Astro Swap Shop / Bring & Buy at IAA meeting, Quadrantids

 

Hi all,

1. IAA MEETING: I forgot to mention that we will also be having a 'swap shop' / 'bring & buy' / 'bazaar' (or bizarre?) at the IAA meeting on Wednesday 9 January, at 7.30 p.m. sharp, in the Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast (main campus). So bring along some cash or your cheque book, and any items that you no longer need or use - accessories, eyepieces, software, books, even whole telescopes: you might pick up a bargain yourself, as well as getting rid of some items you no longer use.

The main agenda will be a twin speaker 'Members' Night' aimed mainly at beginners: I will talk about and demonstrate using binoculars, and David Stewart will talk about astrophotography. Admission free, including light refreshments.

2. QUADRANTID METEORS EXCELLED!  I've just been sickened by a colleague in work who told me he was in West Cork on the night of the Quadrantid maximum, didn't even know about the shower, was up in the middle of the night (about 4 a.m.), looked out the window & saw a beautiful clear sky & right away saw a fireball. So he kept looking, and says that he saw an average of one meteor every 30" for a period of about 15 minutes, before he got too cold and went back to bed! And that was just looking out the window at a relatively small area of sky! They were definitely Quads, as he described them as coming from the NE. He also saw one sporadic, going in the opposite direction. Even allowing for some exaggeration, that means the ZHR must have been about 100! And if his quoted rates are correct, it must have been well over 100! Meanwhile in the North we were being heavily snowed upon!

Clear skies,

Terry Moseley

New Year Party + Film, LP Survey, Comet, Lectures,

 

Hi all,

1. Time is running out to book for the IAA New Year Party & Film: Just to remind you: through the good efforts of Robert Hill of NISO, we have indeed been able to secure the first private viewing in Europe of the superb film "Shadow of the Moon" for our New Year Party on Saturday 5 January, at the Tudor Cinema, Drumhirk Road, Comber, Co Down! The film will not be officially released on DVD here until February, but Robert has special contacts..... Admission details as before: £10 per person, including excellent food & liquid refreshments, both alcoholic and otherwise. Also a great fun quiz with lots of prizes, and great craic for all. Be there 7.30 for 8.0 for this special preview, and a great evening.

   NB: YOU MUST BOOK & PREPAY by 2 JANUARY: Cheques payable to the IAA (Sterling only please) - send to John Hall, 3 Vaddegan Avenue, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, BT36 7SP.

DIRECTIONS:

A. Coming from the Greater Belfast area: follow signs for the A22 to Comber, proceed along the bypass (missing the town) to the roundabout, then turn right, still on the A22, towards Killyleagh and Downpatrick. Just 1 mile past the end of the 30mph speed limit zone in Comber, turn right into DRUMHIRK ROAD. After about 1/3 mile, look out for a row of cottages on the right, opposite which there is some 'ranch-style' fencing, with an entry to a laneway. There will be an IAA sign at this junction. Proceed along that laneway to the end where you will find the cinema and car park.

B. Coming from Downpatrick direction: proceed along A22 towards Comber, and look out for Drumhirk Road on your left, just 1 mile before you reach the edge of Comber.

C. Coming from the West or South: either go though Belfast and proceed as at A above, or turn off the M1 at Lisburn, taking the A49, then in a short distance turn left onto the B6, and then left again onto the B178, following signs for Carryduff and Comber. In Carryduff turn left, then right, following the B178 for Comber. Just before you reach Comber you join the A21: follow this into Comber, then follow signs for the A22 to Killyleagh and Downpatrick as at A above.

  PARK AS NEATLY AS POSSIBLE PLEASE! We need to get as many cars in as possible.

2. Light Pollution Survey. (APOLOGIES: I forgot to attach the form last time......)

Albert White, Chair if ILPAC, the Irish Light Pollution Awareness Campaign, has asked me to pass this on. Please fill in and return, and circulate the attached survey further to anyone who might be interested. Martin will be feeding back the results to DEFRA in the UK; hopefully to get the exceptions to the law there changed.

3. EAAS Meeting: The next meeting will be on 7 January 2008 and will be a members night. Venue: Lecture Theatre, Ballyclare High School, George Avenue, Ballyclare, Co. Antrim, 8PM. Admission charge.

4. IAA: NEXT LECTURE: The next meeting will be on Wednesday 9 January, at 7.30 p.m. sharp, in the Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast (main campus). This will be a twin speaker 'Members' Night' aimed mainly at beginners: I will talk about and demonstrate using binoculars, and david Stewart will talk about astrophotography. Admission free, including light refreshments

5. Astronomy Ireland: NEW YEAR PUBLIC LECTURE,  Monday January 14 2007, 8:00pm, Physics Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2.  "METEORITES - NEW EVIDENCE UNCOVERED", BY, DR. IAN SANDERS, TCD. Admission Charge.

6. ANOTHER COMET: Comet 8P/Tuttle has returned to the inner solar system after an absence of over 13 years. On Jan. 1 and 2, it makes its closest approach to Earth, only 24 million miles away. The emerald-coloured comet will brighten to a predicted magnitude of 5.8, visible to the unaided eye from dark-sky sites and a fine target for backyard telescopes anywhere.
   Just before closest approach, on Dec. 30th and 31st, Comet 8P/Tuttle has a close encounter with spiral galaxy M33. The comet and the galaxy may even overlap!  A great opportunity for astrophotographers!
    Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps, photos and more information.

N.B.

DUPLICATE COPIES:

I have now switched to a new PC, and had to transfer my address lists in a very awkward manner, so there may be some duplication of addresses. Hope to get that sorted soon, so if you get two copies of this, my apologies.

NEW ADDRESSES: Also, some new addresses have been added. As always, if you wish to be removed from this mailing list, just email me back saying so & I will gladly do so.

Finally, a very Happy New Year to everyone, with lots of clear dark skies for all.

Best wishes,

Terry Moseley

IAA New Year Party, Quadrantids, ISS

 

Hi all,

1. Just a final reminder: IAA New Year Party & Film: Through the good efforts of Robert Hill of NISO, we have indeed been able to secure the first private viewing in Europe of the superb film "Shadow of the Moon" for our New Year Party on Saturday 5 January, at the Tudor Cinema, Drumhirk Road, Comber, Co Down! The film will not be officially released on DVD here until February, but Robert has special contacts..... Admission details as before: £10 per person, including excellent food & liquid refreshments, both alcoholic and otherwise. Also a great fun quiz with lots of prizes, and great craic for all. Be there 7.30 for 8.0 for this special preview, and a great evening.

   NB: YOU MUST BOOK & PREPAY by 2 JANUARY: Cheques payable to the IAA (Sterling only please) - send to John Hall, 3 Vaddegan Avenue, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, BT36 7SP.

DIRECTIONS:

A. Coming from the Greater Belfast area: follow signs for the A22 to Comber, proceed along the bypass (missing the town) to the roundabout, then turn right, still on the A22, towards Killyleagh and Downpatrick. Just 1 mile past the end of the 30mph speed limit zone in Comber, turn right into DRUMHIRK ROAD. After about 1/3 mile, look out for a row of cottages on the right, opposite which there is some 'ranch-style' fencing, with an entry to a laneway. There will be an IAA sign at this junction. Proceed along that laneway to the end where you will find the cinema and car park.

B. Coming from Downpatrick direction: proceed along A22 towards Comber, and look out for Drumhirk Road on your left, just 1 mile before you reach the edge of Comber.

C. Coming from the West or South: either go though Belfast and proceed as at A above, or turn off the M1 at Lisburn, taking the A49, then in a short distance turn left onto the B6, and then left again onto the B178, following signs for Carryduff and Comber. In Carryduff turn left, then right, following the B178 for Comber. Just before you reach Comber you join the A21: follow this into Comber, then follow signs for the A22 to Killyleagh and Downpatrick as at A above.

  PARK AS NEATLY AS POSSIBLE PLEASE! We need to get as many cars in as possible.

2. The Quadrantid Meteors are due to peak on 4 January at 06.00, with a predicted maximum rate in very dark skies, with the radiant high up, of about 100 meteors per hour. These conditions are never quite obtained in Ireland, as the radiant never gets much above 50 degrees altitude before dawn interferes. But conditions are quite good this year, with maximum predicted for when the radiant is highest in a dark sky, and the Moon will be only a thin faint waning crescent. The radiant lies in the now defunct constellation of the Quadrant, and it lies roughly halfway between the end of the 'Plough' or 'Big Dipper', and the head of Draco. It will be low down in the NNW as darkness falls on the night of 3-4 January, dips below the Pole (it's circumpolar, so it never sets) at about 9 p.m., and then starts to rise higher in the NE as the night progresses, until dawn.

   Quadrantid meteors tend to be blue or yellow, although you will only see colour in the brighter members of the shower. They also tend to be rather slow in comparison with some other showers, so they are easier to record photographically.

  Watches any time from midnight on 3-4 January should produce good observed rates if the sky is clear and dark.

3. The ISS is now starting a series of morning passes over Ireland, so you might see it if you are up very late (or early) watching the Quadrantids. Details of passes can be found on www.heavens-above.com.

Good Luck - and Happy New Year, once again.

Clear skies,

Terry Moseley