Astronomy Ireland's biannual evening classes begin this Thursday at 7:30pm. Also, Astronomy Ireland's October lecture will feature Kevin Nolan of the Planetary Society, at 8pm, this coming Monday. Both events take place in the Schrodinger Theatre at Trinity College, Dublin. Details below. 1. Evening Classes Starting this Thursday, October 5, Astronomy Ireland is once again bringing the fascinating world of astronomy to the public with our bi-annual evening classes. Blackholes, Gamma Ray Bursts, Supernovae - investigate these spectacular phenomena with us and learn more about the practical uses of a telescope along the way. The instructor will be Emmet Mourdant, an acclaimed science writer and educator. Many of you will know him as the news editor for Astronomy & Space magazine. The classes run for 10 weeks every Thursday (7:30pm to 9:30pm) in Trinity College, Dublin 2. This course is suitable for the general public and no knowledge of maths is required. The style will be informal and questions are very much encouraged. Each class lasts for two hours with a 10-15 minute break. All are welcome! Schedule: 7:30-9:30pm, Thursday October 5, and each Thursday thereafter Venue: Schrodinger Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin 2 Admission: €80 for members (€120 for non-members--price includes year's subscription to Astronomy&Space) For more information or to book places, visit www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777 2. Public Lecture: Mars - Our Origin and Destiny Kevin Nolan, lecturer in Physics at the Institute of Technology, Tallaght, Dublin, software developer for ESA’s ‘INTEGRAL’ multi-wavelength space observatory, and coordinator to Ireland for The Planetary Society, will be giving a talk, Mars - Our Origin and Destiny, this coming Monday. This topic represents a slight change from his originally planned talk. This talk will incorporate the latest findings from Mars, as well as sections on Aurora, Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), Planetary Protection, the return to the Moon and a human mission to Mars. Kevin will talk about the astronomy community's current focus on Mars, and how NASA, ESA, Aurora and VSE all hope to pursue the question of life on the planet and ultimately send humans there. If you cannot get to Dublin for the lecture, you can purchase a full DVD for the same price as a ticket. Simply log onto www.astronomy.ie/lectureDVD.html Time of Lecture: 8:00pm, Monday, October 11 Venue: Schrodinger Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin 2 Admission: €5 (€3 children/students) For more information or to book places, visit www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777 ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777