May 2010 - astronomy@lists.redbrick.dcu.ie

[Astronomy Ireland] Evening Classes, Sun Watch, Astronomy Tips, Events
by AI Secretary 27 May '10

27 May '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. 'Astronomy For Beginners' Evening Classes October 2010 Our 'Astronomy For Beginners' classes will commence again at locations nationwide this October. The course, professionally developed by the Astronomy Ireland team, is aimed towards the general public. With a style that is informal and questions encouraged, this course is suitable for anyone with an interest in astronomy that wants a good grounding in this fantastic hobby without any complicated mathematical content or complex data. The course is given over a period of 8 weeks and covers topics such as: Introduction to the night sky, The Sun and the Moon, The Planets and Stars, The History of Astronomy, Telescopes, Deep Sky Objects and The Big Bang Classes take place each week from 7:30 - 9:30pm (including a 15 minute break) with the first class and registration taking place on Thursday, October 7th. This year, we will have classes running in the following ten locations: Athlone, Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo, Tralee and Waterford. Classes cost 180euro (members rate 130euro) and include membership to Astronomy Ireland and a subscription to our magazine, 'Astronomy & Space'. As 2010 marks our 20th anniversary when you sign up for evening classes this year you will get 20 months membership instead of 12 - that's 8 free magazines! Places must be booked in advance to don't delay - book your spot today! To enrol for the classes you can call us on (01) 847 0777, alternatively click the link below to enrol online. For more information visit www.astronomy.ie/class. CLICK HERE TO ENROL 2. Daytime Sun Watch This Saturday The Astronomy Ireland Shop will host a very special Sun Watch on Saturday, between 3pm and 4:30pm, at the Astronomy Ireland headquarters in Artane, Dublin 5 (click HERE for a map). Using very powerful telescopes and special solar filters, you will be able to see lots of details on the surface of our parent star, the Sun, including huge sunspots that are bigger than the planet Earth! Our specially-trained staff will be able to answer your questions about the Sun and astronomy, and will also be able to give you tips and advice on astronomical equipment. 3. Astronomy Tips This Week a.. Tonight is a Full Moon, and binoculars will reveal the vast maria that were once believed to have been oceans. b.. Venus blazes in the evening skies after sunset, and Mars and Saturn hold pride of place in the Southern skies. c.. For more information on what to see in the night sky this week check out the Sky Diary section in the May issue of 'Astronomy & Space' magazine. Don't forget to email what you see to observe(a)astronomy.ie and we will try to publish your pictures and observations in forthcoming issues of the magazine. 4. Events May 29th - Sun Watch, Astronomy Ireland Headquarters, Dublin June 14th - Black Holes, the LHC and the God Particle Public Lecture (Dublin) October 10th - 'Astronomy For Beginners' Evening Classes (Nationwide) Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] Education Progamme, Summer Lecture, Phoenix Lander, Events
by AI Secretary 25 May '10

25 May '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Astronomy Ireland School Visits We are currently in the 2nd year of our very successful School Education Programme and we now have a team of Education Officers in place who travel around the country to schools (primary and secondary) giving fascinating talks on astronomy. The talks are comprised of a highly visual PowerPoint presentation lasting approximately 40 minutes, which is both fun and of course educational, with time for a Q&A session at the end. Talks can be tailored to suit each groups needs (age, knowledge level, particular interests, etc.) and talks for junior groups can be tailored to be more visually appealing with less detailed content, and more time for questions. Our aim is to 'Build a Science Culture for Ireland' and with your help we can get astronomy established as a more widely-studied subject in the Irish curriculum, getting more and more young people learning about and enjoying this fantastic subject as a result. If you know somebody who might be interested in a school visit, have children yourself, are a teacher or would be willing to drop some information into your local school please email edu(a)astronomy.ie or call our Education Officer on (01) 847 0777 for a full information pack about the programme. Alternatively, log on to www.astronomy.ie/outreach for more information or click the link below to book a visit. BOOK A TALK 2. Summer Public Lecture 'Black Holes, The Large Hadron Collider and The God Particle' is the title of our June Public Lecture which takes place on Monday, June 14th, at 8pm. Trinity College will be a cosmological hotspot on this night when Dr. Cormac O' Raifeartaigh of Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) delivers this fascinating talk discussing black holes, future experiments at the controversial Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN and the elusive God Particle. This is promising to be one of our biggest talks to date this year and pre-booking is advisable to avoid disappointment. For more information about this fascinating lecture click HERE. To book tickets simply click the link below or call us on (01) 847 0777. A DVD is available to order online and you can pre-order today. BOOK TICKETS ORDER DVD 3. Phoenix Mars Lander Officially Dead NASA has confirmed that its Phoenix Mars Lander has not survived the Martian Winter and is now officially 'dead' having suffered serious ice damage to its solar panels. Attempts to contact the lander via the Odyssey orbiter which "flew over the Phoenix landing site 61 times" last week have proved unsuccessful. Phoenix touched down on Martian soil in May 2008 and since then has had a string of mission successes including the confirmation and analysis of underground deposits of water ice, and the discovery of soil chemistry with significant implications for life; Phoenix even observed falling snow on the Red Planet. Fuk Li, manager of the Mars Exploration Progam at NASA said of the fallen lander "The Phoenix spacecraft succeeded in its investigations and exceeded its planned lifetime. Although its work is finished, analysis of information from Phoenix's science activities will continue for some time to come". To read more on this story click HERE. 4. Events June 14th - Black Holes, the LHC and the God Particle Public Lecture (Dublin) October 10th - 'Astronomy For Beginners' Evening Classes (Nationwide) Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] June Lecture, Physics World, Astronomy Tips
by AI Secretary 20 May '10

20 May '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. June Public Lecture 'Black Holes, The Large Hadron Collider and The God Particle' is the title of our June Public Lecture which takes place on Monday, June 14th, at 8pm. Trinity College will be a cosmological hotspot on this night when Dr. Cormac O' Raifeartaigh of Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) delivers this fascinating talk discussing black holes, future experiments at the controversial Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN and the elusive God Particle. This is promising to be one of our biggest talks to date this year and pre-booking is advisable to avoid disappointment. For more information about this fascinating lecture click HERE. To book tickets simply click the link below or call us on (01) 847 0777. A DVD is available to order online and you can pre-order today. BOOK TICKETS ORDER DVD 2. Free Issue Of 'Physics World' To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the invention of the laser, 'Physics World' are offering a free downloadable copy of the May issue of the magazine. This issue celebrates what has been one of the outstanding success stories in physics, taking a look at the laser's huge impact on popular culture (think Goldfinger and laser-art shows), everyday life (DVDs, laser pointers, bar-code scanners) and the technological impact of lasers in fibre optics, among other interesting articles. Click HERE to download your copy. 3. Astronomy Tips This Week a.. Venus, Mars, and Saturn are well placed for viewing at the moment (see Sky Diary for more details) a.. This Saturday (May 22) the Moon will be placed very close to Saturn. a.. The Moon is a wonderful sight through binoculars or a telescope, revealing valleys, craters, and mountains along the terminator. For more information on what to see in the night sky this week check out the Sky Diary section in the May issue of 'Astronomy & Space' magazine. Don't forget to email what you see to observe(a)astronomy.ie and we will try to publish your pictures and observations in forthcoming issues of the magazine. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] A.I. on TV3, STS-132, Armagh Heritage Day, Events
by AI Secretary 18 May '10

18 May '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Astronomy Ireland on TV3 Astronomy Ireland Chairman, David Moore, made an appearance on TV3's Morning Show yesterday morning, Monday, May 17. On the show, David and the two presenters, Martin and Sybil, discussed a potential UFO sighting in Galway, interacting by telephone with Galweigan Dannie Cunnane, the man who claims to have photographed this UFO. Also on the show, David discussed the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis which is on its final mission (more information on this to follow!), and the Moon-Venus conjunction in Irish skies on Monday night. If you missed this feature on Monday morning don't worry, it is available to view on our website at www.astronomy.ie/tv. 2. STS-132 The Space Shuttle Atlantis launched successfully last Friday, May 14, on it's final mission (STS-132) to the ISS. The main objective of this mission is to install the Russian Rassvet Mini-Research Module. With a veteran crew of 6 astronauts, three space walks are planned for this mission, one of which has already taken place. For more information about this mission and to check the live progress of the mission on high resolution NASA TV (a little known link!) visit our specially created STS-132 webpage HERE. 3. Armagh Heritage Day 2010 "From Earth to Sky: Reflecting on Armagh's Heritage Through Time" is the official title of the 2010 Armagh Heritage Day taking place at the Navan Centre, Killylea Road, Armagh on Wednesday, May 19. The Armagh Visitor Education Committee (AVEC) will hold the fifth heritage day to promote the wealth of Armagh City and District's cultural heritage. This year the event, which will be opened by Councillor Thomas O'Hanlon, Mayor of Armagh City and District, will trace the historical development of Armagh from pre-Christian times right up to the present day. This event is free of charge but admission is by ticket only which can be obtained from Aileen McKee, Armagh Observatory. Email ambn(a)arm.ac.uk or call (028) 37522928. For more information click HERE. 4. Upcoming Events May 17th - Astronomy Ireland On National Television (Nationwide) May 19th - Armagh Heritage Day (Armagh) June 14th - Black Holes, the LHC and the God Particle Public Lecture (Dublin) Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] Hubble Space Telescope & Red Giant Stars - Order Your Lecture DVD Today!
by AI Secretary 14 May '10

14 May '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop "Giant Stars and the Hubble Space Telescope" Getting to use the most expensive telescope ever built is a rare privilege that Irishman Dr. Brian Espey paid tribute to at our May Public Lecture on Monday, May 10th. In this entertaining and fascinating lecture, Dr Brian Espey introduced the audience to the Monck Observatory, his research team, and the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched 20 years ago this year. Dr. Brian Espey gave a fascinating talk about how winds from stars affect the universe and us here on Earth. Using an excellent sense of humour and balloons, he easily explained to a captivated lecture room where red giants come from (stars originally like our Sun which have reached old age and swelled to massive proportions) and how they evolve. Dr. Espey also presented results of his own research, including incredible images from the Hubble Space Telescope, and before finishing up and going to the Lombard for a social reception, gave us a summary of his work on light pollution and how people around the country can help with getting involved in light pollution studies. Dr Espey is a physics and astrophysics lecturer in Trinity College Dublin (TCD), as well as a research associate with the School of Cosmic Physics, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS). He has given lectures for Astronomy Ireland in the past which have proved to be a great success and his latest talk on Monday was no exception. To read a full report of the evening click HERE. If you missed this talk a DVD is available to order either online or by calling us on (01) 847 0777. ORDER DVD HERE Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] ISS - Last Two Passes, Astronomy Tips, Armagh Observatory Public Lecture
by AI Secretary 12 May '10

12 May '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Last Chance To See ISS There are only two visible passes remaining in this round of International Space Station (ISS) appearances in Irish skies. The ISS will be visible tonight and tomorrow night, May 12th and 13th, respectively and will appear as an extremely bright star-like object in evening skies - the brightest object in the sky apart from the Moon. This man-made object is a spectacular sight and we urge all of you to go outside and watch as it passes over. Tonight, the Space Station will be a mere 1067km away from Ireland as it passes over! For more information about the Space Station click HERE. To receive daily text predictions to your mobile of the times ISS will pass over, text SPACE to 57003 (reply STOP to unsubscribe). Each text costs 1euro, and only one message will be sent per day. Proceeds help to promote interest in astronomy across Ireland. Remember each time you see this exciting space event email your report to observe(a)astronomy.ie, we will do our best to include it in a forthcoming issue of 'Astronomy & Space' magazine. 2. Astronomy Tips This Week a.. The constellation Lyra is rising in the east, and can be spotted by the bright star Vega. b.. Observers will see a diamond-shaped quartet of stars next to it, and in between the two stars furthest from Vega is the famous Ring Nebula. A telescope will reveal this and its dark central 'hole', in which a hot white dwarf resides. c.. This Sunday night, May 16, the Moon and Venus will be located next to each other in the western sky just after sunset. This is going to look amazing to the naked eye, and through a telescope or binoculars. d.. For more information on what to see in the night sky this week check out the Sky Diary section in the May issue of 'Astronomy & Space' magazine. Don't forget to email what you see to observe(a)astronomy.ie and we will try to publish your pictures and observations in forthcoming issues of the magazine. 3. Armagh Observatory - Public Lecture There will be a public lecture tomorrow evening (May 13th) hosted by the Armagh Observatory entitled "Did We Really Land on the Moon?". The event takes place at 8pm in the Rotunda Lecture Theatre, St. Patrick's Trian, Armagh. There is no charge for the event and it is open to all members of the public, however numbers may be limited. To obtain tickets please contact Mrs Aileen McKee (Armagh Observatory) on 028-3752-2928 or email ambn(a)arm.ac.uk. For more information click HERE. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] Hubble Space Telescope's Irish Operator Speaking In Dublin
by AI Secretary 07 May '10

07 May '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop "Giant Stars" Hubble Space Telescope's Irish Operator in Dublin Getting to use the most expensive telescope ever built is a rare privilege that Irishman Dr. Brian Espey was fortunate to experience. We are also fortunate enough to have Dr Espey present us with his fascinating lecture this Monday night (May 10th) for Astronomy Ireland's Summer Lecture. In his lecture Dr. Espey will teach us about the effects that the strong winds from huge stars within our Universe have on our planets. Stars with masses similar to our own Sun pass through an evolutionary Red Giant stage towards the end of their lives releasing a huge amount of gas in the form of a stellar wind. A Red Giant is a huge star hundreds of times the size of the Sun. Click HERE for an impressive visual aid which compares the size of our own star, the Sun, to Red Giants, Betelgeuse and Antares. Despite the importance of this process in the evolution of stars, and the next generations of stars, planets, and life, very little is known of the details of Red Giants and this cosmic wind. For example, did you know that; a.. A Red Giant is a star which is close to the end of its life. b.. When a star becomes a Red Giant it can expand to over 200 times it's previous size. c.. In about five billion years our Sun will become a Red Giant. d.. When this happens it will expand out to Earth's orbit, engulfing our planet. e.. The Sun will be 10 billion years old before it becomes a Red Giant, yet it will only spend a few million years in this stage. f.. Almost all of the elements in the Universe heavier than helium were made in Red Giant stars, including the oxygen we breath and the carbon we are made of. g.. At the end of its life a Red Giant will shed most of its outer atmosphere, creating a spectacular Planetary Nebula. Within the talk Dr. Espey will present results of his research detailing the process he uses - data from telescopes on Earth as well as data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Dr Espey is a physics and astrophysics lecturer in Trinity College Dublin (TCD), as well as a research associate with the School of Cosmic Physics, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS). He has given lectures for Astronomy Ireland in the past which have proved to be a great success and extremely interesting, so don't miss this event! The lecture takes place at 8pm in the SNIAM Building, Trinity College Dublin (MAP HERE), on Monday, May 10. All are welcome to attend. For anyone who can't make it on the night, a DVD of the talk is available to order online. For more information about this public event click HERE. BOOK TICKETS ORDER DVD Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] Summer Lecture This Monday, Astronomy Tips This Week, BBC's Sky At Night Programme
by AI Secretary 06 May '10

06 May '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Summer Public Lecture & DVD: Hubble Space Telescope Operator Speaking in Dublin This Monday Getting time on the most expensive telescope ever built is a rare privilege that Irishman Dr. Brian Espey has managed to achieve and at our Summer Public Lecture this Monday, May 10th, he will tell you how he used the 5 billion euro telescope to probe Red Giant stars. Stars with masses similar to our own Sun pass through an evolutionary Red Giant stage towards the end of their lives, producing significant quantities processed gas in the form of a stellar wind. In his lecture, Dr. Espey will describe the Red Giant stage in the evolution of a star, and the effects that these strong cosmic winds within our Universe have on the planets of our solar system. Click HERE for an impressive visual aid which compares the size of our own star, the Sun, to Red Giants, Betelgeuse and Antares. For more information about this public event click HERE. The lecture takes place at 8pm in the SNIAM Building, Trinity College Dublin (MAP HERE), on Monday, May 10. All are welcome to attend. For anyone who can't make it on the night, a DVD of the talk is available to order online. BOOK TICKETS ORDER DVD 2. Astronomy Tips This Week a.. The International Space Station (ISS), visible in Irish skies until May 14, will be seen to pass on front of Mars from different parts of the country tonight. To receive a message to your mobile with further details, including the time to see ISS, simply text SPACE to 57003 (reply STOP to unsubscribe). Each text costs 1euro, and only one message will be sent per day. Proceeds help to promote interest in astronomy across Ireland. b.. Mars is located high in the south-west this week. c.. Venus is in the west, glowing brilliantly, and a telescope will show it to be in a gibbous phase. d.. Saturn is the south and well placed for viewing. For more information on what to see in the night sky this week check out the Sky Diary section in the March issue of 'Astronomy & Space' magazine. Don't forget to email what you see to observe(a)astronomy.ie and we will try to publish your pictures and observations in forthcoming issues of the magazine. 3. BBC's The Sky At Night This month's instalment of the BBC's The Sky At Night programme will be repeated this Saturday, May 8, at 2:45pm (England, Scotland & Wales) and 6:10pm (Northern Ireland). Saturn is one of the largest planets and the beautiful system of rings surrounding it makes it the most distinctive in the solar system. But how were the rings formed and what effect do Saturn's many moons have upon them? Sir Patrick Moore is joined by Professor Michele Dougherty and Professor Carl Murray to discuss this, while Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel demonstrate the best way to observe Saturn during the month of May. For more information click HERE. Many of you will remember our fascinating public lecture last October by Professor Carl Murray who gave a marvellous insight into the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn, and provided us with breathtaking pictures of the ringed planet, sent back to earth by the probe. To order a DVD of this talk click HERE. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] Gerry Ryan, ISS Tonight, Summer Public Lecture
by AI Secretary 04 May '10

04 May '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Gerry Ryan 1956 - 2010 It was with great shock that we heard the news of Gerry Ryan's untimely passing last Friday, April 30th. Gerry Ryan and all his team at the Gerry Ryan Show have been a great friend to Astronomy Ireland over the past two decades, helping us to get our message out to huge audiences. Our deepest sympathies go to his family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time. Our last contact with Gerry was on April 1st when we played an April Fools Day joke on the nation. Over the years our Chairman, David Moore, has been interviewed on the GRS many times, David even did his first (and only!) screen kiss on one of Gerry's early TV shows, don't ask! As well as this, a whole string of our Public Lecturers from home and abroad have been interviewed by Gerry who had a great personal interest in space science. When asked what three people he would most like to have interviewed he included Neil Armstrong in his list. The response we had from interviews on the Gerry Ryan Show was always phenomenal. There are lots of Gerry's interviews on our website in the media archive. They are all MP3s so you can easily download them and play them at your leisure, something we recommend you do. Visit www.astronomy.ie/audio and search for "Gerry Ryan". We will remember Gerry Ryan fondly. We have lost a great broadcaster, but his memory will live on. 2. ISS Exceptionally Bright - 10:13pm Tonight The International Space Station (ISS) is visible in Irish skies until May 14. The ISS appears as an extremely bright star-like object in evening skies and is the brightest object in the sky apart from the Moon. This man-made object is a spectacular sight and we urge all of you to go outside and watch as it passes over. Tonight, the International Space Station will be visible at 10:13pm and will be seen to pass on front of Saturn and Mars from different parts of Ireland - a remarkable sight to behold! These locations will be issued on our text service this evening and will read something similar to the text message sent on May 1st which read "See ISS high in South at 10:33pm, passing in front of Saturn for those along a line from Ennis to Dublin Airport!!!". To receive a message to your mobile with these ISS details simply text SPACE to 57003 (reply STOP to unsubscribe). Each text costs 1euro, and only one message will be sent per day. Proceeds help to promote interest in astronomy across Ireland. Remember to email your observations of the ISS to iss(a)astronomy.ie and we will do our best to include your report in a forthcoming issue of 'Astronomy & Space' magazine. For more information about the Space Station click HERE. 3. Hubble Space Telescope Operator Speaking in Dublin (DVD Available Also) Getting time on the most expensive telescope ever built is a rare privilege that Irishman Dr. Brian Espey has managed to achieve. Come along to our Summer Public Lecture next Monday, May 10th, where he will tell you how he used the 5 billion euro telescope to probe Red Giant stars. The lecture begins at 8pm sharp on Monday, May 10th, in Trinity College Dublin. All are welcome to attend. For anyone who can't make it on the night, a DVD of the talk is available to order online. For more information, to purchase your tickets or order a copy of the DVD, click HERE. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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