1. There are two huge sunspots, one on either side of the Sun, and both very similar in size and shape. It's quite a remarkable sight! If you have our AstroSolar filters, even just for your binoculars, you can see what I mean 'live'. WARNING: NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN. NOT WITH THE NAKED EYE, NOR BINOCULARS, AND CERTAINLY NOT TELESCOPES. Use only safe filters and secure them to the front of your instrument. Call Astronomy Ireland for advice if uncertain. If you're online you can look at the latest image from Big Bear solar observatory at: http://www.bbso.njit.edu/Images/daily/images/wfullb.jpg 2. Don't forget Comet C/2002 Y1 Juels-Holvorcem. It's about magnitude 7 and cicumpolar so you can see it all night. Though with the Moon in the evening sky rural observers will get best views around 5am when the comet is high in the East, but do look each evening. Anthony Murphy (Drogheda) has seen it several times and recommends you go out and observe it. Send your reports to observe@astronomy.ie (info http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/index.html ) 3. We are seeking more people to help write the News section of the magazine. If you fancy yourself as a writer email info@astronomy.ie 4. AN OBSERVATION: Finally, wasn't the Moon a lovely sight tonight (Sunday March 9) next to the Pleiades star cluster as seen in binoculars (as predicted in the Sky Diary Highlights for March)? The Moon was stunning close-up in a telescope but I just missed the magntiude 6 lunar occultation as clouds rolled across the Moon just at he moment of occultation! Still there's several more occultations this coming week (see magazine page 23) and just look at what's in store this coming week in the Highlights section of this month's Sky Diary! Don't forget to send reports of every one of these events that you see to observe@astronomy.ie 5. For those of you living in the Leinster area, don't forget Eamonn Ansbro shows the first results from his giant 36-inch reflector (in Roscommon) at our public lecture on Monday March 10 at 8pm in Dublin City University. See http://www.astronomy.ie for more details of how to get there. ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open Mon.-Fri. 9:30am-5:30pm and Sat. noon-6pm. Tel (01) 847 0777. Fax (01) 847 0771. WWW: http://www.astronomy.ie (Subscribe FREE to AI's Events emailing list) Email: info@astronomy.ie __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/