1. Astronomy Ireland TV
Show
This
month's instalment of the Astronomy Ireland TV Show - a monthly slot dedicated to all
things astronomy - will air tonight, December 15,
on City Channel's 'The Evening Show' at 7pm and again 9pm.
This month,
Astronomy Ireland Chairman, David Moore, will be speaking about the Winter
Solstice, Mars and Jupiter in the night sky, the eclipse of the Moon on New
Year's Eve, Christmas gift offers in the Astronomy Ireland Shop, and much, much
more. If you don't get to see the show tonight, don't worry - the show is
repeated on Wednesday, December 16 at 8am and 11am and again on December 19 at
7:30pm. City Channel is available to all
Chorus/NTL customers in Dublin, Galway and Waterford and all of
Munster. You can also watch it in a few days time on www.astronomy.ie/TV.
2. Huge Fireball
Seen Over Ireland
On Monday, December 14, at around
7:40am a fireball brighter than the Full Moon was
seen all across Ireland with witnesses reporting to have seen
it over Dublin, Louth and even Cork. Such a sight takes merely
seconds to pass over and it can be described as an extremely bright like flame
blazing across the sky. What makes this even more thrilling is that it was
witnessed just before dawn, something which is almost unheard of. It is believed that this phenomenal spectacle
was produced by the Geminids meteor shower which is known to generate
fireballs like these. The Geminids shower peaked on Sunday night, December
13.
Fireballs this bright can drop
meteorites and we have already received many reports from people who saw it
blazing across the evening sky. However we believe that only a tiny fraction of those that saw it have thus far reported it.
If anyone saw it please fill out the online report form at www.astronomy.ie (click 'Report a Fireball' link
on left hand column) as accurately and as detailed as possible. This
helps us in correctly predicting its course and determining if
and where it may have landed.
There has been a frenzy of media
interest surround the fireball since we started receiving reports yesterday
morning. You can hear an interview with Astronomy Ireland Chairman, David Moore,
on RTE Radio One's 'Drivetime' programme, recorded yesterday evening, by going
to www.astronomy.ie/audio.
3. Winter
Solstice 2009
The Winter Solstice occurs this year
on December 21st, and Astronomy Ireland will be meeting in Sean Moore Park,
Sandymount, to witness the Sun rising. The James Joyce Monument in the Park is
aligned with the rising Sun, echoing the ancient alignment at Newgrange.
Newgrange is one of the oldest observatories in
the world, and is even older than the Pyramids in Egypt. The people who built
the Boyne Valley monuments based their entire society around astronomy and the
path of the Sun through the sky over the year. Newgrange was aligned with the
Winter Solstice sunrise, as after this date, days became warmer, symbolising
rebirth and new growth of animals and crops.
So, join Astronomy Ireland in Sean
Moore Park on Monday, December 21st at 7:30am to witness this amazing tribute to
ancient astronomy. For more information click HERE or call us on (01)
847 0777.
4. Christmas
Telescope Demos
This weekend,
the Astronomy Ireland Shop will run telescope demonstrations in Butterly
Business Park, Dublin 5. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday you will get the
opportunity to try out some of Ireland's most powerful telescopes. Why not
consider getting a telescope this Christmas, either as a treat for yourself, or
a gift for all the family to enjoy?
Astronomy Ireland staff will be on hand to show you how easy
it is to use these telescopes, and to show you some of the amazing sights you
can see in the sky. Take a look at our
Online Shop, email
sales@astronomy.ie, or call (01) 847
0777 for more information on our
telescopes.