GEMINIDS REPORT Sunday morning was 100% cloud free and I got some great view of the Geminids. In one half hour interval I saw 5 fireballs. The Zenithal Hour Rate I estimated to be 120 around 5am Sunday so the shower lived up to its expectations of being one of the best of the year. Did anyone else see the Geminids? We have received zero reports to observe@astronomy.ie so far - quite unusual for one of the best events of the year! The next meteor shower is a short but intense affair on Jan. 4 - the Quadrantids - see page 29 of the January issue of our magazine (www.astronomy.ie/sub to order a copy). T.V. BBC2's Horizon this Thursday at 9pm is about Time Travel. If you missed the repeat last Saturday of Patrick Moore's SKY AT NIGHT on BBC2 (all about comets) then you can watch it online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/spaceguide/skyatnight/proginfo.shtml NEIL ARMSTRONG If you missed his interview with Gay Byrne in Dublin on the day after Astro-Expo 2003 you can hear it on RTE Radio 1 on New Year's Eve (Dec. 31) at 9am in the morning. You can listen to Radio 1 online as well at http://www.rte.ie/radio1/ CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS FROM ASTRONOMY IRELAND? http://www.astronomy.ie/Christmas%20Gift%20ideas.html Including tickets to our New Year Lecture Jan 12 with Prof David Southwood from E.S.A. Paris, and our Evening Classes starting Jan. 20. CHRISTMAS TELESCOPES AND NEW GIFTS FROM OUR SHOP? http://www.astronomy.ie/Telescopes_&Gift%20ideas_.html
From Astronomy MONOPOLY to discounts on telescopes for members!
Merry Christmas! ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open until 6pm Mon.-Sat. Tel (01) 847 0777 www.astronomy.ie Email: info@astronomy.ie