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

[Astronomy Ireland] Jupiter Watch, Evening Classes, Autumn Lecture
by AI Secretary 29 Sep '10

29 Sep '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Jupiter Watch on Thursday On Thursday, September 30th, Astronomy Ireland will hold a Jupiter Watch at various key locations around the country. We encourage everyone to come along with friends and family to this free event and see Jupiter through some of Ireland's most powerful telescopes. Watches will begin at 8pm. For more information and to check your nearest Watch click HERE. Please note Watches will go ahead regardless of weather. EVENT DETAILS Current confirmed locations are: Carlow/Kildare, Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Sligo/Leitrim, For more information and to check the location of your closest Watch click HERE. All watches will begin at 8pm TELESCOPE VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS WANTED We already have several large telescopes for our Nationwide Jupiter Watch but if you have a medium to large telescope (at least 6-inch, preferably 8-inch or larger) why not bring it along to one of the Watches and share the excitement of the general public as they are amazed by views of Jupiter. Thousands of you now have powerful telescopes from our Shop (CPCs, NexStar SEs and Advanced Series GTs) that give amazing views of the planets and more. If you want to get involved, especially during our 20th Anniversary year call us on (01) 847 0777 or email sec(a)astronomy.ie. 2. Extremely popular Evening Classes begin next week Our extremely popular 'Astronomy for Beginners' evening classes begin again nationwide on October 7th. The classes are aimed at beginners and cover an array of fascinating topics on astronomy, the universe and beyond. There are 8 classes in total and content covered includes some of the following intriguing aspects of astronomy: - An exciting introduction to the night sky to ease people in to the classes - A detailed analysis of the Sun and the Moon will follow in the second class - Participants will also journey through some of the enthralling facts about the Planets, Stars and Star Clusters - A detailed class depicts the history of astronomy - Deep Sky Objects including Nebulae and Galaxies will be discussed - One of astronomy's most famous theories, the Big Bang, will be studied - To finish the course there will be a step by step class on telescopes and binoculars. Classes will take place in Athlone, Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo, Tralee and Waterford. For more information call us on (01) 847 0777 or visit www.astronomy.ie/class. EVENING CLASS PROMOTION Can you promote our Evening Classes in your local area? As 2010 is Astronomy Ireland's 20th anniversary we are trying to get as many people as possible involved in this fantastic hobby and we need your help to do this. If anyone is willing to promote this set of Evening Classes, by distributing posters, bringing fliers to work or even giving information to family and friends, please email sec(a)astronomy.ie. 3. Autumn Lecture - Are we alone in the Universe? On Monday, October 11th, Dr Lewis Dartnell - author of "Life in the Universe: A Beginner's Guide", researcher at University College London, and science writer in numerous magazines and newspapers will visit Dublin to explore the science behind alien life in our Universe, at Astronomy Ireland's Autumn Public Lecture in Trinity College Dublin. Dr. Dartnell will take guests on a tour of the other planets and moons in our solar system which may harbour life, and even further afield to alien worlds orbiting distant stars, to explore one of the greatest questions ever asked: are we alone...? But what actually is 'life', how did it emerge on our own world, what conditions can terrestrial life tolerate? And what would an alien actually look like? "In the 1960s, Frank Drake devised an equation which allowed scientists to estimate the number of intelligent alien civilisations there are in our galaxy, the Milky Way," said David Moore, Chairman of Astronomy Ireland. "Some estimates say that there may be as many as 20,000 civilisations in our galaxy! This lecture is going to provide an amazing insight into what was once considered science fiction, but is now accepted as science fact." The lecture takes place at 8pm in the Fitzgerald Building, Trinity College Dublin. For more information click HERE. A DVD is available to order online for anyone who cannot make the talk on the night. 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] Evening Classes, Irish Meteorite on Mars, Juptier Watch
by AI Secretary 23 Sep '10

23 Sep '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Evening Classes starting October 7th Our extremely popular Evening Classes begin again nationwide on October 7th. The classes are aimed at the beginner and cover everything you ever wanted to know about the Universe. There are 8 classes in total and content covered includes an introduction to the night sky, the Sun and the Moon, planets and stars, history of astronomy, deep sky objects, the big bang and even a class on telescopes and how to use one. Classes will take place in Athlone, Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo, Tralee and Waterford. For more information call us on (01) 847 0777 or visit www.astronomy.ie/class. EVENING CLASS PROMOTION Can you promote our Evening Classes in your local area? As 2010 is Astronomy Ireland's 20th anniversary we are trying to get as many people as possible involved in this fantastic hobby and we need your help to do this. If anyone is willing to promote this set of Evening Classes, by distributing posters, bringing fliers to work or even giving information to family and friends, please email sec(a)astronomy.ie. 2. Irish Meteorite on Mars A possible meteorite found on Mars by Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been given the informal name "Oileán Ruaidh". On September 16th, Opportunity took a series of images that reveal a dark rock about 31 meters (102) feet away. The rover's science team has decided to go get a closer look at the toaster-sized rock and determine whether it is an iron meteorite. "The dark color, rounded texture and the way it is perched on the surface all make it look like an iron meteorite," said Matt Golombek of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California. For more information click HERE. Opportunity landed on Mars in January 2004 for what was planned as a three-month mission, since then it has found four iron meteorites during it's exploration of the Meridiani Planum region of Mars. Examination of these rocks has provided information about the Martian atmosphere, as well as the meteorites themselves. For more information about the mission, see http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov . 3. Jupiter closest until 2022 (Uranus nearby!) Tonight, September 23rd, the brilliant 'star' blazing next to the Moon will of course be the planet Jupiter, which is now closer to Earth than it will be until 2022. Uranus will appear as a dim star like object 0.8 degree (less than 2 Moon diameters) above Jupiter, barely visible to the naked eye, it is an easy sight through binoculars or telescope. If you see it, especially with the naked eye, please email observe(a)astronomy.ie for our magazine report. On Thursday, September 30th, at various venues all across the country, Astronomy Ireland will be setting up powerful telescopes in celebration of the planet Jupiter. We encourage you all to come along to this free event and bring all your friends and family. For more information about Nationwide Jupiter watch and to check the location of your nearest Watch click HERE. Alternatively email sec(a)astronomy.ie or call us on (01) 847 0777. EVENT DETAILS Current confirmed locations are: Dublin, Sligo For more information and to check the location of your closest Watch click HERE. All watches will begin at 8pm Please keep checking our Jupiter watch webpage as more locations will be confirmed over the next few days. TELESCOPE VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS WANTED We already have several large telescopes for our Nationwide Jupiter Watch but if you have a medium to large telescope (at least 6-inch, preferably 8-inch or larger) why not bring it along to one of the Watches and share the excitement of the general public as they are amazed by views of Jupiter. Thousands of you now have powerful telescopes from our Shop (CPCs, NexStar SEs and Advanced Series GTs) that give amazing views of the planets and more. If you want to get involved, especially during our 20th Anniversary year call us on (01) 847 0777 or email sec(a)astronomy.ie. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] Jupiter-Uranus!, Camera Offer, ESA Talk, Major Conference
by AI Secretary 21 Sep '10

21 Sep '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Jupiter closest until 2022 (Uranus nearby!) Tonight, September 21st, Jupiter will be at its closest to Earth until 2022. Jupiter is a fascinating sight to the naked eye and at the moment it is the brightest star like object in the sky. The planet Uranus is also making a unique appearance for the next week, as a dim star like object 0.8 degree (less than 2 Moon diameters) above Jupiter. Uranus will be barely visible to the naked eye, however it is an easy sight through binoculars or telescope. If you see it, especially with the naked eye, please email observe(a)astronomy.ie for our magazine report. In celebration of the planet Jupiter, Astronomy Ireland are holding Nationwide Jupiter Watches, at locations around the country on Thursday, September 30th. We urge all of you to go to your nearest Watch and view this spectacular planet through some of Ireland's largest and most powerful telescopes which will be set up for your by our Branch Coordinators. This is an entirely free event and everyone is welcome to come along. Watches will begin at locations nationwide at 8pm. Bring friends! For more information about Nationwide Moon and Mars Watch and to check the location of your nearest Watch click HERE. Alternatively email sec(a)astronomy.ie or call us on (01) 847 0777. 2. Astronomy Ireland Shop - Jupiter Offer To mark the magnificence that is Jupiter which is blazing away in the night sky, the Astronomy Ireland Shop is running a special offer on the Celestron NexImage CCD Camera. For a limited time only, there is 10% off on the CCD camera, which is ideal for astro-imaging. For more details or to place your order, visit www.astronomy.ie/shop and see an image of Jupiter taken by this camera and one of our Celestron telescopes. 3. Public Lecture by E.S.A. Science Director On Wednesday, 29th September Professor David Southwood, Director of the European Space Agency's Science and Robotic Exploration Programme will give a public lecture entitled 'Space Science in Europe: What's Ahead?'. This lecture will take place in Dublin Castle at 8pm. Tickets for this event are free, but places should be booked HERE. 4. Public Lecture & RIA/RAS/ASGI Conference On September 23rd and 24th there will be a joint specialist two day discussion meeting of the Royal Irish Academy, the Royal Astronomical Society, and the Astronomical Science Group of Ireland, click HERE for more information. As part of this two day event, Professor Mike Lockwood FRS, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, UK and Space Science and Technology Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK will give a talk entitled 'Solar Variability and Influences on Climate'. This lecture will take place on Thursday, September 23rd at 7pm in the Emmet Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin. For more information on this talk please click HERE Tickets for this event are free, but places should be booked online at www.ria.ie We are looking for someone who attends this event to write a brief report for our magazine, please email editor(a)astronomy.ie if you are interested as our Editor will be abroad on business and this is a rare chance to hear world-leading astronomers talk in Ireland. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] Star-B-Q DVDs, Meteor Conference
by AI Secretary 17 Sep '10

17 Sep '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Star-B-Q DVDs Guests at Astronomy Ireland's Star-B-Q on September 4th were treated to an amazing talk called "Did We Really Land On The Moon?" where our international keynote speaker, Dr Martin Hendry, investigated the claim that the Moon landings were hoaxed and that Neil Armstrong never made that "one small step". This excellent talk captured the attention of about 500 people in the audience, and drew a lot of inquisitive questions about the space race. "The Secrets of the Stones" was delivered by Anthony Murphy of Mythical Ireland, where he showed the audience how ancient Irish people were extremely knowledgeable astronomers, and how they built monuments all over the country as a homage to the Sun and Moon. "A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe" by David Moore, Chairman of Astronomy Ireland, brought the audience on a tour of the cosmos, from our own home planet, to the deepest depths of space containing exotic stars and vast galaxies. Astronomy Ireland is delighted to make these talks available on DVD to everyone in Ireland. If you didn't make it to the Star-B-Q, or want to get a souvenir of the event, be sure to order your DVDs now! Order DVDs 2. IMO 2010 International Meteor Conference in Armagh This weekend sees the International Meteor Conference take place at Armagh Observatory. A piece about the Conference appeared in the September issue of Astronomy & Space magazine. Astronomy & Space reporters are at the Conference over the weekend, and a report will feature in an upcoming issue. For more information on the Conference, please visit test.imo.net/imc2010/, and be sure to check out the article in Astronomy & Space 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] October Evening Classes, Education Programme, Dunsink Lecture
by AI Secretary 15 Sep '10

15 Sep '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. 'Astronomy For Beginners' Evening Classes October 2010 Astronomy Irelands extremely popular 'Astronomy For Beginners' evening classes will commence at locations nationwide on October 7th. 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 so don't delay - book your spot today! To enrol for the classes call us on (01) 847 0777 or click the link below to enrol online. For more information visit www.astronomy.ie/class. CLICK HERE TO ENROL 2. Education Programme Astronomy Ireland have a very successful School Education Programme with a team of Education Officers who travel around Irish schools (primary and secondary) giving fascinating talks on astronomy. We have been inundated with requests from you for information about the programme to drop into your local schools. 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 more information 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 3. Talk in Dunsink Observatory On Friday, September 17th Professor Michael Burton, School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Australia will be giving a talk entitled 'The Formation of Molecular Clouds in our Galaxy' in Dunsink Observatory. The talk will take place at 8pm, this is a free event which may include viewing through the Grubb telescope if the evening sky is clear. For more details on this talk please contact Dunsink Observatory on 01 662 1333. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] Antikythera Mechanism Public Lecture, October Evening Classes
by AI Secretary 10 Sep '10

10 Sep '10

20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Antikythera Mechanism - Public Lecture and DVD On Monday, September 13th, Professor Mike Edmunds will try to unlock the many mysteries of the Antikythera Mechanism, a fiendishly complex device which puzzled historians and astronomers for centuries. This ancient computer was chanced upon at the wreckage of a Roman vessel off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera in 1901, and has ever since fascinated scientists and historians alike due to its complexity and accuracy. The research on the device is led by Prof Mike Edmunds and his team who suggested that it was used to follow the movement of the Moon and Sun through the Zodiac, the planets that were known at the time, namely Jupiter and Mars, as well as predicting lunar eclipses and the dates of the Ancient Olympics. No other civilisation is believed to have created anything this complex for another 1000 years. For more information about this event click HERE. The lecture takes place in the Fitzgerald (Physics) Building, Trinity College Dublin, on September 13th. Tickets cost 7euro (5euro members rate) and there is a DVD available for anyone who cannot make it to the talk on the night. After the lecture there will be a party in The Lombard. All our welcome to attend and you will have the opportunity to chat with Professor Edmunds, other guests, and Astronomy Ireland staff and volunteers. BOOK TICKETS ORDER DVD 2. 'Astronomy For Beginners' Evening Classes October 2010 Our Autumn set of 'Astronomy for Beginners' classes will commence this October at locations around the country.The course is professionally developed by the Astronomy Ireland team, informal in style and aimed towards the general public. It is suitable for anyone with an interest in astronomy that wants a good grounding in this fantastic hobby without any complex mathematical content or complex data. The course is given over 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. This year we will have classes running in the following ten locations: Athlone, Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, Limerick, Letterkenny, Sligo, Tralee and Waterford. 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. Classes cost 180euro (130euro members rate) 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 so don't delay - book your spot today! To enrol for the classes call us on (01) 847 0777 or click the link below to enrol online. For more information visit www.astronomy.ie/class. CLICK HERE TO ENROL Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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[Astronomy Ireland] Star-B-Q Report, Fireball Radio Interviews, Events
by AI Secretary 08 Sep '10

08 Sep '10

8 Months Membership FREE 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Star-B-Q 2010 Report Unperturbed by the overcast skies and the slight drizzle, guests gathered inside Roundwood GAA hall on September 4th for Astronomy Irelands Star-B-Q. David Moore began the proceedings giving the first talk of the evening - "The Hitchhickers Guide To The Universe". Next up was "The Secrets of the Stones" by Anthony Murphy, who explored Ireland's rich history of ancient astronomy. He explained to a captivated audience how the passage tombs in the Boyne Valley and elsewhere were not just graves, but were also important astronomical observatories that defined the life of an ancient culture. Our keynote speaker, Dr Martin Hendry, fascinated guests with the consipiracy theories surrounding the Moon landings. Like a true scientist, Dr Hendry tested each one of the claims - lack of stars, waving flags, strange shadows - and showed us his results. Using his unique sense of humour and analytical method he succeeded in showing us that we did, in fact, land on the Moon in the 1960s and 1970s. While the main talks were taking place there were a number of other activities taking place: Kevin O'Kelly exhibited his work from his travels to Australia, where he had the amazing opportunity to do some astronomy in professional observatories with a strange sky. Eamonn O'Fearcháin entertained our younger astronomers with quizzes and activities, while many opted to get their faces painted! As the clouds did not disappear, Emlyn Jones then gave a practical tutorial on navigating through the heavens, and displayed some of his amazing photographs. To read a full report of the event and see pictures taken on the day click HERE. 2. Fireball Radio Interviews Last Wednesday, September 1st thousands of people saw a brilliant white fireball streak through the evening. Since then, Astronomy Ireland has received hundreds of witness reports, and astronomers have been able to determine the approximate location of the meteorite. However, to further pinpoint the exact location, Astronomy Ireland is appealing for witnesses of the fireball in the west, and in particular: South Galway, North Clare, North Tipperary. This spectacular event has led to hundreds of fireball reports and phone calls, and a huge number of media interviews - including BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5, RTE Radio 1, Shannon Side, Clare FM, and i102 - with David Moore, Chairman of Astronomy Ireland. Listen to this online at www.astronomy.ie/audio. 3. Events September 13 - "The Antikythera Mechanism" (Trinity College Dublin) September 30 - Telescope Watches (Nationwide) More information to follow October 7 - Autumn Evening Classes Commence (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] Star-B-Q Tickets - Last Chance, Fireball Over Ireland
by AI Secretary 03 Sep '10

03 Sep '10

Star-B-Q 2010 20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Star-B-Q 2010 - Last Chance for Tickets! Astronomy Ireland's Star-B-Q 2010 is being held tomorrow, September 4th. This is your last chance to book tickets for this exciting event. The line up for the night includes: a.. Dr Martin Hendry of the University of Glasgow will investigate a variety of moon landing hoax claims in his talk entitled "Did We Really Land on the Moon?" b.. In his talk "Secrets of the Stones", Anthony Murphy of Mythical Ireland will explain how the Stone Age people of Ireland were master astronomers and why they linked astronomy with burial sites. c.. Astronomy Ireland Chairman and Ireland's best known astronomer, David Moore will describe everything we know about the Universe in his talk entitled "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe" d.. Some of Ireland's most powerful telescopes e.. A variety of science and astronomy information stands and activities f.. Free entry to a draw for great prizes - including astronomical binoculars! g.. Delicious barbecue food cooked and served by a Michelin-awarded chef! h.. A junior section for young budding astronomers. The Star-B-Q takes place in Roundwood, Co Wicklow - the highest village in Ireland - tomorrow, September 4th, 2010. It has attracted thousands of people in the last 18 years of the event, and is an event not to be missed! If you have friends or family who would like to come too, call us on (01) 847 0777 to get special group rates. This is a highly anticipated event that is fun for all the family, and suitable for people of all ages, regardless of level of knowledge or experience in astronomy. There will be raffles and draws on the night, and is expected to attract hundreds of people this year, so be sure to book your ticket now and prepare for a great night of astronomy! BOOK TICKETS 2. Huge Fireball over Irish Skies Astronomy Ireland are appealing for witnesses of the huge fireball spotted over Ireland on Wednesday night. This spectacular event has led to hundreds of fireball reports and phone calls, and a huge number of media interviews - including Morning Ireland and the Daily Star - with David Moore, Chairman of Astronomy Ireland. These fireballs are caused by the leftover debris from the creation of the Solar System billions of years ago. Yesterday evening, a piece of debris - possibly the size of a car - entered Earth's atmosphere and began to burn up. In fact, the creation of the Solar System and the origin of meteors and fireballs are some of the many topics that you will learn about at our hugely successful Evening Classes! To read more about the spectacular fireball go to www.astronomy.ie and if you were lucky enough to witness it please fill out a fireball report on the Astronomy Ireland website. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop

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