1. TV3 Watch out for a familiar face back on breakfast television on Tuesday morning just after the 7am news. "Ireland AM" want to talk about Mars. We should also be in the Irish Times Monday or Tuesday. Please email info@astronomy.ie if you see anything in this or any other paper. 2. MARS WATCHES COUNTRYWIDE Astronomy Ireland members will set up telescopes on Wednesday August 27th at venues all around Ireland to show the general public the planet Mars through telescopes on the day when it comes closest to Earth. Closest approach is officially at 10:51am when 34,646,418 miles will separate the centres of both planets - the closest they have been since September 57,617 B.C., almost 60,000 years ago. Public Mars Watches will take place in Boyle, Carlow, Castlebar, Clonmel, Cork, Downpatrick, Dublin, Kerry, Mullingar, Nenagh, Sligo, Waterford and Wexford. More details of the venue closest to you are on our website www.astronomy.ie or call us on (01) 847 0777 Monday to Saturday up to 6pm. All Mars Watches start at 9:30pm and will go ahead even if it is raining so go along for a chat and buy a copy of our magazine which has details of viewing Mars every month. The caption for the Mars map notes that Syrtis Major, one of the most prominent dark features on Mars, will be visible on Mars Watch night from our part of the world. If you miss the Mars Watch, or it's cloudy, don't forget that you can have your own Mars Watch every clear night from your own back yard for months to come by getting a telescope from our Astronomy Shop - call the number below. 3. STAR-B-Q SETS RECORD Astronomy Ireland's fund-raising "Star-B-Q" took place on Saturday night (Aug 23) in the GAA grounds just outside the highest village in Ireland, Roundwood in Co. Wicklow. Over 500 people bought tickets making Star-B-Q by far the biggest star party in Ireland each year. All proceeds from the event go towards running Astronomy Ireland. Beautifully clear dark skies graced the event with Mars the main target of course, the detail visible in the telescopes was absolutely incredible. The event went very well especially considering this was our first night in this new location. Food was provided by a professional catering company. The crowd in the hall was one of the largest 'live' audiences I've ever spoken to. PHOTOS: just as I feared NO ONE has sent in any photos they took of the event, just like last April. If you took any then please please send them now to info@astronomy.ie Our next major event is our annual exhibition and astronomy weekend in November ASTRO-EXPO 2003 (see www.astronomy.ie) which has now become Ireland's premier astronomy weekend and will be the biggest ever this year. The next Star-B-Q will be April 9 or May 7 next year. Which date do you prefer? Email info@astronomy.ie and let us know. 4. COLUMBIA REPORT OUT TUESDAY The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) will issue its final report on the February 1st shuttle disaster at a press conference at 4pm (our time) on Tuesday August 26. It's sure be all over the news later that day. We expect the report will be very similar to Colm J. Cannon's article in the September issue of our magazine "Astronomy & Space". Have you read it yet? If not turn to page 13. You can watch the press conference live on the net at www.caib.us at 4pm. 5. JOBS Applications are still invited for the jobs in our Shop (salespeople, manager and also accounts and administration). If you are looking for a career change or know anyone in sales, or anyone that might be interested in managing Ireland's biggest telescope shop, please send them our way. 6. ALAN CHAPMAN Zero people replied to my last email saying we should bring Dr. Alan Chapman over from the U.K. to speak in Ireland. Is his new Channel 4 series really that bad? I thought it brilliant. Let me know if any one at all wants to hear him speak in Ireland? Anyone? Email info@astronomy.ie now. 7. Please JOIN Astronomy Ireland online and support Irish astronomy: www.astronomy.ie/sub ===== David Moore BSc FRAS, Chairman, Astronomy Ireland, P.O.Box 2888, Dublin 5. Editor, "Astronomy & Space" magazine. ASTRONOMY SHOP: open Mon.-Sat. until 6pm Tel (01) 847 0777. Fax (01) 847 0771. WWW: http://www.astronomy.ie Email: info@astronomy.ie