Upcoming Events

Redshift

This thread is for notification of upcoming organized astronomy related events only.
If your club has an event or you know of one coming up please post the following.

Name of Club:
Type of Event:
Date:
Purpose of Event: i.e. Observing Mars
Location and Directions:
Admission Fee:
Brief synopsis: i.e. special guest speaker.
Website Link if available:

In order to keep this thread tidy please make a new thread if you wish to discuss an event.

Don't use this thread to advertise sales it is for observing events and lectures only.

Redshift

Name of Club: Astronomy Ireland
Type of Event: Starparty / Barbeque
Date: August 27th
Location: Roundwood
Admission Fee: Euro 25 per head
Synopsis: August 27th optimum view of Mars- in close alignment with the moon.


Re-posted, Shane if you want to add to this repost below and I will remove this one.

halenger

Actually just to point out the Star-B-Q is on tonight-August 23rd.

All has been agreed etc etc etc.

Hope anyone who goes enjoys it.

albertw

Hi,

Forwarding from Terry Mosely, primarilty for IAA folks though some public items also.
Please see below for details of the events, price, admission, speakers etc.
Apologies for the formatting, it came in a word doc!
Contact Terry directly if you need more info or want to get his bulletins directly, TerryMosel AT aol.com

Cheers,
~Al

1. SPECIAL IAA VISIT TO ARMAGH PLANETARIUM: Friday 29 August, 7.30 p.m. A special visit to see the superb exhibition of model spacecraft at the Planetarium has been arranged. Normal admission rates apply. This will be your last chance to see the exhibition, as that is the last day! These include International Space Station (scale 1:20); Ariane 5 Launcher (1:10); Mars Express with Beagle 2 (1:4); Smart-1 (1:4); Envisat (1:4); Galileo (1:4); Integral (1:4). Definitely not to be missed! Also Robert Hill will give a short talk to IAA members about the future of the Planetarium, and how we can work together.

2. Telescope Day at the Argory, near Moy, Co Tyrone, Sat 13 September, 2-5 p.m. We have been asked to provide a display of telescopes, with solar observing if clear, at a special event at the National Trust House, "The Argory", not far off the M1, near Moy. This is on same day as our first event at WWT at Castle Espie , although it is from 2-5, and WWT is from 8 to late. Would any members in the area - say Armagh, Dungannon, Craigavon etc, who would like to volunteer to help out at this event, particularly if you can bring a telescope! Please contact me asap. Thanks.

3. Provisional Programme 2003-2004
Meeting
Speaker / Event
TITLE
6th Sep
"Mars & Stars"; special event, 8 - late; Carnfunnock Country Park, Larne: Stardome, talks, observing etc.
13 Sep
"Telescopes at the Argory", The Argory, Moy, Co Tyrone; 2-5 p.m. - see separate details
13 Sep
"Mars & Stars"; special event, 8 - late; WWT, Castle Espie, Comber, Co Down: Stardome, talks, observing etc.
14 Sep
"Mars & Stars"; special event, 8 - late; WWT, Castle Espie, Comber, Co Down: Stardome, talks, observing etc.
24th Sep
J. Kelly Beattie (Editor, Sky & Telescope)
"A Stone's Throw: Meteorite Transport Between Planets"
8th Oct
Dr Ian Morrison (Jodrell Bank Observatory)
(Latest developments in radio astronomy)
22nd Oct
Derek Heatly
"Ireland's First Space Tourist"
5th Nov
Members night: Jacquie Milligan & Barry Loane
Bulgarian Observatory Trip; + My Geodesic Observatory
19th Nov
Nigel & Mark Stronge
"Astrophotography on a Budget"
3rd Dec
Dr Lynn Moran (UCD)
(Gamma Ray Bursts)
17th Dec
Terry Moseley
"Aliens - Where Are They?
3rd Jan
Xmas Party - Tudor Cinema, Comber Co Down
7.30 p.m.: Film + Fun - more details later
7th Jan
Prof Mark Bailey (Director, Armagh Observatory)
"The Origin of Comets"
21st Jan
Patrick McCafferty
"What if you don't know it's a comet?"
4th Feb
Dr Alan Fitzsimmons (QUB)
"What Happens When An Asteroid Misses?"
18th Feb
Dr Monica Grady (Natural History Museum) TBC
To be confirmed
3rd Mar
Member's Night- Enniskillen School
(School Observing Projects)
16 Mar
Robert Hill (Armagh Planetarium) NB - TUESDAY!
(Title tba)
31st Mar
Kevin Nolan (The Planetary Society)
"What Has Astronomy Ever Done For Us?"
14th Apr
Prof Bill Napier (Armagh Obs & Cardiff University)
"Children of the Galaxy"
17 (or 24) Apr
IAA Birr Event, Birr, Co Offaly. 1-day event
Various speakers, + observing evening with 72-inch if clear
28th Apr
AGM
+ of course, George Brannan's unmissable video!

All events are in Lecture Room 5, Stranmillis College, Belfast, at 7.30 p.m., unless stated otherwise.
The full printed programme card will be sent out as soon as final remaining details are confirmed; in the meantime, please note dates & venues. NB: there are TWO events on 13 Sep, at 2p.m. & 8 p.m., and there are two successive events at WWT, on 13 & 14 Sep at 8 p.m.

4. SPECIAL MARS EVENTS: Please note particularly the special events at Carnfunnock Country Park, A2 N of Larne, on 6 September, and at WWT, Castle Espie, near Comber, on 13 & 14 September, all from 8 to late. These dates were chosen to give the best chance of observing Mars while it is still big & close, and yet high enough in the sky for reasonable views before midnight. We will have a mobile planetarium, displays, talks, a Martian meteorite (I'm not joking!), and of course observing with a variety of powerful telescopes if clear. These events are open to the public, so we'll need as many members there as possible, with telescopes if possible, but come along & observe and help generally if you can, even if you can't bring a telescope. We'll view other things too, of course, if clear.

5. Please note your diaries for another special event in Birr, mainly, but not exclusively, for all our Southern members, on 17 April (maybe, but unlikely, on 24 April: date TBC asap.) The last one, several years ago, was a great success, and Lord & Lady Rosse are very keen to have us back again. We'll have another selection of excellent speakers, a fun quiz for all, and observing that evening if clear, using the great 72-inch 'Leviathan', and other member's telescopes. Provisional start 10.30 or 11.00, ending that evening. More details soon.

albertw

Just forwarding from Terry Mosely again, please contact Dr. Niall Smith below for details.

[ The talk is this Wednesday btw ]

Cheers,
~Al

To mark the closest approach of Mars in 60,000 years, there will be a talk by Kevin Nolan, Director of the Planetary Society in Ireland, on "All things Mars". The talk will commence at 9.00pm in Unit 2a of Carrigaline Industrial Estate[Cork] (on the Crosshaven Road from Carrigaline).

Prior to that, and after if weather permits, we'll be trying to catch some views of the red planet wih a 12" Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain.

Contact: Dr. Niall Smith; Department of Applied Physics & Instrumentation;
Cork Institute of Technology. Ph. +353-21-4326369 or +353-21-4326297; Fax.
+353-21-4345191; Email: nsmith AT cit.ie

albertw

Name of Club: South Dublin Astronomical Society
Type of Event: regular meeting
Date: Sept 11th 2003, 8pm
Purpose of Event: talk, chat, observe!
Location and Directions: Gonzaga College, Ranelagh
Admission Fee: FREE
Brief synopsis: see below, all welcome.
Website Link if available: www.irishastronomy.org (until SDAS get their own one together)

Forwarded message:
hi everyone,

hope you are all getting a chance to view Mars in recent weeks.

our first meeting of the new session is scheduled for Thursday week, September 11th, at 8pm in Gonzaga College, Ranelagh. Many thanks
to them for continuing to support us.

the agenda for the night will feature;

Paul Tipper, speaking on the hypergiant star Rho Cassiopeiae which is a potential candidate for the next supernova that we will
witness exploding in our galaxy. The star is readily visible to the naked-eye close to the familiar W-shaped pattern of the constellation.
Rho Cassiopeiae is undergoing tremendous internal changes in its structure as it nears the end of its life and regularly puffs off shells of gas causing fluctuations in its light output.

Jimmy Miller has the usual constellation of the month slot.

John Flannery will ramble on a little about the recent bright fireball witnessed by people right across the country on the night of
August 27th. There is a very real chance this dropped some meteorites to Earth as reports from the Kenmare area all mention loud
explosions/sounds that caused people to leave their houses to investigate what they had heard.

and, if clear, we will have some telescopes along to view Mars..

hope to see you along on the night.

John

albertw

This notice comes courtesy of Terry Moseley:

Neil Armstrong is coming to Dublin in November! Details as
follows:

Neil Armstrong will be at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, 8pm,
Monday 17 Nov, in the series "Face to Face". Members of the audience
will have the opportunity to ask questions. Tickets start at 40
Euro.

Online orders can be placed with the National Concerty Hall at:
http://www.nch.ie

Tel. orders to: (01) 4170000. There will be NO AUTOGRAPHS.

Regards,

Gary.

albertw

update:

Terry Mosely

4. SPECIAL MARS EVENTS: Please note particularly the special events at Carnfunnock Country Park, A2 N of Larne, on 6 September, and at WWT, Castle Espie, near Comber, on 13 & 14 September, all from 8 to late. These dates were chosen to give the best chance of observing Mars while it is still big & close, and yet high enough in the sky for reasonable views before midnight. We will have a mobile planetarium, displays, talks, a Martian meteorite (I'm not joking!), and of course observing with a variety of powerful telescopes if clear. These events are open to the public, so we'll need as many members there as possible, with telescopes if possible, but come along & observe and help generally if you can, even if you can't bring a telescope. We'll view other things too, of course, if clear.

We had another fantastic Mars night at Carnfunnock on Sat night, with about
200 people and a beautifully clear sky! Our 100% observing record there
continues, and with similar results at Castle Espie, we now have a record of 13 out
of 13 for our observing events at those two venues! Some were only partially
clear, but on each occasion we at least got observing our target object(s), and
many have been superbly clear. In all cases, I had picked the dates many
months in advance... That's pretty good in our climate!

Mark & Cathy did their Planetarium shows upstairs, Derek Heatly gave
presentations downstairs on his recent 'near-space' flight and on the Mars missions,
and Andy McCrea and I gave talks on Mars from an astronomical & observing
aspect at the covered BBQ area, all running in parallel. And all the time the
people flocked to the telescopes. We got nice views of the gibbous Moon while
waiting for Mars to get higher. The views through Mark & Nigel Stronge's 12" LX200
were excellent, as were views of other DSOs in spite of the Moon. Thanks to
them & all others, too many to mention, who helped. Thanks also to Zoe, Liz, et
al at Carnfunnock for the refreshments, & their help in every way.

I'm now available on a consultancy basis for picking dates for observing
events.... Dr Alan Fitzsimmons from QUB, who was there with his nice 8" SCT,
almost promised me a trip to La Palma with him for his next observing run, if I
could guarantee clear skies! But maybe my date choices only work for the IAA?
Anyway, with more Mars events at Castle Espie next Sat & Sunday nights (13 & 14),
we'll have to see if the run of luck continues!

Meanwhile, I'm appealing for contributions for the next issue of STARDUST:
articles, observations, letters, photos, sketches, crosswords, answers to the
Mars Teaser in the last issue, etc etc. Get them to me within the next week
please.

And don't forget the forthcoming Whirlpool Star Party at Birr on 26-28 Sept.
It's another brilliant line-up; details on < http://gofree.indigo.ie/~sdbell >
. I have a more comprehensive & more up-to date list of accommodation in Birr &
the surrounding area than on that website, and can send to you on request.

albertw

3. Prof Mike Redfern has asked me to try to ensure that we get a good turnout
for the "McCrea Lectures" by Wendy Freedman, of Carnegie Obs, on Monday in
Dublin, and Tuesday in Belfast, as already notified. It's a privilege to hear
such distinguished speakers, so don't miss them! (Details repeated below if you
missed them):

"The Second Royal Irish Academy McCrea Lectures, by Prof Wendy Freedman,
Director, Carnegie Observatories, in honour of the late Prof Wm McCrea, are being
given in Dublin & Belfast, as follows:

A.: RIA, Academy House, 19 Dawson St, Dublin 2, MONDAY 15 SEPTEMBER, 6.30
p.m., followed by a reception. Title: "MEASURING THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE".
Application for tickets should be made to: <d.harte@ria.ie> Tel Dublin 676
4222.

B: Queen's University Belfast, 18:30 on TUESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER, in the Great
Hall, Lanyon Building, QUB, and will be preceded by a reception at 17:30 in the
Canada Room, QUB, Main Building. Title : "The Runaway Universe"
Those who want to attend should respond as soon as possible to <
m.husin@qub.ac.uk>, Tel: 028-9027-4729."

albertw

Name of Club: Irish Astronomical Society,
http://www.esatclear.ie/~ias

Type of Event: Public Mars night

Date: both Friday 19th & Saturday 20th Sep. weather permitting , 9.30 - 11pm

Purpose of Event: See the red planet, chat about astronomy.

Location and Directions: Sandymount Tower Car Park, Sandymount, Co. Dublin. Sydney Parade is nearest DART Station.

Admission Fee: FREE

Brief synopsis:
If you need more details, please contact me or post a message to http://www.irishastronomy.org/boards/viewtopic.php?t=191

original message:
--
IRISH ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

"SEE THE RED PLANET"

MARS PUBLIC STAR PARTY

will take place (weather permitting) at
Car Park, Sanymount Tower, Sandymount, Dublin 4, on both Friday 19th & Saturday 20th Sep. 2003.


No charge.

Time: 9.30pm till after 11pm

The red planet is now at it's best for evening viewing.
--

albertw

Forwarding from the Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies list, www.irishastronomy.org

----

1. The opening meeting of the new Irish Astronomical Association season will
be on Wednesday 24 Sept, when J Kelly Beatty, Senior Exec Editor of Sky &
Telescope, USA, will give a talk entitled "A Stone's Thropw: Meteorite Transport
Between Planets". It starts at 7.30, in Lecture Room 5, Main Building,
Stranmillis College, Stranmillis Road, Belfast. Admission is free, and all are
welcome.


2. Prof Mark Bailey, Director of Armagh Observatory, has asked me to
circulate the following:

"TIME EVENT"

As a follow-up to last year's highly successful "Galileo Event", the Armagh
Observatory is arranging a second event in conjunction with the Armagh Natural
History and Philosophical Society aimed at strengthening the links between
science and the humanities, this time with a focus on Time.

The event, which is again supported by the National Lottery Fund "Awards for
All" scheme, will take place between 6.00pm and 10.00pm on Sunday 26 October
2003 in the Rotunda Lecture Theatre, St Patrick's Trian, Armagh. Tickets for
the event are free and may be obtained by contacting Mrs Aileen McKee, Armagh
Observatory, College Hill, Armagh BT61 9DG; Tel: 028-3752-2928; e-mail:
ambn@arm.ac.uk. For more information, please see the Armagh Observatory web-site:
http://star.arm.ac.uk/publicevents/time.html

Summary

---

Despite our day-to-day familiarity with the word "time", the nature of Time
has remained a mystery ever since mankind's early attempts to measure it by
counting the diurnal cycle, the phases of the Moon and the slow march of the
seasons. In addition to the steady, measurable passage of "clock-time", we are
aware of the elastic, sometimes paradoxical nature of "mental-time", how its
relentless march beats out our mortality, and how its lengthening shadow
continually changes our view of the world and our understanding of the past. The
"Time Event" will explore the complexities of Time from both scientific and human
perspectives.

Programme

---

18:00 Arrival

18:30 "Time, A Guide for Travellers"
Professor John Barrow FRS (University of Cambridge)

19:30 Light Refreshments

20:15 "Time, Chime and Rhyme"
Professor Iggy McGovern (Trinity College Dublin)

20:30 "The Personal Experience of Time"
Mr Malachi O'Doherty (Fortnight Magazine)

21:15 General Discussion

22:00 Close

Speakers

---

John Barrow, a leading cosmologist and author, will review some of the
curious features of time in modern cosmology and physics. He will look at the
possibilities and consequences of time travel, whether time had a beginning and
whether it will have an end.

Iggy McGovern, a research physicist and poet, poses the question: "What is
the dimension of the present moment?", and takes a wry look at the treatment of
Time in selected poetry.

Malachi O'Doherty, Managing Editor of Fortnight magazine, notes that time as
measured by clocks, whether the one on the mantelpiece or the one in the sky,
passes in even measurable steps. That is not how time is experienced
subjectively. Some things in the past still seem very close, others unutterably
remote. Drawing on his memoir "I Was A Teenage Catholic", Malachi reflects on the
plasticity of time, the presence of the past, the absences from memory.

(Should be an enjoyable 4-D experience!)

Clear Skies, and Plenty of Time,

Terry Moseley

albertw

Originally posted by albertw
Name of Club: Irish Astronomical Society,
http://www.esatclear.ie/~ias

Type of Event: Public Mars night

Just wanted to say thanks to all the folks who turned up on Saturday night to this event.

We had clear skies and were able to get some quite good views of Mars though John O'Neills 10" Dob.

Some people have asked if this is a regular event. The location is very light polluted, under the glare of the promenade floodlights, so its only really good for planetary and lunar nights, so they occur when the planets are favourable to see from there. But thats the idea behind the Dublin Sidewalk Astronomers, rather than convince people to travel to dark skies, we set up in public areas and encourage you to stop and have a chat and look through the telescopes, all free of charge of course! I dont know of any other events planned at the moment, but there probably will be another couple by the end of the year, I'll post details as I have them. Please send any enquiries to the IAS at www.esatclear.ie/~ias they will be better able to answer questions than me!

Thanks again to all who turned up!

Cheers,
~Al

albertw

Name of Club: Irish Astronomical Society
Type of Event: Exhibition
Date: 6th of October at 8p.m.
Purpose of Event: Annual Exhibition to start the 67th IAS session.
Location and Directions:Ely House
8 Ely Place, Dublin 2 (off Baggot St, near St. Stephens Green)
Admission Fee: Free for members, EUR 2 for anyone else
Brief synopsis:
The IAS is Irelands oldest Astronomical Scoiety, and was founded in October 1937 in Dublin. Regular meetings take place in the same venue and time on the first and third Monday of every Month.

Website Link if available: www.esatclear.ie/~ias

albertw

Forwarding from Terry in case anyone is interested.

Cheers,
~Al
--
www.irishastronomy.org/boards

2. SUNDAY night: Sky at Night, 01.25 (i.e. early Monday): Sir PM looks at the
recently launched Smart-1 probe, Europe's first to the Moon. It's also using
a revolutionary ion-drive engine, which could be the future for long distance
space probes. The programme will also look at the satellite's instruments &
research plans.

3. MONDAY night, 8.0 p.m., EAAC Meeting, Ballyrobert : Mark & Nigel Stronge
"Astrophotography on a Budget". They take super photos!

4. MONDAY night, 9.0 p.m., "Judgement Day", Channel 5. Another one about a
giant meteorite heading for Earth....

5. TUESDAY night, 10.00, Channel 4: "A Very British UFO Hoax" - how a team
built & flew a real 25-foot 'flying saucer' over Wiltshire.

6. WEDNESDAY Night, 7.30 p.m. IAA meeting in Stranmillis College, Belfast.
Dr Ian Morrison of Jodrell Bank will speak on "Mapping the Big Bang". He's an
excellent speaker, so don't miss it. Admission is free, invluding light
refreshments, & all are welcome.

albertw

Three talks coming up soon:

(Moderators, can we start a new thread for this topic as this one is getting tediously long)

1.
Paul Tipper will give a talk on Rho Cassiopeia to the IAS on Monday September 20th.
8pm,
Ely House
8 Ely Place, Dublin 2
All welcome. €2 admission, members free.
www.esatclear.ie/~ias

2.
[From Sean Morris - TAS]
Tullamore Astronomical Society is up and running again. We got the club newsletter Réalta going too. If anyone wants a copy, I'll give it to you free. All you have to do is send me a stamped addressed A4 envelope to:
Sean Morris,
'ANSTEE',
Daingean Rd,
Tullamore,
Co. Offaly.
Next lecture (3rd one - We start early!) is this Monday night, 8pm, Order of malta training Room, Tanyard, Tullamore. Tom Walsh - Wonder of the Moon

3.
[From Bart]
The First Astro2 Talk of the year will be on Next Tuesday at 7:00pm in the Physics and Chemistry Lecture Theater (PCT) on the First floor of the New Science Building (btw that is te actuall name of te building, not a description!), NUI Maynooth, New Campus, Kilcock Road.

The talk will be entited "The Life and Death of Stars" and will be given by Yours Truley (Drinks afterwards of course!). The talk is not too hard on the brain yet still interesting and VERY heavily animated with lots and lots of very pretty picturs (mostly from the HST).

Cheers,
~Al
--
www.irishastronomy.org

albertw

Forwarded from Terry Mosely, IAA.

Cheers,
~Al
--
www.irishastronomy.org

Hi all,

You might be interested in the following, which Dr Mike Simms asked me to
pass on.

''Hi Terry,
You might like to pass the following information on to members concerning 3
lectures this Friday in Dublin.

THE JOHN JOLY COLLOQUIUM 2003: Impact Craters
Date and Venue: Friday 17th October at 5.30pm
Thomas Davis Lecture Theatre, Arts Building, Trinity College, Dublin. Entry
is free.

SCHEDULE

5.30 INTRODUCTION: Professor Nicky White

5.35-6.05: Mike Simms (Ulster Museum): Searching for hidden impact craters.

6.05-6.35: Joanne Morgan (Imperial College, London): Chicxulub: where do we
stand and where are we going?

6.35-7.05: Simon Stewart (IBP Azerbaijan): Silverpit multi-ringed Crater,
North Sea.

It is aimed very much at a non-specialist audience, and the first talk (Mike
Simms) will, amongst other things, describe recent discoveries in Co Antrim
and across the UK.
Best wishes

Dr. Mike Simms
Curator of Palaeontology
Department of Geology
Ulster Museum
Botanic Gardens
Belfast BT9 5AB
tel. 028-9038 3133
FAX 028-9038 3103
michael.simms.um@nics.gov.uk
www.burrenkarst.com''

The next IAA lecture will be by Derek Heatly, the IAA's own 'Ulsternaut', who
recently flew to the edge of space in a Mig 27, did 10 zero-g flights, and
generally made the rest of us sick as weightless parrots with envy! He has
slides and a video to prove it really happened! And he'll have his usual amazing
collection of space memorabilia, Martian & other meteorites etc. It will be on
Wednesday 22 October, 7.30 p.m., Stranmillis College, Belfast. Admission free,
including light refreshments

The maximum of the Orionid meteor shower will be on October 20, and you might
see 20 -25 per hour in clear dark skies. The radiant is in NE Orion, not too
far from the 'feet' of Gemini.

And watch the News for the forthcoming first Chinese 'personned' spaceflight,
probably later this week. They don't just make good, and cheap, telescopes,
you know!