1. Professor Allan
Chapman - New Year Lecture & DVD
"Allan Chapman is one of
the best public speakers I have ever heard!
He gives a brilliant performance
and regards delivering a lecture as a performance art!
I have heard many of his talks in
the past and he is an absolutely delight to watch, and to
listen to.
His knowledge of the history of
astronomy is vast and not only is he a regular guest of Sir Patrick Moore
on BBC's Sky At
Night and he has produced a documentary series of his own for
Channel 4 television."
"We are delighted that we are able to get him to
deliver the New Year Lecture in our 20th anniversary year. Another event that
will go down in astronomical history we hope!"
"I thoroughly recommend that you cancel any
other event you had planned and come along to Trinity College next Monday (Jan.
25), or order the DVD of the lecture if you cannot attend" - David Moore, Chairman of
A.I.
Tickets or the DVD cost just a few euro and Prof Chapman
has kindly agreed to take a break from his busy schedule in Oxford University to
come to Ireland and tell us all about "400 YEARS OF THE TELESCOPE",
a perfect end to the IYA 2009 that has just ended.
For
more information on the talk/DVD click HERE.
There
will be a social reception in The Lombard
afterwards, all are welcome to join us for a chat with Professor Chapman,
as well as Astronomy Ireland members and staff.
This will be a brilliant start to Astronomy Ireland's 20th
Anniversary year so don't miss it!
2. Evening Classes
Nationwide
Our
extremely popular Evening
Classes begin again nationwide at the start of February. The classes are aimed at the beginner
and cover everything you ever wanted to know about the Universe.
There are 8 classes in total and content covered includes an introduction
to the night sky, the Sun and the Moon, planets and stars, history of astronomy,
deep sky objects, the big bang and even a class on telescopes and how to use
one. Each session is two hours long, from 7:30pm - 9:30pm with a short break
also.
Classes cost
180euro (130euro members rate) and include membership to Astronomy Ireland,
and as 2010 is our 20th Anniversary we have a very special offer for new
members - 20 months for the price of 12. That means that when you sign up for
Evening Classes, you not only get a beginners course in astronomy, you also
become a member of Astronomy Ireland and get a 20 month subscription to
'Astronomy & Space' magazine.
For more
information and to book your place call us on (01) 847 0777 or visit
www.astronomy.ie/class.
3. Public Lecture In
Donegal
The LYIT Astronomy Society will host a public lecture on Tuesday, January
26, given by Dr. Mike Simms from the Ulster Museum. Dr. Simms will give a
talk about the Bovedy, Crumlin and Leighlinbridge meteorites and
will bring some meteorites with him - a great opportunity to handle a rock
that has been in outer space! The lecture takes place in Letterkenny Institute
of Technology at 7:30pm. Entry is free but there will be a collection for the
victims of the Haiti earthquake. All are welcome to attend. For more information
email
Seamus.Byron@lyit.ie.
4. Last Chance To See ISS
The International Space
Station (ISS)
is visible for just 3 more nights, until January 23. We are
urging all of you to go outside and watch this massive space ship flying over
and send your observations to iss@astronomy.ie, we will try to include your
reports in 'Astronomy & Space' magazine. For times to watch the Space Station simply text SPACE
to 57003 to receive a text message to your phone with the predicted
time it will pass over. Each text costs 1euro and proceeds help us
promote astronomy in Ireland.