entertainment. Powerful telescopes, dark skies, talks, entertainment and food will feature at the event as well as live music, fire jugglers and even a 3D tour of the Galaxy. It is aimed at the general public with proceeds from ticket sales helping to fund Astronomy Ireland which is a non-profit body. Please bring all your friends and family for a great night out. BOOK Star-B-Q HERE or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Biggest Annual Astronomy Festival for IYA
by AI Secretary 20 Aug '09

20 Aug '09

There are only 2 days to go to Ireland's Biggest Annual Astronomy Festival - Star-B-Q The United Nations has declared 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Galileo turning the first telescope on the night sky. What better way to celebrate than coming and seeing how far telescope technology has come in 400 years? The travelling IYA poster display "From Earth to the Universe" will be at Star-B-Q and features some of the most stunning images from around the universe! The views are amazing, and of course there is the barbecue and the full festival programme also, so bring all your family and friends for a great night out to support your national astronomy organisation. Star-B-Q is the biggest event in Ireland's astronomy calendar and there has been a flurry of media interest with coverage in The Irish Times, Metro, 98FM, Live Drive (DCFM), and more. For example: Listen to David Moore on radio on August 19 talking about the fantastic line-up of speakers, performances, and some of Ireland's most powerful telescopes at www.astronomy.ie/audio and click to watch Star-B-Q - THE MOVIE! on our YouTube channel. Record numbers have booked for Star-B-Q in this International Year of Astronomy, so it is sure to be the most memorable ever and one not to be missed. So, for a different night out, why not bring all your friends and family and celebrate the International Year of Astronomy with Astronomy Ireland this Saturday. BOOK Star-B-Q HERE or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Star-B-Q - THE MOVIE !
by AI Secretary 18 Aug '09

18 Aug '09

Ireland's biggest annual telescope party - Star-B-Q - takes place this Saturday, August 22 in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow. Now, you can watch Star-B-Q: THE MOVIE on Astronomy Ireland's YouTube Channel, thanks to Astronomy Ireland member John Cleere. For an exciting preview of what to expect this weekend click the link below: Watch STAR-B-Q - THE MOVIE ! or visit www.youtube.com/astronomyireland Please forward this email to everyone you know and let's make Star-B-Q 2009 the biggest and best ever! Star-B-Q 2009 features the following star attractions: Talks a.. The 3rd Earl of Rosse (who died in 1867!) builder of the Leviathan telescope at Birr Castle b.. 3-D Tour of the Galaxy by Robert Hill of the Armagh Planetarium c.. The Universe by Astronomy Ireland Chairman, David Moore. d.. Things you should know about Astronomy and stretching your mind by Emlyn Jones e.. Junior talk for budding astronomers by Education Officer, Kevin Sweeney. Targets There will be unlimited viewing through some of Ireland's most powerful telescopes, where you will be able to see: a.. Jupiter b.. Neptune c.. Galaxies e.g. Whirlpool and Andromeda galaxies d.. Star Clusters e.g. Wild Duck and Great Hercules globular clusters e.. Gas Clouds e.g. Ring nebula and Dumbbell nebula Treats a.. Live link-up with Australian observatory b.. Fire Dancers and Live Music c.. Laser tour of the night sky with Ireland's most powerful handheld laser d.. Professionally catered food and beverages BOOK STAR-B-Q HERE or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] STAR-B-Q - The Biggest Ever! - Please Bring Everyone You Know
by AI Secretary 15 Aug '09

15 Aug '09

STAR-B-Q 2009 Dear Friends of Astronomy Ireland, Ireland's biggest annual Star Party is being held in the highest village in Ireland soon and offers members of the public unparalleled views of the night sky, that most people in the world will never see, and lots more besides. We want you to get all your family and friends to come along so we can give them an amazing evening. This is Ireland's biggest annual astronomy event so don't miss it or you'll have to until next year! Here's some details to whet your appetite. Astronomy Ireland's huge annual fundraiser - Star-B-Q - takes place next Saturday, August 22 in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow with a stunning line up of events and telescopes. Already, record numbers of people have booked, from all around Ireland so this year our flagship event is set to be the biggest telescope party Ireland has ever seen so we want you and all your friends and family to join us for a sensational party under the stars. Some of the highlights of the event include the following: 3-D TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE THIRD EARL OF ROSSE LIVE LINK UP WITH AUSTRALIA FIRE DANCERS LIVE MUSIC DELICIOUS FOOD LASER TOUR OF THE NIGHT SKY POWERFUL TELESCOPES MICROSOFT WORLD WIDE TELESCOPE KIDS' TALKS 'FROM EARTH TO THE UNIVERSE' POSTER EXHIBITION ...AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED Talks: - 3rd Earl of Rosse (who died in 1867! ) builder of what was once the World's largest telescope, at Birr, Co. Offaly. - "The Universe" talk by David Moore, Ireland's best known astronomer. - "Things You Should Know About Astronomy And Stretching Your Mind" by Emlyn Jones from our magazine. - Kevin Sweeney (A.I. Education Officer) gives a kids talk for budding astronomers. - And more to be announced There will be unlimited viewing all evening through Ireland's largest and most powerful telescopes where guests will be able to see: - Jupiter with its cloud belts, moons, and its Great Red Spot and possibly its recent impact scar (both will be on the side facing us that night!) - Neptune, the blue planet, invisible to the naked eye so be amongst the few in the world that have ever seen it! - The Wonders of the Universe, Andromeda and Whirlpool Galaxies(and more), Open & Globular Star Clusters, gas clouds and lots more We'll have Ireland's newest and most powerful hand held laser (a whopping 500mW) shooting a 100km beam all the way to the edge of space to point out the stars and constellations to newcomers. And lots more besides, see the list above and the webpage below. THERE ARE JUST 7 DAYS TO GO AIMED AT THE GENERAL PUBLIC - IS THAT YOU? HAVE YOU BOOKED YOUR TICKET YET? The event, bursting with entertainment, will be fun-filled, exciting and captivating. Note: Star-B-Q is aimed at members of the general public from all over Ireland (and abroad!). We provide everything, telescopes, food, soft drinks, just bring all your friends and family for an incredible night out under the stars! Please forward this email to everyone you know and let's make Star-B-Q 2009 the biggest and best ever! Thank you! For more information and tickets visit www.astronomy.ie/sbq or call (01) 847 0777

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[Astronomy Ireland] Perseids Tonight, 3-D at Star-B-Q, Mars Meteorite on TV
by AI Secretary 11 Aug '09

11 Aug '09

Join Magazine Events DVDs Shop Star-B-Q 1. Spectacular Meteor Shower Tonight The maximum of the Perseids meteor shower occurs on August 11 and 12 (Tuesday night/Wednesday morning) and we urge all of you to go outside and count the meteors that you see. This will be the prime time for observing this phenomenon and your count will contribute to scientific data for those who study meteor showers. The Perseids, which are tiny fragments of the comet Swift-Tuttle, are visible each year at this time as Earth passes through the stream of debris, and research shows that the hourly appears to be increasing each year. They are visible to the observer as meteors or 'shooting stars' in the night sky, as the tiny pieces of debris hit our atmosphere at high speed, instantly vaporising. For more information about the Perseids see Sky Diary of our magazine. To read about the Perseids and how to make your own meteor count, which we will do our best to publish in our magazine click HERE. 2. 3-D Tour of the Galaxy for Star-B-Q! Astronomy Ireland are pleased to confirm that Robert Hill of the Armagh Planetarium will appear as a guest speaker at Ireland's biggest telescope party, the annual Star-B-Q, on August 22. Robert will be hosting a phenomenal 3-D show, featuring a tour of the Galaxy where guests will virtually travel around our Solar System, Planets, the Moon and beyond. Robert gave a similar screening of the amazing Space show at our National Meeting in April and received rave reviews from a captivated audience. As an extra special feature for the Star-B-Q there will also be a 3-D presentation given by Robert from the European Space Agency (ESA) about Europe's space endeavours. Stereoscopic glasses will be provided for everyone! If you haven't booked your ticket yet to Ireland's biggest annual Star Party, make sure you do so soon to avoid disappointment! The Star-B-Q is for the general public: we supply the telescopes, all you have to do is look through them! Book Star-B-Q tickets at: www.astronomy.ie/sbq (only 11 days left!) 3. Mars Meteorite on RTE News Astronomy Ireland Chairman, David Moore, and Dr. Matthew Parkes of the National Museum of Ireland featured on RTE One TV's Nine O' Clock news last night, August 10, after an RTE news crew filmed and interviewed them both at our special public lecture 'Mad about Meteorites' in Trinity College. Over 150 people attended the lecture where Dr. Parkes wowed the crowd with various meteorite fragments from around the world, including the famous Mars meteorite. Dr. Parkes spoke about the meteorites finds in Ireland, including that which fell in Carlow in 1999, discovered with the help of Astronomy Ireland. A detailed report and pictures of the event are on our website HERE. Dr. Matthew Parkes spoke on RTE's The Mooney Show and Today FM's The Last Word with Matt Cooper. Everyone at the lecture got to hold a piece of Mars and the Moon in their hands, but you can still own a copy of the talk on DVD which features the story of all the Irish Meteorites ever found. ORDER DVD HERE WATCH RTE NEWS REPORT LISTEN TO RADIO INTERVIEWS Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie Call Our Telescope Shop Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat ( subscribe / unsubscribe here )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Mars Rock in Dublin, Star-B-Q Offer, Competition, Lunar Eclipse, What to See, Events
by AI Secretary 07 Aug '09

07 Aug '09

Join Magazine Events DVDs Shop Star-B-Q "Mad About Meteorites" 1. MARS Rock in Dublin! Only 34 Mars meteorites are known on Earth and one of them will be the star attraction at our August Public Lecture this Monday August 10. Not only that, but Moon rock brought back to Earth by Apollo astronauts and presented to Ireland will be at the event for guests to see and feel. Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore played a visit to the Mars Meteorite and Moon rock, and his picture, featured in Friday's Edition of the Dublin City newspaper The Metro, can he seen HERE. Dr. Matthew Parkes, of the National Museum of Ireland, will give a special public lecture about meteorites, explaining how these space rocks give us the opportunity to investigate the origins of the Solar System, as well as the consequences to Earth should a very large object strike our home planet. The lecture will take place in Trinity College Dublin (Fitzgerald Building) and is available on DVD for everyone in Ireland. Book seats HERE. Order DVD HERE. 2. Last Chance for Star-B-Q Offer Remember, our Star-B-Q offer (10euro discount on all adult tickets booked) ends at midnight tonight, Friday, August 7. If you haven't booked your ticket yet to the country's biggest and best telescope night, make sure you do so before midnight! The Star-B-Q is for the general public: we supply the telescopes, all you have to do is look through them! So please tell all your friends as this is our biggest annual fundraiser. You can book tickets online at www.astronomy.ie/sbq. 3. Full Spectrum Competition The University of Ulster along with the Armagh Planetarium are running a competition to celebrate the achievements of Jocelyn Bell Burnell, one of the most distinguished female scientists of our time. The competition is open to all people aged 14 - 10 in the island of Ireland, and encourages entrants to design a mural that celebrates the contribution that Jocelyn Bell Burnell has made to astronomy. The winning entry will be reproduced and permanently displayed at the Armagh Planetarium. For more details on this competition click HERE. 4. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse The penumbral lunar eclipse predicted for the early hours of last Thursday morning, August 6, was difficult to detect with the naked eye, however Tony McDermott from Kildare successfully photographed the eclipse, and you can see his image HERE. 5. What to See With darker and longer nights coming in it's possible to see lots more in the sky. a.. The Moon was recently eclipsed and is a spectacular sight in the sky. Binoculars will show great detail of craters and valleys on its surface. b.. Nearby, the planet Jupiter blazes brightly, and binoculars or a small telescope will show its larger moons. Observe Jupiter over a number of hours and notice how the positions of the moons change. c.. The constellation Lyra is high up in the sky all night, and contains the famous Ring Nebula. This can be spotted using a medium-sized telescope. d.. The Perseid meteor shower will start over the weekend and pick up til it reaches its peak on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. For diagrams and lots more details all month long, see Sky Diary pages of our magazine (only 5euro inc. p&p). IMPORTANT: Email what you see to observe(a)astronomy.ie for our monthly magazine report. 6. Events August 7 - 7:00pm - Cosmos vs Canvas: Tensions Between Art and Science in Astronomy Images - by Jayanne English. Taking place in the Science Gallery. August 10 - Mad about Meteorites - Trinity College Dublin August 22 - Star-B-Q - Roundwood, Co. Wicklow August 1-30 - Galactic Treasures - Star Wars exhibition in Armagh Planetarium September 16 - What Is Light? - by Leo Enright. Taking place in the Royal Irish Academy Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie Call Our Telescope Shop Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat ( subscribe / unsubscribe here )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Eclipse Tonight, Mars in Dublin, Star-B-Q, Upcoming Events
by AI Secretary 05 Aug '09

05 Aug '09

Join Magazine Events DVDs Shop Star-B-Q "Mad About Meteorites" 1. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Tonight! In the early hours of Thursday morning, part of the Moon will pass through Earth's penumbra (the outer region of Earth's shadow). People on Earth will be able to see it as a slight darkening of the lower half of the Moon. This eclipse will be best observed between 1am and 2am, with the deepest part of the eclipse at 1:39am. If you get to see the penumbral eclipse, please email your observations to observe(a)astronomy.ie. Our Chairman, David Moore, has been doing lots of interviews on radio nationally and locally. Listen to them on www.astronomy.ie/audio 2. August Public Lecture "Mad About Meteorites" A Mars rock, the rarest type of rock in the world, will make a star appearance at our August Public Lecture, as will a piece of the Moon brought back by the Apollo astronauts. Both objects will be under tight security as they are extremely valuable. The Mars meteorite alone is estimated to be worth over ?25,000 - that's MORE than its weight in gold! Dr Matthew Parkes will talk about how meteorites can give us the opportunity to investigate the origins of the Solar System and how it was formed. He will explain how particularly unusual meteorites arrive on Earth, and will show guests one such meteorite - a Mars meteorite! Finally, Dr Parkes will describe the consequences to Earth and humanity should a very large object strike our home planet. The lecture will take place in Trinity College Dublin (Fitzgerald Building) on August 10th at 8pm and will be available on DVD for everyone in Ireland. Book seats here. Order DVD here. 3. Star-B-Q 2009 - Only 17 Days To Go! Remember, we have extended our Star-B-Q offer to Friday, August 7th, where you can get ?10 off all adult tickets. So if you haven't booked your ticket to the country's biggest and best telescope night, make sure you do so soon! The Star-B-Q is for the general public: we supply the telescopes, all you have to do is look through them! So please tell all your friends as this is our biggest annual fundraiser. You can book tickets online at www.astronomy.ie/sbq or by calling us on (01) 847 0777. 4. Upcoming Astronomy Events Around the Country a.. September 16 - What Is Light? - by Leo Enright. Taking place in the Royal Irish Academy b.. August 7 - Cosmos vs Canvas: Tensions Between Art and Science in Astronomy Images - by Jayanne English. Taking place in the Science Gallery c.. August 1-30 - Galactic Treasures - Star Wars exhibition in Armagh Planetarium Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie Call Our Telescope Shop Tel (01) 847 0777 Mon-Sat ( subscribe / unsubscribe here )

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