1.  Public Lecture: Shooting the Planets and Eclipse with Patrick Moore
On Monday 10 March at 8pm in Trinity College Dublin, Astronomy Ireland's Carl O'Beirnes and Dave Grennan will report on their recent visit to Sir Patrick Moore to film an episode of The Sky at Night. This episode of the programme is scheduled for showing on BBC1 TV late on March 2 and on BBC 4 TV on March 3 at 8pm. This weekend's Sunday Tribune will also feature an article on Carl and Dave's trip and lecture. Carl and Dave will show us examples of their excellent photographic images of the eclipse, planets, galaxies and nebulae and how these images can be obtained using relatively modest equipment. Admission: 5 Euro (3euro to members and concessions)
For those who cannot make it to the venue on the night a DVD will be produced for 5euro (order now on website below)
Tickets are available at the door, on www.astronomy.ie or call Astronomy Ireland on (01) 847 0777
 
 
2.  Nationwide Moon Watches
On Wednesday 12 March we'll be running Moon Watches at various locations nationwide. The Moon will be very close to the Pleiades star cluster and its 32% sunlit crescent will be high in the sky so superb detail should be visible in a telescope along the terminator. Further details will be available soon on www.astronomy.ie and in subsequent emails. Let me know if you would like to run a Moon Watch in your area with your telescope.
 
 
3.  Earth Hour
The world wide campaign to turn out the lights for one hour on Saturday March 29th at 8 pm has been gathering support around Ireland. It is expected that many local authorities, government agencies, corporations and individuals will turn off non essential lighting for at least one hour. Environmentalists and astronomers are behind the idea and to take advantage of the potentially dark sky on the March 29th Astronomy Ireland are considering holding nationwide Star Watches that evening. Again, more details will be available on www.astronomy.ie if we go ahead with this. Also, please reply to this email if you would like to run an event with us.
 
 
4.  SDAS
The South Dublin Astronomical Society (SDAS) will hold their usual monthly meeting in Gonzaga College Ranelagh on Thursday March 6th at 8:00pm. Carl O'Beirnes from Astronomy Ireland (AI) will give a talk entitled "Imaging the Solar System". That man sure gets around. Admission is free and all are welcome.
 
 
5.  Astronomical Science Group of Ireland (ASGI)
Armagh is the venue for Ireland's professional astronomy body's Spring meeting to be held on Friday 14 March 14. Members of groups affiliated to ASGI (such as  AI) are welcome to attend but please let the organisers know in advance. Note: The talks can be quite advanced and are not aimed at the general public. Email Joric at jsv@arm.ac.uk, or Aileen at ambn@arm.ac.uk for details. 
 
 
6.  Armagh Planetarium
To mark their 40th anniversary this year Armagh Planetarium are having a bit of a 'do' on Saturday 8th March from 9:30 – 14:00. There will be short presentations and the premiere of "Mars Invaders", Armagh's first full-dome production show. Places are limited and available on first come first served basis. Email Naomi at naomi@armaghplanet.com for further details

  
                                                                            
Astronomy  Ireland
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