1. CHRISTMAS LECTURE This Year's Astronomy Ireland CHRISTMAS LECTURE will be given by Chris Lintott Chris is Patrick Moore's co-presenter of the SKY AT NIGHT on BBC TV each month - the longest running TV show in history "COSMOLOGY: FROM BEGINNING TO END" is the title of this year's Christmas Lecture It promises to be a fascinating introduction to explaining how our universe works - the BIG BANG etc. All Welcome, so please bring a friend(s) Admission is 5euro (3euro to children/students/unwaged/over65s/members) payable at the door (doors open 7:45pm) DETAILS 8pm Monday December 12 DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY, Henry Grattan Building, Room CG12 Maps and more details at: www.astronomy.ie/lecture0512.html NOT IN DUBLIN? Well, a DVD of this lecture will be made for all our members outside Dublin at modest cost. Details in a future email. 2. GERRY RYAN SHOW We hope our Christmas Lecturer will be on the Gerry Ryan Show (9am-12pm) Monday morning on 2FM. Everyone in Ireland can hear this! If you hear him being interviewed please TEXT us on 086 081 99 86 thanks 3. CHRISTMAS PARTY As announced in a previous email the annual Astronomy Ireland Christmas Party will take place in The Comet pub immediately after the Christmas Lecture. This is an informal gathering that anyone who supports Astronomy Ireland's goal of promoting interest in astronomy is very welcome to attend. The Christmas Party starts at 10pm. See you all there! 4. SUNDAY OPENING For the first time ever, our Astronomy Shop has started opening on Sunday's. We are now open 7 days a week in the lead up to Christmas. Do drop in to Unit 75 Butterly Business Park, and see one of the biggest displays of telescopes on sale anywhere in Europe! Map: www.astronomy.ie/map.html or call for directions. BEWARE: there are lots of poor quality telescopes advertised for sale this Christmas (even in reputable newspapers like The Irish Times). DO NOT BUY THEM. Some are very poor quality. Some simply have no after sales support and we have heard nightmare stories in the past. Call our Shop on (01) 847 0777 for advice on buying a telescope before spending a single cent! Call and find out why most people in Ireland buy their telescopes from us. FREE delivery anywhere in Ireland!!! Monday to Friday 9:30am-5:30pm and Saturday & Sunday from 12pm to 6pm. 5. ECLIPSE TRIP Remember that if you want to go to see the Total Eclipse of the Sun with us at the end of March next year that bookings for seats on our chartered aircraft will be closing soon (Dec. 23) so hurry! Details and online deposit may be placed at: www.astronomy.ie/turkeyeclipse.html This is the most spectacular sight in nature and THE ONLY direct flight from Ireland to Turkey at that time. Definitely the holiday of a lifetime! Next eclipse trip won't be until 2017!!! Merry Christmas from all at Astronomy Ireland and our Shop.