----------------------------------------------------- ASTRONOMY IRELAND MAILING LIST - www.astronomy.ie (Ireland's National Astronomy Club, Magazine and Shop) --------------3,000 members and growing-------------- 1. COMET CHART & NATIONWIDE WATCHES ON FRIDAY Good views of Comet Machholz (C/2004 Q2) early last night (on Jan 4) before clouds rolled in. It's about magnitude 3.5 and half a degree across (same size as a Full Moon) with very faint tails best seen in binoculars or wide angle telescopes from dark rural skies. Tonight the comet is only 5 degrees from the Pleiades (or Seven Sisters) star cluster. Both should be visible to the naked eye as the comet passes closest to Earth this week. A very nice picture from last night is at http://spaceweather.com/swpod2005/05jan05/lawrence.jpg Comet Machholz looks green or blue in photos but white to the eye (it's not bright enough to stimulate our colour vision). 5 degrees puts the comet in the same field of view as the cluster if you're using a pair of our ultra wide angle 10x50 binoculars, which a lot of you now have. On Thursday and Friday the comet will be closest, just 2 degrees away, an amazing and rare sight especially as the comet is so high up, at its closest and its brightest. Let's hope we're as lucky with the weather. In addition to the 2 page article and main star chart on page 45 of the January issue of our magazine (almost sold out now so hurry and order a copy www.astronomy.ie/sub) I have put a close-up chart at http://www.astronomy.ie/dm/m45mach.jpg showing the comet's path past the Pleiades for the next week. The chart is 10 degrees wide and shows stars to magnitude 9. COMET WATCHES NATIONWIDE We have our major Comet Watches running nationwide on Friday at 8pm (see www.astronomy.ie for the Watch nearest you) when we want to give everyone in Ireland a chance to see this new comet close up. Please pass on details of this event to everyone you know as it is aimed at making the general public aware of this unusually bright comet which is perfectly placed in evening skies. There will be another COMET WATCH on Thursday January 13. I'll be at the Dublin Watch in the Phoenix Park (papal cross car park) Jan 7 and 13 so I hope to see you all there. So far, no one in Ireland has reported sighting the Comet to the Observers Log column of the magazine! To do so send an email if you see the comet to observe@astronomy.ie Send any photos you take to gallery@astronomy.ie or P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. 2. A.I. RADIO SHOW The Astronomy Ireland Radio Show was back on air last night for the first show of 2005 taking about everything from the Comet to the effect on the Earth of the quake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean, including the prospects for a tsunami for Ireland and Europe. The repeat is on Thursday morning at 11am on Anna Livia radio 103.2FM (or download the show a few days later at www.astronomy.ie if you're not in the Leinster area). Let us know if you think Astronomy Ireland should continue the Show? Does Ireland need a weekly programme dedicated to astronomy, or not? Email your answer to radio@astronomy.ie and tell us if you tune in regularly or are we wasting our time and there is no need for an astronomy radio show? Don't forget to tune in every Tuesday at 8pm 3. JANUARY SALE NOW ON! The big sale continues at our Astronomy Shop in Artane, Dublin 5 (delivery nation-wide). 50% off most books!!! 40% off most NexStar GT series telescopes!!! Half price videos!!! Half price slide sets!!! Loads of other bargains on almost any equipment! Come in and see Ireland's BIGGEST telescope shop! Map and public transport details are at: http://www.astronomy.ie/map.html Or call (01) 847 0777 and we'll deliver anywhere in Ireland. Only while stocks last - so hurry. Open Mon-Fri 9:30-17:30 and SATURDAY FROM NOON TO 6PM - David Moore, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland - your national astronomy club & magazine. Astronomy Ireland is a non-profit club for EVERYONE interested in space. www.astronomy.ie/sub to join AI and get our monthly colour magazine. Or simply post 40euro to: P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5.