1. Asteroid 2206 VV2 Flyby A fairly large asteroid passes relatively close to Earth this week, and some of you with telescopes could see it at around 10th magnitude. An asteroid bigger than this is not predicted to pass closer to Earth until 2036. David Grennan writes the Sky Diary pages for our magazine (www.astronomy.ie/sub) every month and he has put full information and detailed maps on our website www.astronomy.ie Please report any sightings and send photos to observe@astronomy.ie 2. Moon Occults Saturn As reported in the Sky Diary of our March magazine the Moon will pass in front of Saturn in the small hours of Thursday March 29. Saturn will be visible to the naked eye all Wednesday evening to the lower left of the Moon, which will slowly close in on it. Closest approach comes as they set in the West between 5am and 6am. Further details are in the magazine. A similar event occurred on March 2nd when Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore got this image www.astronomy.ie/satmoon070302b.jpg with an 8-inch Celestron telescope and NexImage camera from Dublin (the car park outside our Shop!). Seen in a telescope close-up he and others reported it was an amazing view with Saturn's rings and the craters on the Moon visible in the same field of view. Reports and photos will be in the next magazine going to the printer this week so sign up or order the "May" issue here: www.astronomy.ie/sub In the U.K. Saturn actually passed in front of the Moon (it was a near miss from Ireland) and Damian Peach used a Celestron 9.25-inch telescope to get these remarkable results: http://damianpeach.com/satoccul07.htm 3. Moon Occults Regulus The brightest star in Leo, first magnitude Regulus, will be the Moon's target almost exactly one day later. In the small hours of Friday March 30th the Moon will pass in front of Regulus and snuff it out in an instant. Such lunar occultations are amazing to watch in a telescope and this event is so bright that binoculars should show it also. Depending on where you live in Ireland the occultation will happen between 4:15am and 4:30am but get ready a half hour before that to watch the Moon creep up on the star. Naked eye viewers will see Regulus to the lower left of the Moon all Thursday night of course. Full details are in our March magazine in the Sky Diary pages. www.astronomy.ie/sub So that's two mornings to set your alarm clocks and please report sightings/photos to observe@astronomy.ie 4. US Security Fears Sparks Eclipse Cancellation Coinciding with the 6th anniversary of "9/11" there will be a deep partial eclipse of the Sun on September 11 ( www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/0422007 ). Fearing opportunistic attacks on its embassies under the eclipse the U.S. has decided to bring its might to cancelling this eclipse. This has never been done before and suggestions are being sought worldwide. See the special report on our website www.astronomy.ie and note the special email address to send your proposals as the deadline is this Sunday, so mark that date on your calendar/diary! ASTRONOMY IRELAND - for telescopes and information www.astronomy.ie or call (01) 847 0777 Star-B-Q tickets: special price runs out soon : www.astronomy.ie/sbq Stephen Hawking's Protégé in Ireland April 16: www.astronomy.ie/lecture200704.html book now!