The gods are smiling on us! The aurorae look set to continue ALL WEEK now, right up to our single biggest event ever, ASTRO-EXPO this Saturday & Sunday. Dr Peter Gallagher, an Irish man now working for NASA with the SOHO spacecraft (remember his packed out lecture to AI) tells us that "We're actually expecting large auroral displays tonight and for the next few days. The large sunspot group, called NOAA 10696, produced an X-class flare which accelerated lots of protons and electrons in our direction on Sunday. As the particles take a few days to get from the Sun to the Earth, we are expecting the most spectacular displays today and tonight. As the region is on the western side of the Sun, we can expect a few more "proton events" before the region rotates off the disk towards the end of the week. AI members may be interested in following the progress of NOAA 10696 at my website: www.solarmonitor.org". So, that means you should watch out for aurora EVERY NIGHT this week. Text 086 081 99 86 if you see it AND please email observe@astronomy.ie when you finish watching for our magazine report. More reports of last night's (Sunday) aurora have now come in from Cork and Galway (to add to the reports from Wicklow, Roscommon and Derry). Let's hope for better weather tonight and the coming nights. This is all great news as it's going to catapult ASTRO-EXPO this weekend in to the public eye. We have the biggest line-up of astronomy exhibits and lectures ever seen in Ireland. The Lord Mayor of Dublin will open the event on Saturday. The Exhibition covers 5,000 square feet and is completely filled by 25 exhibitors (slashing last year's record). Admission to the exhibition hall is only 3euro (students and children FREE). There are 3 major lectures aimed at the general public on both days at 1pm, 3pm, 5pm in a lecture hall next door. Speakers from the U.K. and Germany include: Europe's Head Astronaut flying in from Germany to give the opening talk. He flew on the Shuttle. Sir Isaac Newton (in person!) talking about his life and penchant for hanging people Stephen Hawking's Astronomy Ireland student on Cosmology for beginners Ireland's NEW survey for planets around other stars - we're about to lead the world. SpaceShip One & The X-Prize Robot Telescopes Exhibitors include: Portable Planetarium shows all day Our own Telescope Shop with HUGE discounts on most scopes, books etc (These prices are for Astro-Expo ONLY so if you want 40% off a NexStar you must come!) And lots more, far too much to mention. See our website. Ideally, you should reserve your places online at www.astronomy.ie and get all the discounts, but you can just turn up on the day and pay then. We've kept prices very low. The Astronaut, Isaac Newton, and Hawking's AI student will all be guests of honour at the Annual AI Dinner (some call it our Christmas Dinner) on Saturday 8pm in a nearby Hotel. Book NOW at the incredibly low price of just 25euro (note that only a few dinner tickets will be available on the day at 45euro as we have to tell the hotel numbers in advance). All welcome. Our aim at Astro-Expo is to give everyone in Ireland (Dubliners - you have no excuse!) a reason to come together once a year for a major event. Astro-Expo, every November, has achieved this so make sure you drop what you're doing and get along to the exhibition on one or both days from 12-6 and as many of the talks as possible. ASTRO-EXPO 2004: Dublin City University in "The Hub" Saturday & Sunday November 13 & 14 (noon to 6pm). All welcome. Details and bookings www.astronomy.ie Enjoy the aurora and every time you see it remember Astro-Expo is coming! P.S. There's loads happening this week: LEO ENRIGHT is our guest on the A.I. Radio Show Tuesday at 8pm, tune to 103.2FM. Leo has a TV show "Mars Rocks" that same night at 7pm on RTE 2! I'm giving a public lecture in Sligo Institute of Technology "The Universe" at 7pm. AI's Colm Cannon is speaking on "The Solar System": Tuesday 11am Dunboyne, 2pm Ashbourne, Wednesday 11am Dunshauglin, all in their public libraries. If you hear the A.I. radio show PLEASE email a reception report to radio@astronomy.ie please. Clear skies, David Moore.