ASTRONOMY IRELAND MAILING LIST - www.astronomy.ie (The all-Ireland astronomy Club, Magazine and Shop) --------------------------------------------------- 1. LEINSTER AREA PUBLIC LECTURE "PHOTOGRAPHING THE PLANETS" No expense has been spared in bringing you one of the world's top experts at taking incredibly detailed pictures of the planets with amateur sized equipment. Damian Peach lives in the U.K. but once moved to the Canary Islands so he could get even better images. He use's 9 to 12-inch sized telescopes but produces images only beaten by space craft and space telescopes! His website is littered with stunning examples www.damianpeach.com and there is a feature article with many of his images in print for you to collect in the November issue of our magazine (www.astronomy.ie/sub to get a copy for just 5euro). It's the cover story this month. Thanks to the British Council Damian is going to be in Dublin on Monday November 8 to show his pictures of Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Amazingly, he even has images showing detail on the surfaces or Jupiter's moons! He will also explain how amateurs can help monitor these planets and their atmospheres for events which professional astronomers cannot keep up with. Although Cassini is imaging Saturn for the next 4 years there was no spacecraft before that and once Cassini is gone it will be down to amateurs again so professionals are asking amateurs to study Saturn while Cassini is active so they can make use of future amateur images. Damian is co-ordinating this activity for the Cassini project. He will also explain what all the features in his planetary images are as they are lot more than just pretty pictures and it's remarkable how much can be gleaned by an expert like Damian and you'll learn too. He will also explain how any of you with a small telescope and an inexpensive webcam can start out on this path. It's remarkable easy. I started 'webcamming' in the last year and it is very easy to get great results on the first nights. Webcam astronomy is growing very fast amongst amateurs and for just over 100euro you can get the best camera and an adapter for your telescope and start producing results like you'll see on www.damianpeach.com and the November issue of A&S. See the Gallery pages of our magazine every month for the best IRISH planet photos we have ever received. Call our Shop on 01-8470777 for details and to order the Philips ToUcam Pro II which is the recommended webcam. We have them in stock and can advise you as you learn. So whether you like pretty pictures, studying the planets, or even taking your own photos you will not want to miss this world class speaker on Monday November 8 in Dublin City University (easy access from the M50 or city centre so everyone in Leinster can easily get along). It's at 8pm in the Henry Grattan Building lecture theatre CG12 and everyone is welcome. Bring a friend as well. Admission is 5euro (3euro to concessions: members, under 18s, students, unwaged, pensioners). You can book seats by replying to this email or visit http://www.astronomy.ie/lecture0411.html where you'll see some photos and details. Damian is flying in from the U.K. to give this talk so we are hoping you will all return the favour and make the effort to get along to his talk. You won't be disappointed! Experts: If you are a member of A.I. and experienced in webcam imaging already then Damian has kindly agreed to give a Workshop in our Dublin Shop on Sunday at 4pm. Reply to this email for further details. Our sincere thanks go to the British Council for their support in organising this major event. 2. THE MORNING SKY IS ABLAZE! Wasn't Saturn a fantastic sight next to the Moon last night? (See diagram page 23 November A&S magazine.) But, as I alerted you previously, the view of Venus blazing above brilliant Jupiter this morning was fantastic!!! They were just 1 degree apart with Venus just above Jupiter. They'll be a little closer (0.6degree or one Moon diameter) tomorrow morning (Friday Nov. 5) and WELL WORTH WATCHING for several days after that as they slowly pull apart. Set your alarm for about 6am. All you need is the naked eye (but I could see Jupiter's moons in binoculars and a small scope so use them too if you have them). Please read the feature piece I wrote on 28 of the November magazine. It's packed full of details I can't go in to here and a diagram. This is one of the brightest and best planetary conjunctions of the decade. Anyone with a digital camera (even a mobile phone camera?) can try to snap this. Email your photos to gallery@astronomy.ie And don't forget those giant sunspots (in the last email) which did not cause a major aurora yet, but could do so (I'll email if they do!). Jupiter-Moon conjunction Tuesday and rest of next week's superb conjunctions - see magazine! 3. HELP WITH MAGAZINE (FOR ASTRO-EXPO) Lots of you (from as far away as U.K.!) have already booked for the 2-day ASTRO-EXPO the weekend after next (www.astronomy.ie/astroexpo2004.html). We have a final mailshot about Astro-Expo going out in the post with the December issue of our magazine but we need your help. We have to pack about 3,000 magazines tomorrow (Friday) from 9:30am until late that night. If you live near our Shop/office in Artane, Dublin 5 and you think a non-profit group like A.I. is doing a good job, then can you give a little back and spare an hour or two to help us get the December issue out to everyone in Ireland, most of whom we hope will be coming to Astro-Expo Nov. 13-14 (book NOW at the website above and do try to get along to the Dinner with the astronaut)! P.S. the Lord Mayor will be opening Astro-Expo this year. We need magazine helpers Friday (Nov. 5) from 10am to 10pm. Just reply to this email please. I hope to see everyone in Ireland (and abroad) who is interested in astronomy at Astro-Expo, and everyone from the Leinster area at Monday's lecture (and a few of you from Dublin tomorrow to help pack the magazine - thank you in anticipation). - David Moore, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland. www.astronomy.ie