Aurora Trip Membership DVD Shop 1. Public Lecture: Discovering the God Particle In July of this year a team of scientists at CERN - led by Professor Rolf Heuer who gave Astronomy Ireland's Public Lecture the same month - announced the discovery of a new particle, which was widely believed to be the long-sought Higgs Boson. In light of the immense public interest in the Higgs Boson in Ireland at that time, our October Public Lecture will be delivered by Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh who will explain what the Large Hadron Collider is, how the Higgs Boson was discovered, and what it means for our understanding of the Universe. With the start of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, particle physics entered a new era. The LHC will provide a deeper understanding of the universe and the insights gained could change our view of the world. The LHC is expected to yield insights into the nature of dark matter and the existence of hidden extra dimensions. The lecture, The Higgs Boson will take place on Monday, October 8th, at 8pm in Trinity College Dublin, and people are invited to bring friends and family. Tickets and DVDs of this lecture can be booked online at www.astronomy.ie or by calling (01) 890 11 11. 2. Sun Show on Saturday Each Saturday from 1pm we will hold a Sun Show at the Astronomy Ireland Shop, allowing the general public to view the Sun in safety to see magnificent solar flares and planet-sized sunspots. This is an excellent opportunity to try out some daytime astronomy with the help of experienced astronomers. Get more information on the Sun Shows HERE. 3. 'Harvest Moon' this Weekend The closest Full Moon to the autumn equinox (which took place on September 22nd) is known as the Harvest Moon, as farmers used to use its light to collect crops late into the night. The Full Moon occurs on the night of Saturday, September 29th, and at sunset you will notice the Moon rising in the East. You may also notice an illusion that makes the Moon appear larger when it's closer to the horizon. As it rises the Moon may have a warm, reddish colour: this is because the atmosphere scatters the blue light and allows the red light to travel to your eyes. Be sure to let us know what you see this weekend by emailing your observation reports and photographs to observe@astronomy.ie, so that they can be included in an upcoming issue of Astronomy Ireland. Astronomy Ireland The world's most popular Astronomy Club www.astronomy.ie ( subscribe / unsubscribe )