Hi all,
1. IAA Lecture, Wed 2 March, 7.30 p.m. by Dr Deirdre Coffey, UCD. Star and planet formation: a whistle-stop tour!
Abstract
Studies of the birth of a star and its solar system have become particularly relevant in this exciting new era of extrasolar planets discoveries. I will outline our current understanding of how a star is born, and how observations of newly forming stars can hint at sites of newly forming planets. Finally, I will outline Ireland's involvement in the European Space Agency's upcoming space mission 'Ariel' to probe exoplanet atmospheres.
Brief Biography
Dr Deirdre Coffey is an Assistant Professor at the UCD School of Physics. She earned her PhD at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), which she followed with five years of post-doc experience based at Arcetri Observatory in Florence, Italy, and also at DIAS. She joined UCD in 2012. Her research interests are in the area of star and planet formation. Currently, she is National Program Manager for the European Space Agency's upcoming space mission 'Ariel' to probe exoplanet atmospheres; she is Chair of the Astronomical Society of Ireland; and committee member of the Institute of Physics in Ireland, as well as the Royal Irish Academy's Physical, Chemical and Mathematical Sciences Committee.
ZOOM details: Time: Mar 2, 2022 07:15 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88613059568?pwd=am1hd2lTb214TWtTL3NxRC9KOGp3UT09
Meeting ID: 886 1305 9568
Passcode: 383639
The room will open around 19:15 to allow for a prompt start
This talk will also be Simulcast on our YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/irishastronomy/videos
2. ISS:
The ISS commenced a new series of morning passes on 18 February. Full details for your location on www.heavens-above.com, and on various Smartphone Apps
3. IAS Zoom meeting, Monday, 28 February, 7:30pm: "From Hero to Artemis: a Lunar Space Adventure" by Dr Donnacha O'Driscoll Scientist and General Manager of the Science Foundation Ireland research centre 'Insight' in UCD.
To join the Zoom Meeting just click on the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82263780053?pwd=WHp5Q3hxN2JKYUNUby9oRUFZcmdpQT09
Meeting ID: 822 6378 0053
Passcode: 502733
4. From Ben McKeown Here's a link related to the Solar Gravitational Lens mentioned in my talk, just in case anyone might be interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFqDKRAROI
5. ARMAGH OBSERVATORY & PLANETARIUM INVITES YOU TO COME EXPLORE
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is delighted to welcome you this Spring to experience an out of this world trip to remember. The Planetarium is the ideal place to create long lasting memories and spark curiosity to learn more about space.
From immersive dome shows to exploring the cosmos at the interactive exhibition space, and sensory room, there is something to keep everyone captivated during their day out. The planetarium is equipped with a state-of-the-art Digistar 7 digital project system for an all-immersive theatre experience. Visitors of all ages will be immersed in a 360-degree dome experience where shows are played on the roof.
The planetarium is showcasing many dome-shows during spring, suitable for all ages. Shows include, "Astronaut George" best suited for pre-schoolers and little ones. "Perfect Little Planet" is the ideal show for families as you discover the Solar System, taking you on the ultimate space vacation! "We are Stars" is the perfect animated dome show for over 6's and seeks to answer some of the biggest questions for all time; what are we made of and where did it all come from?
The shows are not just for the kids, adults have the chance to view some immersive dome shows too. "Look Up! A Winter Night Sky Tour" takes you on a tour around the night sky as seen from Ireland. Let a presenter guide you through the beautiful objects and constellations seen at this time of year. This show is ideal for anyone starting out in astronomy or interested in learning about what can be seen in the night sky. More shows are available.
The cleverly designed interactive exhibition area allows little ones to explore outer space and broaden their curiosity for the intergalactic phenomena. You can touch a real piece of ancient history; a real meteorite!
To get outdoors, explore the Astropark which has a scale model of the Universe, brought down to Earth in a beautiful natural setting. As you journey through the park you will get to interact with a scale model of the Solar System.
The recently refurbished modern sensory room provides an enjoyable and calming multisensory experience for all our visitors, with features including bubble tubes and interactive exhibits. Leave some time in your day out to refuel at the café and explore the shop for treats, educational gifts and more.
For those with additional needs, a brand-new changing places facility is available to assist to ensure your day out is relaxing and you have everything you need.
Tickets for the dome shows and exhibitions are available to purchase online via www.armagh.space and pre booking is required. The Armagh Observatory & Planetarium is open to the public Tuesday – Sunday.
6. February Sky Guide video by Paul Evans
7. JWST Latest
James Webb Space Telescope has locked onto guide star in crucial milestone | Space Questions answered about JWST https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10223840798700654&id=1015803760&sfnsn=scwspmoStar twinkles 18 times in new James Webb Space Telescope image | Space
James Webb Space Telescope will do a galaxy deep dive into the dust | Space
Webb turns those 18 separate star images into a single unified star. Next comes even better focus. - Universe Today
James Webb Might be Able to Detect Other Civilizations by their Air Pollution - Universe Today
All 18 mirror segments are now aligned https://www.facebook.com/1315303067/posts/10227319679320478/
Webb Space Telescope Community Events and Resources
NASA and its partners want to share the experience of the Webb Space Telescope's first images with communities all over the United States and abroad. The release of Webb's first images in July 2022 represents a unique opportunity to engage our international community. You can apply to be a Community Event host, the deadline for applications is Friday, February 25, 2022. Other resources have been made available to the astronomy outreach community, including a launch kit and many informal education resources.
Read more: https://outerspace.stsci.edu/display/WSTCE/
8. Sun currently furthest from SS Barycentre
Contrary to popular belief, the Earth does not orbit the Sun. Instead, like all the other objects in the Solar System (excepting satellites), it orbits the barycentre, which is the centre of mass of the whole SS. Usually this is located inside the Sun, but occasionally when all the most massive planets line up on more or less the same side of the Sun, the barycentre is displaced noticeably outside the Sun's globe.
That is the situation at present, and the Sun is currently the furthest it will be from the barycente for this century, at a distance of 1.378 mill km, or 1.98 solar radii.
9. AOP and OM/Davagh listed in 10 best UK Observatories
https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/astronomical-observatories-uk/ It's great that both Armagh Observatory & Planetarium, and the new Observatory at OM/Davagh Dark Sky Park made it into this top ten list
10. Free February sky guide.
https://www.irishastronomy.org/kunena?view=topic&catid=42...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/irishastro/permalink/10160633878165955/?sfnsn=scwspmo&ref=share
11. UK Students Space Conference, 5&6 March, 2022
NSSC 2022 (ukseds.org) Registration required!
The UKSEDS National Student Space Conference, now in its 34th year, is the premier event for students interested in space, usually uniting them with academics and professionals from across the country to network, share knowledge, and discuss the challenges facing the sector.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NSSC 2021 had to move online, however we managed to preserve the essence of the conference that students know and love. Consequently NSSC 2022 will be a hybrid event, with online attendees being able to watch the talks and ask questions, all through our Nebula platform.
It is open to all, and features talks by leading space science and industry figures, a careers fair, and opportunities to take part in discussions and networking events.
The event is organised by UKSEDS, the UK's national student space society, and is this year hosted by the KCL Space at King's College London.
Follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our email newsletter for updates on this and other events.
12. Women and Girls in Astronomy 8 March
The Women and Girls in Astronomy project supports events that recognise the role of women in advancing science and encourages girls to consider careers in astronomy. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) strongly encourages activities throughout the year, with a particular focus on International Day adopted by the United Nations: International Women's Day on 8 March.
More on how you can take part in Women and Girls in Astronomy: https://www.iau.org/public/women-and-girls-in-astronomy/
13. Connemara Astronomy Club. We are super excited to launch our first ever Book Club meeting coinciding with International Women's Day on Tuesday, 8th March @ 8 pmThe Book is What Stars are Made of: The Life of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin by Donovan Moore. It can be ordered from The Clifden Bookshop and the usual online places. Topic: Connemara Astronomy Club Book Club
Time: Mar 8, 2022 08:00 PM Dublin
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83489461726?pwd=TzFJeXI5SFJWQzJKU0FuenNBSkxsZz09
Meeting ID: 834 8946 1726
Passcode: 806704
14. IAU Announces 3 New Prizes for Astronomy Education, Outreach and Development
The IAU is launching three new prizes to be awarded every three years at the General Assembly: the IAU Astronomy Education Prize, the IAU Astronomy Outreach Prize and the IAU Astronomy Development Prize. These awards have been created with generous funding from IAU Past President Ewine van Dishoeck. Nominations will be open from 15 February 2022 until 15 March 2022 for the first round of prizes, which will be presented at the IAU XXXI General Assembly in Busan, South Korea, in August this year.
Read more: https://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau2202/
15. Astronomy Photographer of the Year Competition. Reach for the stars! Enter the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition for a chance to win £10,000 and be part of a major London exhibition. See
https://www.facebook.com/100140416703461/posts/4940918395958948/?sfnsn=mo
16. Our Place in Space Project: In conjunction with QUB's ARC and the NI Science Festival
The Our Place In Space project is coming to N. Ireland for three long spells this year: in Derry from 22nd April to 22nd May, on Divis mountain 11th June to 10th July & at the Folk & Transport Museum from 17th Sept to 1 October.
Details are on the website – www.ourplaceinspace.earth with a nice video of Stephen Smartt and Oliver Jeffers.
The IAA has been asked to provide accompanying stargazing events, and details of these will be announced shortly. Watch this space!
17. International Day of Light, 16 May 2022
The International Day of Light (IDL) is a global initiative by UNESCO celebrated annually on the 16th of May, focusing on the significance of light and its role in science, art, technology, culture, education, and sustainable development in diverse fields, that help achieve UNESCO's goals – education, equality, and peace. This year IDL also focuses on the UN International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development 2022 & UN International Year Of Glass, the success of the James Webb Space Telescope and the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
To learn more and register your event: https://www.lightday.org
18. NEW EASY TEASER: What do Centaurus, Crux and Orion, and only they, have in common?
19. DIFFICULT TEASER – Beat you! No-one got this one, in spite of 6 clues!
Q. What does the number 695 represent?
When you see the answer your initial subjective reaction will be - Wow, that's amazing! Then you'll think – Well, yes, of course!
No correct answers yet, so here's the clues.
Clue 1. The exact figure is 694.83, so it's something we know fairly precisely!
Clue 2: It's to do with the solar system.
Clue 3. It's to do with angular measurement.
Clue 4. Maybe now someone will rise to the occasion.
Clue 5. You don't have to be horizontal to get this one, but…
Clue 6: If I asked you the question 'live', you would probably say, 'in very rough figures - about 720'.
Before I give you the answer, here's the background. You're all probably familiar with the Moon Illusion – the fact that the Full Moon appears much larger when it's rising (or setting) than when it's high up in the sky. I have experienced it many many times, and I know for a fact that it's an illusion (indeed, it's actually very slightly smaller, in those circumstances!). But recently I experienced the illusion so strongly that it was almost unbelievable. As I looked at it, I thought – it looks so big: how many of those would it take to circle the horizon? And, as in clue 6, I thought to myself: 'Well, the Moon is just over half a degree in apparent diameter, and there are 720 half degrees in a circle, so the answer must be about 700'. That figure seemed unbelievable in itself, but I knew that it had to be roughly right. So when I got home, I checked, and the answer is 695. (The Moon's mean apparent diameter is 31' 05.2", so divide that into 360 degrees, and you get 694.83)
Please send all Teaser answers to me at my aol address terrymosel@aol.com
20. Davagh Dark Sky Park and Observatory is 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.
21. 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:
Supermassive black hole caught hiding in a ring of cosmic dust (msn.com)
Incredibly rare stellar merger may have created strange stars | Space
Astronomers discover massive radio galaxy 100 times larger than the Milky Way | Space
Black hole found 47million light years away (msn.com)
Physicists measure gravitational time warp to within one millimeter (newatlas.com)
Astronomers discover widest separation of brown dwarf pair to date -- ScienceDaily and
Ancient dwarf galaxy reconstructed with MilkyWay@home volunteer computer -- ScienceDaily
Astronomers spot remains of long-lost galaxy eaten by the Milky Way | Space
Supermassive black hole caught hiding in a ring of cosmic dust -- ScienceDaily
Astronomers discover new type of star with puzzling origins (newatlas.com)
New sky map showcases more than 4 million galaxies, stars and other objects (msn.com)
Death spiral: A black hole spins on its side -- ScienceDaily
New Photos Show a Black Hole Blasting out Powerful Winds - Universe Today
https://www.independent.co.uk/space/supermassive-black-hole-galaxy-2022-b2022410.html
https://www.sciencealert.com/colossal-intergalactic-shockwave-dwarfs-the-milky-wayHubble eyes two stunning galaxies before future James Webb Space Telescope observations | Space
Cosmic flashes pinpointed to a surprising location in space -- ScienceDaily
COSMOLOGY
EARTH & MOON
Can a planet have a mind of its own? Thought experiment -- ScienceDaily If that is the case, Earth is unfortunately very sub-normal, intellectually deficient, psychologically disturbed and intent on self-harm. That of course is the current combined effect of the humans (there are of course many not in that category, but not nearly enough) – the rest of the biosphere is perfectly ok.
NASA Eyes Electric Car Tech for Future Moon Rovers - Scientific American
Scientists spot 10,000th medium near-Earth asteroid in planetary defense milestone | Space
BREAKING: Fossils Emit 70% More Methane than Governments Report: IEA Tracker - The Energy Mix
Asteroid which killed dinosaurs 'struck Earth during spring' (msn.com) – Beware the Ides of March, eh?
Mysterious new substance possibly discovered inside Earth's core | Live Science
One Crater on the Moon is Filled with Ice and Gas that Came from a Comet Impact - Universe Today
NASA is Upping the Power on its Lunar Wattage Challenge! - Universe Today
Chinese Rover Finds Translucent Glass Globules on the Moon - Universe Today
Microscopic view on asteroid collisions could help us understand planet formation -- ScienceDaily
EXOPLANETS
Rogue planets: How wandering bodies in interstellar space ended up on their own (msn.com)
'Tatooine-like' planet spotted from Earth points to future discoveries (msn.com)
GENERAL
The dark side of online space disinformation | Science | AAAS
IMAGES
Galactic fountain https://www.facebook.com/100050151054339/posts/499623045052726/?sfnsn=scwspmoStunning image shows galactic dance of stars swirling around a supermassive black hole (msn.com)
Galaxy collision creates 'space triangle' in new Hubble image -- ScienceDaily
SOLAR SYSTEM
Celebrate Perseverance rover's 1-year 'Marsiversary' with these events | Space
NASA's InSight Mars lander bounces back from dust storm, but its days are numbered | Space
Scientists spot 10,000th medium near-Earth asteroid in planetary defense milestone | Space
Curiosity rover on Mars is watching the clouds drift by and they're beautiful | Space
After a year on Mars, NASA's Perseverance rover is on course for big discoveries | Space
1 year later, Ingenuity helicopter still going strong on Mars | Space
This crater on dwarf planet Ceres that may hold another icy volcano, scientists say (msn.com)
NASA and HeroX are Crowdsourcing the Search for Life on Mars - Universe Today
Microscopic view on asteroid collisions could help us understand planet formation -- ScienceDaily
Venus' extreme surface heat drives swirling winds in upper atmosphere, study finds (msn.com)
SPACE
See a large robotic arm 'crawl' across China's space station (video) | Space
Launchpad to blast satellites into low earth orbit built in Scotland (msn.com)
NASA opens Nighttime Precision Landing Challenge to help future moon missions (msn.com)
Cosmonaut brains are 'rewired' by space missions, scientists find | Space
Musk Shows how They're Planning to Catch SuperHeavy Boosters - Universe Today
UK to lead mission to stop 'catastrophic' space crash as Russia and China threaten assets (msn.com)
Avoiding satellite collisions: NOAA unveils prototype warning system | Space
NASA: No current plan for return of space station parts for museums | Space
Sent from the all new AOL app for Android
Congrats to those who got through to the next stage of the @esa astronaut selection process, and well done to everyone who applied
(https://twitter.com/UCD_Cspace/status/1491841316979978241?t=fYCDBPYfHkiWyTr-UUpsLg&s=03)
Researchers unlock the keys to designing an interstellar sail (msn.com) They are ignoring the obvious problem: what good is it sending a microchip-sized probe to Alpha Cen (or Proxima Cen)? What's it going to do? It won't be able to send back any data from that distance: that requires a transmitter and an antenna.
Fly around SpaceX's giant Starship rocket in this stunning drone video (msn.com)
Tiny probes could sail to outer planets with the help of low-power lasers -- ScienceDaily Once again, what's the point? What are we going to learn from a probe weighing 1 gram? That's the weight of about 10 matches. What data will it be able to collect, and what will it be able to send back over a distance of even 40 AU, let alone 4 LY? Answers, please!
Avoiding satellite collisions: NOAA unveils prototype warning system (msn.com)
NASA successfully retests moon rocket core stage engines after fault (msn.com)
NASA is Upping the Power on its Lunar Wattage Challenge! - Universe Today
Russian Space chief threatens US, China, India, others with the ISS! https://futurism.com/dmitry-rogozin-space-debris. This guy is crazy. Firstly, he's wrong – the ISS does fly over Russia, although only part of it. Secondly, you couldn't target any particular country with the ISS re-entry – it can't be controlled as accurately as that.China Plans Asteroid Missions, Space Telescopes and a Moon Base - Scientific American
SUN
Solar Orbiter snaps giant solar eruption in unprecedented image (newatlas.com)
TELESCOPES, INSTRUMENTS, TECHNIQUES.
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory suffers camera glitch, stalling science | Space
New atomic clock loses only one second every 300 billion years | Space
When the next interstellar object comes, James Webb Space Telescope will be there to study it | Space – Assuming that it passes through the telescope's area of observability!
Deep neural network to find hidden turbulent motion on the sun -- ScienceDaily
NASA's Roman Mission could snap first image of a Jupiter-like world -- ScienceDaily
22. JOINING the IRISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION. This link gives options to join the IAA.
https://irishastro.org/join-the-iaa/ If you are a UK taxpayer, please select 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
