IAA Lecture, ISS, VENUS, NANOSAIL-D, Moonwalker, GAF, COSMOS, BCO Events

Hi all,

1. IAA LECTURE MEETING: "Modern Telescopes at Armagh Observatory". 9 February, 7.30 p.m., Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Department, QUB. The next lecture in the Irish Astronomical Association Lecture Programme, will be by Dr Simon Jeffery, of Armagh Observatory:

Armagh Observatory is the oldest observatory in the UK and Ireland which is still operating on its original site. While small in global terms, it has achieved immortality through the ubiquitous and still constantly used NGC Catalogue which was compiled there by a former director, JLE Dreyer.

It is now recognised as a leading astronomical research institution, with many high quality refereed papers being produced each year. The original telescopes are all still there, having been recently restored to a superb standard. Much of the Observatory's research is of course carried out using large telescopes on top quality sites around the world, and space based instruments.

But recent developments in instrumentation mean that even smallish telescopes can give results which would have been unheard of a generation ago. Thus, a new state of the art telescope with top of the range instrumentation has recently been installed there in a new purpose-built dome.

Leading research astronomer Dr Simon Jeffery who oversaw that project, will describe the latest research there using telescopes such as this one.

Admission is free, including light refreshments, and all are welcome. There is free parking on the QUB site after 5.30 p.m.

For details of all forthcoming IAA lectures and other events, see www.irishastro.org

2. ISS: The International Space Station continues its series of morning passes for about another week. Check www.heavens-above.com for accurate pass times according to your location.

3. NANOSAIL-D: NASA's first Earth-orbiting solar sail, NanoSail-D, is circling our planet and attracting the attention of sky watchers. Occasionally, sunlight glinting from the sail's reflective fabric produces a flash of light in the night sky. These "solar sail flares" are expected to grow brighter as NanoSail-D descends in the weeks ahead. The current passes over Ireland are not very favourable, but will improve towards the second half of the month. Details of passes for your own location are on www.heavens-above.com.

NANOSAIL-D AMATEUR ASTRONOMY IMAGE CONTEST
NASA has formed a partnership with Spaceweather.com to engage the amateur astronomy community to submit the best images of the orbiting NanoSail-D solar sail. NanoSail-D unfurled the first ever 100-square-foot solar sail in low-Earth orbit on Jan. 20.
To encourage observations of NanoSail-D, Spaceweather.com is offering prizes for the best images of this historic, pioneering spacecraft in the amounts of $500 (grand prize), $300 (first prize) and $100 (second prize).
The contest is open to all types of images, including, but not limited to, telescopic captures of the sail to simple widefield camera shots of solar sail flares. If NanoSail-D is in the field of view, the image is eligible for judging.
The solar sail is about the size of a large tent. It will be observable for approximately 70 to 120 days before it enters the atmosphere and disintegrates. The contest continues until NanoSail-D re-enters Earth's atmosphere.
NanoSail-D will be a target of interest to both novice and veteran sky watchers. Experienced astrophotographers will want to take the first-ever telescopic pictures of a solar sail unfurled in space. Backyard stargazers, meanwhile, will marvel at the solar sail flares
-- brief but intense flashes of light caused by sunlight glinting harmlessly from the surface of the sail.
NanoSail-D could be five to 10 times as bright as the planet Venus, especially later in the mission when the sail descends to lower orbits.
See http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/01feb_solarsailflares/

4. VENUS: is still just visible in the SE pre-dawn sky but is sinking gradually into the morning twilight.

5. Al Worden to visit Scotland: Colonel Alfred Merrill Worden, Command Module Pilot of Apollo 15, will be visiting Scotland in May 2011, the 40th Anniversary of Apollo 15. Aileen Malone, Director of 'Walk with Destiny', who brought Charlie Duke to Scotland in September, will be running the event. Al Worden's visit will be Friday 20th May for the public lecture in Glasgow Caledonian University and Saturday 21st May for the Gala dinner in Glasgow Marriott Hotel at 7pm.

Places are limited so advanced booking is recommended. please visit this website for details

http://www.walkwithdestiny.com/

6. Galway Astronomy Festival: 4-6 March. The theme this year is 'Life and Death in the Universe. Venue: Westwood House Hotel, Galway. It will open with a free public lecture in NUIG about meteorite falls in Ireland on the Friday evening. See www.galwayastronomyclub.ie for full details of what looks like an excellent programme.

7. Cosmos 2010: The MAC Committee are working on the speaker list for this year's Cosmos Star Party. Cosmos is Ireland's second-longest running star party, since 1992 in fact, when it was first called the Irish Astrofest. This year it takes place on the weekend of April 1st to 3rd at Annaharvey, Tullamore. See the club website at www.midlandsastronomy.com for more details.

8. BCO EVENTS, CORK: What is the Stars? Frances McCarthy, astronomer and education officer at CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork guides our eyes skywards to explore the myths, stories and science of the constellations.
Broadcast Mondays and Fridays at 11.45pm on The Blue of the Night on RTE Lyric fm. http://www.rte.ie/lyricfm/blue/1348350.html

Fri 4 Feb
First Fridays at the Castle
FREE Monthly Event - Blackrock Castle Observatory hosts open nights on the first Friday of every month with activities for visitors of all ages. Join us to see why science is fun!

6-8pm: Family friendly workshops. Send a message to space via our radio telescope! What would YOU say to a distant civilization?

8-9pm: Dr. Denise Gabuzda, UCC, Physics. Radio Astronomy: Past, Present & Future

7-9pm: Weather dependant stargazing with the Cork Astronomy Club and BCO astronomers
Introduction to Astronomy module
Life long and accredited learning is one click away! Register today for this CIT/BCOLabs module. http://www.bco.ie/intro-to-astronomy

Sat 26 Feb: 8pm Movies by Moonlight
We are bringing an alien invasion to our theatre but we need your help….
Should we show H. G. Wells' classic adaption of War of the Worlds (1953) or Steven Spielberg's remake (2005)? www.bco.ie/moviesbymoonlight
For more information on these and future events at Blackrock Castle Observatory
Call 021-4357917 / email info@bco.ie / visit www.bco.ie/upcomingevents
http://www.facebook.com/BlackrockCastleObservatory
http://twitter.com/blackrockcastle

9. JOINING the IRISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION is now even easier: This link downloads a Word document to join the IAA. http://irishastro.org.uk/iaamembership.doc. See also www.irishastro.org.

Clear skies,

Terry Moseley

Lecture, BETT Award, ISS, Venus, Galway Astrofest, COSMOS.

Hi all,

1. IAA LECTURE MEETING: "The Sun in Time". 26 January, 7.30 p.m., Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Department, QUB. The next lecture in the Irish Astronomical Association Lecture Programme, will be by Dr Graham Harper, of TCD: Title "The Sun in Time". This fascinating talk by an acknowledged expert on the subject will concentrate on how the Sun has changed through time, and how much it continues to change - a topic of great interest not just to astronomers but to climate change scientists, and indeed everyone on the planet.

Admission is free, including light refreshments, and all are welcome. There is free parking on the QUB site after 5.30 p.m.

For details of all forthcoming IAA lectures and other events, see http://www.irishastro.org/

2. NISO wins the UK 2011 BETT Award. I quote from Robert Hill, Director of the Northern Ireland Space Office, based at Armagh Planetarium:

"I am delighted to inform you that our 3d gaming and virtual education work, Learnit3d, has won the UK 2011 BETT award (Inspiring Learning Excellence Worldwide) for innovation in technology. This is a bit like winning the BRITS in our sector! As a small SME we beat off major ICT contenders including Promethean whiteboards.

Needless to say that we are greatly honoured to receive this prestigious accolade and it is fantastic acknowledgement of our innovation in education, learning and skills."

Robert Hill, Director, Northern Ireland Space Office.

3. ISS: The International Space Station will commence a series of morning passes on about January 23. Check www.heavens-above.com for accurate pass times according to your location.

4. VENUS: will continue to dominate the SE pre-dawn sky for another few weeks. It will sit a few degrees above a thin waning crescent moon on the morning of Jan 30.

5. Galway Astronomy Festival: 4-6 March. The theme this year is 'Life and Death in the Universe. Venue: Westwood House Hotel, Galway. It will open with a free public lecture in NUIG about meteorite falls in Ireland on the Friday evening. See http://www.galwayastronomyclub.ie/ for full details of what looks like an excellent programme.

6. Cosmos 2010: The MAC Committee are working on the speaker list for this year's Cosmos Star Party. Cosmos is Ireland's second-longest running star party, since 1992 in fact, when it was first called the Irish Astrofest. This year it takes place on the weekend of April 1st to 3rd at Annaharvey, Tullamore. See the club website at http://www.midlandsastronomy.com/ for more details.

Clear skies,

Terry Moseley

IAA Lecture, ISS, Mercury, Galway AF 2011, COSMOS 2011, that PSE!

Hi all,

1. FIRST IAA LECTURE MEETING of 2011. 12 January, 7.30 p.m., Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Department, QUB. The first lecture of the second half of the Irish Astronomical Association Lecture Programme, and the first in 'The Tweenies', will be by Dr Kate Russo: Title "Chasing the Shadow of the Moon". Kate is a seasoned total solar eclipse chaser (nine so far!), with many successes under her belt, in some of the most interesting and exotic locations on Earth.

She will be concentrating more on the human effects of observing eclipses rather than the astronomical details, with interesting stories of people and places. She also happens to be from North Queensland, Australia, which is the only land area where it will be possible to see the next Total Solar Eclipse, in November 2012. She has already been out scouting suitable observing locations for a probable eclipse expedition to the Cairns area, which is almost on the central line of the eclipse. The benefit of her local knowledge and contacts will be invaluable for anyone considering going to this eclipse.

Admission is free, including light refreshments, and all are welcome. There is free parking on the QUB site after 5.30 p.m.

For details of all forthcoming IAA lectures and other events, see www.irishastro.org

2. ISS: The International Space Station continues a series of evening passes until January 14. Check www.heavens-above.com for accurate pass times according to your location.

3. Mercury: You can still see the elusive planet Mercury as a 'morning star', appearing shortly before dawn in the sountheastern sky. It is just past Greatest Western Elongation, but remains at about magnitude -0.2 for another week or so, although it is gradually sinking lower in the morning twilight. It lies about 24 degrees below and left of the much brighter Venus

4. Galway Astronomy Festival / Star Party: 4-6 March. Advance Notice: The theme this year is 'Life and Death in the Universe. Venue: Westwood House Hotel, Galway. See www.galwayastronomyclub.ie for full details of what looks like an excellent programme.

5. Cosmos 2010: Advance Notice. The MAC Committee are working on the speaker list for this year's Cosmos Star Party. Cosmos is Ireland's second-longest running star party, since 1992 in fact, when it was first called the Irish Astrofest. This year it takes place on the weekend of April 1st to 3rd at Annaharvey, Tullamore. See the club website at www.midlandsastronomy.com for more details.

6. PSE Dogged by clouds: Congratulations to Dr Andy McCrea who managed to get two excellent photos (given the weather!) of the Partial Solar Eclipse on the morning of 4 January. They were featured on BBC Newsline that evening. He & George Brannan went to Scrabo Hill near Newtownards & got reasonable but brief views through gaps in the cloud layer. Pat O'Neill & I went to Knockagh Hill near Carrick, but while we could see the brightness of clear sky on the SE Horizon, the Sun never appeared through it. Then as I was driving in to work along the M2 foreshore, I saw it briefly through a gap in the clouds - it was down to about 15% magnitude by then.

(The next Solar Eclipse visible from Ireland will be on 20 March, 2015. That will be a big one, with a magnitude of over 90% throughout Ireland, and reaching 95% in NW Donegal and Mayo. It will be Total in the North Atlantic, but the only land the track of totality touches are the Faeroe Islands, and Svalbard up in the Arctic Circle. In both cases the weather prospects are not good, and the Sun will be quite low, so the best option for totality will probably be a cruise ship, somewhere about 500 - 1,000 miles Northwest of Ireland, depending on weather.

In the meantime, all hopes rest on the one near Cairns in Nov 2012!)

Clear skies,

Terry Moseley