The International Space Station is visible in evening skies every night this week and next week, until June 30th.

(For newcomers it looks like an extremely bright 'star' crossing the sky in 1 or 2 minutes high up in the South, moving from right to left).

On Saturday afternoon an unmanned Progress re-supply craft will be launched to dock with I.S.S. on Monday afternoon.

So, on Saturday and Sunday nights we should see the Progress craft as a less bright 'star' following I.S.S. across the sky!

This is an extremely rare sight so please email observe@astronomy.ie if you see it so we can include you in our report for our magazine (www.astronomy.ie/sub)

On board I.S.S. are Russian Pavel Vinogradov and American Jeff Williams. Their 6 month tour of duty on I.S.S. started on March 31.

The most accurate predictions are available after 12 noon each day on our Newsline, call 1550-111-442 (calls cost 95c/min)

Please tell your friends about the "space chase" especially as I.S.S. is an easy naked eye sight requiring no binoculars or telescopes to see.

For more background to I.S.S. see the ISS page on our website (left hand menu) www.astronomy.ie where you can also join Astronomy Ireland.

That number for predictions again is 1550-111-442 and it's updated by 12 noon each day with the time to watch that evening.

Everyone in Ireland (and the rest of the world!) can download a small version (38MB!) of our June lecture from our website www.astronomy.ie ("Lecture Webcast" in menu at left).

We want as many people around the country to be able to avail of the monthly lectures Astronomy Ireland videotapes and we try to keep the cost low.

Order DVDs securely online at the website www.astronomy.ie ("Lecture DVD" in the menu at left - or click here: www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html

Chris Dainty from Galway University gave the June lecture, all about "Adaptive Optics". It was a superb lecture from a world authority in this field. What impressed us was his statement that all future high resolution imaging of the universe is going to be done by large ground based telescopes, forget space telescopes. It's a fascinating area and Prof. Dainty explained it extremely well.

At least check out the "taster" version of the talk on our website and then get a copy of the DVD to see it in its full quality.

Our next lecture (July 10) should be a humdinger also: Kevin Sweeney (his superb images of the universe often grace the pages of our Gallery in the magazine) will explain exactly how he takes such stunning images (often while he sleeps!).

Or if you live too far from Dublin place your order now for the DVD we will be making, click here: www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html

Download the list of some of the items from www.astronomy.ie/sale2006.rtf or visit our Shop in Dublin 5 Mon-Fri up to 5:30pm and on Saturday from 12noon until 6pm.

We're open to offers on all the items on sale - TELESCOPES, eyepieces, mounts, accessories - everything must go to make way for new stock!

P.S.

- Don't forget our Radio Show every Tuesday at 8pm. Download it now at www.astronomy.ie/radioshow.html

- Jupiter blazes in the South each evening see our magazine re the new Earth-sized red spot due to pass the Great Red Spot July 10ish

ASTRONOMY IRELAND

- your national astronomy society (and biggest in world relative to population)

- NEW MEMBERS WANTED - no experience necessary! www.astronomy.ie/sub

- publisher Ireland's only astronomy magazine

- the biggest telescope Shop in Ireland: Call (01) 847 0777 Monday to Saturday