1. LEONIDS FIREWORKS THIS WEEKEND! This weekend will see the Leonid meteor shower reach its peak. The 'normal' maximum is expected on Friday night Nov. 17 with a ZHR (zenithal hourly rate - the number you would see if the radiant, in Leo, were at the zenith and you had very dark skies with magnitude 6.5 stars visible overhead). This is down on a few years ago when "storms" were predicted due to the return of the comet that causes this shower, but since this comet only returns every 33 years no exceptional activity was expected. However, David Asher at Armagh Observatory and his colleague Rob McNaught have predicted that debris shed by the comet when it returned in 1932 should collide with Earth on Sunday morning for a brief period around 4:45am give or take 10 minutes. Activity could be twice as high as the August Perseids, one of the strongest showers of the year. Astronomy Ireland has set up a webpage for the Leonids giving more details and telling you how to best observe these meteors and where to send your reports. There is also a link to the work by Asher & McNaught so check out www.astronomy.ie/leonids.html So make plans to stay up late on Saturday night at least and tell us what you see of what could be a fantastic celestial fireworks display? 2. OTHER NEWS: It's National Science Week this week, see www.science.ie for 400 events running around Ireland. There is a naked eye sunspot at present (NEVER view the Sun without suitable protection like the AstroSolar filters from Astronomy Ireland's Shop). On November 24 there will be a lecture about the Sun on the occasion of the 2006 Robinson Lecture at Armagh Observatory, details and tickets at http://star.arm.ac.uk/publicevents/2006/robinson.html Comet SWAN remains on view in binoculars high in the West each evening around magnitude 6 and with 2 tails - see November magazine for details Mercury is 6 degrees to the upper left of a thin crescent Moon on Sunday morning, low in the East just as dawn breaks after the Leonids outburst. Rare event! On November 28 the Moon will be incredibly close to the dim planet Uranus so almost anyone can see this rarely glimpsed planet in humble binoculars! Astronomy Ireland will set up telescopes all around Ireland, effectively a Christmas Telescope Show too - see www.astronomy.ie 3. ASTRO-EXPO 2006 Astro-Expo on Dec. 2nd is barely 2 weeks away and will have a HUGE exhibit from the European Southern Observatory, perhaps the most amazing telescopes on the planet! And lots more besides. Book the lectures and our CHRISTMAS DINNER now at www.astronomy.ie The ESO exhibit will be perhaps the most incredible that has ever come to Ireland!!! Everyone in Ireland should travel to Dublin once a year to visit Astro-Expo OUR BIGGEST ANNUAL EVENT - be there on Saturday December 2nd 4. CHRISTMAS TELESCOPES With a guarantee of top quality, keenest prices guaranteed, and advice + LIFETIME support, most members of the public in Ireland now buy their telescopes from Astronomy Ireland. Christmas offers were posted with the December magazine this week but anyone in Ireland can call to get advice and place an order from now until Christmas from Ireland's biggest telescope shop. Free delivery nationwide is included in price. ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information call (01) 847 0777 www.astronomy.ie