South Dublin astronomy newsletter (September 6th)

jfSDAS

Hi all,

Hope everyone has been well and you are enjoying the late burst of good weather the last few days.

As the nights draw in there seems to be plenty happening during September with talks and more to attend. Our own SDAS meetings commence in October and I will have more information on these in the next couple of weeks.

Two big news items recently were the passing of Neil Armstrong and the discovery by David Grennan of his second supernova.

I think the web site http://wechoosethemoon.com/ which Cian MacMahon tipped me off about way back in 2009 is a wonderful memorial to the heroic mission of Apollo 11. Armstrong’s first steps on the surface of another world were the culmination of an enormous technical effort by hundreds of thousands of people but most of all they were symbolic of that insatiable need to be curious and explore that is rooted in the human psyche ...

... so too, is an action of Eugene Cernan, the last man on the Moon, who wrote his daughter’s name in the lunar soil. I never knew this until Shane Culleton pointed it out in his wonderful article on observing the Apollo landing sites that was published in an edition of Arcturus magazine eight years ago. A pdf of the newsletter can be downloaded from http://dl.dropbox.com/u/25805353/Arcturus/arcturus_lunar_issue.pdf and it also contains a contribution from Deirdre Kelleghan on remembering Apollo 11.

Congratulations to David Grennan on his magnificent achievement of discovering a second supernova from his home observatory in Raheny. David’s skill and dedication has paid off in spades with the new find. The discovery story can be read at http://www.webtreatz.com/ where I'd also recommend browsing another article about measuring the spectrum of a quasar, a remarkable feat of skill also.

Clear skies!

John


International Observe the Moon night on September 22nd
Saturday, September 22nd, is when telescopes worldwide will be pointed at our lovely companion in space for members of the public to observe the Moon. Locations in Ireland to have already registered for public star parties are Cork, Limerick, and Bray. The IAS/SDAS Sidewalk Astronomers will hold their event a night earlier, on September 21st, at the James Joyce Tower car park in Sandymount. See http://observethemoonnight.org/ for more details.


Irish Blog People’s Choice Awards
Deirdre Kelleghan’s astronomy blog is shortlisted in a competition. You can vote for Deirdre’s entry at http://www.blogawardsireland.com/category/best-blog-post-2/


September 6th (to 12th) – Tom O’Donoghue’s Astrophotography Exhibition
Irish astrophotographer Tom O'Donoghue will host an exhibition of his work in Dublin from September 6th to 12th. The venue is The Centre for Creative Practices on Pembroke Street Lower – web site http://www.cfcp.ie/ -- where you can browse the incredible images Tom has captured of the night sky. You can view more of Tom’s work at http://www.astrophotography.ie/default.htm


September 8th – Telescope Night in Wicklow
An observing night is being planned for this Saturday in Wicklow and you can find more details of where people will meet on the relevant thread at http://www.irishastronomy.org


September 10th – “In Search of the Northern Lights”
Astronomy Ireland’s lecture this month is very topical as we hope for spectacular displays of the northern lights that were seen over Irish skies during the last solar maximum. More details of the talk are at http://www.astronomy.ie


September 11th – Kerry Astronomy Club talk
Kerry Astronomy Club’s first talk of the new lecture season will be given by John Keane about his recent visit to Jodrell Bank. The Observatory is especially associated with the late Sir Bernard Lovell who pioneered radio astronomy. Gerry Moloney and I visited Jodrell Bank a number of years ago and the sight of the 76 metre (250 foot) radio telescope dominating the landscape was pretty special. See http://www.kerryastronomyclub.com/meetings.htm for venue and time of John’s talk.


September 12th – talk by Evelyn Cusack on “Where have all the summers gone?”
Marsh’s Library is the venue for Evelyn Cusack’s talk about a question on everyone’s minds. See http://www.dublinscience2012.ie/2012/09/where-have-all-the-summers-gone/ for details of the lecture and how to book.


September 14th/15th – Burren Star Party
Shannonside Astronomy Club host their annual observing-orientated star party mid-month. See http://www.shannonsideastronomyclub.com/sac_burren_starparty.htm for more details.


September 15th – Belfast book launch of “Total Addiction: The Life of an Eclipse Chaser”
From Terry Moseley: The official launch of "Total Addiction: The Life of an Eclipse Chaser" by IAA member Dr Kate Russo is at 3pm on Saturday September 15th at the Queen's Film Theatre, University Square, Belfast. Kate is both a clinical psychologist and a highly enthusiastic eclipse chaser, and she has combined the two in this fascinating book about what drives people to travel halfway round the world to see a Total Eclipse of the Sun. The event is free and more details are at http://www.beingintheshadow.com


September 16th (to November 2nd) – CERN mobile exhibition in Galway
Leisureland, Salthill, Co Galway is the venue for CERN’s Accelerating Science mobile exhibition, an interactive journey about the origins of our universe, the nature of the particles we are all made from, and the power of fundamental science. More details at http://www.science.ie/science-events/cern-mobile-exhibition.html


September 17th – School of Cosmic Physics public lecture
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies is holding its 2012 School of Cosmic Physics public lecture this September. The lecture entitled “Global science for the benefit of security and humankind” will be given by His Excellency Tibor Tóth, Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). It will be held in the MacNeil Lecture Theatre, Hamilton Building, TCD at 6pm. More details at http://www.dias.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6127&Itemid=103&lang=en


September 18th – Royal Irish Academy talk “A History of Humankind and Water”
Professor Brian Fagan takes us on a journey through the history of the complex relationship between humans and water over the past 10,000 years. He describes the central role of gravity in ancient water management, also stresses the importance of ritual in human attitudes toward water. Bookings can be made at http://www.ria.ie/Events/Events-Listing/Academy-Discourse--Elixir--A-History-of-Humankind-.aspx


September 18th – talk at The Alchemist Cafe on “The Future of Antarctica”
Klaus Dodds, Professor of Geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London and editor of The Geographical Journal, will speak at September’s meeting of The Alchemist Cafe in The Mercantile, Dame Street Dublin, on the challenges currently being faced by Antarctic research and whether cooperation will continue to prevail under the terms of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty. See http://www.alchemistcafedublin.com/ for more details.


September 19th – IAA talk “Curiosity on Mars”
Well known broadcaster and journalist Leo Enright will give the opening lecture of the new season of IAA meetings in the Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, main campus, QUB at 7.30pm. The subject will be on what is currently the hottest topic in astronomy and space exploration, the amazing Curiosity rover on Mars. More details at http://irishastro.org.uk/


September 20th – Irish Meteorological Society talk
Seamus Walsh, senior climatologist at Met Éireann, gives this month’s talk on “New Climate Averages for Ireland: 1981 to 2010” to the Irish Meteorology Society. More details about the Society and their lecture programme can be found at http://www.irishmetsociety.org/


September 21st – Culture Night at Dunsink Observatory
On Friday September 21st 2012, locals and visitors across the island of Ireland will enjoy the unique experience of Culture Night, a free night of entertainment, discovery and adventure taking place in a record 34 towns, cities, counties and islands in Ireland. Dunsink Observatory will open their doors from 5pm to 11pm and visitors will have a chance hear lectures, view the historic South Telescope, and observe the night sky later in the evening if clear. All are welcome and admission is free. More details about Dunsink Observatory can be found at http://www.dias.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=97&Itemid=139&lang=en


September 21st – Dublin Sidewalk Astronomers meet at Sandymount
The IAS/SDAS Sidewalk Astronomers will hold their first outreach event of the new season on Friday, September 21st, at the James Joyce Tower car park in Sandymount. Members of the public will be invited view the Moon and night sky through telescopes and it is an opportunity find out more about the hobby. More details at http://www.irishastrosoc.org/wordpress/


September 22nd – Frontiers of Physics 2012
Paul Nugent sent information about this year’s Frontiers of Physics one day meeting which is hosted by the Institute of Physics in Ireland. Venue is Trinity College Dublin and speakers include Steve Myers, Director of Accelerators at CERN, and Dr Peter Gallagher, TCD. More details of how to book for the event can be found at http://iopireland.org/events/index.html#/?i=2


September 22nd – Galway Astronomy Club visit to Dunsink Observatory
Galway Astronomy Club will visit Dunsink Observatory (Castleknock) and Monck Observatory (TCD) on Saturday, September 22nd. The group expect to reach Dunsink around 11:30am and it would be a nice occasion for Dublin-based amateur astronomers to link up with their fellow enthusiasts. Feel free to drop along to Dunsink on the day between 11:30am and 1pm.


September 27th – Joan Kearney Science Lecture, Alexandra College, Dublin
Professor Luke O’Neill, Director of the Trinity Biomedical Science Institute at Trinity College Dublin, will be the guest speaker at the annual Joan Kearney Science Lecture, on Thursday 27 September 2012 at 7.30pm. This year’s presentation is on “Why it’s great being a scientist: adventures in information research”. The College is located in Milltown in Dublin and admission to this public lecture is free.


to September 30th – Trinity College Dublin exhibition on Ernest T.S. Walton
Trinity College Dublin is currently hosting an exhibition on Ernest T.S. Walton, who succeeded with John Cockcroft in splitting the atomic nucleus in April 1932. Both men were later awarded the Nobel Prize and Walton is Ireland’s only science Nobel Laureate. More details about the exhibition can be found at http://www.tcd.ie/Library/about/exhibitions.php


ESOcasts
The European Southern Observatory, currently celebrating their 50th anniversary, produces a vast range of outreach material which can be downloaded free from their web site. You can also subscribe to an essential newsletter for science educators and view documentaries. The list of videos can be found at http://www.eso.org/public/videos/archive/category/esocast/ and are an excellent guide to ESOs work.


The West is Green and Red
Finally, even the sky seemed to celebrate Mayo’s win over Dublin last Sunday. Ronan Newman and Brian Wilson photographed aurora displays which painted the heavens green and red in the early hours of September 4th and 5th. This was Ronan’s EIGHTH!!! aurora display seen from Ireland in 2012. See the images in the gallery at http://spaceweather.com/gallery/index.php?title=aurora&title2=lights


Exploring further

The following web sites are also a great resource for information about what’s on view in our skies during the month;

www.skymaps.com — superb charts you can download
www.jb.man.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/
www.guardian.co.uk/science/series/starwatch
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/nightsky/
www.heavens-above.com — space station predictions
http://dcford.org.uk/index.php -- the Digital Astrolabe
http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials -- absolutely essential reading for what's up

www.jodcast.net — monthly night sky tour for MP3 players

www.spaceweather.com – details of transitory events during the month as well as aurora alerts

http://spaceflightnow.com — mission launches and other news (click “Launch Schedule” too)

www.skymania.com – astronomy and space news
www.universetoday.com – more astronomy and space news
www.nightskyobserver.com/the-sky-this-month.php -- Gary Nugent’s astronomy and space news