In a stunningly successful mission the twin NASA Mars Rovers have been trundling across the red planet for 8 months now and have sampled and drilled in to many rocks from many different places on the surface of Mars. The overriding discovery is that time and time again there is evidence for vast quantities of water having existed on Mars. If this water lasted long enough many scientists believe life must have started on Mars. Is it there today? Or are there just fossils? Tonight (Monday Sept 13) Dr Tom Mason, the new Director of Armagh Planetarium, will give his first public lecture for Astronomy Ireland, in which he will address this issue for everyone in the Leinster area. Armed with the latest data and his own professional background as a geologist who has worked in extreme desert environments in different parts of the world, he is driven to the conclusion that life is very tenacious, and once it has a foothold it is difficult to eradicate. He will discuss the possibility of the existence of extraterrestrial life on other Solar System bodies, and illustrate his viewpoint with examples of aliens that live on earth. It should be one of the most exciting lectures of the year and all are welcome: "Mars - Life in hostile environments" is at 8pm in Dublin City University (Henry Grattan Building). by Dr Tom Mason, Director of the world famous Armagh Planetarium ALL WELCOME. Admission 5euro (Admission only 3euro if you show the current issue of our magazine at the door, or you are a student, under 16, OAP, or unwaged) [Doors open at 7:45pm for those who have booked places already by email] If you want to know the very latest ideas on where there is or was life on Mars you will be in D.C.U. tonight at 8pm!!! -----CD-ROM: As most members of Astronomy Ireland live outside Leinster this lecture is to be video taped and put on our website www.astronomy.ie in a few days. A higher quality version will also be produced on CD-ROM for 5euro including postage(reply now if you want it and we'll email when it is ready). Anyone anywhere in Ireland may order the CD-ROM for 5euro (if you live overseas email for extra postage costs). -----Background details of our Speaker: Dr Tom Mason trained as a geologist at the Queen's University of Belfast, and spent 22 years in South Africa teaching at the University of KwaZulu Natal in Durban. He has extensive experience as a geological research professor, working on environments of coal formation, marine heavy mineral deposits, Namibian diamonds and on palaeontological topics ranging from the description of the earliest fossils on Earth to mammal-like reptiles of the Karoo and using their trace fossils to describe ancient environments. www.astronomy.ie/lecture0409.html T: (01) 847 0777