1. Public Lecture: Discovering the Higgs Boson

Following our extremely popular recent lecture delivered by the Director-General of CERN after the discovery of a new particle, we have organised a special follow-up lecture to explain what the Higgs Boson actually is, and what it means for physics.

While there has been much media coverage about the discovery of what is believed to be the Higgs Boson, we want to show where the Higgs Boson came from, how it gives other particles mass, and how the discovery fits into modern theories of particle physics.

Irish physicist Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh will give the Astronomy Ireland Public Lecture - titled Discovering the Higgs Boson: What It Is and What It Means - on September 3rd in Trinity College Dublin at 8pm.

Order tickets and DVDs here or by calling (01) 890 11 11.

2. Star-B-Q 2012

The country's biggest annual telescope night takes place this year on September 15th and will feature BBC's The Sky at Night presenter Pete Lawrence. The UK astronomer is an expert in solar astronomy and space weather, and his keynote talk at this year's event will explore the amazing northern lights, which are becoming regularly visible over Ireland.

As well as some great speakers, the Star-B-Q will also have dozens of powerful telescopes to give visitors an opportunity to see the wonders of the Universe from some of Ireland's darkest skies in Roundwood in the Wicklow Mountains, serve delicious barbecued food freshly prepared by professional caterers, and much more!

Tickets for this fun-filled evening of astronomy are only €39 (€29 for under-16s with an adult), and family and group rates are available

For more information and booking, please visit www.astronomy.ie/sbq

3. Last Chances to See 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 this Thursday evening. Tonight (Tuesday, August 21st) it will pass over Ireland at 10:05pm.

The International Space Station currently holds a crew of six astronauts, including five men and one woman. The ISS is a great opportunity for people to watch the sky with friends and family!

Each afternoon 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).