Hi all,
(NB, all times are summer time when in force, for convenience)
1 IAA Opening lecture of new season via Zoom, 23 September, 19.30
"Observing the Radio Universe from Birr, Co. Offaly" by Prof Peter Gallagher, head of astronomy and astrophysics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
Synopsis The Irish Low Frequency Array (I-LOFAR; www.lofar.ie) was installed at Birr Castle, Co. Offaly in 2017 and now links Ireland into the largest low frequency radio telescope in the world, stretching nearly 2,000 km from the Irish Midlands to eastern Poland . LOFAR is already giving us new views of astronomical phenomena such as solar flares, exoplanets, star-forming regions and rapidly rotating stars called pulsars. In this talk, I will give an overview of the building of I-LOFAR and the recent scientific insights that this unique telescope is providing."
Prof Gallagher is now effectively at the top of the tree in astronomy in Ireland . Formerly professor in TCD specialising in solar physics, he was appointed head of the astrophysics section of DIAS last year. He was almost single-handedly responsible for getting I-LOFAR approved, funded, designed, installed and operational. It's now the only astronomical facility producing top-end astronomical research results from the island of Ireland . I've been trying to get him for this lecture for almost a year, but he's a busy man! I'm delighted that he has now been able to oblige!
The details of Wednesday's Zoom Lecture are on the IAA website, including joining instructions.
https://irishastro.org/2020/09/19/iaa-zoom-lecture-23rd-september-1930-bst-prof-peter-gallagher-dias/
Try and log in just before 7.30 to be on the safe side.
2. IAA AGM : Danny Collins elected as President.
Congratulations to Danny, who has served on the Council for many years, and was previously a vice-president. Special thanks to Brian Beesley who lead the Association with calm and quiet professionalism for the last 3 years
3. ISS The ISS started a new series of evening passes on September 18 Full details for your location, and lots of other astronomy information, on the excellent free site www.heavens-above.com
4. TEASER – update with clue
Here's another to occupy your grey matter until things get back to 'normal'; it is of course astronomical:
Q. What's the connection between Bono & The Edge and 2090?
CLARIFICATION: In case of confusion, 2090 is the year 2090.
And as an extra clue, it's September 2090.
5. JUPITER and SATURN.
The two largest planets in the solar system are currently quite close together, low in the south around midnight. They are currently about 8º apart, and both are retrograding slowly as Earth overtakes them on its speedier inside orbit. They both resume prograde motion in September, but will remain about 8º apart until mid-October when faster moving Jupiter starts to catch up with Saturn. By the end of October they are only 5º apart, and they will then slowly but inexorably get ever closer until 21 December, when they will be just over 6 arcminutes apart – 1/5 of the diameter of the Moon!
6. International Observe the Moon Night, Sat Sep 26.
See https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/event-view.cfm?Event_ID=96643
7. REGULAR FORTNIGHTLY SPACE and ASTRONOMY WEBINAR, September 29
After a very positive reaction to our first webinar on Mars, Nick Howes and I have been asked by Space Store Live to make it a regular fortnightly feature. It will be called "Space Store Live: Nick and Terry's Astro Round-up". The first one, on Tuesday 26th, was also very well received.
They will be approximately 40 minutes long, every second Tuesday, at 7.30 p.m., covering whatever is topical in space and astronomy. The next one will be on Tuesday 29 September: youtube.com/spacestorelive
It's a Zoom webinar, and will be Live streamed to YouTube SpaceStore Live! Channel and Live streamed to Facebook Live. I'll post any last minute news via Twitter.
8. Mars brilliant as it nears opposition.
Mars is now as bright as Jupiter as it gets closer to Earth. It reaches opposition on 13 October, but will actually be closest to Earth on 6 October, at a distance of about 63 million km, because of the ellipticity of its orbit. The greatest apparent diameter will be 22.6" The South Polar Cap is shrinking in Martian Spring, but is still readily visible in any reasonable telescope.
9. Davagh Dark Sky Park and Observatory opens to public, Saturday, October 17
More details on this next time
10. Paul Evans has produced another excellent 'Lockdown Video guide to the sky:
11. IAU Meet the Astronomers Programme. This is now open to everyone, for a virtual talk. See https://www.iau.org/public/meettheiauastronomers/
12. World Space Week, 4-10 October
World Space Week is an UN-declared celebration of space held annually, every October 4 to 10. These events are organized by institutions around the world, including space agencies, aerospace companies, astronomy clubs and museums. The 2020 World Space Week edition is dedicated to satellites under the theme "Satellites improve life". This is an important opportunity for our community to discuss the benefits of satellites to society and highlight the negative impact satellites constellations may have on astronomical observations and the pristine appearance of the night sky when observed from a dark region.
You can join the UN-endorsed "Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society" Online Workshop, from 5 - 9, October 2020. One day of the workshop will be dedicated to the impact of satellite constellations on astronomy and the recommendations for regulations. Registration is required.
You can also access the "Impact of Satellite Constellations on Optical Astronomy and Recommendations Toward Mitigations" reports:
Main report: https://noirlab.edu/public/products/techdocs/techdoc003/
Appendices (with all of the working group reports): https://noirlab.edu/public/products/techdocs/techdoc004/
And Press Conference video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCyE8BNYIKM&feature=youtu.be
You can read the IAU Statment on the Impact of Satellite Constellations and our IAU Theme here, and we encourage everyone to join the discussions.
Discover more about World Space Week 2020 at https://www.worldspaceweek.org/world-space-week-highlights/
13. October 23: Crew-1 Crew Dragon mission to the ISS, carrying Nasa astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker and Japan's Soichi Noguchi aboard a Falcon 9 rocket (5.47am EDT) from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
14. Mayo Dark Sky Festival, via Zoom. More details later
15. National Astronomy Week, 14 – 22 November.
National Astronomy Week (NAW) will be held in the UK from Saturday 14 November to Sunday 22 November, to celebrate the close approach of Mars. Amateur and professional astronomers will be holding observing events during the week. Seen through a telescope magnifying about 100 times, Mars will appear as a pale orange disc, with its markings clearly visible, at a distance of 80 million km.
Although Mars is at its closest to Earth a month earlier, by November it is well up in the sky during the early evening, allowing younger schoolchildren an opportunity to get a good view of the planet. It will not be as close again until 2033. As well as Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon will be on show during National Astronomy Week. Details of observing events will be posted on the NAW website.
16. INTERESTING WEBLINKS (Disclaimer - Use of material herein from various sources does not imply approval or otherwise of the opinions, political or otherwise, of those sources). NB: If the title in the weblink does not indicate the subject matter, I give a brief simple intro before the link. I may also comment about the link afterwards.
ASTROPHYSICS
HST maps truly gigantic halo around Andromeda galaxy https://www.facebook.com/100003352372696/posts/3214309482024099/?sfnsn=scwspmo&extid=okGLN0CIBEQl3Q9o I wonder does M33 have a similar halo? And if all galaxies have these halos, would that account for some of the 'missing mass', or even Dark Matter?
Maunakea observatories discover three pairs of merging supermassive black holes
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200827102120.htm
New observations of black hole devouring a star reveal rapid disk formation
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826152727.htm
Milky Way's Galactic bar paradox resolved in cosmic dance
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200825110723.htm
A galaxy's stop-and-start young radio jets
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200825110640.htm
Ancient star explosions revealed in deep-sea sediments
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200825110601.htm
Strange Intermediate mass BH merger sends Gravitational waves https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/cosmic-legos-black-holes-merge-into-never-before-seen-size/ar-BB18Dk3M?ocid=msedgdhp plus -
A report with better terminology https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/techandscience/gravitational-waves-point-scientists-to-elusive-missing-link-black-hole/ar-BB18DqGC?ocid=msedgdhp
Excellent work by DIAS astronomers https://www.dias.ie/2020/08/28/dias-scientists-make-major-discovery-on-the-formation-of-new-stars/?fbclid=IwAR22Cbro7nVRWIUE_cPeiKeMvXnJHhqZYnqaFMevWAyheTgBsjhXJjcVSvo
Most distant and oldest Blazar is aimed right at us https://www.facebook.com/1500760100238034/posts/2650999845214048/?sfnsn=scwspmo&extid=r9qfRC61xYExiTW2
Dusty spiral from massive binary star stellar forge https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200916094243.htm
New theory needed to explain all the gold in the universe https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200915110010.htm
How protoplanetary rings form https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200915121328.htm
HST and VLT show something wrong with Dark Matter theories https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200910150348.htm
A unique and odd supernova explosion https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200910130416.htm
VLBA makes first direct distance measurement to magnetar
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200918104236.htm and
Massive swirling gas halo surrounds MW, reaches to Magellanic Clouds https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200909114841.htm
Why interacting galaxy pair have less Dark Matter https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200909132101.htm
COSMOLOGY
Study rules out dark matter destruction as origin of extra radiation in galaxy center
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826151302.htm
Could the universe collapse into a singularity? https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/techandscience/could-the-universe-collapse-into-a-singularity-new-study-explains-how/ar-BB18D2uu?ocid=msedgdhp
Excellent summary of modern cosmology and the discoveries leading up to it https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-astronomers-revolutionized-our-view-of-the-cosmos/
Reconciling Quantum physics and relativity https://www.facebook.com/35695491869/posts/10158609091056870/?sfnsn=scwspmo&extid=UlrV52ROXPymwqP6
Can we resolve the apparent conflict between relativity, gravity and quantum physics? https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/context/new-einstein-equation-wormholes-quantum-gravity
EARTH & MOON
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/techandscience/earth-may-have-been-born-wet/ar-BB18rdts?ocid=msedgdhp
Meteorite study suggests Earth may have been wet since it formed https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200827141334.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Ftop_news%2Ftop_science+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Top+Science+News%29
Meteorite strikes may create unexpected form of silica
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826151306.htm
Arctic ice is melting faster than we thought https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826104056.htm
https://climatenewsnetwork.net/melting-arctic-needs-new-name-to-match-reality/
https://climatenewsnetwork.net/abnormal-heat-spreads-floods-and-wildfires-globally/
Climate change affects astronomical observations https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200917105324.htm
A giant particle accelerator in our sky https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200910090106.htm
A continuous record of 66 million years of our climate https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200910150313.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Ftop_news%2Ftop_science+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Top+Science+News%29
Solar storm forecasts for Earth improved with help from the public
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200918113350.htm
EDUCATION
EXOLIFE
Tracing the cosmic origin of complex organic molecules with their radiofrequency footprint https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200825110612.htm
No sign of exolife yet https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/techandscience/no-sign-of-alien-technology-found-in-scan-of-10-000-000-star-systems/ar-BB18PmRN?ocid=msedgdhp
Evidence of any previous life on Mars could have been destroyed https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200915121313.htm
Phosphine may indicate microbial life in clouds on Venus https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200914112219.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Ftop_news%2Ftop_science+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Top+Science+News%29
JWST could detect any life on planets orbiting white dwarfs https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200916113604.htm
Look for phosphorus to detect exolife https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200916113519.htm
EXOPLANETS
Fifty new planets confirmed in machine learning first
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200825110610.htm
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200911200003.htm I wonder what would be a girl's best friend on such a planet?
A warm Jupiter orbiting a cool low-mass star https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200914114122.htm
Giant planet found orbiting white dwarf star https://www.facebook.com/108218329601/posts/10159019758919602/?sfnsn=scwspmo&extid=k0U5yUGge1fBD0Sn
IMAGES
HST spots new features on Jupiter https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200917180417.htm
Amazing Deep space Images from NASA https://www.facebook.com/7155422274/posts/10159275354237275/?sfnsn=scwspmo&extid=lGKtSRZ6ZtA8RtJm
SOLAR SYSTEM
Iron-rich meteorites show record of core crystallization in system's oldest planetesimals
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200803120152.htm
https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/nana-proposes-submarine-on-titan
Close Encounters of the Stellar Kind https://www.facebook.com/108218329601/posts/10158997611549602/?sfnsn=scwspmo&extid=zcWqHKXqo0euu4w1
Amazing images of lightning on Jupiter https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/nasa-s-juno-spacecraft-captures-incredible-footage-of-lightning-on-jupiter/vi-BB196Fk5?ocid=msedgdhp
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/osiris-rex-observes-an-asteroid-in-action
Phosphine may indicate microbial life in clouds on Venus https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200914112219.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Ftop_news%2Ftop_science+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Top+Science+News%29
Venusian ancient rocks are probably volcanic in origin https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200917135509.htm
Meteorites show transport of material in the early SS https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200908131123.htm
How hydrogen becomes metallic inside gas giants https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200909114858.htm
Sand sized particles pepper asteroid Bennu https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200909114800.htm
SPACE
Student research team develops hybrid rocket engine
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200827130610.htm
Sleep duration, efficiency and structure change in space
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826110331.htm
Rocket Lab puts failure behind it with successful launch https://newatlas.com/space/rocket-lab-successful-return-launchp/?utm_source=New+Atlas+Subscribers&utm_campaign=f969a06cfd-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_08_31_07_33&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-f969a06cfd-92786061
https://bigthink.com/technology-innovation/moon-dust-cleanup
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8693559/NASA-astronauts-trying-air-leak-ISS.html
A Chinese Space shuttle?https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/china-carries-out-secretive-launch-of-reusable-experimental-spacecraft/ar-BB18Ib5B?ocid=msedgdhp
RocketLab had already planned to look for life in Venusian clouds https://newatlas.com/space/interview-rocket-lab-ceo-venus-2023-search-life/?utm_source=New+Atlas+Subscribers&utm_campaign=e66ccd8661-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_09_18_07_26&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-e66ccd8661-92786061
Landing on the Moon or Mars without a pilot https://futurism.com/nasa-splice-safely-land-moon
Mission approved to study binary asteroids https://newatlas.com/space/lockheed-martin-janus-mission-binary-asteroids/?utm_source=New+Atlas+Subscribers&utm_campaign=0203d7fd8d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_09_11_08_16&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-0203d7fd8d-92786061
SUN
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8699321/Europes-largest-telescope-snaps-images-sun-showing-intricate-details-sunspots-plasma.html It's NOT the largest telescope in Europe, just the largest SOLAR telescope. But they are amazing images.
New Solar cycle has begun https://www.weather.gov/news/201509-solar-cycle and
Telescopes, Instruments, Techniques
Cosmic rays may soon stymie quantum computing
LSST / Vera Rubin Observatory (VRO) camera takes first image https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826113716.htm
Automated device to detect life on other planets https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200916113420.htm
Revealing the secrets of high energy cosmic particles https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200910100605.htm
17. JOINING the IRISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION. This link downloads a Word document to join the IAA. http://documents.irishastro.org.uk/iaamembership.doc
If you are a UK taxpayer, please tick the 'gift-aid' box, as that enables us to reclaim the standard rate of tax on your subscription, at no cost to you. You can also make a donation via Paypal if you wish: just click on the 'Donate' button. See also https://irishastro.org/
The Irish Astronomical Association is registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC 105858
DISCLAIMER: Any views expressed herein are mine, and do not necessarily represent those of the IAA.
Clear skies,
Terry Moseley
