[sorry for 2 emails the same day but this is important]
 
Ireland has been honoured! As you will know if you have read page 29 of the June issue of our magazine, ESA is hiring more astronauts, starting next week.
 
They obviously want Irish astronauts because they are sending over the Head of the ESA Astronaut Corps Gerhard Thiele to promote the astronaut jobs just a few days before the public can apply for the positions, which must be an exceptionally busy time for him.
 
Many of you will have met Dr Thiele when he gave the keynote speech to open our Astro-Expo 2004 in Dublin. He is pictured here being interviewed by TV3 www.astronomy.ie/astroexpo2004_report.html
 
Well, you can meet him again as he is coming to Astronomy Ireland's offices and Shop in Dublin at 2pm on Thursday May 15th. Come along if you want to meet an astronaut.
 
We will interview him for the magazine and our Radio Show (which will be transmitted next Tuesday at 8pm worldwide via the internet and on 103.2FM in Leinster area, as usual).
 
Sorry for the short notice but we only found out this evening. If you cannot get along, perhaps to get some tips on becoming an Irish astronaut, please send any questions to sec@astronomy.ie and you should hear them answered in the magazine and/or on the Radio Show
 
 
P.S.
Don't forget Astronomy Ireland will be in Limerick the next day (May 16) for the NASA Astronaut who is giving a Public Lecture for us and at which we will launch our Evening Classes for Limerick. By the way, Belfast, Letterkenny and Tralee Classes are just about to be launched also - see www.astronomy.ie/eveningclass.html to book 6 venues so far, and keep checking for more to come.
 
P.P.S.
There is loads to see in the sky on the 'practical astronomy' front, for all you telescope and binocular users:  Mercury is still just about visible in evening skies. Mars is in the same binocular field of view as the Beehive Star Cluster - it will pass in front of it next week.  Saturn was a superb sight next to the Moon on Monday and it's near Regulus for several weeks and an incredible sight in a telescope. Jupiter blazes low in the South in morning skies. The I.S.S. starts evening passes next week (text SPACE to 57003 today for daily predictions for 1euro each). The Moon is a superb sight up close in telescopes all week. More details are in our magazine and do get a telescope in the sale this month from our Shop while they are hundreds of euros cheaper than the same model in other Shops in Europe! Order online at www.astronomy.ie/shop or call for advice (01) 847 0777 Monday to Saturday.
 
 
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