January 2012 - astronomy@lists.redbrick.dcu.ie

[Astronomy Ireland] Jupiter Watch, Evening Classes, UCD-RDS Speaker Series
by AI Secretary 30 Jan '12

30 Jan '12

New Year Sale DVD Membership Shop 1. Nationwide Jupiter Watch Astronomy Ireland is hosting a number of special Jupiter Watches around the country this week week on Wednesday, February 1st at 8pm. Members of the public are invited to these FREE Jupiter Watches to see one of the most amazing sights in the sky: Jupiter with its vast cloud belts and planet-sized storms, as well as its largest moons orbiting the planet like a miniature solar system. It is expected that thousands of people around the country will get to see the same sight that Galileo saw just over 400 years ago when he first pointed a telescope to the sky. For a list of locations please click HERE. Note that this webpage will be updated on an ongoing basis, so please check back regularly for an up-to-date list of Jupiter Watch locations. 2. 'Astronomy for Beginners' Evening Classes The Nationwide Jupiter Watch comes in advance of the 'Astronomy for Beginners' Evening Classes, which begin on February 8th (and February 15th in Letterkenny and Sligo). At the Evening Classes people will get to learn their way around the night sky, where stars and planets come from, how telescopes work, and much, much more! The course is designed for beginners and no complex mathematics or physics concepts, and it will take place in locations around the country. The enrolment fee is €130 for members and €180 for non-members. You can enrol online at www.astronomy.ie/class or by calling (01) 890 11 11. Please call us for details of group rates if you would like to attend with friends or family. 3. UCD Physics & RDS: Distinguished Speaker Series In celebration of Physics and Dublin's status as European City of Science 2012, UCD School of Physics has teamed up with the Royal Dublin Society to bring some of the world's leading physicists to speak in Dublin about the latest developments in their fields of research. The topics include the exotic physics of cloaking devices, the role of physics in biology, the use of lasers in medicine and a profile of mysterious Titan, Saturn's largest moon. The lectures are free and suitable for ages from 12 upwards. For more information and to book your tickets online please click HERE. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Aurora Alert, Telescope Watch
by AI Secretary 25 Jan '12

25 Jan '12

<http://www.astronomy.ie/christmaskids2011.php> New Year Sale <http://www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.php> DVD <http://astronomy.ie/sub/index.html> Membership <http://astronomy.ie/shop/CPC/index.html> Shop 1. Aurora Alert Over the last week two solar flares erupted from the Sun sending coronal mass ejections (CME) towards Earth. Since then, reports of aurora sightings have been flooding in, with many sightings reported in Northern Ireland. Although the geomagnetic storm is subsiding now, we still suggest that people in the northern parts of the island keep an eye out as the end of the storm may still be visible. Ideally it is best to watch the aurorae from a location as far north as possible, but depending on the strength of the CME from the Sun, they can be visible further south. We recommend picking anywhere that has a dark sky with a clear northern horizon. This can be a location just outside a town or city, or a dark parkland area. If you see the aurora borealis, please let us know what you saw by emailing observe(a)astronomy.ie. We will aim to include reports and photographs in an upcoming issue of Astronomy <http://www.astronomy.ie/sub/index.html> & Space. Be sure to watch RTE news tonight at 6pm where Astronomy Ireland’s Conor Farrell will discuss the recent aurora activity. 2. Telescope Watches Tomorrow evening the Moon and Venus will be placed closed together in the sky forming a beautiful sight after sunset and Astronomy Ireland will host a special Moon and Venus Watch between 4pm and 6pm, with some very powerful telescopes set up for you to use. While this will look stunning with the naked eye, you can get even better views with binoculars or a telescope, which will reveal amazing detail on the surface of the Moon and the phase of Venus. The Watch will take place at the Astronomy Ireland premises, Unit A8, Airside Enterprise Centre, Swords, Co Dublin. For more information on the Telescope Watches please click HERE <http://astronomy.ie/venusmoon1201.php> or call us on (01) 890 11 11. <http://www.astronomy.ie/> Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club <http://www.astronomy.ie/> www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe <http://lists.redbrick.dcu.ie/mailman/listinfo/astronomy> )

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[Astronomy Ireland] AURORA ALERT: Potential activity for Saturday, Jan 21st
by AI Secretary 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

New Year Sale DVD Membership Shop Aurora Alert Yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, a coronal mass ejection (CME) and a class-M solar flare erupted from the Sun, sending material almost directly towards Earth. This cloud of charged material is expected to arrive at Earth on Saturday night at roughly 10:30pm, but conditions within the cloud and in space can possibly alter this by a number of hours. When to View When it arrives, there is a small chance that the aurora borealis (northern lights) will be visible from Ireland. We suggest keeping an eye on the northern sky from 6pm on Saturday evening and throughout the night, into Sunday morning. If it appears, the aurora will have a green and/or red colour, most likely just over the northern horizon. Where to View Ideally it is best to watch the aurorae from a location as far north as possible, but depending on the strength of the CME from the Sun, they can be visible further south. We recommend picking anywhere that has a dark sky with a clear northern horizon. This can be a location just outside a town or city, or a dark parkland area. Report Your Observation If you see the aurora borealis, please let us know what you saw by emailing observe(a)astronomy.ie. We will aim to include reports and photographs in an upcoming issue of Astronomy & Space. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Galileo Project Winner, Telescope Watches, Astronomy Ireland on TV
by AI Secretary 19 Jan '12

19 Jan '12

New Year Sale DVD Membership Shop 1. Galileo Project Drawing Competition Winner Adam Vaughn from Co Dublin was selected as the winner of the Irish section of the EU-wide Galileo Project Drawing Competition with his piece entitled The Solar System. Adam will now have a satellite navigation spacecraft named after him: the Galileo-IOV Adam is due to be launched later this year. The Galileo Project is a European satellite navigation system that will consist of 27 satellites orbiting Earth, with three extra spare satellites. The constellation of satellites will provide accurate location details primarily for transport use, but also for emergency rescue situations. Each satellite will be named after one child from each of the 27 EU Member States via a series of drawing competitions taking place in each country. Adam met with David Moore of Astronomy Ireland, Barbara Nolan of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, and the well-known environmentalist and artist Don Conroy at the Astronomy Ireland headquarters in Swords, Co Dublin, to be presented with his prize. Showing their support at the presentation were Adam's family, his teacher, and his classmates, along with representatives from Astronomy Ireland and Keating & Associates. For a report and some photographs of the day's celebrations, please click HERE. Astronomy Ireland wishes to congratulate Adam on winning this amazing prize! 2. Stargazing Live Telescope Watches Following the BBC's second successful series of Stargazing Live, we are continuing our evening Telescope Watches until the end of January to give you a chance to check out some of the amazing sights showcased on the programme. Between 4pm and 6pm, Monday to Saturday, Astronomy Ireland will have some very powerful telescopes set up for you to use at its premises at Unit A8, Airside Enterprise Centre, Swords, Co Dublin. Of all the stunning sights you will see, the most amazing one will be the huge planet Jupiter. Through the telescopes you will get to see its thick cloud belts and Great Red Spot, a storm which has been raging for centuries. Not only that, but you will also be able to easily see its four largest moons, known as the Galilean Moons, named after Galileo who saw them first over 400 years ago. For more information on the Telescope Watches please click HERE or call us on (01) 890 11 11. 3. Astronomy Ireland on TV - Northern Lights David Moore appeared on the RTE programmes News2Day and Elev8 recently to explain the phenomenon of aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. Over the coming years, activity on the surface of the Sun will increase, thereby increasing the chances of aurorae being visible. If a particularly strong burst of particles comes hurtling through space from the Sun towards Earth, it may even be possible for observers in Ireland to see the spectacular sight! Astronomy Ireland will alert people via this email list and on www.astronomy.ie if such an occurrence may happen. Note that only 2-3 days notice can be given if the aurorae are likely to be visible. To watch David on these episodes of News2Day and Elev8, simply go to www.astronomy.ie/tv. Other appearances are also available to watch on that webpage. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Telescope Watches, Meteorite Landing Site, The Sky At Night, Stargazing Live, Facebook & Twitter
by AI Secretary 10 Jan '12

10 Jan '12

New Year Sale DVD Membership Shop 1. Telescope Watches All This Week Following the success of last week's Jupiter Watches, Astronomy Ireland will continue to watch the skies all this week between 4pm and 6pm at its premises at Airside Enterprise Centre in Swords, Co Dublin. Members of the public are invited to come along to use some of Ireland's most powerful telescopes in a unique and exciting opportunity to see the wonders of the Universe. Directions can be found at www.astronomy.ie/map. This is an ideal evening out for friends and family to try out some astronomy under the guidance of experienced astronomers who will answer any questions about space and astronomy you might have. 2. Meteorite Landing Site Announced After analysing hundreds of reports following last Tuesday's spectacular fireball event Astronomy Ireland announced last night at its New Year Lecture that meteorites from the object are likely to have fallen into the Irish Sea off the coast of Co Louth. However, as the object would have begun to disintegrate before plunging into the water, some fragments may have fallen on land along the coast of Louth. Astronomy Ireland welcomes further reports of fireball sightings via its website at www.astronomy.ie/fireball. If members of the public find any unusual rocks in the area, they are invited to send photos to observe(a)astronomy.ie. Meteorites are likely to be small, blackened fragments, with pock marks similar to thumbprint indents on the surface. 3. The Sky At Night In this episode Sir Patrick Moore explores alien solar systems around other stars and wonders if any could be home to alien life. Astronomy Ireland's own Carl O'Beirnes even had his images of Jupiter featured on this episode! Monday, 12:45am - BBC 1 and BBC One HD Thursday, 7:30pm - BBC 4 and BBC 4 HD Friday, 1:30am - BBC 4 Saturday, 12:00pm - BBC 2 Remember that the showings on BBC 4 are extended episodes lasting 30 minutes (rather than 20 minutes on BBC 1 and 2) 4. Stargazing Live Keeping in theme with astronomy on our televisions, the BBC are undertaking a second series of the well-received Stargazing Live show presented by Professor Brian Cox and Irish comedian Dara O'Briain. The show will be broadcast live next week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information on Stargazing Live and the events taking place throught the UK, please click HERE. 5. Facebook and Twitter Keep in touch with Astronomy Ireland online by following us at www.facebook.com/AstronomyIRL and www.twitter.com/AstronomyIRL. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Meteorite Landing Site, Lecture Venue Changed, Telescope Watches
by AI Secretary 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

New Year Sale DVD Membership Shop 1. Meteorite Landing Site Announced After analysing hundreds of reports following last Tuesday's spectacular fireball event Astronomy Ireland has deduced that meteorites from the object are likely to have fallen into the Irish Sea off the coast of Co Louth, and the official announcement will be made at our New Year Lecture Has The God Particle Been Found? tonight in Trinity College Dublin. However, as the object would have begun to disintegrate before plunging into the water, some fragments may have fallen on land along the coast of Louth. Astronomy Ireland welcomes further reports of fireball sightings via its website at www.astronomy.ie/fireball. If members of the public find any unusual rocks in the area, they are invited to send photos to observe(a)astronomy.ie. Meteorites are likely to be small, blackened fragments, with pock marks similar to thumbprint indents on the surface. 2. Change of Lecture Venue Due to phenomenal demand, tonight's lecture will now take place in the MacNeil Theatre in the Hamilton Building in Trinity College Dublin. This building is easily accessed by the Pearse St Entrance (at the Science Gallery) to the campus. A map of Trinity College can be found HERE. In the last number of weeks scientists at CERN underneath Geneva, Switzerland have found a signal for The God Particle and which is bound to result in a Nobel Prize. The last Nobel Prize they got was for finding the W and Z particles (they control nuclear energy and atomic bombs) and the man who wrote the popular level book about the discovery - Professor Peter Watkins - has arrived in Ireland to give our New Year Lecture tonight, Monday, January 9th at 8pm Tickets for the lecture are available at the door and are only €7 (€5 members rate), and the lecture begins at 8pm. After the lecture there will be a social reception in The Lombard. All are welcome to attend. For more information on the lecture please visit www.astronomy.ie. 3. Telescope Watches All This Week Following the success of last week's Jupiter Watches, Astronomy Ireland will continue to watch the skies all this week between 4pm and 6pm at its premises at Airside Enterprise Centre in Swords, Co Dublin. Members of the public are invited to come along to use some of Ireland's most powerful telescopes in a unique and exciting opportunity to see the wonders of the Universe. Directions can be found at www.astronomy.ie/map. This is an ideal evening out for friends and family to try out some astronomy under the guidance of experienced astronomers who will answer any questions about space and astronomy you might have. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] God Particle Lecture, Moon and Jupiter Watches, New Year Sale
by AI Secretary 06 Jan '12

06 Jan '12

New Year Sale DVD Membership Shop 1. New Year Lecture - Have We Found The 'God Particle'? In the last number of weeks scientists at CERN underneath Geneva, Switzerland have found a signal for The God Particle and which is bound to result in a Nobel Prize. The last Nobel Prize they got was for finding the W and Z particles (they control nuclear energy and atomic bombs) and the man who wrote the popular level book about the discovery - Professor Peter Watkins - is coming to Ireland to give our New Year Lecture on January 9th. Not only that, but another experiment at CERN called OPERA recently showed that neutrinos may be able to travel faster than light! Astronomy Ireland Chairman, David Moore featured on LMFM today where he spoke about our New Year’s Lecture and the Large Hadron Collider. Click HERE to listen to the interview. Tickets for the lecture are only €7 (€5 members rate), and can be ordered online at www.astronomy.ie or by calling (01) 890 11 11. The lecture takes place in Trinity College Dublin, on Monday, January 9th at 8pm. After the lecture there will be a social reception in The Lombard. All are welcome to attend. BOOK TICKETS ORDER DVD 2. Jupiter Watch Today and Tomorrow Today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday) Astronomy Ireland will host Jupiter Watches at its premises in Swords. Through the telescopes you will easily see its vast cloud belts and storms, as well as its biggest moons as they orbit the planet. Seeing Jupiter through a telescope is a sight you won't forget! The Watches begin at 4pm, when even in daylight it is easy to make out great detail on the surface of the Solar System's biggest planet. Telescopes will be set up and ready to use, so there is no need to bring any equipment. This is a free event and a great opportunity for friends and family to get together and try some astronomy. All Watches will run from 4pm to 6pm at Unit A8, Airside Enterprise Centre, Swords, Co Dublin (click HERE for a map). 2. Incredible New Year Sale! After a hectic Christmas and more than a few turkey sandwiches the Astronomy Ireland Shop is starting 2012 at full-tilt with incredible savings across all our telescope ranges! Package deals, money off, free memberships and of course NO VAT INCREASES will be what to expect for the month of January as we launch one of our biggest sales ever! We also will be running various telescope watches whenever we can throughout the month so check back to astronomy.ie/shop regularly to keep up to date! Click HERE for more information. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] God Particle Lecture, Moon and Jupiter Watches
by AI Secretary 03 Jan '12

03 Jan '12

Christmas Gifts <http://astronomy.ie/gifts.html> <http://www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.php> DVD <http://astronomy.ie/sub/index.html> Membership <http://astronomy.ie/shop/CPC/index.html> Shop 1. "God Particle" Lecture You may have heard that the 10,000 scientists at CERN under Geneva, Switzerland have just found The God Particle and we expect them to win the Nobel Prize this year. Well the last Nobel Prize they got was for finding the W and Z particles (they control nuclear energy and atomic bombs) and the man who wrote the popular level book about the discovery is coming to Ireland to give our NEW YEAR PUBLIC LECTURE on Jan. 9th Astronomy Ireland Chairman, David Moore <http://astronomy.ie/dmbio.html> featured on LMFM today where he spoke about our New Year’s Lecture and the Large Hadron Collider. Click HERE <http://astronomy.ie/audio/LMFM_120103.mp3> to listen to the interview. Tickets for the lecture are only €7 (€5 members rate), and can be ordered online at www.astronomy.ie or by calling (01) 890 11 11. The lecture takes place in Trinity College Dublin <http://www.tcd.ie/Maps/map.php> , on Monday, January 9th at 8pm. After the lecture there will be a social reception in The Lombard. All are welcome to attend. BOOK TICKETS <http://astronomy.ie/lecture201201.php> ORDER DVD <http://www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.php> 2. Moon and Jupiter Watch Tonight Every evening this week, (until Saturday, January 7th), Astronomy Ireland will host Jupiter watches at its premises in Swords. Through the telescopes you will easily see its vast cloud belts and storms, as well as its biggest moons as they orbit the planet. Seeing Jupiter through a telescope is a sight you won't forget! This evening, January 3rd, the Moon and Jupiter will be placed closed together in the night sky forming a beautiful sight in the evening after sunset, and Astronomy Ireland will host a special Jupiter and Moon Watch at its premises in Airside Enterprise Centre, Swords, Co Dublin from 4pm to 6pm. This is a free event and a great opportunity for friends and family to get together and try some astronomy. All Watches will run from 4pm to 6pm. <http://www.astronomy.ie/> Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club <http://www.astronomy.ie/> www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe <http://lists.redbrick.dcu.ie/mailman/listinfo/astronomy> )

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