20 Months Membership Offer 2010 Events DVDs Shop 1. Gerry Ryan 1956 - 2010 It was with great shock that we heard the news of Gerry Ryan's untimely passing last Friday, April 30th. Gerry Ryan and all his team at the Gerry Ryan Show have been a great friend to Astronomy Ireland over the past two decades, helping us to get our message out to huge audiences. Our deepest sympathies go to his family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time. Our last contact with Gerry was on April 1st when we played an April Fools Day joke on the nation. Over the years our Chairman, David Moore, has been interviewed on the GRS many times, David even did his first (and only!) screen kiss on one of Gerry's early TV shows, don't ask! As well as this, a whole string of our Public Lecturers from home and abroad have been interviewed by Gerry who had a great personal interest in space science. When asked what three people he would most like to have interviewed he included Neil Armstrong in his list. The response we had from interviews on the Gerry Ryan Show was always phenomenal. There are lots of Gerry's interviews on our website in the media archive. They are all MP3s so you can easily download them and play them at your leisure, something we recommend you do. Visit www.astronomy.ie/audio and search for "Gerry Ryan". We will remember Gerry Ryan fondly. We have lost a great broadcaster, but his memory will live on. 2. ISS Exceptionally Bright - 10:13pm Tonight The International Space Station (ISS) is visible in Irish skies until May 14. The ISS appears as an extremely bright star-like object in evening skies and is the brightest object in the sky apart from the Moon. This man-made object is a spectacular sight and we urge all of you to go outside and watch as it passes over. Tonight, the International Space Station will be visible at 10:13pm and will be seen to pass on front of Saturn and Mars from different parts of Ireland - a remarkable sight to behold! These locations will be issued on our text service this evening and will read something similar to the text message sent on May 1st which read "See ISS high in South at 10:33pm, passing in front of Saturn for those along a line from Ennis to Dublin Airport!!!". To receive a message to your mobile with these ISS details simply text SPACE to 57003 (reply STOP to unsubscribe). Each text costs 1euro, and only one message will be sent per day. Proceeds help to promote interest in astronomy across Ireland. Remember to email your observations of the ISS to iss@astronomy.ie and we will do our best to include your report in a forthcoming issue of 'Astronomy & Space' magazine. For more information about the Space Station click HERE. 3. Hubble Space Telescope Operator Speaking in Dublin (DVD Available Also) Getting time on the most expensive telescope ever built is a rare privilege that Irishman Dr. Brian Espey has managed to achieve. Come along to our Summer Public Lecture next Monday, May 10th, where he will tell you how he used the 5 billion euro telescope to probe Red Giant stars. The lecture begins at 8pm sharp on Monday, May 10th, in Trinity College Dublin. All are welcome to attend. For anyone who can't make it on the night, a DVD of the talk is available to order online. For more information, to purchase your tickets or order a copy of the DVD, click HERE. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe ) Our Online Telescope Shop