Thursday 30 December 2010

New Year Party, TV, Quadrantids, Solar eclipse, Next IAA Meeting

Hi all,
1. IAA New Year Party, Saturday 8th January 2011
IAA NEW YEAR PARTY DEADLINE: Because of the recent bad weather, it has been decided to extend the deadline for booking seats for the IAA's New Year Party, details below: Please send application forms and payment ASAP to Josephine Magill or contact her to confirm attendance either by mobile. or e-mail as follows: Mob. 07735403866. e-mail: jo_magill@yahoo.co.uk
2. TV - STARGAZING LIVE. BBC 2 will be screening a programme called 'Stargazing Live' on three consecutive evenings, Jan. 3, 4 & 5 at 8pm. Prof. Brian Cox and Dara O'Briain co-host the programmes and various Celebrities feature each evening. Topics include using telescopes, observing the Quadrantids, visiting Jodrell Bank and observatories in Hawaii plus Prof. Cox in conversation with Astronauts on the ISS.
The programme will also feature various 'live' astronomy events, and the IAA will be participating in at least two, which we hope will be featured in the broadcast, as follows - see items 3 & 4.
3. Firstly, the IAA 'Meteor Watch' for the Quadrantid Meteors shower on the evening of Monday 3 January, at our usual observing venue at Delamont Country Park, near Killyleagh, Co Down.
4. PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, 4 JAN: Secondly, we hope to have a public observing event for the Partial Solar Eclipse which occurs at sunrise next morning. We may hold this at the car park at the Co Antrim War Memorial at Knockagh, near Greenisland. That's the big obelisk on top of the Knockagh cliffs. There's a good car park at the monument, which has fantastic views across Belfast Lough & Co Down, and would give a superb view of the sun rising in eclipse.
The Monument is at 54 deg 42' 41" N, 5 deg 52' 45" W. The Monument is accessed via Knockagh Road, off Old Carrick Road / Upper Road, Greenisland: the junction is at 54 deg 41 47" N, 5 deg 54' 56" W. Look for the signpost on the left hand side of the road as you go from New Mossley towards Greenisland. You can get to Old Carrick Road / Upper Road Greenisland either -
A: via the Shore Road, then Doagh Road, then Monkstown Road, or
B: via the Doagh Road, off the A8 from Sandyknowes Roundabout towards Larne.
Eclipse details (from STARDUST) as follows:

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, 4 JANUARY.

We'll see quite a significant eclipse, with about 42% of the Sun's diameter still hidden by the Moon at the time when the whole Sun has risen above the horizon from the E coast.

On the E Coast, maximum eclipse, with a magnitude of 75%, occurs when the Sun is still 4.3˚ below the horizon, so the eclipse will be steadily decreasing from then until sunrise at 08h 43m (magnitude about 42%) and decreasing further until it ends at 09.29, when the Sun will be only 3.9˚ above the horizon.

The low altitude will make it quite tricky to view the eclipse – you'll need an almost perfect SE horizon, and of course no low clouds or mist to spoil the view! The Sun will start to rise at an azimuth of about 131˚.

This will be the last solar eclipse of any sort visible from Ireland until 20 March 2015. (That one will be total in the North Atlantic, including the Faeroes and Svalbard, but only 95% in NW Mayo and NW Donegal. It will reach 98% in the extreme W Hebrides, but even Rockall just misses out on totality – it will be about 99% there!)

NB! SAFETY WARNING! You can only look at the Sun, even if partially eclipsed, with proper solar filters! This applies to viewing with both the naked eye, and equipment such as telescopes and binoculars. Use only filters designed specifically for solar viewing.

However, as the Sun will be so low down during this eclipse, the full strength visual 'mylar' type filters such as Baader Astrosolar may be too dense, and you might want to try the slightly less dense photographic grade instead, especially if there is a lot of haze or mist. But the golden rule is, if in doubt, use only the densest solar filter that will show you the image.

More details on both these events, together with weather updates, will be on the IAA website www.irishastro.org.
5. FIRST IAA LECTURE MEETING of 2011. The first lecture of the second half of the Lecture Programme, and the first in 'The Tweenies', will be by Dr Kate Russo: Provisional Title "Eclipse Adventures; and Prospects for the Australia Eclipse of 2012". Kate is a seasoned eclipse chaser, with various 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 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.
..................................................................................................
NEW YEAR PARTY BOOKING DETAILS:
The Irish Astronomical Association's New Year Party will be held as usual in the Tudor Cinema, Drumhirk, Comber on Saturday 8th January 2011. A buffet meal will be available in McBride's, The Square, Comber. Food will be served at 6.00pm, but it is advisable to be there at 5.30pm. After the meal, members and guests will then make their way to the nearby Tudor Cinema for the feature film IRON MAN starting at 7.30pm and followed by a prize quiz. Free light refreshments will be available at the cinema, including Terry Moseley's famous hot punch.

N.B. Due to seating capacity restrictions at the Tudor Cinema, numbers will be limited to 60, so early booking is advisable.

BOOKING FORM

Name ……………………………………………………………………………

Address …………………………………………………………………………

E-mail ……………………………………………………………………

Contact phone number …………………………………………………

Number of adults @ £12 per person …………

Number of children under 12 years @ £6 …………

Total amount submitted £……………

Payment is by sterling cheque, payable to The Irish Astronomical Association, or cash. The booking form and remittance must reach the IAA Treasurer's assistant: Mrs Josephine Magill, 5 Fairhill Road, Newtownabbey, BT36 6LY, no later than 4th January 2011.

Money will be refunded only if the event is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. N.B. Please note that tickets will not be issued. Admission is guaranteed on receipt of this booking form and remittance.

......................................................................................................................
Finally, may I wish you all a very Happy New Year!
Clear skies,
Terry Moseley

Monday 20 December 2010

LONGEST NIGHT, TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE, IAA NY PARTY

Hi all,
1. THE LONGEST NIGHT? The Sun will reach its most southerly point in its track along the zodiac tonight, at 23h 38m. This is close enough to local midnight to make tonight just about the longest night it is theoretically possible to have (in N hemisphere).
2. TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE: There will be a TLE just before local sunrise tomorrow. I had intended to give specific timing & altitude details for all the main cities in Ireland, but as I'm suffering from a bad cold & chest infection, I'm just going to repeat an edited version of the Press Release I sent out a few days ago. (These details apply mainly to NI, but there won't be much variation over the whole island: generally speaking those in the N & W (Donegal, Mayo, Galway) will get a better view than those in the S & E.)
PRESS RELEASE:

There will be a total lunar eclipse on the morning of the winter solstice, Dec 21st. It is very rare for an eclipse to happen on the winter solstice (the last time was in 1638); however, it is just coincidence.

A total lunar eclipse happens when the Moon passes into the shadow of the Earth, and so it is cut off from direct sunlight. But because the Earth's atmosphere acts like a lens and bends some of the light from the Sun onto the Moon, the Moon never disappears completely. Instead, it often turns a reddish orange colour, although the colour can range from a deep red to a yellowish orange-brown. This is a result of dust and pollution high in the Earth's atmosphere, so a dark eclipse will indicate that our atmosphere is not too clean.

Because this eclipse occurs just before sunrise in Ireland, the Moon will be getting lower in the NW part of the sky as the eclipse progresses, so you'll need a good clear view to the NW to see it properly.

The moon starts to enter the umbra, or the main central part of the Earth's shadow at 06:32 when it will be 20° above the horizon in the NW. From this time onwards, the curved shadow of the Earth will creep slowly across the Moon's surface, until the moon is wholly immersed in the shadow, marking the start of 'totality'. This will start at 07:40, when the moon will be only 7° above the horizon.

Mid-Eclipse is at 08:17, but the moon will pass above the centre of the Earth's shadow so the Southern edge should appear darker than the Northern edge. It will be only 3° above the NW horizon at this time.

The Moon will have set by the time totality ends.

Since the Sun will be just about to rise at the time of the eclipse, the dawn twilight will be brightening the sky, which may make it quite hard to see the later stages of the eclipse, especially when the Moon is low down.

Viewers in the NW of Ireland will get the best view, since the Moon will be just a little higher up during the eclipse, and the sky will be a bit darker.

But the next lunar eclipse in which mid-totality will be visible from Ireland will not be until 2015, so we should make the best of this one.

NOTES:

1. We don't get an eclipse of the Moon every month because the Moon's orbit is tilted at an angle of about 5.5 degrees to that of the Earth. An eclipse of the moon happens only if Full Moon occurs at one of the two points where the two inclined orbits intersect.

2. For the same reason, we don't get an eclipse of the Sun at every New Moon, but luckily there will in fact be an eclipse of the Sun at the following New Moon, on January 4. More on that later.

3. No optical aid will be needed to see the eclipse, but binoculars will give a nice view of the earlier stages.

4. Because of the decreasing altitude of the Moon, and the ever-brightening morning twilight, the best view of totality will be just after it starts, at around 07.45.

5. Locations in the Greater Belfast Area which should give a good view of the whole eclipse would include the Craigantlet Hills, or any of the high ground to the west and north of the Divis/Black Mountain/Cave Hill range, with views over the N end of Lough Neagh.

6. In addition, there may be a chance with this eclipse to observe a phenomenon called a Selenelion. This occurs when the sun and the eclipsed moon can be observed at the same time. This can only happen just before sunset or just after sunrise, and both bodies will appear just above the horizon at nearly opposite points in the sky. This arrangement has led to the phenomenon being referred to as a horizontal eclipse.

7. More information on this and other astronomical events is on the IAA website: www.irishastro.org

NB: I don't know who was responsible for the following story on the BBC website, but please note that the 'sky will not turn red' during the eclipse! Only the moon will turn red (or orange).
3. IAA New Year Party, Saturday 8th January 2011

The Irish Astronomical Association's New Year Party will be held as usual in the Tudor Cinema, Drumhirk, Comber on Saturday 8th January 2011. A buffet meal will be available in McBride's, The Square, Comber. Food will be served at 6.00pm, but it is advisable to be there at 5.30pm. After the meal, members and guests will then make their way to the nearby Tudor Cinema for the feature film IRON MAN starting at 7.30pm and followed by a prize quiz. Free light refreshments will be available at the cinema, including Terry Moseley's famous hot punch.

N.B. Due to seating capacity restrictions at the Tudor Cinema, numbers will be limited to 60, so early booking is advisable.

BOOKING FORM

Name ……………………………………………………………………………

Address …………………………………………………………………………

E-mail ……………………………………………………………………

Contact phone number …………………………………………………

Number of adults @ £12 per person …………

Number of children under 12 years @ £6 …………

Total amount submitted £……………

Payment is by sterling cheque, payable to The Irish Astronomical Association, or cash. The booking form and remittance must reach the IAA Treasurer's assistant: Mrs Josephine Magill, 5 Fairhill Road, Newtownabbey, BT36 6LY, no later than 20th December 2010.

Money will be refunded only if the event is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. N.B. Please note that tickets will not be issued. Admission is guaranteed on receipt of this booking form and remittance.

......................................................................................................................
Finally, may I wish you all the very best of Season's Greetings!
Clear skies,
Terry Moseley

Friday 10 December 2010

Telescope night, ISS, Geminids, A/O, Drake Eq, TLE, Prof Meurs, Shuttle, IAA NYP

Hi all,
1. The next Irish Astronomical Association Meeting will be on Wed 15 December, in the Bell Lecture Theatre, QUB. It will be a Hands-on Telescopes + Bring & Buy event" .
We will have a large variety of telescopes, binoculars, & other astronomical equipment on display for you to examine and compare, and there will be a series of short presentations on various aspects of choosing and using astronomical equipment. There may even be some bargains on sale from North Down Telescopes.
As well as that, there will be a Bring & Buy session, where you can sell or swap your surplus or unwanted gear for something else which tickles your fancy. There will also be some great bargains in astronomical & space books as well, and probably videos & DVDs too.
Note: this is not a commercial operation on behalf of the IAA, but a 'service to members and friends' to enable them to get the most suitable equipment to pursue their hobby.
Time: 7.30 p.m. Venue: Bell Lecture Theatre, main Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast. Free parking is available on the main campus, right beside the lecture theatre, from 5.30 pm onwards. Admission free, including light refreshments: All are welcome. See www.irishastro.org for full details of the programme.

2. ISS MORNING PASSES. A series of morning passes of the ISS continues for a few more days – get detailed predictions for your location from www.heavens-above.com

3. GEMINID METEORS. The annual Geminid meteor shower, which peaks on the early morning of 14 December, is usually the best of the year, with about 100 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. But this year the 8 day old Moon will interfere with observing during the first part of the night of the 13th/14th, as its light will drown out the fainter meteors. It will set at about 12.30 for most observers in Ireland, before the maximum of the shower, so wrap up EXTRA well for a late session to be rewarded with a view of one of the year's best free sky shows.

The radiant lies just above Castor (Alpha Gem). Geminids are moderately slow meteors, and there's a reasonable proportion of bright meteors, making this one of the best showers for photography or video.

As for all meteor showers, you'll get best results in a really dark sky, away from all sources of light pollution. Allow about 5 minutes for your eyes to dark adapt after exposure to white light, but note that full dark adaptation takes 20 - 30 minutes! So use a red torch for setting up, checking your camera, getting a cup of coffee etc.

Aim your camera about 40 - 50 degrees from the radiant, and about 50 degrees above the horizon, to maximise your chances of recording a meteor. You'll have to experiment to see how long an exposure you can give before the image starts to 'fog' due to background sky brightness. Also beware of dew forming on the lens. And bring spare batteries - the cold temperatures will shorten the life of those in the camera; keep the spare ones warm in a pocket to get the best out of them.

(You may have seen in the news reports of a very bright fireball seen over GB from Somerset to South Scotland on Wed 11th Dec. Many astronomy commentators described it as an 'early Geminid'. Until we know the exact trajectory, that remains to be established. It's possible, although the Geminid radiant was just about on the horizon at the time of the fireball (17.38 UT). But ignore the other comments that the Geminid meteor shower will coincide with the Total Lunar Eclipse (see below), as the shower ends on Dec 16!)

4. METEOR OBSERVING AT ARMAGH OBSERVATORY
The Armagh Observatory is opening its doors at 8.00pm on Monday 13th December for an evening of meteor observing to capture the Geminid meteor shower. If you've never seen a meteor or shooting star, this is the perfect opportunity to learn what they are and, if it is clear, to see some of these celestial fireworks for yourself.
The open evening will begin at 8.00pm at the Armagh Observatory. If it is clear, there will be a short introduction to the sky and the stars and planets, and instruction on how best to observe meteors. If it is cloudy there will be short talks on astronomy and an opportunity to meet the astronomers and find answers to questions about meteors or any other aspect of astronomy. Anyone wishing to join this event is requested to telephone or send an e-mail to Mrs Aileen McKee at the Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh; Tel: 028-3752-2928; e-mail: ambn@arm.ac.uk, and to be at the Observatory shortly before 8.00pm.
For meteor observing, the main rules are always the same: find a place as far as possible from light pollution or the interfering light of the moon; wrap up well against the freezing cold; and make yourself comfortable, ready to catch the meteors when they appear.

5. DRAKE EQUATION TV SPECIAL, 14 December:

In a 1hr special, produced in partnership with the BBC, Bang Goes The Theory's Dallas Campbell goes on a world wide journey to discover how one of the most controversial formulae in science – the Drake Equation – is changing our view of life, the universe and our place within it.
In 1961 Frank Drake took everything he knew about star formation, planetary systems, the evolution of biology and the life cycle of civilisations; and from this jumble of science he formulated one of the most seminal equations in the history of science. It came to be known as the Drake Equation.
For many years, our place in the universe was the subject of theologians and philosophers, not scientists. But Drake's Equation gave scientific credibility to the possibility of extra terrestrial life.
At the time, Dr Frank Drake was one of the leading lights in the new science of Radio Astronomy when he did something that was not only revolutionary but could have cost him his career. Working at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Greenback in Virginia, he pointed one of their brand new 25mtr radio telescopes at a star called Tau Ceti 12 light years from Earth. His mission, to listen for signs of extra terrestrial intelligence – quite literally to listen for ET talking.
Examining seven key elements necessary for extra terrestrial intelligence to exist; from the formation of stars to the likely length a given intelligent civilisation may survive. When Frank and his colleagues entered the figures, the equation suggested there was a staggering 50,000 civilisations capable of communicating across the galaxy at this very moment.
But in the 50 years of listening that has followed, not one single bleep has been heard from ET. So were Drake and his followers wrong? Is there no life form out there capable of communicating? No one is really sure as the search itself is so difficult. Drake's own calculations are that we'd have to scan the entire radio spectrum of 100.00000 stars to be sure of contact.
Dr Dave Rothery, Senior Lecturer at The Open University and academic consultant for this programme, says: "What the equation and the search for life has done is focus science on some of the other questions about life in the universe – specifically biogenesis, the development of multi-cellular life and the development of intelligence itself.
"The answers to those questions are increasingly suggesting that, far from being a one off, are increasingly suggesting that, far from being a one off, life may not only be common in the universe by once started will lead inevitably towards intelligent life."
The Drake Equation is a 1hr special for BBC4 to be broadcast at 8.00pm on 14 December. (Scheduling subject to change, please check TV listings.)

6. TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE, 21 December. Don't forget to book an early morning wake-up call for the morning of the winter solstice, when there will be a Total Lunar Eclipse, visible from all over Ireland, just before dawn. I'll have all the details for the main locations all over Ireland in the next bulletin.

7. Evert Meurs retires: Professor Evert Meurs has retired from the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies with effect from the first of this month. I am sure that we all wish him a happy and productive retirement and look forward to his continued involvement with astronomy in Ireland. The Governing Board of the School [of cosmic physics] is anxious that every effort be made to fill the resulting vacancy [Senior Professor of Astronomy] and to this end will be inviting expressions of interest from suitably qualified individuals by the end of this year with a view to forwarding a nomination to Government as soon as possible. Full details of the application process are on the DIAS web site http://www.dias.ie/lang/en/commun/vacancy_Astro.html and an advertisement will appear in Nature this week. [From Dr Neal Trappe, ASGI].
(I hope that the appointment will also fill the now vacant post of Director of Dunsink Observatory - it would be a real shame if that position were to be closed, after a period of 225 years! T.M.)

8. SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCH DELAYED AGAIN.
Continuing problems have delayed the launch until next Spring. This will be the final flight of Discovery before it is retired from service. Nasa's Shuttle mission page is at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html and the launch schedule for future missions is at http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html
9. IAA New Year Party, Saturday 8th January 2011

The Irish Astronomical Association's New Year Party will be held as usual in the Tudor Cinema, Drumhirk, Comber on Saturday 8th January 2011. A buffet meal will be available in McBride's, The Square, Comber. Food will be served at 6.00pm, but it is advisable to be there at 5.30pm. After the meal, members and guests will then make their way to the nearby Tudor Cinema for the feature film IRON MAN starting at 7.30pm and followed by a prize quiz. Free light refreshments will be available at the cinema, including Terry Moseley's famous hot punch.

N.B. Due to seating capacity restrictions at the Tudor Cinema, numbers will be limited to 60, so early booking is advisable.

BOOKING FORM

Name ……………………………………………………………………………

Address …………………………………………………………………………

E-mail ……………………………………………………………………

Contact phone number …………………………………………………

Number of adults @ £12 per person …………

Number of children under 12 years @ £6 …………

Total amount submitted £……………

Payment is by sterling cheque, payable to The Irish Astronomical Association, or cash. The booking form and remittance must reach the IAA Treasurer's assistant: Mrs Josephine Magill, 5 Fairhill Road, Newtownabbey, BT36 6LY, no later than 20th December 2010.

Money will be refunded only if the event is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. N.B. Please note that tickets will not be issued. Admission is guaranteed on receipt of this booking form and remittance.

Clear skies,
Terry Moseley

Friday 26 November 2010

IAA Lecture, IAA Observing at DCP, Shuttle Launch, SDAS, ISS, Geminids, NY Party

Hi all,

1. The next Irish Astronomical Association Lecture will be on Wed 1 December, in the Bell Lecture Theatre, QUB, It will be given by Dr Brian Espey of Trinity College, Dublin. TITLE: "Symbiotic Stars" .
Among all the fascinating varieties of stars and star groupings, symbiotic stars are emerging as among the weirdest. These are binary stars which are so close together that they interact with each other in various ways, depending on their sizes and types. Some cannibalise each other, and some speed up, or slow down, the evolution of one or other of the pairs. Brian Espey, head of the astronomy section at TCD, is researching this area, and has some very interesting analysis of the evidence. It will be a fascinating lecture, with the very latest news.
Time: 7.30 p.m. Venue: Bell Lecture Theatre, main Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast. Free parking is available on the main campus, right beside the lecture theatre, from 5.30 pm onwards. Admission free, including light refreshments: All are welcome. See www.irishastro.org for full details of the programme.

2. IAA OBSERVING EVENING, DELAMONT COUNTRY PARK, 3-4 December. The Irish Astronomical Association will be holding another observing night for members, and for any members of the public who want to come along, at a nice dark sky site at Delamont Country Park, near Killyleagh, Co Down. The format is: we observe on the Friday night if it's clear; if not, we try again on the Saturday night.
If both are cloudy, we try again on the following W/E - 10 or 11 December
Check www.irishastro.org on the afternoon of each of those dates for an update on whether we will be there or not, and for directions to the location, and other details.
It gets cold at night now these evenings, so wrap up REALLY warm, from head to toe, and bring along any portable telescopes or binoculars you may have

3. SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCH EXPECTED ON 30 NOV

Problems with a fuel leak delayed launch until the Nov 30 'window'. This will be the final flight of Discovery before it is retired from service. Nasa’s Shuttle mission page is at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html and the launch schedule for future missions is at http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html

4. The next IAS/SDAS meeting in Gonzaga College, Ranelagh, Dublin is tentatively scheduled for December 2nd but I will notify in the next bulletin if this date changes. The programme for the night will include an award winning recent astronomy documentary and a fun quiz. Food and soft drinks will be available to celebrate the last meeting before the Christmas break.


5. ISS MORNING PASSES. A new series of morning passes of the ISS starts at the end of November – get detailed predictions for your location from www.heavens-above.com



6. GEMINID METEORS. The annual Geminid meteor shower, which peaks on the early morning of 14 December, is usually the best of the year, with about 100 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. But this year the 8 day old Moon will interfere with observing during the first part of the night, as its light will drown out the fainter meteors. It will set about 12.30 for most observers in Ireland, before the maximum of the shower, so wrap up EXTRA well for a late session to be rewarded with a view of one of the year's best free sky shows.

The radiant lies just above Castor (Alpha Gem). Geminids are moderately slow meteors, and there's a reasonable proportion of bright meteors, making this one of the best showers for photography or video.

As for all meteor showers, you'll get best results in a really dark sky, away from all sources of light pollution. Allow about 5 minutes for your eyes to dark adapt after exposure to white light, but note that full dark adaptation takes 20 - 30 minutes! So use a red torch for setting up, checking your camera, getting a cup of coffee etc.

Aim your camera about 40 - 50 degrees from the radiant, and about 50 degrees above the horizon, to maximise your chances of recording a meteor. You'll have to experiment to see how long an exposure you can give before the image starts to 'fog' due to background sky brightness. Also beware of dew forming on the lens. And bring spare batteries - the cold temperatures will shorten the life of those in the camera; keep the spare ones warm in a pocket to get the best out of them.



7. IAA New Year Party, Saturday 8th January 2011
The Irish Astronomical Association’s New Year Party will be held as usual in the Tudor Cinema, Drumhirk, Comber on Saturday 8th January 2011. A buffet meal will be available in McBride's, The Square, Comber. Food will be served at 6.00pm, but it is advisable to be there at 5.30pm. After the meal, members and guests will then make their way to the nearby Tudor Cinema for the feature film IRON MAN starting at 7.30pm and followed by a prize quiz. Free light refreshments will be available at the cinema, including Terry Moseley’s famous hot punch.



N.B. Due to seating capacity restrictions at the Tudor Cinema, numbers will be limited to 60, so early booking is advisable.



BOOKING FORM

Name ……………………………………………………………………………



Address …………………………………………………………………………



E-mail ………………………………………………………………………



Contact phone number …………………………………………………



Number of adults @ £12 per person …………



Number of children under 12 years @ £6 …………



Total amount submitted £ ……………



Payment is by sterling cheque, payable to The Irish Astronomical Association, or cash. The booking form and remittance must reach the IAA Treasurer’s assistant: Mrs Josephine Magill, 5 Fairhill Road, Newtownabbey, BT36 6LY, no later than 20th December 2010.



Money will be refunded only if the event is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. N.B. Please note that tickets will not be issued. Admission is guaranteed on receipt of this booking form and remittance.



Clear skies,

Terry Moseley

Tuesday 16 November 2010

FW: Telescopes and Meteorites, Lectures, BCO movies, Shuttle delay

Hi all,
 
1. Armagh Planetarium: 'Telescopes and Meteorites'. The Irish Astronomical Association will be at Armagh Planetarium this evening (Tuesday 16th) to answer your questions about choosing and using a telescope or binoculars. We will have with a wise selection of telescopes and binoculars to demonstrate, and if the sky is clear, to show the Moon and Jupiter and other astronomical highlights.
   If you have a telescope that you're having problems with, bring it along if you can, and we'll try to sort out any user problems for you.
 In addition, Dr Tom Mason, Director of the Planetarium, will give a talk on meteorites, and if it is cloudy, there will be a show in the Planetarium dome. Doors open at 6.30 for light refreshments, the telescope demos will start at 7.0, and Dr Mason's talk will begin at 8.0. After that will be the viewing or the show in the dome. Contact Armagh Planetarium for more details: www.armaghplanet.com, or see www.irishastro.org
 
2. The next Irish Astronomical Association Lecture  will be on Wed 17 November, in the Bell Lecture Theatre, QUB, It will be given by Dr Patrick McCafferty of QUB. TITLE: "Tunguska Events in Ireland?" 
On 30 June, a comet nucleus, or perhaps a small asteroid, smashed into the Earth's atmosphere at about 40 miles per second, causing a multi-megaton explosion, which caused damage over an area of thousands of square miles, and blew people off their feet about a hundred miles away.
  Fortunately for us, the event occurred in an almost uninhabited area of Siberia, so there are no reports of human fatalities, although there were injuries, and some reindeer were killed. And the event occurred on 1908, just over a century ago, before the advent of modern news media, let alone the Internet, so relatively few people know about it.
   But what's really scary is that if the impact had occurred about 5 hours later, it would have obliterated St Petersburg, Russia's second largest city. Or just a little bit later, and Helsinki would have been flattened. Or a little later again, and there would have been no Oslo. Or if the trajectory and timing had been just a bit different, London would have been flattened, with deaths approaching a million, and casualties of many millions. And if something similar were to occur over London today, the effects would be unimaginable. Such is the luck of the Cosmic 'pinball' lottery - we were fortunate that time.
  But has Ireland experienced similar events in the distant past? Are some of these recorded in myths or folk memories? Dr Patrick McCafferty is researching this area, and has some very interesting analysis of the evidence. It will be a fascinating lecture, with the very latest news.
Time: 7.30 p.m. Venue: Bell Lecture Theatre, main Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast. Free parking is available on the main campus, right beside the lecture theatre, from 5.30 pm onwards. Admission free, including light refreshments: All are welcome. See www.irishastro.org for full details of the programme.
 
3. PUBLIC LECTURE, ARMAGH, 18 November: The Biennial "Robinson Lecture" will be given by Prof Chris Impey of the University of Arizona, in the City Hotel, at 8 p.m. "Astrobiology: Implications of Life Beyond Earth"
    Either we are alone in the universe or not; either way, the implications are staggering. This talk considers the prospects for and implications of life beyond Earth. Biological adaptation to extreme conditions makes it very likely that variations on biology will be present on moons and planets around many of the billions of Sun-like stars in the Milky Way. The nearly 500 planets already found around other stars are forerunners of Earth-like planets that astronomers expect to be finding in the next few years. With exobiology still a blank slate, consideration will be given to potentially unusual forms of life.
     Attendance at the Robinson Lecture is free, but if you would like to attend the Robinson Lecture, please contact the Armagh Observatory in order to obtain tickets. Please write, telephone or send an e-mail to: Mrs Aileen McKee, Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DG; Tel: 028-3752-2928; Fax: 028-3752-7174; e-mail: ambnat signarm.ac.uk.
 
4: BCO EVENTS:
    Saturday 27 November
Movies by the Moonlight BCO Members Film Club (8pm)
(Members €5\ guests €7, 50)
    2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)
In this sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey based on the novel by Arthur C. Clarke, American and Russian astronauts live in a world greatly affected by the Cold War.  Sent to Jupiter to determine the reason for the failure of the original mission, they must also discover the fate of H.A.L., the spaceship's sentient computer. 
http://www.bco.ie/moviesbymoonlight  

    For more information on these and future events at Blackrock Castle Observatory
call us  00 - 353 - 21- 4357917, email
info@bco.ie or visit www.bco.ie/upcomingevents
   http://www.facebook.com/BlackrockCastleObservatory
   http://twitter.com/blackrockcastle
 
5. SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCH DELAYED UNTIL 30 NOV
Continuing problems with a fuel leak have delayed launch until the next 'window', at the end of the month.
 
Clear skies,
 
Terry Moseley

Saturday 30 October 2010

Lectures, Shuttle, Cassini Comp, IAA Observing, Hartleyid meteors? ISS, BCO

 Hi all,
 
 1. The next IAA Lecture  will be on Wed 3 November, in the Bell Lecture Theatre, QUB, It will be given by Dr John Quinn, Senior Lecturer in the Astrophysics Department at UCD. TITLE: "Gamma Ray Astronomy - A New Window on the Extreme Universe"
Gamma Rays are the most energetic forms of electromagnetic radiation, and Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) emit many times more energy than we see in even a Supernova explosion. Another very topical talk, with recent discoveries of ever more energetic, and ever more distant, GRBs. They may be associated with Black Holes, or collisions between White Dwarfs or Neutron Stars, so it's bound to be a fascinating lecture, with the very latest news.
Time: 7.30 p.m. Venue: Bell Lecture Theatre, main Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast. Free parking is available on the main campus, right beside the lecture theatre, from 5.30 pm onwards. Admission free, including light refreshments: All are welcome. See www.irishastro.org for full details of the programme.
 
2. SHUTTLE DISCOVERY CLEARED FOR BLASTOFF NEXT MONDAY
After reviewing normal processing and weekend work to fix a small fuel
leak, NASA managers cleared the shuttle Discovery for launch on November 1 to begin a space station resupply mission, the orbiter's 39th and final flight. With the ISS currently making nice evening passes over Ireland (see next item), it may be possible to see the two craft approaching other for docking.

3. ISS: The ISS is currently making a good series of evening passes over Ireland. See www.heavens-above.com for full details for your location.
 
4. REMINDER - DEADLINE 5 NOVEMBER!
Cassini Scientist for a Day competition.
This is open to pupils aged 11-18 yrs old in all schools in Ireland. 
Glenlola Collegiate in Bangor won one of the first prizes a couple of years ago so it would be good to get another great response.
 The Cassini Mission to Saturn is one of the greatest robotic space exploration missions of our time. Now you have an opportunity to become involved and maybe put your school's name on the map internationally.
How:  By taking part in The Cassini Scientist for a day Contest 2010
Why: This contest increases awareness of space exploration, technology, engineering and science.
   The Task: Write a 500 word essay on why the Cassini Spacecraft should target certain objects for imaging and investigation.
   How do I do that?
Watch  three short  videos, decide which is the most interesting for you, write your essay based on that.
  The Cassini website would be your main source of reference for information. Watch this video for an introduction: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientistforaday9thedition/international/
   Watch these videos to choose your essay subject Rhea, Titan or Saturn itself? You decide, its your adventure. http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientistforaday9thedition/targets/
There are three age groups: 11-13 years old, 14-16 years old, 17-18 years old
The Prizes: All winners will be given a copy of their chosen target image which will be taken by the Cassini spacecraft in October 2010. The youngest category winner will also get an iPod shuffle and books by Lucy Hawking. The middle category will win a Nintendo DS and books by Lucy Hawking. The oldest age category winner will be offered a one week research placement with Professor Carl Murray from Queen Mary University London.
Deadline 5 p.m. on November 5th Include your name, age, postal address, name of your school, name of teacher, teacher's email address.
 
5. SCIENCE WEEK IRELAND, 7 - 14 November.  Kevin Nolan has sent me the following link to a major event he is running for Science Week Ireland: See: www.scienceweek.ie The web site for pointing to the event is: http://www.knect.ie/planetary 
 
6. Public Lecture by Dame Prof Jocelyn Bell Burnell "Will the world end in 2012? - The astronomical evidence."
 12 Nov, 7.30 p.m. in the Royal Irish Academy, Dawson St, Dublin. Admission free, but by ticket only. Book via www.ria.ie 
   I regularly get asked "What's all this about the world going to end in December 2012 (sometimes more specifically, on Dec 21, the winter solstice, 2012)?" I've been debunking that since I first learnt about this via the internet about 4-5 years ago, but the myth persists, and is growing. Of course it's rubbish, but it will be very interesting to hear what Dame Prof Jocelyn Bell Burnell FRS, former President of the RAS, and of the Institute of Physics, has to say about it. Jocelyn is a 'local girl', originally from Lurgan, Co Armagh, and I'm sure that there will be a lot of interest in this talk, so book early.
 
7. IAA OBSERVING NIGHTS: 12 or 13 November: Delamont Country Park. The Irish Astronomical Association will be holding another observing night for members, and for any members of the public who want to come along, at a nice dark sky site at Delamont Country Park, near Killyleagh, Co Down. The format is: we observe on the Friday night if it's clear; if not, we try again on the Saturday night.
  Check www.irishastro.org on the afternoon of each of those dates for an update on whether we will be there or not, and for directions to the location, and other details.
   It gets cold at night now these evenings, so wrap up REALLY warm, from head to toe, and bring along any portable telescopes or binoculars you may have.
 
8. PUBLIC LECTURE, ARMAGH, 18 November: The Biennial "Robinson Lecture" will be given by Prof Chris Impey of the University of Arizona, in the City Hotel, at 8 p.m. "Astrobiology: Implications of Life Beyond Earth"
    Either we are alone in the universe or not; either way, the implications are staggering. This talk considers the prospects for and implications of life beyond Earth. Biological adaptation to extreme conditions makes it very likely that variations on biology will be present on moons and planets around many of the billions of Sun-like stars in the Milky Way. The nearly 500 planets already found around other stars are forerunners of Earth-like planets that astronomers expect to be finding in the next few years. With exobiology still a blank slate, consideration will be given to potentially unusual forms of life.
     Attendance at the Robinson Lecture is free, but if you would like to attend the Robinson Lecture, please contact the Armagh Observatory in order to obtain tickets. Please write, telephone or send an e-mail to: Mrs Aileen McKee, Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DG; Tel: 028-3752-2928; Fax: 028-3752-7174; e-mail: ambnat signarm.ac.uk.
9. 'HARTLEYID METEORS'? A pair of unusual fireballs over Canada and the south-eastern USA have experts wondering if Comet Hartley 2 might produce a meteor shower in early November. See http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/27oct_hartleyids/
 
 
10: BCO EVENTS:
First Fridays at the Castle  Free Monthly Event
Friday 5 November 2010

www.bco.ie/firstfridaysBlackrock Castle Observatory hosts open nights on the first Friday of every month with inspired activities for visitors of all ages. The internationally award winning Cosmos at the Castle is open and free to the public, Stargazing from 7pm is in association with the Cork Astronomy Club and BCO's growing band of Astronomy Volunteers.
    6-8pm: Hands on Workshops: Great World Wide Starcount - how to take part
Enjoy one of our family friendly workshops (every half hour) with Frances McCarthy, BCO's in house teacher and astronomer.
http://www.windows2universe.org/citizen_science/starcount/
    8pm: Ben Burress - Web of Stars
Meet Ben Burress, astronomer at the Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland, California; live on a web link from the USA to learn about CSSC's magnificent telescopes. Ben will take us on a journey through the collection of astrophotographs taken with these instruments by Cork students and launch the image exhibit Web of Stars
    For more information on these and future events at Blackrock Castle Observatory
call us  00 - 353 - 21- 4357917, email
info@bco.ie or visit www.bco.ie/upcomingevents
   http://www.facebook.com/BlackrockCastleObservatory
   http://twitter.com/blackrockcastle
  
Clear skies,
 
Terry Moseley
 

Saturday 16 October 2010

Lectures, Comet Hartley, Successful WSP, Irish asteroid award & Observatory code

Hi all,
 
1. The next IAA Lecture  will be on Wed 20 October, in the Bell Lecture Theatre, QUB, It will be given by Prof Don Pollacco of the Astrophysics Department at QUB. TITLE: "The Next Generation Exoplanet Surveys: Super-Earths in the habitable zones of late type stars"
A very topical talk, with the recent announcement of the discovery of a 'Super-Earth' in the so-called Goldilocks zone (neither too hot nor too cold) of a star in Libra. This is arguably the hottest topic in astronomy today, and Don is involved in some of the leading research programmes in the field, so it's bound to be a fascinating lecture, with the very latest news.
Time: 7.30 p.m. Venue: Bell Lecture Theatre, main Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast. Free parking is available on the main campus, right beside the lecture theatre, from 5.30 pm onwards. Admission free, including light refreshments: All are welcome. See www.irishastro.org for full details of the programme.
 
2. Comet Hartley will be closest to Earth on 20 October, although unfortunately the view will be spoiled by bright moonlight. Estimates of its magnitude vary widely, but it should be visible to the unaided eye from a dark site when the Moon is out of the way.

It is in Auriga around the 20th and passes to the NE of the open clusters M36, M37 and M38 around the 22nd/23rd. By the end of October it is Gemini, visible from about 22:00. For more details and finder charts see: www.aerith.net, http://cometchasing.skyhound.com, and http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/%7Ejds/  

 

3. A Great Whirlpool Star Party -
The resurrected WSP was held as before in Dooley's Hotel, Birr, Co. Offaly, with a great series of lectures, and a tour of the new solar radio telescope in Birr Castle demesne.
Congratulations to Tony O'Hanlon and Mike Murphy for arranging this event almost entirely on their own, and let's hope for an even bigger and better event next year.
   It was great to see many old, as well as some new, faces there.
   We also managed to squeeze in the autumn IFAS meeting into the tight schedule.  Hopefully they will have a bit more help in arranging the next one: I'll volunteer for a start.
   
NB: Note change of date and venue for the lecture below:
4.  Free Public Lecture in TCD, 19 October: "Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe: Einstein's Blunder undone!"  by Prof Bob Kirschner of Harvard University.
   Ten years ago, astronomers found astonishing evidence that the expansion of the universe is speeding up. We did this by observing exploding stars half way across the observable universe.  We attribute cosmic acceleration to a mysterious "dark energy" that speeds up cosmic expansion, but whose nature we do not fully understand.  Curiously, in 1917, Einstein invented the "cosmological constant" as a kind of cosmic repulsion, to balance out gravity to produce a static universe.  He abandoned it in the 1930s when the universe was found to be expanding. These new results show we need a form of "dark energy" that is very much like Einstein's cosmological constant to explain the universe we live in.  In this strange new picture of the universe, dark energy makes up about 70% of the universe, dark matter about 25%, and only 5% is composed of the ordinary matter that makes up galaxies, stars, planets, and people.
Venue: in the Paccar Lecture Theatre, Science Gallery, TCD, at 7:30pm TCD. All welcome. Reception afterwards. Entry via Pearse St/Science Gallery entrance
See: https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~rkirshner/, http://www.tcd.ie/Physics/Astrophysics/
http://www.sciencegallery.ie/, For directions, see:
http://www.tcd.ie/Maps/map.php?q=science+gallery
. Admission free.

 

5. Cassini Scientist for a Day competition.
This is open to pupils aged 11-18 yrs old in all schools in Ireland. 
Glenlola Collegiate in Bangor won one of the first prizes a couple of years ago so it would be good to get another great response.
 The Cassini Mission to Saturn is one of the greatest robotic space exploration missions of our time. Now you have an opportunity to become involved and maybe put your school's name on the map internationally.
How:  By taking part in The Cassini Scientist for a day Contest 2010
Why: This contest increases awareness of space exploration, technology, engineering and science.
   The Task: Write a 500 word essay on why the Cassini Spacecraft should target certain objects for imaging and investigation.
   How do I do that?
Watch  three short  videos, decide which is the most interesting for you, write your essay based on that.
  The Cassini website would be your main source of reference for information. Watch this video for an introduction: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientistforaday9thedition/international/
   Watch these videos to choose your essay subject Rhea, Titan or Saturn itself? You decide, its your adventure. http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientistforaday9thedition/targets/
There are three age groups: 11-13 years old, 14-16 years old, 17-18 years old
The Prizes: All winners will be given a copy of their chosen target image which will be taken by the Cassini spacecraft in October 2010. The youngest category winner will also get an iPod shuffle and books by Lucy Hawking. The middle category will win a Nintendo DS and books by Lucy Hawking. The oldest age category winner will be offered a one week research placement with Professor Carl Murray from Queen Mary University London.
Deadline 5 p.m. on November 5th Include your name, age, postal address, name of your school, name of teacher, teacher's email address.
 
6. Public Lecture by Dame Prof Jocelyn Bell Burnell "Will the world end in 2012? - The astronomical evidence."
 12 Nov, 7.30 p.m. RIA Dublin. Admission free, but by ticket only. Book via www.ria.ie
 
7. PUBLIC LECTURE, ARMAGH, 18 November: The Biennial "Robinson Lecture" will be given by Prof Chris Impey of the University of Arizona, in the City Hotel, at 8 p.m. "Astrobiology: Implications of Life Beyond Earth"
    Either we are alone in the universe or not; either way, the implications are staggering. This talk considers the prospects for and implications of life beyond Earth. Biological adaptation to extreme conditions makes it very likely that variations on biology will be present on moons and planets around many of the billions of Sun-like stars in the Milky Way. The nearly 500 planets already found around other stars are forerunners of Earth-like planets that astronomers expect to be finding in the next few years. With exobiology still a blank slate, consideration will be given to potentially unusual forms of life.
     Attendance at the Robinson Lecture is free, but if you would like to attend the Robinson Lecture, please contact the Armagh Observatory in order to obtain tickets. Please write, telephone or send an e-mail to: Mrs Aileen McKee, Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DG; Tel: 028-3752-2928; Fax: 028-3752-7174; e-mail: ambnat signarm.ac.uk.
 
8. Michael O'Connell honoured with Official Observatory Code. Michael O'Connell has been awarded the status of an Observatory Code from the International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center. Astroshot Observatory (www.astroshot.com) is now officially I87. Well done to Michael, who has established himself a serious observer with not only good equipment, but knowing all the proper procedures for valuable observations.
    And congratulations also to Dr Niall Smith of Blackrock Castle Observatory (www.bco.ie) in Cork which was awarded their code earlier in October. 

 

9. Another Irish Amateur Astronomer gets Asteroid Honour. Last, but certainly not least, I'm delighted that my old friend and colleague, Jimmy O'Connor from the IAS in Dublin, has been honoured by the IAU by having an asteroid named after him: 30558 Jamesoconnor

   James, for 61 years a member of the Irish Astronomical Society, was presented with the award at a meeting of the IAS and SDAS in Gonzaga College on Thursday, October 14th.

   The citation from the International Astronomical Union reads: "Irish amateur astronomer James O'Connor (b. 1931) has been a stalwart of the Irish Astronomical Society for sixty years, serving as president, secretary and council member. He has also written a history of the Society covering the years 1937--2006. The name was suggested by J. McConnell."

   The asteroid was discovered on 2001 July 16 by the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search (LONEOS) at the Anderson Mesa Station. The asteroid is a Main Belt object orbiting the Sun with a period of 3.31 years.

   I'm sure you will all join me in congratulating Jimmy on the award. I have known Jimmy since the late Sixties when we had joint meetings of the IAS Dublin & Belfast Centres in Dundalk. 

   The presentation was made by John McConnell. John has worked closely over the past two years with Dr Brian Marsden, Director Emeritus of the Minor Planet Center and Dr Ted Bowell, Principal Investigator of LONEOS, to help bring about this recognition of Jimmy's contributions to Irish astronomy.

   More details about Jimmy's asteroid can be found at http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=jamesoconnor&orb=1 – N.B: some system firewalls may flag the site as containing malicious code. However, this is generally due to firewall rules that are preventing Java from running (to generate an orbit diagram of the asteroid) so it should not be an issue.

 (Adapted from an announcement by John Flannery)
 
 The list of asteroids officially named after Irish amateur astronomers now reads (in numerical, not date, order):
(6860) Sims -- in memory of Alan Sims, former IAS Chairman

(8515) Corvan -- after Armagh amateur astronomer Pat Corvan

(9929) McConnell -- after Northern Ireland amateur astronomer John McConnell

(16693) Moseley -- after Northern Ireland amateur astronomer Terry Moseley

(21782) Davemcdonald -- after Irish amateur astronomer Dave McDonald

(30558) Jamesoconnor -- after Irish amateur astronomer James O'Connor

(42531) McKenna -- after Northern Ireland amateur astronomer Martin McKenna.

The Magnificent Seven!
 
Clear skies,
 
Terry Moseley