1. Public Lecture: Meteorites: Myth, Mystery, and
Marvel
Meteorites are meteors that originate in outer space and eventually
fall to earth. They have always been the subject of fascination right throughout
history. Some become very visible in the form of fireballs before they hit
Earth, as was the case with the recent Chelabinsk meteorite in Russia, which
injured many people and damaged buildings. It is a widely held theory that a
large meteorite wiped out the dinosaurs of the Cretaceous period. Astronomy
Ireland's June Public Lecture will seek to examine fact and fiction behind these
invaders from outer space.
Meteorites: Myth, Mystery, and Marvel will be delivered by Dr
Caroline Smith, Curator of Meteorites at the Natural History Museum in London.
The lecture will take place in Trinity College Dublin on June 10th at 8pm.
For tickets and DVDs, please click
HERE.
2. Asteroid 1998 QE2 to Pass Close to
Earth
Following
in the vein of meteorites and fireballs, a 1.7 mile wide asteroid will pass
near Earth on May 31st. While there is no risk of impact (it will be more than
15 times further away than the Moon), the massive object will be close enough
for astronomers to study its surface and to improve information on its orbit
around the Sun.
Undoubtedly, this asteroid will attract media attention over the coming
fortnight, so be sure to listen out for our interviews on radio! You can listen
to radio interviews on our website at
www.astronomy.ie/audio
3. Minor Lunar Eclipse
On May 25th, the very edge of the Moon will pass through
Earth's penumbral shadow. So, while an eclipse will take place, it will be
effectively "invisible" to observers on the ground. You can find out more about
the eclipse and the Moon's path through Earth's shadow HERE.