IAA lecture, Comet, Conjunction, BCO Events, Odd eclipse, TV, Books, Edinburgh

 

Hi all,

IAA LECTURE: The next public lecture by the Irish Astronomical Association will be on Wed 4 March, at 7.30 p.m. in the Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, QUB, by Kevin Nolan. Entitled "Mars, the Cosmic Stepping Stone", it will be based on his excellent new book of that title, just recently published. Kevin is the representative of The Planetary Society in Ireland, and lectures in astronomy and Physics at ITT in Dublin.

Admission is free, including light refreshments, and all are welcome. 

   Free parking is available on the main campus, beside the lecture theatre, in the evenings - entrance via University Square.

   The IAA gratefully acknowledges the support of the Astrophysics and Planetary Science Division of the Department of Physics, QUB, in sponsoring these lectures.

CONJUNCTION: The crescent Moon and Venus are converging for a lovely conjunction on Friday evening, Feb. 27th. A great photo opportunity.

BCO Events for IYA 2009: Here’s a link to the Blackrock Castle Observatory programme from February to July giving the picture from BCO for the first 6 months. Highlights are below. See http://www.barrydesign.ie/bco.pdf.

Cosmic Chaos! Blackrock Castle Observatory celebrates the International Year of Astronomy 2009

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) launched 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) under the theme, The Universe, Yours to Discover. IYA2009 marks the 400th anniversary of the first astronomical observation through a telescope by Galileo Galilei.

The Cork Institute of Technology manages Blackrock Castle Observatory and the facility is open 362 days with expected throughput of 50,000 visitors in 2009 confirming BCO as the premier public astronomy centre in the country.

FIRST FRIDAYS AT THE CASTLE MARCH 6 2009

MARS; A COSMIC STEPPING STONE

6-8pm Hands on Crafts: Design & Build a Martian Landing Craft in the Classroom. (ages 6 to 12)

8pm Lecture: ‘Mars; A Cosmic Stepping Stone’ Kevin Nolan I.T. Tallaght and author of ‘Mars: A Cosmic Stepping Stone’.  Kevin Nolan gives the first public lecture celebrating his new book “Mars, A Cosmic Stepping Stone”. The book (and lecture at BCO) reveals how current exploration of Mars may soon play a role in helping uncover the origin of life on Earth and its cosmic abundance.

6-9.30 pm Viewing: Expert astronomers at Blackrock Castle Observatory and members of the Cork Astronomy Club will have telescopes in the Courtyard and are on hand to guide visitors in observing the night sky. The exhibit Cosmos at the Castle will be open late and free to the public. Bookings are now been taken for the free First Friday events on March 6th.

Members will have priority for these and all other events at BCO. Theatre capacity is 50 and Mars Lander workshops are for max. 25 so early booking is advised. No booking is required for observing sessions

THE STARDOME AND STORY TELLING

Astronomers and Story Tellers will narrate myths and legends of the skies bringing children and teachers into contact with the idea of our shared Multiverse through the StarDome, a portable planetarium. These events take place at Grand Parade Cork City Library from March 10^th as part of the Year of the Constant Reader. Bookings through Cork City Library.

Saturdays from February 28th – April 4th 4.00-5.15pm

Astrophotography and Astronomy Theory Workshops.

Facilitated by local astronomer Dennis Walsh.

Classroom Sessions at BCO. €40 for 5 weeks. Limited Capacity.

Classes will be linked to observing sessions at First Fridays at the Castle.

Remember members enjoy a 10% discount on all BCO programmes!

CORK ST PATRICK'S FESTIVAL

Cork City Council has teamed up with BCO to celebrate the United Nations International Year of Astronomy. The theme of this year’s parade fittingly is Cosmic Chaos. Come along and join in the fun!

We are delighted to welcome back to Cork Dan Tani, NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer for the International Space Station. Dan Tani will be Grand Marshal at the Parade and will officially open the exhibit Capture the Cosmos on Saturday March 14th at Millennium Hall.

From Saturday 14 to Saturday 21 March, Capture the Cosmos, an exhibition of Cork schoolchildren’s astronomical prints will hang in City Hall.

Satellites collide, IAA lectures, Armagh lecture, Comet Lulin

 

Hi all,

PREAMBLE: I've had problems with my astronomy email address lists, with several lists getting combined, and at least one group possibly deleted, so I've had to copy & paste a lot! My new list may contain the names of anyone that I've ever sent an email to, so there may be names here that should not be - if so, I apologise! I am gradually working through wrong inclusions & duplicates & removing them, but there may still be some anomalies.  If you have got two copies of this email, I apologise, and if you have got it by mistake and want to be removed from this list, please let me know by return. Thanks.

1. NEWSFLASH!  Two major satellites have collided in space! - See below for details.

2. The next IAA meeting will be on Wednesday 18 February, at 7.30 p.m., in the Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast. It will be a 'double-header', with Dr Kate Russo speaking on Solar Eclipses: "Chasing the Shadow of the Moon"; and Terry Moseley speaking on "400 Years of the Telescope".

  Admission is free, including light refreshments, and all are welcome. 

   Free parking is available on the main campus, beside the lecture theatre, in the evenings - entrance via University Square.

   The IAA gratefully acknowledges the support of the Astrophysics and Planetary Science Division of the Department of Physics, QUB, in sponsoring these lectures.

3. Prof. David Southwood Lecture in Armagh:

Armagh Observatory and Armagh Natural History and Philosophical Society
joint public lecture to celebrate International Year of Astronomy 2009:
"Space in a Modern Society"; Rotunda Lecture Theatre, St. Patrick's Trian, Armagh
15:00 to 16:00, Saturday 14th March 2009
    BY: Professor David Southwood, Director of Science and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency, Headquarters, Paris.
   Summary: With the start of the space age, both the universe and the Earth changed or - at least - mankind's perception of both dramatically changed.  50 years on we can wonder at the vast increase in our knowledge of the Earth, solar system, and the stars and galaxies that access to space has provided.  Space did indeed give us our first capacity to look at our
own planet in a truly global manner.  It even allowed to manage things on a global scale. Who would have predicted in 1957 that now we would use space to navigate our cars? Not many. However, at the same time, how many back then would have been sure that by now we would have had a base on the Moon? Quite a few, no doubt. What then is space about:
exploration, exploitation, inspiration, education, knowledge? And, why does a developed society need to care?
    Tea and biscuits will be served after the lecture, where there will be
an opportunity to ask questions.
    This is a free public lecture open to all. Everyone is welcome.  In
order to obtain a ticket to reserve your place at the lecture, please
contact Mrs Aileen McKee at the Armagh Observatory, College Hill,
Armagh, BT61 9DG. Tel: 028-3752-2928, E-mail: ambn@arm.ac.uk.

4.  Comet Lulin is now brightening, and should be around 4th magnitude later this month. Martin McKenna from Maghera reports that he has now been seen it with the unaided eye. It's currently a morning object, but is becoming better placed for viewing each night. More details later

(This is from Spaceweather.com, used with grateful acknowledgement)

Two satellites collide in orbit

BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
   In an unprecedented space collision, a commercial Iridium communications satellite and a presumably defunct Russian Cosmos satellite ran into each other Tuesday above northern Siberia, creating a cloud of wreckage, officials said today.

An artist's concept of an Iridium satellite orbiting the Earth. Photo: Iridium

The international space station does not appear to be threatened by the debris, they said, but it's not yet clear whether it poses a risk to any other military or civilian satellites.

"They collided at an altitude of 790 kilometers (491 miles) over northern Siberia Tuesday about noon Washington time," said Nicholas Johnson, NASA's chief scientist for orbital debris at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. "The U.S. space surveillance network detected a large number of debris from both objects."

One source said nearly 300 fragments were being tracked, but Johnson said it was not yet clear how much debris was generated.

"It's going to take a while," he said. "It's very, very difficult to discriminate all those objects when they're really close together. And so, over the next couple of days, we'll have a much better understanding. But it's at a minimum, I think we're talking many, many dozens, if not hundreds."

Asked which satellite was at fault, Johnson said "they ran into each other. Nothing has the right of way up there. We don't have an air traffic controller in space. There is no universal way of knowing what's coming in your direction."

Iridium Satellite LLC operates a constellation of some 66 satellites, along with orbital spares, to support satellite telephone operations around the world. The spacecraft, which weigh about 1,485 pounds when fully fuelled, are in orbits tilted 86.4 degrees to the equator at an altitude of about 485 miles. Ninety-five Iridium satellites were launched between 1997 and 2002 and several have failed over the years.

Representatives of Iridium did not immediately return calls for additional details.

Johnson said the collision Tuesday was unprecedented.

"Nothing to this extent (has happened before)," he said. "We've had three other accidental collisions between what we call catalogue objects, but they were all much smaller than this and always a moderate sized objects and a very small object. And these are two relatively big objects. So this is a first, unfortunately."

As for the threat posed by the debris, Johnson said NASA carried out an immediate analysis to determine whether the space station faced any increased risk. The station, carrying three crew members, circles the globe at an altitude of about 220 miles in an orbit tilted 51.6 degrees to the equator.

"There are two issues: the immediate threat and a longer-term threat," he said. "It turns out, when you have a collision like this the debris is thrown very energetically both to higher orbits and to lower orbits. So there are actually debris from this event which we believe are going through the space station's altitude already. Most of it is not, most of it is still clustered up where the event took place. But a small number are going through station's altitude.

"Yesterday, we did an assessment of what the risk might be to station and we found it's going to be very, very small. As time goes on, those debris will (come down) some over months, most over years and decades and as the big ones come down they'll be tracked, we'll see them and the worst-case scenario, we'll just dodge them if we have to. It's the small things you can't see are the ones that can do you harm."

Asked if other satellites might be at risk, Johnson said "technically, yes. What we're doing now is trying to quantify that risk. That's a work in progress. It's only been 24 hours. We put first things first, which is station and preparing for the next shuttle mission."

Most, if not all, of the debris is expected to eventually burn up in Earth's atmosphere."

Clear Skies,

Terry Moseley

IAA Lecture, Prof Carl Murray visit, BCO Events, Jupiter occultation

 

Hi all,

PREAMBLE: I've had problems with my astronomy email address lists, with several lists getting combined, and at least one group possibly deleted, so I've had to copy & paste a lot! My new list may contain the names of anyone that I've ever sent an email to, so there may be names here that should not be - if so, I apologise! I am gradually working through wrong inclusions & duplicates & removing them, but there may still be some anomalies.  If you have got two copies of this email, I apologise, and if you have got it by mistake and want to be removed from this list, please let me know by return. Thanks.

1.  The Irish Astronomical Association will hold its next lecture for IYA2009 on Wednesday 4 February, at 7.30 p.m., in the Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, Queen's University Belfast. Free parking is available on the main campus, beside the lecture theatre, in the evenings - entrance via University Square.

Dr. Fiona McGroarty (QUB) will give a public lecture entitled "Star Formation: How well do we understand it?". This lecture will explain one of the most important aspects of modern astronomy, and should not be missed. Admission is free, including light refreshments, and all are welcome.

2. MAINLY FOR SCHOOLS - - Please pass this on as necessary:

Visit of Professor Carl Murray of  "The Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn"

To the Principal: As part of the launch of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) schools initiative, you are warmly invited to send some of your KS3 pupils to see a presentation to be given by Professor Carl Murray of The Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn.

Professor Murray was born in Northern Ireland and received his primary and post primary education in Belfast. He is now a member of staff at Queen Mary University of London.

Professor Murray is part of an international team of astronomers and scientists working on the Cassini-Huygens project which is a joint NASA/ESA robotic spacecraft mission currently studying the planet Saturn, its moons and rings. The spacecraft was launched in 1997 and entered into orbit around Saturn in 2004.

Hundreds of scientists and engineers from 16 European countries and 33 of the United States make up the team responsible for designing, building, flying and collecting data from the Cassini orbiter and Huygens probe.

    Professor Murray is a member of the Cassini Imaging Team and will talk about his work and share some amazing photographs of the Saturn system as part of his presentation to schools during a two day visit to Northern Ireland in February.

He will give a presentation at the King’s Hall Octagon Suite in Belfast on the morning of Thursday 19 February 2009 at 10.30am and in the Millennium Forum Londonderry on Friday 20 February 2009 at 10.30am. Doors open at 10.00 am in both venues.

Places will be limited to 20 per school and will be allocated on a first come first served basis with confirmation being sent by return email to the sender’s email address. Those wishing to bring a party to Professor Murray’s presentation should apply on line at the web address and entering the code number 545936 with details as requested. Please note that applications close at 3.30 pm on Friday 6 Feb. http://esurvey.inspiredata.com

If at a time close to the event there are spare seats available, schools can receive an additional allocation provided they have made this clear in their initial application.

    Please note that no substitute cover is available and schools should make their own transport arrangements to and from the event.

If you require any further information please contact N J Hunter (Adviser) BELB 90352435.

3. Blackrock Castle Observatory Events:

Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork has launched its new series of events for IYA2009.  See: www.bco.ie

Blackrock Castle Observatory, Blackrock Castle, Castle Road, Blackrock, Cork. Tel:     +353 (0) 21 435 7917;  e-mail: info@bco.ie

4. JUPITER OCCULTATION: - Advance notice: Jupiter will occult a relatively bright star on 3 August. The star is 6th magnitude, and it is extremely rare for Jupiter to occult such a bright star: The event will be visible from Ireland. Have a look at  http://jupiter2009.iota-es.de

   The following information is from Wolfgang Beister (slightly edited: TM):

"Occultation of HIP 107302 by Jupiter on the 3rd of August 2009.

Visible from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas!

The star HIP 107302 with visual magnitude 6m0 will be occulted by Jupiter on the 3rd of August. This is the brightest star which will be occulted for the next 100+ years visible from Europe. In the near future, there is only on more occultation with a similar bright star, but this is only visible from western southern America (Chile...). For the rest of us, no similar occultation will take place for generations!
   Therefore, it's not only a spectacular show for the "Year of Astronomy 2009", but also a great opportunity to gain information about the Jovian atmosphere by earthbound astronomy.
   But keep in mind that even a 6th magnitude star is hard to see on Jupiter's limb, when it disappears or reappears! You need an excellent air quality and a telescope perhaps larger than 10 inch in diameter.
   IOTA-ES will maintain a special website http://jupiter2009.iota-es.de all over the year for this event, giving all necessary information for a successful observation. 
   I have opened a Website for communication about the Jupiter occultation.  At the moment you will only find the prediction, a short movie about the event, and an event in the history. In the upcoming months, I will put more and more information on the site, about observational techniques, the scientific rational of such observations and communications with other observer groups." Wolfgang Beister.
Clear Skies,

Terry Moseley