Hi all,
(NB, all times are summer time when in force, for convenience)
1. IAA AGM, Wed 18 August, 7.30 p.m. This will be followed by a presentation on the current night sky by Paul Evans.
Time: Aug 18, 2021 07:15 PM London – room opens
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86492001336?pwd=cDFlK1k3bWg4SWVSbHVFK1dZTUVYdz09
Meeting ID: 864 9200 1336
Passcode: 402441
2. Paul Evans's August Sky Video
3. Dark Skies Events, 17- 19 August
We're hosting new online events for Heritage Week, and we'd love to see you there.
All three official dark sky places on the island of Ireland are collaborating to present a FREE series of online events on 17th, 18th & 19th August (5pm). Join us for An Island of Dark Skies
These events are part of Science Foundation Ireland/ESERO Ireland's "Dark Skies & Biodiversity" education programme
Register soon because space is limited.
We hope you're able to join us!
The above live events are a follow up to the ESERO / Science Foundation Ireland programme for Primary School Teachers - "Dark Skies & Biodiversity Course" - a 5 module online course on Earth & Space, Stargazing & Constellations, Light Pollution, Biodiversity & nocturnal wildlife, Dark Skies in Culture & Heritage.
Available now via https://esero.ie/upcoming-workshop/online-summer-course-steaming-through-dark-skies-and-biodiversity-with-esero/
ALSO
An Island of Dark Skies - Heritage Week Events
For the first time, all 3 three official dark sky places on the island of Ireland are collaborating with the following series of free online events. Bookings via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/an-island-of-dark-skies-tickets-162081308557
Wednesday 18th August at 5pm - join Mayo International Dark Sky Park and invited guest Dr Frank Prendergast who will discuss ArchaeoAstronomy on Achill and our night sky as our ancestors would have viewed it. Dr Prendergast is now Emeritus at the Dublin Institute of Technology, where he researches Irish prehistoric monuments and their landscapes from a cultural astronomy perspective. Frank was a co-presenter of the fantastic Winter Solstice event last December streamed live from Brú na Boinne, together with Clare Tuffy of the OPW.
Thursday 19th August at 5pm - join Tom O'Donoghue from Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve for a workshop in astrophotography and a beginners guide to taking photographs of the night sky. Tom has won various international awards and has even built his own observatory in the South of France. This talk will cover the beginners guide to taking Night Sky Photos: Where and when in the sky to find objects and how to use a DSLR to get the most successful images.
Please note OM Dark Sky Park in Northern Ireland will also be presenting a special online talk on setting up and using a telescope for beginners and how to observe the Night Sky at a future date, original event sadly postponed to staff family bereavement. Our thoughts and support with them. (if you have booked the original event of 17th August, you will be contacted as soon as a new date is scheduled).
4. Saturn still well placed
SATURN: is still near its closest and brightest for the year, but it's very low from our latitude, so viewing conditions are not great. It's now mag 0.2, in Capricorn, with an apparent diameter of 18.2".
The angle of the ring system to Earth has been steadily decreasing recently, reaching 18 degrees at Opposition, so the rings no longer extend beyond the poles. Aesthetically, I think this angle, and down to an angle of about 10 degrees, is the most beautiful.
On 20 August the Full Moon will lie just below it.
Of the satellites, Titan is visible in any telescope, and Rhea is not too difficult. With the low altitude, it may be harder to see fainter Dione and Tethys, especially as they are closer to the planet. Big telescopes and good seeing are required for Enceladus and Mimas. Iapetus is easiest to see when it's at Western elongation; that next occurs around 18 – 22 September.
On the evening of 9 August, all the visible satellites will be on the East side of Saturn, making it look a bit lop-sided! From the centre of the disc, at 22.00 BST/IST moving Eastwards, they are Rhea, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Titan, Hyperion and Iapetus, but probably only Rhea, Tethys, Dione and Titan will be visible except in powerful telescopes.
I've seen them all, using the 10-inch refractor at Armagh Observatory, and my own 37cm Newtonian, but when Saturn was a lot higher up, and in much less light-polluted skies!
5. Jupiter almost at opposition
Jupiter is now readily visible from Ireland, as it moves towards Opposition on August 20. It's in Aquarius, mag -2.8, some 20 degrees E of Saturn, and with an apparent diameter of 48". It's a bit higher up than Saturn, and that will gradually increase over the next few years.
The four big Galilean moons are visible in even a modest telescope. This year, the Sun and Earth are almost exactly in the plane of Jupiter's equator, so the moons pass backwards and forwards almost exactly in the same plane. This means that sometimes they are so close together that they will appear as one, unless you use high magnification. This will happen with Europa and Ganymede on the night of 14-15 August
And very rarely one moon will actually pass in front of, or occult, another Moon, and sometimes one Moon will pass into the shadow of another Moon, and be eclipsed by it. I'll post details of any of these events which may be visible from Ireland in these email bulletins.
On 19 August it retrogrades into Capricorn, where it remains for the rest of the quarter. On the evening of 22 August the Full Moon will pass just below it.
6. ISS. The ISS will commence a new series of morning passes on 28 August. Details at www.heavens-above.com
7. Davagh Dark Sky Park and Observatory now open, with pre-booking, and some restrictions.
See https://www.midulstercouncil.org/visitor/things-to-do/star-gazing/davagh-dark-sky-observatory , and https://www.facebook.com/omdarksky/ I'll post any updates here. Or phone 03000 132 132 for changing Covid-19 advice.
8. Call for Europlanet Outreach Funding Scheme and Prize 2021, 18 August
The Europlanet Society is accepting applications for their 2021 Outreach Funding Scheme and Prize. Applications are accepted through 18 August 2021. Both the funding scheme and the prize are designed to support those in Europe who are doing public outreach for planetary sciences.
Learn more here: https://www.europlanet-society.org/calls-for-europlanet-outreach-funding-scheme-and-prize-2021/
9. Global Hands-On Universe Conference, 23 – 27 August
The 2021 Global Hands on Universe (GHOU) Conference will again be held virtually for teachers, students, educators, and other scientists interested in astronomy education. Registration closes on 10 August 2021. The free conference will be held 23-27 August 2021.
Learn more here: http://handsonuniverse.org/ghou2021/
10. Series of astronomy lectures by Gresham College.
A. Monday 20 September: Mars Missions 2021: Early Discoveries (gresham.ac.uk)
B. A series of 6 from 29 September to June 2022, at 6 p.m.. See: Cosmic Revolutions (gresham.ac.uk)
11. Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society Workshop II, 3-7 October
Location: Virtual / La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
Date: 3-7 October 2021
Website: http://research.iac.es/congreso/quietdarksky2021/pages/home.php
12. A: Clue for Easy Teaser No answers for this one yet, so here's a clue - The last three gave their name to something used in astronomy, and the first one has a similar connection.
Q. What's the connection between – A type of singing, a Keeper of the Mint, a German musician, and a Buddhist monk?
"Rules for Easy Teasers: you're barred from entering if you (A) have already submitted a correct answer to any of the previous teasers, and/or (B) if you've been a member of any astronomy clubs or societies for 15 years or more. Obviously I have to trust your honesty on that latter point, but remember, if you're correct your name will be published here, and other members of your club will see it!"
13. (Moderately) Difficult Teaser Answered.
The O'Neills do it again, this time it's Sara, wife of John who has been successful before. The question was - What's next in this sequence? A, M, A, M, P, M, ? The answer is D. They are the first letters of the stars in The Plough / Big Dipper, starting at the end of the handle: Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Phecda, Merak & Dubhe. Well done Sara.
14. New Difficult Teaser – a clue
What have 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22 & 23 got in common?
There have been no correct guesses on this one yet, so here's a clue – The highest number which could possibly be on that list (but isn't) is 24.
Please send all answers to me at my aol address terrymosel@aol.com
15. 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
How big is a black hole? How messily it 'eats' may be a clue. | Space
'Dancing ghosts': a new, deeper scan of the sky throws up surprises for astronomers | Space
Brown Dwarfs Could Reveal Secrets of Planet and Star Formation - Scientific American
LOFAR reveals amazing details in galaxies https://www.facebook.com/784440849/posts/10159838512345850/?sfnsn=scwspmo
New findings on the evolution of galaxies: Research paper provides new insights into how central supermassive blackholes influence the evolution of their host galaxy -- ScienceDaily Small stars share similar dynamics to our sun, key to planet habitability -- ScienceDaily
EARTH & MOON
July was Earth's hottest month on record: NOAA -- ScienceDaily
Protecting Earth from space storms -- ScienceDaily – and of course, a major asteroid or comet impact would have the same effect.
Magnetic patterns hidden in meteorites reveal early Solar System dynamics -- ScienceDaily
Climate change widespread, rapid, and intensifying: IPCC -- ScienceDaily
Earth Is Warmer Than It's Been in 125,000 Years - Scientific American
EXOLIFE
We'll Have to Wait About 3,000 Years for a Reply From Intelligent Civilizations - Universe Today And since the evidence that we use to conclude that there's intelligent life on another planet will be, on average, 1500 years old by the time we see it, that civilization could be extinct even before we send our message!
EXOPLANETS
Exo-Earths may be rare https://www.facebook.com/46126453526/posts/10158408862228527/?sfnsn=scwspmo
IMAGES
Jupiter's huge moon Ganymede stuns in new infrared image from NASA's Juno probe | Space
Powerful X-ray burst from black hole ripples through galactic dust in new NASA image | SpaceNASA's Mars helicopter spots its Perseverance rover pal from above in an epic view (video) | Space
'Dancing ghosts': a new, deeper scan of the sky throws up surprises for astronomers | Space
Watch auroras paint the sky above Earth in stunning astronaut photos and video | Space
SOLAR SYSTEM
Mars helicopter Ingenuity soars through challenging 12th flight on Red Planet | Space
China's Mars Rover completes mission https://www.facebook.com/551070831/posts/10160147797490832/?sfnsn=scwspmo
Scientists locate likely origin for the dinosaur-killing asteroid | Space
Saturn's rippling rings point to massive, soupy core hidden inside | Space
NASA spacecraft provides insight into asteroid Bennu's future orbit -- ScienceDaily
Magnetic patterns hidden in meteorites reveal early Solar System dynamics -- ScienceDaily
Dragonfly mission to Titan announces big science goals -- ScienceDaily
SPACE
Boeing Starliner Launch Scrubbed. No Idea When it Might fly - Universe Today
SpaceX remains the sole winner of NASA astronaut moon lander contract, GAO affirms | Space
Dragonfly mission to Titan announces big science goals -- ScienceDaily
TELESCOPES, INSTRUMENTS, TECHNIQUES
https://www.popsci.com/light-photographed-wave-and-particle-first-time/
Want a LEGO James Webb Space Telescope? It Even Folds Up - Universe Today
16. 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
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