1. "Creationism" Astronomy Ireland Public Lecture / Debate Monday October 13 "Creationist Cosmology" by Mark Sweetnam 8:00pm in main lecture hall of the Henry Grattan Building, Dublin City University. Doors open 7:30pm. *** ALL WELCOME *** SUMMARY: Mark Sweetnam graduated with a degree in Mathematics from Trinity College Dublin and was Director of the Schull Planetarium in West Cork. We are inviting everyone to come and hear him present and debate the case for Creationism. Many people believe (some prominent scientists amongst them, including a recent Director of one of the two Professional Observatories on this island) that the Universe was 'created' exactly as it says in the Old Testament of the Bible, and 6,000 years ago, a date carefully calculated from records in the Bible, by an Irishman. This is to be a major public debate and it's sure to be a lively evening so I look forward to seeing you on Monday October 13th - please bring some friends. All welcome. Admission 5euro (3euro to concessions, including members - bring the latest issue of your magazine as proof of membership). You can book seats at this talk by calling the Shop on (01) 847 0777 or reply to this email (to info@astronomy.ie) saying how many 5euro and 3euro seats you need. You can then pay on the night, please bring exact change to speed the admissions process (and a few euro for our raffle on the night). Doors open at 7:30pm and reserved seats can only be held until 7:45pm. There is ample parking in the multi-storey car park just a very short walk from the Henry Grattan Building. Excellent public transport too. Everyone is welcome so do bring friends. 2. Carlow Branch of Astronomy Ireland Public Lecture "The Universe" by David Moore This week I will give the first of two public lectures about our place in the Universe. On Wednesday Oct. 8 I will speak in the main lecture hall of the Institute of Technology in Carlow at 8pm. Everyone is welcome and I do hope you will come along. One week later on Wednesday Oct. 15 I will repeat this talk as the inaugural lecture for our new Waterford Branch. Come along to the Granville Hotel in Waterford on the Quay at 8pm. 3. Astro-Expo 2003 - Ireland's biggest every exhibition Nov. 15+16 Plans are now well advanced for the biggest every display by the Irish professional and amateur astronomy community that has ever been held in Ireland: Astro-Expo 2003. This is Astronomy Ireland's flagship annual national event. It will be our 14th annual exhibition, and astronomy weekend. This year Astro-Expo 2003 will be held in the huge 5,000 square feet venue "The Hub" in Dublin City University. The European Space Agency will be sending large spacecraft and rocket models up to 5-metres tall. Most of the research institutions and colleges around Ireland will be there also. A new webpage was launched last month at http://www.astronomy.ie/astroexpo.html giving details of some of the exhibitors. It already needs updating so keep an eye on it for regular updates as this is just the tip of the ice berg so far. There will be a programme of 6 lectures (3 on each day) with national and international speakers being flown in. Planetarium shows. A dinner on Saturday night (and observing afterwards if clear). Even Neil Armstrong will be in town and he has been invited. So it promises to be a major event that everyone in Ireland will be converging on. Details and lecture/dinner booking forms are going out in the post next week to members with the November issue of our magazine. Astro-Expo 2003 runs on Saturday and Sunday November 15 and 16 from 12pm to 6pm. Admission to the exhibition is just 3euro for adults and FREE to children. (Lectures separate, see webpage next week.) Anyone who would like to set up a display or man a stand for their institution (NO charge for stand space) should email our administrator Thomas Finnegan now at tom@astronomy.ie Everyone else simply has to plan to be there, thousands are expected.! Please join Astronomy Ireland online and support us in our efforts to promote Irish astronomy at: www.astronomy.ie/sub ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open until 6pm Mon.-Sat. Tel (01) 847 0777. Fax (01) 847 0771. www.astronomy.ie (subscribe to our free Events email list) Email: info@astronomy.ie