Sunday 30 November 2014

Sl. Gullion event, Lecture, Dinner, ISS, Obs at DCP, Xmas Events, Philae, Books


Hi all,
 
1: Public Astronomy Night at Slieve Gullion, Sunday 30 November 
The IAA will be holding another public astronomy outreach event, this time at a new dark sky venue, the visitor's centre at Slieve Gullion Forest Park, near the village of Meigh, SW of Newry. VENUE: Visitors Centre, Slieve Gullion Forest Park. Signposted off B113 from Newry to Forkhill, past the village of Meigh. It has nice dark skies. The entrance is at N 54 deg 6' 36.5"; W: 6 deg 24' 19" CafĂ© in the VC for hot refreshments. Come along if you can, bring a telescope if you have one. This event will begin at 6.00, and finish by about 9.30 - 10.00, depending on weather.
We will have our usual selection of telescopes and binoculars for observing (or on display of cloudy), an exhibition including meteorites, and a public lecture.
   All are welcome, and admission is free.
   Hot refreshments will be provided.
 
2. IAA LECTURE: The next IAA public lecture will be on Wednesday 3 December, at 7.30 p.m. It will be given by Prof Tom Ray, of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Title:  "The Einstein Lens and a Tale of Two Eclipses."

   This lecture will present some exclusive new findings about the trips that were made to various parts of the world to observe the Total Solar Eclipse in 1919: the first attempt to check the predictions of General Relativity. see http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/benchmarks-solar-eclipse-proves-relativity

There are two important local connections –

1. The telescope lens, which was made in Ireland; and 2. The astronomer who led the expedition to Brazil was Andrew Crommelin, born in Cushendun, Co Antrim, and son of the family who gave their name to NewtownCrommelin in Co Antrim! See http://www.newulsterbiography.co.uk/index.php/home/viewPerson/1805  Andrew Crommelin was a noted cometary astronomer, and one of only 4 people who have a comet named after them although they did not discover it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27P/Crommelin

  You will have a chance to see the telescope lens that proved Einstein's theory of Relativity was correct! And it was made in this Island!

   NB: We are aware that there had been problems hearing the speaker from the back of the lecture theatre, partly due to the noise from the twin data projector cooling fans. At the last lecture all the speakers used a mike and the PA system, which seemed to solve the problem. We will ensure that all future speakers use a microphone to prevent this problem recurring.

  This lecture will as usual be in the Bell Lecture theatre, Physics building, main QUB Campus.
   The lecture is free and open to all, including free refreshments. Venue: the Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast, at 7.30 p.m. 
   Thanks to the Astrophysics Research Centre, QUB, for help in hosting these lectures.
 
3. IAA 40th Anniversary Dinner: This was a great success, with 55 attending - the largest number we have ever had at a social event. The food was superb, especially for only £15.95 per head, the craic was good, Alan Fitzsimmons' after-dinner speech was enjoyed by all, and the photo display from long long ago up to the recent past attracted huge interest. (thanks Andy).
   And while we're obviously not planning another similar event next year, comments on the venue, format etc would be very welcome for future events.
 
4. IAA SUBSCRIPTIONS: Subscriptions for the current year (2014 - 2015) are now overdue. If you do not renew your subscription, your membership will cease, and you won't get the next copy of our excellent magazine, STARDUST. See last item below for details of how to pay.
 
5. ISS: The International Space Station will commence a new series of evening passes on 5 December. See www.heavens-above.com for details for your own location.

6.  IAA Observing Nights at Delamont Country Park
These very popular weekend observing sessions have started again with some very successful viewing. Delamont is well signposted off the A22 just South of Killyleagh, (North of Downpatrick) Co Down. They are suitable for anyone, but are aimed especially at beginners.
We bring our own large telescopes; bring your own if you have a portable one.
  The events work like this: If it's clear on the Friday night, the event goes ahead. If not, we try again on the Saturday night. If both are cloudy, we try again on the following weekend, same procedure. To check if it's going ahead, check the IAA website: www.irishastro.org up to 6.0 p.m. on each day, and for dates for next session: If cloudy, we'll try again on the next date on the list.…
 
7. Xmas shows at Armagh Planetarium. Join Armagh Planetarium this Christmas as we journey back more than 2000 years to Bethlehem, and seek to discover an explanation for the star the Wise Men followed to find the baby Jesus in "Mystery of the Christmas Star".  
  The Star of Bethlehem is an iconic astronomical event whose true origin remains unknown even today, in spite of years of speculation and research.  The show will guide the viewer through some of these investigations and the most likely causes of this interesting cosmological object which was remarkable enough to make the wise men travel across the desert from
Babylon to Bethlehem
to see the new born baby.  
   You will also explore possible dates for the birth of Christ and look at the historical records of significant astronomical events which occurred at this time.
 The show opens on Monday 1 until
Tuesday 23 December 2014
.
 Show Times:
Monday – Friday (1-19 Dec) at 2pm
Saturday/School Holidays at 1pm and 4pm
Evening shows every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2-18 December at 7:30pm

Booking is essential

 

8. Cosmic stocking fillers & Christmas nights out at BCO

Xmas events include   Cosmic Christmas WorkshopBuildSkills Workshop, Christmas Stocking Fillers, A Christmas night with a difference,  Moon Observing We wish you a very Cosmic Christmas

 

 

9. ROSETTA/PHILAE LATEST

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2853198/Philae-come-brink-MARCH-Rosetta-engineers-revive-probe-comet-67P-hurtles-near-sun.html

 

10. New books on the Moon by Cork man John Moore. See Features of the Near Side Moon (Grayscale Edition) - http://www.amazon.com/Features-Near-Side-Grayscale-Edition/dp/1502944952

Features of the Near Side Moon (Colour Edition) - http://www.amazon.com/Features-Near-Side-Grayscale-Edition/dp/1502825562
 

11. IAA New Year Party: 3 January, Comber, Co Down, More details soon, but note your diaries now.

12. FAEROES ECLIPSE TRIP: The next Total Solar Eclipse visible on Earth will be on 20 March, 2015. This total eclipse track will only cross land on Earth in two places: the Faeroes, and Svalbard in the far North Atlantic. IAA member and eclipse author Dr Kate Russo will be leading a tour to observe this eclipse in the Faeroes. I have the honour to be the 'eclipse/astronomy/aurora expert' on the trip, on which we hope to be able to get good views of the aurora as well as the eclipse itself. See  http://www.independenttraveller.com/experiences/photography/astronomy/total-solar-eclipse-2015-faroe-islands. You can also find out more details on the eclipse blog site: http://independenttraveller.com/blog/

 

13. ARCHAEOASTRONOMY TRIP TO NEWGRANGE and KNOWTH, 2015, These trips have proved so popular that as soon as I got back from the last one, Stranmillis University College Institute of LifeLong Learning asked me to lead another one next spring!  Like the last one, the next trip will include a visit to the Knowth Tomb as well. It has the largest collection of Megalithic art anywhere in Europe in one single site, some of which is reckoned to be astronomical. Booking for thus very popular, non-technical trip will open later, but if you want to go, note the date in your diary: Sat 9 May. More details when the new brochure comes out.

 
14. NEXT YEAR'S STAR PARTIES and OTHER EVENTS:  
Galway Astrofest: Feb 21, 2015, Theme: "New Worlds - New Horizons" Excellent speaker line-up already!  Latest news on speakers: To provide detailed insight into space missions one of the agency's senior scientific advisors;  Professor Michael Perryman will talk about the GAIA mission, while Professor Susan McKenna Lawlor will look at the Rosetta Comet mission for which her team built an instrument for the Philae lander.  See http://galwayastronomyclub.ie/ Check for latest updates.
 COSMOS: April 17th to 19th 2015, Shamrock LodgeHotel, Athlone.
Skelligs Star Party: 14-16 August, Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry.  This is a Gold Medal winning Dark Sky site.  see www.skelligstarparty.com
AI 'Star-B-Q': 15 August, An Tochar GAA Grounds, Roundwood, Co.Wicklow.

 

15: Interesting Weblinks:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11/28/humans-on-mars_n_6235788.html?ir=UK+Tech  And if she was able to identify them as humanoid, and able to breathe the thin atmosphere on Mars (not bad to adapt to that in 13 years! - Evolution would require millennia for that to happen) presumably they weren't wearing space suits. And so they must also have adapted to temperatures of minus 30 to minus 60 degrees. And to withstand bombardment by high-energy cosmic rays.... And the many small meteoroids which would penetrate Mars's thin atmosphere.
    Anyone like to guess how many functioning neurons the caller and Lear had between them? Maybe even into the dozens, being generous?
and http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/05/06/face-in-mountain-alien_n_5271525.html. Another one, perhaps more to be pitied than scorned.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2850059/Did-life-flourish-Earth-flourish-thanks-SATURN-Computer-models-reveal-enormous-influence-planet-orbit.html I don't know what to make of this article.
1. Earth's mean distance from Jupiter is 628m km, not 588.
2. The tilt of Saturn's orbit is the wrong term: changing the tilt or inclination of the orbit could have an effect on Earth's orbit, but you measure changes in tilt in degrees, not in millions of miles or km.
3. Moving Saturn's orbit "just" 10% closer to the Sun means decreasing its mean distance by 143 million km!
4. Jupiter's gravity, in this context, is not just "2.5" times stronger than that of Earth - that figure refers to the surface gravity only. In this context, it's the relative masses which count, and Jupiter's mass is 318 times that of Earth, so its gravitational pull is 318 times stronger!
5. They also refer to a change in the "tilt" of Saturn by 20 degrees, which they say would move Earth closer to the Sun than Venus. But the 'tilt' of a planet is just the inclination of its rotation axis, which would have no effect at all on Earth. What they may mean is the INCLINATION of Saturn's orbit, which would affect that of Earth. But a 20 degree tilt in Saturn's orbit is a HUGE change, making its inclination MUCH greater than that of any other planet in our SS - the greatest tilt is that of Mercury, at 7 degrees, and even if we reinstate Pluto to planetary status, even its tilt is only 17 degrees!
  There is no realistic scenario in which Saturn's orbit in our SS would have an inclination of 20 degrees.
6. They may instead mean the 'eccentricity' of Saturn's orbit. But again, a figure of 20% would be a HUGE change - the current value is only 0.05558%. And apart from Mercury, ALL the other planets have orbital eccentricities of much less than 1%.
    Whoever wrote this has got just about everything mixed up!
 
 
16. TWITTER: Follow the IAA on Twitter: The account is now operational again as before: @IaaAstro.
 
17. JOINING the IRISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION is easy: This link downloads a Word document to join the IAA. http://documents.irishastro.org.uk/iaamembership.doc
    If you are a UK taxpayer, please tick the 'gift-aid' box, as that enables us to reclaim the standard rate of tax on your subscription, at no cost to youYou can also make a donation via Paypal if you wish: just click on the 'Donate' button.  See also www.irishastro.org
  
 
Clear skies,
Terry Moseley

Wednesday 26 November 2014

IAA Dinner, Lecture, Sl Gullion event, ISS, DCP, Rosetta, Xmas at AP, Faroes TSE

  
Hi all,
 
1.  IAA 40th Anniversary Dinner: 28 Nov. Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont Estate.  Bookings for this event are now closed. There has been a great response with 55 booked & paid.
Start time: 7.30 for 8.00
Directions: The MSP is in the Stormont Estate, with its own access directly off the Upper Newtownards Road.
1. Going from Belfast towards Dundonald: Go past the main entrance to Stormont, (.e. the Prince of Wales Drive, with the big ornamental gates, leading to the long straight driveway up to Parliament Buildings). Just after that, go through TWO sets of traffic lights in fairly quick succession. Then take the SECOND entrance on the left, signposted "Pavilion Complex." It's just on a slight right hand bend.
2. Coming from Dundonald towards Belfast: Go past Knock Golf Club and the Stoney road junction traffic lights. Go on past the old entrance to Dundonald House (big black gates, now permanently closed). Then take the next entrance on the right.
   This entrance is at N 54d 35' 42"; W 5d 49' 48".
3. Then proceed a few hundred metres to the car park area 54d 35' 48", W 5d 49' 51". You can proceed on a bit further past the open triangular area: there are more car park spaces on the left If that area is full, drive back out towards the main road, and you'll find an overflow car park area on the left just before you reach the road.
4. The Pavilion itself is on the left of the car park area as you drive into it, up a short inclined driveway. Location: 54d 35' 48", W 5d 49' 55".
5. Anyone with a blue badge can park just outside the Pavilion by going up this driveway. Anyone with lesser mobility problems can be dropped off in this area, with the car returning to the main car park area..
6. SEATING: Official Guests will be at a 'Top Table'. there will be 7 round tables, seat at your own preference.
7. WINE: A selection is available to be ordered as you wish at your table; house wine plus a selection of branded wine, all at members preferential prices. It would be VERY HELPFUL if you could pay cash for any drinks you order!
 
2. IAA LECTURE: The next IAA public lecture will be on Wednesday 3 December, at 7.30 p.m. It will be given by Prof Tom Ray, of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Title:  "The Einstein Lens and a Tale of Two Eclipses."

   This lecture will present some exclusive new findings about the trips that were made to various parts of the world to observe the Total Solar Eclipse in 1919: the first attempt to check the predictions of General Relativity. see http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/benchmarks-solar-eclipse-proves-relativity

There are two important local connections –

1. The telescope lens, which was made in Ireland; and 2. The astronomer who led the expedition to Brazil was Andrew Crommelin, born in Cushendun, Co Antrim, and son of the family who gave their name to NewtownCrommelin in Co Antrim! See http://www.newulsterbiography.co.uk/index.php/home/viewPerson/1805  Andrew Crommelin was a noted cometary astronomer, and one of only 4 people who have a comet named after them although they did not discover it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27P/Crommelin

  You will have a chance to see the telescope lens that proved Einstein's theory of Relativity was correct! And it was made in this Island!

   NB: We are aware that there had been problems hearing the speaker from the back of the lecture theatre, partly due to the noise from the twin data projector cooling fans. At the last lecture all the speakers used a mike and the PA system, which seemed to solve the problem. We will ensure that all future speakers use a microphone to prevent this problem recurring.
  This lecture will as usual be in the Bell Lecture theatre, Physics building, main QUB Campus.
   The lecture is free and open to all, including free refreshments. Venue: the Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast, at 7.30 p.m. 
   Thanks to the Astrophysics Research Centre, QUB, for help in hosting these lectures.
 
3: Public Astronomy Night at Slieve Gullion, Sunday 30 November 
The IAA will be holding another public astronomy outreach event, this time at a new dark sky venue, the visitor's centre at Slieve Gullion Forest Park, near the village of Meigh, SW of Newry. 
VENUE: Visitors Centre, Slieve Gullion Forest Park. Signposted off B113 from Newry to Forkhill, past the village of Meigh. It has nice dark skies. The entrance is at N 54 deg 6' 36.5"; W: 6 deg 24' 19"
CafĂ© in the VC for hot refreshments. Come along if you can, bring a portable telescope if you have one   This event will begin at 6.00, and finish by about 9.30 - 10.00, depending on weather.
We will have our usual selection of telescopes and binoculars for observing (or on display of cloudy), an exhibition including meteorites, and a public lecture.
   All are welcome, and admission is free.
   Hot refreshments will be provided.
 
4. IAA SUBSCRIPTIONS: Subscriptions for the current year (2014 - 2015) are now overdue. If you do not renew your subscription, your membership will cease, and you won't get the next copy of our excellent magazine, STARDUST. See last item below for details of how to pay.
 
5. ISS: The International Space Station is just finishing a series of morning passes over Ireland, and will commence a new series of evening passes on 5 December. See www.heavens-above.com for details for your own location.

6.  IAA Observing Nights at Delamont Country Park
These very popular weekend observing sessions have started again with some very successful viewing. Delamont is well signposted off the A22 just South of Killyleagh, (North of Downpatrick) Co Down. They are suitable for anyone, but are aimed especially at beginners.
We bring our own large telescopes; bring your own if you have a portable one.
  The events work like this: If it's clear on the Friday night, the event goes ahead. If not, we try again on the Saturday night. If both are cloudy, we try again on the following weekend, same procedure. To check if it's going ahead, check the IAA website: www.irishastro.org up to 6.0 p.m. on each day, and for dates for next session: If cloudy, we'll try again on the next date on the list.…
 
7. ROSETTA Mission to Comet 67-P See:
 
8. Xmas shows at Armagh Planetarium. Join Armagh Planetarium this Christmas as we journey back more than 2000 years to Bethlehem, and seek to discover an explanation for the star the Wise Men followed to find the baby Jesus in "Mystery of the Christmas Star".  
  The Star of Bethlehem is an iconic astronomical event whose true origin remains unknown even today, in spite of years of speculation and research.  The show will guide the viewer through some of these investigations and the most likely causes of this interesting cosmological object which was remarkable enough to make the wise men travel across the desert from
Babylon to Bethlehem
to see the new born baby.  
   You will also explore possible dates for the birth of Christ and look at the historical records of significant astronomical events which occurred at this time.
 The show opens on Monday 1 until
Tuesday 23 December 2014
.
 Show Times:
Monday – Friday (1-19 Dec) at 2pm
Saturday/School Holidays at 1pm and 4pm
Evening shows every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2-18 December at 7:30pm

Booking is essential

 

9. FAEROES ECLIPSE TRIP: The next Total Solar Eclipse visible on Earth will be on 20 March, 2015. This total eclipse track will only cross land on Earth in two places: the Faeroes, and Svalbard in the far North Atlantic. IAA member and eclipse author Dr Kate Russo will be leading a tour to observe this eclipse in the Faeroes. I have the honour to be the 'eclipse/astronomy/aurora expert' on the trip, on which we hope to be able to get good views of the aurora as well as the eclipse itself. See  http://www.independenttraveller.com/experiences/photography/astronomy/total-solar-eclipse-2015-faroe-islands. You can also find out more details on the eclipse blog site: http://independenttraveller.com/blog/

 

10. UKSEDS National Conference: The 27th Annual UKSEDS National Student Space Conference will be held on the weekend of 28 February - 1 March 2015, and hosted by Surrey EARS at the University of Surrey. Early bird tickets are now available. 

  The UKSEDS National Student Space Conference is the premier event for space students, bringing together students, academics, and professionals from across the country to share knowledge of space, discuss the challenges facing the sector, and to create new links between groups. It features talks by leading space science and industry figures, a careers fair, and opportunities to take part in discussions and networking events.

  The Conference is run and organised by UKSEDS, the UK's student space society, which unites space-enthusiasts at universities across the country. A different UKSEDS branch hosts the conference each year, and next year it will be hosted by Surrey Electronic and Amateur Radio Society (EARS), at the University of Surrey. UKSEDS' founding conference was held in 1988 at the Science Museum, London, making this year's event our 27th.

  There are expected to be upwards of 200 attendees, primarily undergraduate and graduate engineers and scientists with a strong interest in the space industry who are looking to learn more about space projects and potential employers. 

  Special early bird rate tickets are now open on our conference minisite at ukseds.org/nssc2015 and will be available until 31 December. One-day tickets, and tickets for the evening social will become available after that point. Your ticket grants you access to the conference and includes lunch. Saturday tickets include the evening networking reception.

   We also offer a number of different sponsorship packages which can be tailored to your requirements. These include having a stand in our exhibition hall, presenting a talk as part of the conference, sponsoring coffee, lunch, a networking reception, or an evening social event. If you are interested in exhibiting or sponsoring contact conference@ukseds.org. Due to the nature of some of these opportunities we are only able to offer a limited number, so please get in touch soon to avoid disappointment.   Meanwhile follow the hashtag #NSSC15 on social media and join our Facebook event here.

CONTACTS: Ryan Laird, Vice-Chair of UKSEDS conference@ukseds.org

11. ARCHAEOASTRONOMY TRIP TO NEWGRANGE and KNOWTH, 2015, These trips have proved so popular that as soon as I got back from the last one, Stranmillis University College Institute of LifeLong Learning asked me to lead another one next spring!  Like the last one, the next trip will include a visit to the Knowth Tomb as well. It has the largest collection of Megalithic art anywhere in Europe in one single site, some of which is reckoned to be astronomical. Booking for thus very popular, non-technical trip will open later, but if you want to go, note the date in your diary: Sat 9 May. More details when the new brochure comes out.

 
12. NEXT YEAR'S STAR PARTIES:  
Galway Astrofest: Feb 21, 2015, Theme: "New Worlds - New Horizons" Excellent speaker line-up already!  Latest news on speakers: To provide detailed insight into space missions one of the agency's senior scientific advisors;  Professor Michael Perryman will talk about the GAIA mission, while Professor Susan McKenna Lawlor will look at the Rosetta Comet mission for which her team built an instrument for the Philae lander.  See http://galwayastronomyclub.ie/ Check for latest updates.
 COSMOS: April 17th to 19th 2015, Shamrock LodgeHotel, Athlone.
Skelligs Star Party: 14-16 August, Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry.  This is a Gold Medal winning Dark Sky site.  see www.skelligstarparty.com
AI 'Star-B-Q': 15 August, An Tochar GAA Grounds, Roundwood, Co.Wicklow.

 

13: Interesting Weblinks:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11/24/venus-cloud-cities_n_6210584.html The obvious question is "Why would you want to?" As the Sun warms, Venus will get even more inhospitable.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11/21/nasa-halfway-to-mars-mission_n_6198552.html?ir=UK+Tech 
Halfway, starting from where? Starting from the first use of tools? - OK. Starting from the first Chinese rockets 1500 years ago? Maybe.  Starting from the Wright Bros? - Could be argued. Starting from Yuri Gagarin? Possibly. Starting from Apollo - definitely not, IMHO!
The people at UFO Sightings Daily are seriously deficient in one or more of the following
1. Intelligence - if they really believe what they are putting out
2. Integrity - if they don't actually believe it, but promote it anyway
3. Self-respect - as for No 2.
4. Shame - they never admit it when they are proved wrong.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11/19/british-moon-landing_n_6183654.html?ir=UK+Tech By the time anyone digs them up, there won't be any DVD players, so they had better bury one, plus instructions, too! 
 
 
14. TWITTER: Follow the IAA on Twitter: The account is now operational again as before: @IaaAstro.
 
15. JOINING the IRISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION is easy: This link downloads a Word document to join the IAA. http://documents.irishastro.org.uk/iaamembership.doc
    If you are a UK taxpayer, please tick the 'gift-aid' box, as that enables us to reclaim the standard rate of tax on your subscription, at no cost to youYou can also make a donation via Paypal if you wish: just click on the 'Donate' button.  See also www.irishastro.org
  
 
Clear skies,
Terry Moseley


Tuesday 18 November 2014

Date correction, Scope4sale, Dinner, Philae latest, IAA events, Xmas at AP, more

Hi all,
  
(Apologies for error in last bulletin re the date of the first item - the perils of cut & paste!)
 
1. IAA LECTURE: The next IAA public lecture will be on Wednesday 19 November, at 7.30 p.m. It will be given by Dr Mike Simms, of the Ulster Museum. Title:  "What Meteorites Tell Us About The Early Solar System".
   NB: We are aware that there have been problems hearing the speaker from the back of the lecture theatre, partly due to the noise from the twin data projector cooling fans. We will ensure that all future speakers use a microphone to prevent this problem recurring.
   Our knowledge of the formation of the Earth and what conditions were like in the protoplanetary nebula surrounding the Sun, from which Earth and the other planets formed, is largely derived from the study of the various types of meteorites.
   Mike is an expert on meteorites, and always gives an entertaining and well-presented and informative talk.
 This lecture will as usual be in the Bell Lecture theatre, Physics building, main QUB Campus.
   The lecture is free and open to all, including free refreshments. Venue: the Bell Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, Queen's University, Belfast, at 7.30 p.m. 
   Thanks to the Astrophysics Research Centre, QUB, for help in hosting these lectures.
 
2. Ultimate amateur telescope available: From Dave McDonald
I signed up for an AstroPhysics Riccardi-Honders astrograph (305mm) over 5 years ago.  I just got called up for one of these 'scopes.  Unfortunately, I'm not in the position to buy it myself – but someone else might.  The price is just over $20,000 and shipping/insurance is extra but is probably only a few hundred dollars.
   This is not a case of me 'flipping' the scope by the way – there are no add-ons, margins, markups etc.  If anyone were interested, they would only pay whatever I would pay if were able to afford it.
   This is a pretty special scope and they are probably as rare as hens' teeth. And will almost certainly remain so.  Yes, it's pricey, but I bet its worth every cent. And someone could have it without having to wait 5+ years.
   If you know of anyone or would like to post it to any boards etc. feel free. There is only one slight catch.  A 50% deposit has to be paid to AP by 20th November.
Contact Dave on dmcdona@eircom.net

3. IAA SUBSCRIPTIONS: Subscriptions for the current year (2014 - 2015) are now overdue. If you do not renew your subscription, your membership will cease, and you won't get the next copy of our excellent magazine, STARDUST. See last item below for details of how to pay.
 
4.  IAA 40th Anniversary Dinner: 28 Nov. REPLY DATE EXTENDED Bookings are still open for this event, with some places still available. It's excellent value, and there will be free entertainment included:
(1) An amusing and light-hearted after dinner speech by the ever-popular Prof Alan Fitzsimmons of QUB (you may have heard him on radio being interviewed about Rosetta and Philae)
2. Memorabilia and photo-gallery (aka Rogues gallery!)
3. A free fun quiz, with spot prizes.
Booking form attached.
 
5. SUNSPOT RETURNS: Back for a second trip across the face of the Sun, old sunspot AR2192 is growing again and crackling with M-class solar flares.  The active region has an unstable magnetic field that harbours energy for even stronger X-flares. Future eruptions could affect Earth as the sunspot turns toward our planet in the days ahead.  Check http://spaceweather.com for updates.

 
6: ISS: The International Space Station has started another series of morning passes over Ireland. See www.heavens-above.com for details for your own location.

 
7.  IAA Observing Nights at Delamont Country Park
These very popular weekend observing sessions have started again with some very successful viewing. Delamont is well signposted off the A22 just South of Killyleagh, (North of Downpatrick) Co Down. They are suitable for anyone, but are aimed especially at beginners.
We bring our own large telescopes; bring your own if you have a portable one.
  The events work like this: If it's clear on the Friday night, the event goes ahead. If not, we try again on the Saturday night. If both are cloudy, we try again on the following weekend, same procedure. To check if it's going ahead, check the IAA website: www.irishastro.org up to 6.0 p.m. on each day, and for dates for next session: If cloudy, we'll try again on the next date on the list.…
 
8. ROSETTA Mission to Comet 67-P See:
 
9. Public Astronomy Night at Slieve Gullion, 30 November 
The IAA will be holding another public astronomy outreach event, this time at a new dark sky venue, the visitor's centre at Slieve Gullion Forest Park, near the village of Meigh, SW of Newry. More details in next bulletin, but mark your diaries now.
 

10. Xmas shows at Armagh Planetarium. Join Armagh Planetarium this Christmas as we journey back more than 2000 years to Bethlehem, and seek to discover an explanation for the star the Wise Men followed to find the baby Jesus in "Mystery of the Christmas Star".  
  The Star of Bethlehem is an iconic astronomical event whose true origin remains unknown even today, in spite of years of speculation and research.  The show will guide the viewer through some of these investigations and the most likely causes of this interesting cosmological object which was remarkable enough to make the wise men travel across the desert from
Babylon to Bethlehem
to see the new born baby.  
   You will also explore possible dates for the birth of Christ and look at the historical records of significant astronomical events which occurred at this time.
 The show opens on Monday 1 until
Tuesday 23 December 2014
.
 Show Times:
Monday – Friday (1-19 Dec) at 2pm
Saturday/School Holidays at 1pm and 4pm
Evening shows every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2-18 December at 7:30pm

Booking is essential

 

11. FAEROES ECLIPSE TRIP: The next Total Solar Eclipse visible on Earth will be on 20 March, 2015. This total eclipse track will only cross land on Earth in two places: the Faeroes, and Svalbard in the far North Atlantic. IAA member and eclipse author Dr Kate Russo will be leading a tour to observe this eclipse in the Faeroes. I have the honour to be the 'eclipse/astronomy/aurora expert' on the trip, on which we hope to be able to get good views of the aurora as well as the eclipse itself. See  http://www.independenttraveller.com/experiences/photography/astronomy/total-solar-eclipse-2015-faroe-islands. You can also find out more details on the eclipse blog site: http://independenttraveller.com/blog/

 

12. UKSEDS National Conference: The 27th Annual UKSEDS National Student Space Conference will be held on the weekend of 28 February - 1 March 2015, and hosted by Surrey EARS at the University of Surrey. Early bird tickets are now available. 

  The UKSEDS National Student Space Conference is the premier event for space students, bringing together students, academics, and professionals from across the country to share knowledge of space, discuss the challenges facing the sector, and to create new links between groups. It features talks by leading space science and industry figures, a careers fair, and opportunities to take part in discussions and networking events.

  The Conference is run and organised by UKSEDS, the UK's student space society, which unites space-enthusiasts at universities across the country. A different UKSEDS branch hosts the conference each year, and next year it will be hosted by Surrey Electronic and Amateur Radio Society (EARS), at the University of Surrey. UKSEDS' founding conference was held in 1988 at the Science Museum, London, making this year's event our 27th.

  There are expected to be upwards of 200 attendees, primarily undergraduate and graduate engineers and scientists with a strong interest in the space industry who are looking to learn more about space projects and potential employers. 

  Special early bird rate tickets are now open on our conference minisite at ukseds.org/nssc2015 and will be available until 31 December. One-day tickets, and tickets for the evening social will become available after that point. Your ticket grants you access to the conference and includes lunch. Saturday tickets include the evening networking reception.

   We also offer a number of different sponsorship packages which can be tailored to your requirements. These include having a stand in our exhibition hall, presenting a talk as part of the conference, sponsoring coffee, lunch, a networking reception, or an evening social event. If you are interested in exhibiting or sponsoring contact conference@ukseds.org. Due to the nature of some of these opportunities we are only able to offer a limited number, so please get in touch soon to avoid disappointment.   Meanwhile follow the hashtag #NSSC15 on social media and join our Facebook event here.

CONTACTS: Ryan Laird, Vice-Chair of UKSEDS conference@ukseds.org

13. ARCHAEOASTRONOMY TRIP TO NEWGRANGE and KNOWTH, 2015, These trips have proved so popular that as soon as I got back from the last one, Stranmillis University College Institute of LifeLong Learning asked me to lead another one next spring!  Like the last one, the next trip will include a visit to the Knowth Tomb as well. It has the largest collection of Megalithic art anywhere in Europe in one single site, some of which is reckoned to be astronomical. Booking for thus very popular, non-technical trip will open later, but if you want to go, note the date in your diary: Sat 9 May. More details when the new brochure comes out.

 
14. NEXT YEAR'S STAR PARTIES:  
Galway Astrofest: Feb 21, 2015, Theme: "New Worlds - New Horizons" Excellent speaker line-up already!  Latest news on speakers: To provide detailed insight into space missions one of the agency's senior scientific advisors;  Professor Michael Perryman will talk about the GAIA mission, while Professor Susan McKenna Lawlor will look at the Rosetta Comet mission for which her team built an instrument for the Philae lander.  See http://galwayastronomyclub.ie/ Check for latest updates.
 COSMOS: April 17th to 19th 2015, Shamrock LodgeHotel, Athlone.
Skelligs Star Party: 14-16 August, Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry.  This is a Gold Medal winning Dark Sky site.  see www.skelligstarparty.com
AI 'Star-B-Q': 15 August, An Tochar GAA Grounds, Roundwood, Co.Wicklow.

 

15: Interesting Weblinks:
 
 
16. TWITTER: Follow the IAA on Twitter: The account is now operational again as before: @IaaAstro.
 
17. JOINING the IRISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION is easy: This link downloads a Word document to join the IAA. http://documents.irishastro.org.uk/iaamembership.doc
    If you are a UK taxpayer, please tick the 'gift-aid' box, as that enables us to reclaim the standard rate of tax on your subscription, at no cost to youYou can also make a donation via Paypal if you wish: just click on the 'Donate' button.  See also www.irishastro.org
  
 
Clear skies,
Terry Moseley