1. Nationwide Watches Tonight

Our Nationwide Moon, Mars & Saturn Watches takes place around the country at 9pm tonight and we encourage everyone to go along to go to your nearest Watch and view Mars, the Moon and Saturn through some of Ireland's largest and most powerful telescopes, set up for you by our Branch Coordinators.

This is an entirely free event and everyone is welcome to come along. Mars is a fascinating sight through a telescope, and tonight it will be placed extremely close to the Moon. Not only this, there will be a free draw for everyone who attends the Watches around the country, where you will be in with a chance to win a pair of binoculars from our Shop.

There will be Watches in Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Kerry, Limerick, Sligo, and Waterford.

For more information and to check the exact locations click HERE.

Carlow Watch cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

Events will go ahead regardless of weather.

2. Radio Society Rally

This Sunday, The Dundalk Amateur Radio Society is hosting a radio rally in the Fairways Hotel in Dundalk, Co Louth. Astronomy Ireland will be present at the rally, so be sure to visit us and say hello! There will be a variety of stands including traders, Morse code testing, and a bring and buy sale. The event starts at 11am. For more information please visit www.ei7dar.com/.

3. Astronomy Tips This Week

Tonight we have the conjunction of Mars and the Moon, for which Astronomy Ireland is holding its Nationwide Moon, Mars & Saturn Watch (see above).
Also tonight is the peak of the Lyrid Meteor Shower. While the Moon may drown out the fainter meteors, still keep an eye out after midnight for any spectacular fireballs that may occur.
Mercury is now almost invisible, but Venus continues to blaze over the western horizon after sunset.
Saturn is rising in the east and the ringed planet is a favourite telescope target for lots of astronomers.
For more information on what to see in the night sky this week check out the Sky Diary section in the March issue of 'Astronomy & Space' magazine.

Don't forget to email what you see to observe@astronomy.ie and we will try to publish your pictures and observations in forthcoming issues of the magazine.