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

[Astronomy Ireland] "Big Bang & Ireland" Lecture for European City of Science
by AI Secretary 29 Jun '12

29 Jun '12

Aurora Trip Membership DVD Shop European City of Science Lecture The Big Bang and Birr Telescope This public lecture is to celebrate Dublin being the European City of Science in 2012. Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh will describe the construction of the world’s largest telescope at Birr Castle in Ireland by William Parsons, the Third Earl of Rosse, in the 1840s. The importance of the astronomy at Birr Castle in the development of the Big Bang model of the universe will also be discussed. The Leviathan of Parsonstown is the unofficial name of the Rosse six foot telescope at Birr Castle. This is a historic reflecting telescope of 72 in (1.8 m) aperture, which was the largest telescope in the world from 1845 until the construction of the 100 in (2.5 m) Hooker Telescope in 1917. Using this telescope - the Hubble Space Telescope of its day - the latest scientific theories of the Universe were forged that ultimately led to the Big Bang theory of the Universe, which will be explained in this talk. Dr O'Raifeartaigh teaches physics at the Waterford Institute Technology. He is a well-known science speaker in Ireland, and runs a blog called Antimatter. He has given many extremely popular talks and has a gift for communicating very complex ideas to an everyday audience. Some of Dr O'Raifeartaigh's has given very well received talks about the Big Bang, cosmology, and the Universe in the past and they are available on DVD here, and we had him interviewed on Irish radio stations; search for his name in audio archive here. We believe Dr O'Raifeartaigh is a brilliant public speaker and an ideal choice to deliver this special public lecture celebrating Dublin being the European City of Science in 2012. Please bring family and friends as they will all enjoy it immensely! The Big Bang and Birr Telescope will take place in Trinity College Dublin on Monday, July 2nd, at 8pm. Order tickets and DVDs HERE Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Astronomy Ireland With Pat Kenny Next Monday
by AI Secretary 27 Jun '12

27 Jun '12

Aurora Trip Membership DVD Shop Astronomy Ireland on Today With Pat Kenny Next Monday To coincide with our Dublin City of Science lecture about The Birr Telescope and the Big Bang on Monday, tomorrow's astronomy round-up on Today With Pat Kenny has been changed to Monday morning, July 2nd, between 10am and 12 noon. RTE Radio One has been voted the top radio station in the world, and in our regular round-up of astronomy news with David Moore and Pat Kenny, Astronomy Ireland will feature on Pat Kenny's flagship chatshow on RTE Radio One on Monday morning. David Moore last featured on Today With Pat Kenny in April, and you can listen to that interview HERE. We have worked out a list of topics in current Irish astronomy with the RTE team that we hope will be discussed on Monday morning, including eerie noctilucent clouds, our two July public lectures, Jupiter 'colliding' with the Moon, and the launch of our own rebranded magazine, Astronomy Ireland. For a full list of topics that we hope to talk about, please click HERE. You can listen to Today With Pat Kenny on the RTE website or on radio, and we will also put a recording of the interview on our website at www.astronomy.ie/audio soon after it is broadcast. David Moore also featured on the award-winning dramatisation The Reindeer Santa Left Behind last Christmas. You can listen to it HERE. For information about The Birr Telescope and the Big Bang public lecture and DVD with Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh, please click HERE. The lecture will take place in Trinity College Dublin on Monday, July 2nd, at 8pm. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Pat Kenny, 'Birr Telescope and the Big Bang', Summer School
by AI Secretary 26 Jun '12

26 Jun '12

Aurora Trip Membership DVD Shop 1. Astronomy Ireland to Feature on Today With Pat Kenny RTE Radio One has been voted the top radio station in the world, and in our regular round-up of astronomy news with David Moore and Pat Kenny, Astronomy Ireland will feature on Pat Kenny's flagship chatshow on RTE Radio One this Thursday morning, June 28th. David Moore last featured on Today With Pat Kenny in April, and you can listen to that interview HERE. We have worked out a list of topics in current Irish astronomy with the RTE team that we hope will be discussed on Thursday morning, including eerie noctilucent clouds, our two July pubic lectures, Jupiter 'colliding' with the Moon, and the launch of our own rebranded magazine, Astronomy Ireland. For a full list of topics that we hope to talk about, please click HERE. You can listen to Today With Pat Kenny on the RTE website or on radio, and we will also put a recording of the interview on our website at www.astronomy.ie/audio soon after it is broadcast. David Moore also featured on the award-winning dramatisation The Reindeer Santa Left Behind last Christmas. You can listen to it HERE. 2. Public Lecture and DVD: 'The Birr Telescope and the Big Bang' The European City of Science is Dublin this year. Our main event to celebrate this special year is Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh's excellent lecture on how Ireland contributed to modern cosmology. He will describe the construction of the world’s largest telescope at Birr Castle in Ireland by William Parsons, the Third Earl of Rosse, in the 1840s. Astronomy at Birr Castle played an important part in the development of the Big Bang model of the Universe. Using his Leviathan telescope, Parsons discovered the spiral structure to mysterious 'nebulous' objects in the night sky, which we now know to be galaxies. This work aided astronomers in developing a theory that the Universe evolved through time into the Universe we see now, from something very different in the past. The lecture will take place at 8pm next Monday, July 2nd, in Trinity College Dublin. Order tickets and DVDs here or call (01) 890 11 11. Dr O'Raifeartaigh has given talks for Astronomy Ireland in the past, DVDs of which can be ordered HERE. 3. Astronomy Summer School - Offer Extended! To give people tuning into Pat Kenny on Thursday morning a chance to hear about our new Summer School, we are extending our special offer of €20 off the enrolment fee for our Summer School until Friday, June 29th! An Introduction to Astronomy is a new set of classes developed by Astronomy Ireland to give newcomers to astronomy a good grounding in observational astronomy. Students will learn about the constellations, the Moon and the Sun, the history of astronomy, how telescopes work, and what to see in the night sky. The course is ideal for those who want to get more out of their stargazing sessions, without being going into the more complex details of astrophysics and cosmology. The Astronomy Ireland Summer School will commence on July 18th and run each Wednesday for four weeks. To book your place now at the special reduced rate of only €120 (€80 for members), please visit www.astronomy.ie/summerschool Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] 'Birr Telescope and the Big Bang', Aurora Trip to Norway, Summer School Offer, Sun Show
by AI Secretary 20 Jun '12

20 Jun '12

Aurora Trip Membership DVD Shop 1. Public Lecture: 'The Birr Telescope and the Big Bang' As part of the Dublin City of Science events, Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh will describe the construction of the world’s largest telescope at Birr Castle in Ireland by William Parsons, the Third Earl of Rosse, in the 1840s. Astronomy at Birr Castle played an important part in the development of the big bang model of the universe. Using his Leviathan telescope, Parsons discovered the spiral structure to mysterious 'nebulous' objects in the night sky, which we now know to be galaxies. This work aided astronomers in developing a theory that the Universe evolved through time into the Universe we see now, from something very different in the past. Order tickets and DVDs here or by calling (01) 890 11 11 2. Northern Lights Tour to Norway Following this year's successful trip to Norway to see the northern lights, we have teamed up with Project Travel again to give you another opportunity to see this fantastic natural phenomenon! In February 2013 we will visit Tromsø to explore its surroundings, its history, and of course, the northern lights. Travellers will have the opportunity to visit the Science Centre & Planetarium, to go dog-sledding, to take an aurora photography workshop, and much, much more! For more details, a full itinerary, and booking details, please visit www.astronomy.ie/norway 3. An Introduction to Astronomy Summer School - Offer Ends Friday! Due to a huge amount of interest, we've decided to reopen our special offer of €20 off the enrolment fee for our Summer School until Friday, June 22nd! An Introduction to Astronomy is a new set of classes developed by Astronomy Ireland to give newcomers to astronomy a good grounding in observational astronomy. Students will learn about the constellations, the Moon and the Sun, the history of astronomy, how telescopes work, and what to see in the night sky. The course is ideal for those who want to get more out of their stargazing sessions, without being going into the more complex details of astrophysics and cosmology. The Astronomy Ireland Summer School will commence on July 18th and run each Wednesday for four weeks. To book your place now at the special reduced rate of only €120 (€80 for members), please visit www.astronomy.ie/summerschool 4. Sun Show on Saturday Each Saturday from 1pm we will hold a Sun Show at the Astronomy Ireland Shop, allowing the general public to view the Sun in safety to see magnificent solar flares and planet-sized sunspots. This is an excellent opportunity to try out some daytime astronomy with the help of experienced astronomers. Get more information on the Sun Shows HERE. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Two July Lectures, Summer School Offer, Aurora Trip to Norway, International Space Station
by AI Secretary 15 Jun '12

15 Jun '12

Aurora Trip Membership DVD Shop 1. July Public Lectures: 'The Birr Telescope and the Big Bang' and 'Understanding Our Universe with the LHC' July 2012 is a very special month for public lectures featuring two top scientists from Ireland and abroad! The Birr Telescope and the Big Bang - Monday, July 2nd As part of the Dublin City of Science events, Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh will describe the construction of the world’s largest telescope at Birr Castle in Ireland by William Parsons, the third Earl of Ross, in the 1840s. Astronomy at Birr Castle played an important part in the development of the big bang model of the universe. Order tickets and DVDs here Understanding Our Universe with the Large Hadron Collider - Friday, July 13th Professor Rolf Heuer is the Director-General of CERN, and as our very special speaker this month, he will treat members of the public to an overview of the past, present, and future of the Large Hadron Collider, the world's biggest and most ambitious particle accelerator. Order tickets and DVDs here 2. An Introduction to Astronomy Summer School - €20 Off! Due to a huge amount of interest, we've decided to reopen our special offer of €20 off the enrolment fee for our Summer School for another week, until Friday, June 22nd! An Introduction to Astronomy is a new set of classes developed by Astronomy Ireland to give newcomers to astronomy a good grounding in observational astronomy. Students will learn about the constellations, the Moon and the Sun, the history of astronomy, how telescopes work, and what to see in the night sky. The course is ideal for those who want to get more out of their stargazing sessions, without being going into the more complex details of astrophysics and cosmology. The Astronomy Ireland Summer School will commence on July 18th and run each Wednesday for four weeks. To book your place now at the special reduced rate of only €120 (€80 for members), please visit www.astronomy.ie/class 3. Northern Lights Tour to Norway Following this year's successful trip to Norway to see the northern lights, we have teamed up with Project Travel again to give you another opportunity to see this fantastic natural phenomenon! In February 2013 we will visit Tromsø to explore its surroundings, its history, and of course, the northern lights. Travellers will have the opportunity to visit the Science Centre & Planetarium, to go dog-sledding, to take an aurora photography workshop, and much, much more! For more details, a full itinerary, and booking details, please visit www.astronomy.ie/norway 4. The International Space Station The biggest and most expensive spacecraft ever put in orbit, the International Space Station (ISS), is currently visible in our night and early morning skies, and will continue to be visible until June 20th. Astronomy Ireland will publish the times the ISS will be visible at www.astronomy.ie/iss and you can also receive daily reminders of this time by texting the word SPACE to 57003 (subscription service; one message will be sent each day the ISS is visible and it costs €1 per message received). Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Father's Day Offers, Summer School, International Space Station
by AI Secretary 12 Jun '12

12 Jun '12

Father's Day Offers DVD Membership Shop 1. Father's Day Offers This Sunday is Father’s Day and the Astronomy Ireland Shop is here to help you find a gift for even the most hard-to-shop-for dad! We have great prices on a large selection telescopes from almost every range in the shop so check out our great offers HERE or give the guys in the shop a call on (01) 890 11 11. Remember – we deliver all our telescopes by courier, which means we aim to have your telescope with you next day! Perfect for last-minuter gifts or a present for yourself! 2. An Introduction to Astronomy Summer School An Introduction to Astronomy is a new set of classes developed by Astronomy Ireland to give newcomers to astronomy a good grounding in observational astronomy. Students will learn about the constellations, the Moon and the Sun, the history of astronomy, how telescopes work, and what to see in the night sky. An Introduction to Astronomy is ideal for those who want to get more out of their stargazing sessions, how telescopes can be used, and where to find celestial objects in the sky, without being going into the more complex details of astrophysics and cosmology. The Astronomy Ireland Summer School will commence on July 18th and run each Wednesday for four weeks. For more information on these classes and enrolment forms, please visit www.astronomy.ie/class 3. The International Space Station The biggest and most expensive spacecraft ever put in orbit, the International Space Station (ISS), is currently visible in our night and early morning skies, and will continue to be visible until June 20th. Astronomy Ireland will publish the times the ISS will be visible at www.astronomy.ie/iss and you can also receive daily reminders of this time by texting the word SPACE to 57003 (subscription service; one message will be sent each day the ISS is visible and it costs €1 per message received). Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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[Astronomy Ireland] Transit of Venus, The Sky at Night
by AI Secretary 05 Jun '12

05 Jun '12

Spring Sale DVD Membership Shop 1. Transit of Venus Tomorrow Morning Astronomy Ireland, Dublin Institute of Technology, and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, are coming together at Skerries Harbour, North Dublin, on the morning of Wednesday, June 6th, to watch the historical Transit of Venus as the Sun rises. The next Transit of Venus will not occur until 2117, making this the last time we will get to see the celestial event for over a century! The general public are invited to come along at 5am as the Sun rises, where they can use telescopes fitted with special safety equipment under the guidance of experienced astronomers from Astronomy Ireland, DIT, and DIAS. For more details and a map of Skerries Harbour, please click HERE. The Transit in Astronomy Ireland Magazine The last Transit occured in 2004, and the June 20012 issue of Astronomy Ireland is packed full of reports and photos of that transit when it was seen in Ireland. Upcoming issues of Astronomy Ireland will feature a host of reports and images of the transit from Ireland and around the world. To order the June issue or to get the magazine delivered to your door every month. please click on www.astronomy.ie/join. Remember, if you join Astronomy Ireland before the end of June you can avail of 15 months membership for the price of 12! Astronomy Ireland on Radio David Moore and Astronomy Ireland has appeared on several radio shows in the run up to the Venus Transit, including RTE's Morning Ireland, The Daire Nelson Show on LMFM, and much more! To listen to these interviews visit www.astronomy.ie/audio 2. The Sky at Night This month Sir Patrick Moore investigates a mission to Jupiter to explore Europa, Gandymede, and Callisto. Mon Jun 04 at 12:25am BBC 1 Northern Ireland Mon Jun 04 at 12:25am BBC One HD Thu Jun 07 at 07:30pm BBC FOUR Fri Jun 08 at 02:05am BBC FOUR Sat Jun 09 at 12:00am BBC HD Sat Jun 09 at 12:15pm BBC 2 Northern Ireland Sun Jun 10 at 01:45am BBC FOUR Note that the BBC1 and BBC2 programmes are shorter versions (20 minutes). Try to watch BBC FOUR or BBC HD transmissions (30 minutes) Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )

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