Astronomy Ireland's Evening
Classes began in three locations around Ireland yesterday: Cork, Sligo and Tralee. These extremely popular classes are aimed at
the beginner and cover everything you ever wanted to know about
the Universe! If you missed the first class, don't worry, because you can
still enrol and enjoy the upcoming classes.
Just before the Classes started, a huge
fireball was seen over Irish skies! This spectacular event has led to hundreds
of fireball reports
and phone calls, and a huge number of media interviews -
including RTE Radio 1, Newstalk, and Today FM - with David Moore, Chairman of
Astronomy Ireland.
These fireballs are caused by the leftover
debris from the creation of the Solar System billions of years ago. Yesterday
evening, a piece of debris - possibly the size of a car - entered Earth's
atmosphere and began to burn up. In fact, the creation of the Solar System and
the origin of meteors and fireballs are some of the many topics that you will
learn about at our hugely successful Evening Classes! To read more about the
spectacular fireball go to www.astronomy.ie and if you were lucky enough
to witness it please fill out a fireball report on the Astronomy Ireland
website.
Classes cost 180euro (130euro members
rate) and include a very special 20 months
membership to Astronomy Ireland to celebrate our 20th Year. Please be advised
that places must be booked in advance. Every person who enrols will receive a
FREE ASTRONOMY PACK upon registration.
Please note that our website www.astronomy.ie is under significant strain
at the moment due to the surge in visits following the fireball, so if you can't
get to the website to enrol please keep
trying.
2. Public Lecture:
What's It Like To Live Inside A Star?
Imagine a planet that was so close to its
parent star that it was effectively inside its atmosphere, pummelled by
radiation as it orbited the nuclear orb. Believe it or not, you are living
on such a planet: Earth.
Our home planet is hammered by charged
particles from solar winds in the furthest reaches of the Sun's atmosphere. This
can result in spectacular aurora, but severe solar storms can cause electrical
and telecommunication blackouts on the ground and on spacecraft in
orbit.
Dr Chris Davis, from the Rutherford Appleton
Laboratory in the UK, is giving Astronomy Ireland's February Lecture. A leading
expert on the Sun, Dr Davis will tell lecture attendees all about solar storms,
how it affects life on Earth, and how it will affect astronauts of the future
travelling to the Moon and Mars.
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 Dr Davis, as well as
Astronomy Ireland members and staff.