1. Pat Kenny did a fascinating 15 minute interview with John Gribbin this morning which is now online for everyone (in the world) to hear. Go to http://www.rte.ie/radio1/todaywithpatkenny/ and click on "Monday" in the box at lower right entitled "Shows from the past" The interview starts 37 minutes 45seconds in to the show but you can quickly move the "slider" to near this time and listen from there. (This is a streaming audio link - does anyone know how to 'download' the actual file? Or is this impossible? Perhaps to protect copyright?) Dr Gribbin will give Astronomy Ireland's February Public Lecture tonight at 8pm in the Hamilton Building in Trinity College Dublin which will be recorded on to DVD for everyone in Ireland. Doors open at 7:30pm if you can get to Dublin and haven't already bought a ticket. His new book "The Universe, A biography" (hardback) will be on sale and he will sign it for you. Those outside Dublin can order (and keep) the DVD of the lecture for 5euro at www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html At 4:30pm today (Feb 12) Dr Gribbin will appear on RTE 1 TV on the Seoige & O'Shea show 2. Venus is now a spectacular sight in evening skies just after sunset low in the southwest. But for the first few days of this week look 10 degrees to its lower right and you should see the elusive planet Mercury. Although much dimmer than Venus we could easily see it with the naked eye last week. Mercury will be too low by the end of this week but Venus will be an evening object for months. On Sunday the Moon will pass in front of the planet Uranus - an extremely rare event. You will need a telescope as Uranus is dim and there will be strong twilight (see magazine). Next Monday Feb 19 Venus will be very close to the Moon in what should be a spectacular sight to the naked eye (see magazine). An extremely bright fireball (brighter than the Full Moon) was seen at 8:30pm Feb 3 from all across Ireland and the U.K. If you saw it please fill in the report form at www.astronomy.ie/fireball.html Starting on Valentine's Night (Feb 14) the International Space Station will be seen every evening for 2 weeks crossing Irish skies as a brilliant naked eye 'star'. Get predictions off the net or call our Newsline 1550-111-442 (calls cost 95c/min) every afternoon for the time to watch that night, and any other news e.g. where to see it pass in front of the Moon etc. More details of observing all the planets (Saturn and Jupiter are on view this week also) and these Moon events are in our magazine every month. The March issue is out later this week and features the Total Eclipse of the Moon on March 3, the best for many years, so order your copy in time for the Eclipse now only 19 days away! www.astronomy.ie/sub (1 issue is 5euro, 12 issues are just 40euro, and support Astronomy Ireland). ASTRONOMY IRELAND - the world's most popular astronomy society Details and information on www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 07 77 ( visit Ireland's BIGGEST telescope showroom when next in Dublin www.astronomy.ie/map.html )