1. Public Lecture & DVD: Gaia: Mapping the Milky Way

In August next year, Gaia will launch into space and will monitor with pinpoint accuracy the positions of a billion stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way. Over five years, Gaia will build an extremely detailed, three-dimensional map of the galaxy. The mission is expected to discover tens of thousands of solar systems throughout the Milky Way, and will detect up to half a million quasars, mysterious high-energy objects buried within distant galaxies. As it picks out new planets it may even find Earth-like planets warm enough to sustain life.

Dr Nicholas Walton of Cambridge University will deliver Astronomy Ireland's November Public Lecture in Trinity College Dublin on November 12th at 8pm.

For tickets and DVDs, please click HERE or call (01) 890 11 11

2. Weekly Telescope Nights

Astronomy Ireland's weekly free telescope nights have begun again, and take place each Friday night at 8pm at the Astronomy Ireland Shop in Airside Enterprise Centre, Swords, Co Dublin.

Members of the public are invited to come along, regardless of age or previous experience, making the telescope nights a fantastic evening out for all the family!

For details and a map to the Astronomy Ireland Shop, visit www.astronomy.ie/scopenights/

Note that these telescope nights are weather-dependent so be sure to check this webpage each Friday afternoon for a weather update and to find out whether the telescope night will go ahead that evening.

3. The Sky at Night

"The Story of Stuff" is this month's subject on the world's longest running TV astronomy show "THE SKY AT NIGHT" with:

- Sir Patrick Moore
- Paul Abel
- Pete Lawrence
- Dr Chris Lintott
- Dr Chris North

All of whom have now given Public Lectures for Astronomy Ireland:

search for their names at www.astronomy.ie/DVD

This month the team find out what the universe is made of, from dark matter that shapes galaxies to minute particles that make up atoms.

TSAN NOVEMBER 2012

Mon Nov 05 at 00:10am BBC 1 Northern Ireland
Thu Nov 08 at 07:30pm BBC FOUR
Fri Nov 09 at 01:20am BBC FOUR
Sat Nov 10 at 12:00pm BBC 2 Northern Ireland
Sat Nov 10 at 10:15pm BBC HD
Sun Nov 11 at 12:40am 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)