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

[Astronomy Ireland] Places Available for Armagh Planetarium Day Trip
by AI Secretary 30 Nov '12

30 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop Places Available for Armagh Planetarium Day Trip There are still places left for our extremely popular annual day trip to the Armagh Planetarium- one of the best in the world! If you haven't booked yet, just come along to the Astronomy Ireland Shop on Saturday morning at 9:30am and you can pay for your place then. Armagh Planetarium is a world-class facility with an amazing state-of-the-art, multi-million pound DigiStar III projector. As well as this, the planetarium has a huge visitor centre and exhibition area, the AstroPark, and Armagh Observatory. We are lucky to have such a facility on this island! On arrival to the planetarium, David Moore will bring guests on a guided tour of the nearby AstroPark, containing scale models of the Solar System and the Universe. On the grounds of Armagh Observatory is a "Human Orrery" where people will get to play the part of the planets to explain how the Solar System moves. Following this, we will be treated to a special planetarium show titled 'Beyond the Blue: A Stargazing Journey' in the excellent Star Theatre. Armagh Planetarium has a highly interactive visitor centre with impressive displays of spacecraft, meteorites, and the Earth itself. There is a café at the visitor centre where you can enjoy some lunch, and the planetarium shop has a great selection of souvenirs for your day trip. The bus will depart the Astronomy Ireland Shop on Saturday morning at 10am, and we should be back in Dublin by approximately 6:30pm. The price of the trip to Armagh is €40 per person including admission and coach fare. For more information and to book your place visit www.astronomy.ie, call us on (01) 890 11 11, or simply come to the Astronomy Ireland Shop on Saturday morning at 9:30am. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] 'Discovering New Earths', Christmas Gifts, The Moon and the Planets This Week, Armagh Planetarium Day Trip
by AI Secretary 29 Nov '12

29 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop 1. Christmas Lecture: Discovering New Earths So far, 852 planets around other stars have been found. The first exoplanet was found 20 years ago in 1992 orbiting a pulsar. It is expected that there are many billions of planets in the Milky Way galaxy, not only occurring around stars but also as free-floating planets without a parent star, gliding through deep space. The discovery of extrasolar planets has intensified interest in the search for extraterrestrial life. A number of planets with a mass similar to that of Earth, and planets existing in the so-called "Goldilocks Zone", have been found in recent times. In our Christmas Public Lecture, Dr Giovanni Tinetti from University College London will explore the amazing science behind the discovery of new planets, and how advancements in technology will allow us to find life-supporting new Earths. The lecture takes place in Trinity College Dublin on December 10th at 8pm. For tickets and DVDs, please click HERE. 2. Christmas Gifts Do you have a friend or loved one who is interested in space and looking at the stars? Why not get them a gift from Astronomy Ireland? We have a variety of gift ideas including: a.. Gift membership to Astronomy Ireland b.. Season ticket membership, which includes a ticket to - or DVD of - each monthly public lecture c.. Evening Classes for Beginners For more information on these gifts, please click HERE. 3. The Moon and the Planets This Week Did you get to see the Moon and Jupiter close together this week? Did you get up early to spot Venus and Saturn in very close proximity just before sunrise? Have you taken part in our recent Nationwide Meteor Watch, or done any casual stargazing? If you have done any of these (or anything astronomy related), we want to hear from you! Let us know what you saw by sending your reports, photographs, and sketches to observe(a)astronomy.ie. We will try to publish as many of these as possible in an upcoming issue of Astronomy Ireland. 4. Armagh Planetarium Day Trip Our annual trip to Armagh Planetarium takes place this weekend on Saturday, December 1st. At the planetarium, we will be treated to a special show in the Star Theatre, and then a tour of the AstroPark and the grounds of Armagh Observatory. Tickets for the trip are only €40, and the coach will leave Astronomy Ireland on Saturday morning at 10am. For information and ticket booking, please click HERE. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Moon and Jupiter, Venus and Saturn, 'The James Webb Space Telescope', Armagh Planetarium
by AI Secretary 27 Nov '12

27 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop 1. Moon and Jupiter in Evening Skies This Week The Moon and Jupiter will prove to be a stunning sight again this month as the celestial pair are placed close together on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and will be at their closest tomorrow (Wednesday). This is a beautiful sight and we urge everyone to go outside and see it. For more information and a diagram of the sky, please click HERE. 2. Venus and Saturn Extremely Close! Venus and Saturn are close in morning skies at the moment, and were at their closest this morning (Tuesday, November 27th, at only half a degree apart). This an amazing sight for early risers! For more information see the Sky Diary in the December issue of Astronomy Ireland. 3. RDS Public Lecture: The James Webb Space Telescope The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the successor to the Hubble and will look beyond where Hubble can see, for a glimpse of the first light sources in the early universe and the formation of the first stars. The talk, aimed at a general audience, will look at the broad goals of the JWST mission and how it follows on from Hubble, and the excitement and challenges of working with a science and engineering team of many different disciplines to bring one part of the telescope from design, through build and test, to delivery. This lecture takes place on Wednesday, November 28th, at 6pm. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance. For booking and information please click HERE. 4. Armagh Planetarium Day Trip Our annual trip to Armagh Planetarium takes place this weekend on Saturday, December 1st. At the planetarium, we will be treated to a special show in the Star Theatre, and then a tour of the AstroPark and the grounds of Armagh Observatory. Tickets for the trip are only €40, and the coach will leave Astronomy Ireland on Saturday morning at 10am. For information and ticket booking, please click HERE. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Day Trip to Armagh Planetarium this Saturday
by AI Secretary 26 Nov '12

26 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop Annual Day Trip to Armagh Planetarium Join us this Saturday, December 1st, for our extremely popular annual day trip to the Armagh Planetarium - one of the best in the world! We will be treated to a special planetarium show in the excellent Star Theatre, which features some of the best planetarium technology in the world. Following the show, David Moore will bring guests on a guided tour of the nearby AstroPark, containing scale models of the Solar System and the Universe. On the grounds of Armagh Observatory is a "Human Orrery" where people will get to play the part of the planets to explain how the Solar System moves. Armagh Planetarium has a highly interactive visitor centre with impressive displays of spacecraft, meteorites, and the Earth itself. There is a café at the visitor centre where you can enjoy some lunch, and the planetarium shop has a great selection of souvenirs for your day trip. The bus will depart the Astronomy Ireland Shop on Saturday morning at 10am, and we should be back in Dublin by approximately 6:30pm. The price of the trip to Armagh is €40 per person including admission and coach fare. For more information and to book your place visit www.astronomy.ie or call us on (01) 890 11 11. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Astro-Expo, Venus and Saturn, Armagh Planetarium Day Trip
by AI Secretary 23 Nov '12

23 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop 1. Astro-Expo Well, there we have it, three major lectures, the biggest telescope exhibition you will see in Ireland this year, and lots more besides. So, have you decided to spend noon to 6pm at Astro-Expo this year? PS: If not, why not? We need your feedback and this has been one of our flagship events over past twenty-three years and we need to know if this is not the highlight of your year! Email sec(a)astronomy.ie with your comments. LECTURES 1:00pm - 'The Universe' - David Moore 2:30pm - 'The Latest from the Mars Curiosity Rover' - Kevin Nolan 4:30pm - 'Death from Space and the September 21st Fireball' - Tony Ryan EXHIBITORS Telescopes and demonstrations International Asteroid Search Campaign The Irish Rocketry Society Astronomy Ireland DATE AND VENUE Astro-Expo takes place tomorrow, Saturday, November 24th, from noon until 6pm in the SNIAM Building in Trinity College Dublin. For maps and further information please click HERE. The exhibition is free, and tickets are priced at €7 each (€5 members and concessions). 2. Venus and Saturn Venus and Saturn are close in morning skies over the next week (closest on Tuesday morning, November 27th, half a degree apart). For more information see the Sky Diary in the December issue of Astronomy Ireland. 3. Armagh Planetarium Day Trip Plans are almost finalised for this annual event, which this year will take place on Saturday, December 21st. If you're interested in coming with us by coach to Armagh, email sec(a)astronomy.ie telling us how many people will be in your group. The trip will be priced at approximately €40 covering coach and planetarium show. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] 'A Whistlestop Tour of the Universe'
by AI Secretary 22 Nov '12

22 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop 'A Whistlestop Tour of the Universe' THIRD ASTRO-EXPO SPEAKER Alongside our keynote 'Mars' and 'Death from Space' speakers, Chairman of Astronomy Ireland, David Moore, will give an exciting talk explaining everything about the Universe, from our own planet right out to distant galaxies and ultimately the end of the Universe and everything in it! Everyone has gone outside at night at some stage in their lives, looked up and the millions of stars, and wondered "What is it all about? Where did we come from? Where will it all go?". In his talk A Whistlestop Tour of the Universe, David will explore the Big Bang and the origins of matter and energy, how stars and our Solar System formed, what galaxies are, and how scientists expect the Universe to eventually end in billions of years. David will give his talk A Whistlestop Tour of the Universe at Astro-Expo this Saturday at 1pm in Trinity College Dublin. WHY YOU SHOULD GO TO ASTRO-EXPO Astro-Expo is Astronomy Ireland's Annual Exhibition and has been running for over 20 years. It is an exhibition of Telescopes and photos and equipment that members bring along each year to show new members and the public how exciting this hobby is. A superb series of three speakers are also lined up every year for Astro-Expo to make this one event you will spend the whole day at. Throughout the day Astro-Expo will feature a host of telescope and equipment demonstrations and displays. LECTURE BACKGROUND David Moore is Ireland's best-known astronomer and has been observing the skies for decades. During this time he has learned a huge amount about the Universe and how it works, and working with Astronomy Ireland he has strived to share his passion with the public. During A Whistlestop Tour of the Universe David will use his personal knowledge and experience in astronomy to explain everything you wanted to know about space and astronomy, and the past, present, and future of the Universe itself! LOCATION: The event takes place in the SNIAM Building (beside the Fitzgerald Building) from 12pm to 6pm on Saturday, November 24th. The exhibitions and demonstrations are free, and the lectures are €7 each (€5 for members) [Please note that this is the correct price; please ignore slightly higher price in previous emails]. For booking details, please click HERE. If you would like to exhibit something at the event there is plenty of room, please contact us at (01) 890 11 11 or by emailing conor(a)astronomy.ie. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] 'Death From Space!'
by AI Secretary 21 Nov '12

21 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop 'Death From Space And The Amazing Sept 21 Irish Fireball' SECOND ASTRO-EXPO SPEAKER Following our keynote 'Mars' speaker will be Astronomy Ireland's very own Tony Ryan, who will give a talk on all the threats that face Earth from space. Tony will also discuss the incredible fireball seen on September 21st, not only from Ireland but also mainland Europe and Britain, which appears to have bounced off the atmosphere and possibly crash-landed on another part pf the Earth. Nothing like this has ever been seen before in Irish skies, But Tony and a group from Astronomy Ireland's Star-B-Q were out observing when this amazing object blazed across sky for thirty seconds. Tony will give his talk Death From Space And The Amazing Sept 21 Irish Fireball at Astro-Expo this Saturday at 4:30pm in Trinity College Dublin. WHY YOU SHOULD GO TO ASTRO-EXPO Astro-Expo is Astronomy Ireland's Annual Exhibition and has been running for over 20 years. It is an exhibition of Telescopes and photos and equipment that members bring along each year to show new members and the public how exciting this hobby is. A superb series of three speakers are also lined up every year for Astro-Expo to make this one event you will spend the whole day at. Throughout the day Astro-Expo will feature a host of telescope and equipment demonstrations and displays. LECTURE BACKGROUND Over its 4.5 billion year history, Earth has been bombarded from space by giant asteroids and comets, nearby Gamma-Ray Bursts could have sterilised its surface, there is also a threat from nearby supernovae and even viruses from space. Even the Sun could one day kill all life in earth! Tony Ryan has made a detailed study of all these threats and will present his findings in what will be a highly entertaining report on what he has found. LOCATION: The event takes place in the SNIAM Building (beside the Fitzgerald Building) from 12pm to 6pm on Saturday, November 24th. The exhibitions and demonstrations are free, and the lectures are €7 each (€5 for members) [Please note that this is the correct price; please ignore slightly higher price in previous emails]. For booking details, please click HERE. If you would like to exhibit something at the event there is plenty of room, please contact us at (01) 890 11 11 or by emailing conor(a)astronomy.ie. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] 'The Latest From the Mars Curiosity Rover'
by AI Secretary 20 Nov '12

20 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop 'The Latest From the Mars Curiosity Rover' KEYNOTE SPEAKER This year we have an amazing keynote speaker for our annual exhibition. He is the author of the highly acclaimed book all about Mars, Kevin Nolan of The Planetary Society (the world's biggest space exploration group). Kevin has gathered an amazing high performance computer system to show animations from NASA's Mars "Curiosity" Lander like you have never seen them before! Our keynote speaker will give his talk The Latest From the Mars Curiosity Rover at Astro-Expo this Saturday at 2:30pm in Trinity College Dublin WHY YOU SHOULD GO TO ASTRO-EXPO Astro-Expo is Astronomy Ireland's Annual Exhibition and has been running for over 20 years. It is an exhibition of Telescopes and photos and equipment that members bring along each year to show new members and the public how exciting this hobby is. A superb series of three speakers are also lined up every year for Astro-Expo to make this one event you will spend the whole day at. Throughout the day Astro-Expo will feature a host of telescope and equipment demonstrations and displays. LECTURE BACKGROUND The Mars Science Laboratory "Curiosity" is the most sophisticated rover ever sent to another planet. Over the next two years, Curiosity will drive across the mountainous terrain of Gale Crater in search of clues for the origin of life on Mars. The results of the mission will hugely improve our understanding of the connection between planets and the origin of life. At stake is Humanity's place in the Cosmos - should we detect evidence of past or present life on Mars it will suggest a Cosmos teeming with life. After landing on Mars on August 6th it has already made important discoveries and news headlines. In this talk we will bring you the latest results with all the background explanations that a world-leading Mars expert like Kevin Nolan can bring. LOCATION: The event takes place in the SNIAM Building (beside the Fitzgerald Building) from 12pm to 6pm on Saturday, November 24th. The exhibitions and demonstrations are free, and the lectures are €7 each (€5 for members). For booking details, please click HERE. If you would like to exhibit something at the event there is plenty of room, please contact us at (01) 890 11 11 or by emailing conor(a)astronomy.ie. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Do You Want To Get Involved With Astro-Expo This Weekend?
by AI Secretary 19 Nov '12

19 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop Do You Want To Get Involved With Astro-Expo This Weekend? Would you like to take part in Astronomy Ireland's annual Astro-Expo in Dublin this weekend? The event takes place over the course of an afternoon, and is an ideal opportunity to showcase your work or astronomy equipment to an audience of space enthusiasts. You can exhibit and demonstrate: a.. Telescope equipment b.. Drawings c.. Astrophotography d.. Fun science experiments e.. Meteorite collections f.. ... and anything else astronomy related you can think of! The event takes place on Saturday, November 24th, from 12pm to 6pm, with set-up from 10am. If you would like to get involved in this event, please contact Conor on (01) 890 11 11 or email conor(a)astronomy.ie. For more information on Astro-Expo, please visit www.astronomy.ie. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Second Leonid Meteor Shower Tonight, Astro-Expo, Public Lectures This Week
by AI Secretary 19 Nov '12

19 Nov '12

Christmas Gifts Membership DVD Shop 1. Second Leonid Meteor Shower Tonight Late tonight and before dawn tomorrow, Tuesday, observers can expect to see a second peak of the Leonid meteor shower which occurred over the weekend. Overnight, Earth will pass through a filament of debris left by Comet Tempel-Tuttle 600 years ago! Meteor watching is a fun activity that does not need any special equipment. Not only that, but as meteors appear all over the sky, you don't have to worry about looking in the 'wrong place'! Astronomy Ireland is holding an extra Nationwide Leonid Watch, where we want everyone to go outside on Monday night and Tuesday morning, count the number of meteors seen in 15-minute blocks, and let us know the counts by emailing meteor(a)astronomy.ie. Visit www.astronomy.ie to get more details and a map of the sky to help you with your observations. Listen to David Moore on radio speaking about the recent Orionid Meteor Shower at www.astronomy.ie/audio 2. Astro-Expo This Weekend Astro-Expo 2012 takes place this Saturday in Trinity College Dublin and will feature a host of telescope and equipment demonstrations and displays. David Moore will deliver his excellent lecture The Universe on the day, with other top speakers currently being lined up for the day. The event takes place in the SNIAM Building (beside the Fitzgerald Building) from 12pm to 6pm on Saturday, November 24th. The exhibitions and demonstrations are free, and the lectures are €10 each, with a 20% discount for members. For booking details, please click HERE. 3. Public Lectures This Week The DIAS School of Theoretical Physics Statutory lecture takes place tonight in the Arts Block in UCD at 6pm. It is entitled Cosmic perspectives: from planets to the multiverse, and will be delivered by Professor Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal. Admission is free; for more details please see www.dias.ie. The Robinson Lecture will be held on Thursday, November 22nd, in The Armagh City Hotel, 2 Friary Road, Armagh. It will be delivered by Professor David Southwood of Imperial College London and is entitled To Mars, Titan and the Universe Beyond! Europe's Arrival on the Space Frontier. Admission is free but tickets must be prebooked: call +0028-3752-2928 or email ambn(a)arm.ac.uk. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular astronomy club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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