1. A lovely thin crescent Moon will be just 4 degrees below Venus this evening, starting from sunset (around 6pm). It should be a breath-taking sight to the naked-eye so don't miss it. See the diagram and details on page 26 of the February issue of A&S. 2. Mars is even closer to the Moon on Wednesday. See diagram on page 27 of February A&S. Saturn is an incredible sight in good scope at present. I've been viewing with powers of up to 500x in a an 8-inch Celestron! If you wait for Jupiter to get high up (just before midnight) it too shows incredible detail on nights of good seeing (there is a new white oval on the S edge of the NEB at a CM1 longitude of 0 degrees). See magazine for more details (incl mag 4 star that Jupiter glides past this weekend). A&S March issue begins to list Jovian moon events. If you are thinking of getting a good scope then NOW is the time with Saturn just past opposition and Jupiter just days away. We have a special eyepiece kit offer on for the next few weeks don't forget (see insert inside March issue) 3. Comet LINEAR was a nice sight last week in a pair of a pair of 25x100 Celestron SkyMaster binoculars from our Shop. It was about 7th magnitude with a tail half a degree long (from semi-rural skies on Meath-Dublin border anyway). Several of you also reported seeing it. It is just a dozen degrees left of Venus each evening. With the Moon moving in to evening skies try to view early this week - see finder chart and details on page 38 of March issue of A&S. 4. Quite a few of you have written in for tickets to our Special NASA Lecture on March 8 in D.C.U. You've only got this week and next to get them: "Heading to Mars" Dr Stuart Smith from NASA Ames Research Centre California. This Thursday morning around 7am E.S.A. launches the Rosetta spacecraft+ lander bound for Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko (in 2014) with a major Irish contribution by Prof Susan McKenna-Lawlor (Maynooth University) who will give our special Easter Lecture (Bank Holiday Monday April 12) in D.C.U. in a rare public appearance (she usually has about a dozen spacecraft being designed or built so we were very lucky to get her to speak). You can order tickets for both lectures when you write (or drop in to Ireland's BIGGEST Telescope Shop in Artane to buy tickets). Send 5euro (3euro if AI member) per ticket to: P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. ALL WELCOME so do bring friends! Don't miss Venus & Mars near Moon this week. It's Saturn then Jupiter's turn next week - see magazine! And get a look through a good telescope soon, Jupiter and Saturn are stunning - do send your observations to observe@astronomy.ie ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, at Ireland's BIGGEST Telescope Shop. Tel (01) 847 0777. www.astronomy.ie info@astronomy.ie Click last line to change subscription options & see old messages: