1. The Astronomy Ireland Radio Show ran a FREE competition last night (tune in every Tuesday at 8pm or download the recording any time after 9pm on our website). You can win two Star-B-Q tickets worth 30euro each (www.astronomy.ie/sbqApril2005.html) if you know the answer to the very simple question. You have until Friday (April 15) at midnight! So go to www.astronomy.ie and click "Radio Show" in the left hand menu and download the "April 12" show (takes about 30 seconds on broadband). There's a lot more news and what to see in the sky this week for everyone all around Ireland and the U.K. Good luck and tune in every Tuesday night to Ireland's ONLY astronomy radio show! 2. POPE'S ECLIPSE: Last Friday April 8 there were media reports that the total eclipse of the Sun that day (see our April magazine page 23) was predicted in advance to coincide with the Pope's funeral! Where you believe this sort of rubbish or not, it generated publicity for the eclipse over the Pacific that it would otherwise have not received. I spoke to the Gerry Ryan Show on 2FM that morning and we were able to talk all about eclipses in general including the one we have Eclipse Watches Nationwide planned for on October 3 (see your PROGRAMME OF LECTURES AND EVENTS that all members got in the post this week - or get most of it from www.astronomy.ie/Events%202005.html). But we also got to announce to the public our big Total Solar Eclipse Trip 2006 planned for Turkey next year on March 29. A lot of people emailed as a result. Members will know that we announced this last month on page 4 of the April issue of the magazine. If you want to know the details just email eclipse@astronomy.ie now. There will not be another Total Eclipse of the Sun visible from any easy to get to place on the planet until 2017! If you want to hear the Gerry Ryan Show interview click on http://www.rte.ie/rams/radio/latest/Fri/rte-thegerryryanshow-fri-.smil or failing that try pasting this link in to REAL PLAYER: rtsp://streaming2.rte.ie/2005/0408/08042005rte-thegerryryanshow-fri-.rm The eclipse discussion starts 2 hours 2minutes in to the Show and lasts about 15 minutes. It was great fun to do, I hope you enjoy listening. 3. AURORA WATCH: A solar wind stream is buffeting Earth's magnetic field, sparking intermittent auroras over northern Europe and Canada. As ever TEXT us on 086 081 9986 as soon as you see anything giving your name and location. Then email observe@astronomy.ie when it is all over and we'll put your report in our magazine. 4. NATIONAL MOON WATCH DAY is this Friday April 15. At 9pm telescopes will be set up for you ALL AROUND IRELAND so you can get an incredible close up view of the mountains, valleys and craters on the Moon. I'll be at the Dublin Moon Watch in the Phoenix Park (Papal Cross car park) and we'll have several of the latest telescopes on hand for you to look through including the first in Ireland of Celestron's new C11-S GT from our Shop. Details of all the other Moon Watches are on www.astronomy.ie and they all start at 9pm - it should be the brilliant night as the Moon is the most incredible sight in a telescope AND Saturn will be right next to it in the sky! (see page 27 of our April magazine www.astronomy.ie/sub ) And finally, our Newsline has been updated. For details of everything to see in the sky this week please call 1550-111-442 (calls cost 95c/min). In U.K. call 09001 88 1950 (60p/min). - David Moore (Chairman, Astronomy Ireland: www.astronomy.ie ) Visit us at one of Europe's BIGGEST ASTRONOMY SHOPS in: Unit 75, Butterly Business Park, Kilmore Road, Artane, Dublin 5. Tel: (01) 847 0777. Open Mon.-Fri 9:30-17:30 AND SATURDAYS NOON TIL 6PM BEST PRICES - now up to 50% off listed prices!!! Delivery nationwide. We'll beat anyone's price - call! *** SALE ON THIS WEEK !!! ***