IAA President Brian Beesley does the introduction and Webmaster Paul Evans gives a guide to the September Sky. Enjoy!
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Lecture Weds 19th September – Prof Frank Prendergast, Dublin Institute of Technology – “From Neolithic to Iron Age—three case studies in Irish archaeoastronomy”
For the season opener we are very pleased to welcome Prof Frank Prendergast from Dublin.
In his presentation, Frank will focus on contrasting prehistoric monuments where he has made significant discoveries.
- The Iron Age post enclosure at Lismullin, Co. Meath, discovered by top-soil stripping associated with the recent development of the M3 motorway, was an extraordinary ceremonial and ritual complex. It is now ranked as one of the most important Irish archaeological discoveries in recent years. The timber structure was the embodiment of structural perfection and symmetry and had an important astronomical alignment, indicative of its importance to the community that built it around 455 BC.
- The Neolithic passage tomb at Slieve Gullion, Co. Armagh is now known to be aligned on the setting sun at the winter solstice and is annually celebrated as a cultural heritage event of growing importance. The survey methodology used to make this discovery will be described, as will the broader cultural context and symbolism of the phenomenon.
- The third case study will present the author's findings relating to Ireland's largest stone circle located at Grange in Co. Limerick. This Neolithic monument was built around 2,900 BC and embodies all the hallmarks of a ceremonial complex. But was it used as a calendrical device as is popularly believed? The speaker will confront those questions head on!
Doors open about 7.15pm. There is free parking available on the campus in the evenings. Admission Free, including light refreshments. We are located in the Bell Theatre, Department of Mathematics and Physics, QUB – details here……
With thanks to the Astrophysics Research Centre, QUB, for assistance with this event.
IAA Lecture Programme 2018-19
Subscriptions are now open and renewals due for the New Lecture Season which is almost complete – see below…….
You can join us here……… Membership has been held at £20 individual and £25 family – this has been the case for several years now and represents fantastic value!
Meetings are held at the Bell Theatre in Queen's University Belfast – see here for directions……. The proceedngs begin at 19:30 sharp and begin with the President's Welcome and a warm-up talk by one of our experienced astronomers, followed by the main talk, usually given by a Professional Astronomer. Tea, coffee, biscuits and chat is available after the meeting with proceedings usuall closing around 21:30.
We also run Observing evenings, usually at Delamont Country Park in County Down – details here……….http://irishastro.org/observing
During the course of the year we run a number of outreach sessions at various venues some of which will include the IAA's very popular Stardome Planetarium. Details will appear on this website.
Sep 19th – Dr Frank Prendergast, DIT: "From Neolithic to Iron Age – Case Studies in Irish Archaeoastronomy"
Oct 3rd – Prof Luke Drury: Prof Emeritus, DIAS: "The Dawn of Multi-Messenger Astronomy".
Oct 17th – Prof Gerry Doyle, AOP: "The Probability of a Doomsday Solar Superflare: Fact or Fiction?"
Oct 31st – Dr Wes Fraser, QUB: tbc
Nov 14th – Michael O'Connell. "Amateur Observations of Meteors"
Nov 28th – Prof Stephen Smartt, ARC, QUB, "Kilonovae"
Dec 12th – Paul Evans "Apollo 8 – Christmas Around the Moon"
Jan 5th 2019 – New Year Party
Jan 9th – tbc
Jan 23rd – Dr Neale Gibson, ARC, QUB – “Exploring Alien Worlds: How to find life in the Universe”
Feb 6th – Dr Kate Maguire, ARC, QUB, "Gravitational Waves – Ripples in Spcetime"
Feb 20th – Dr Norah Patten Inspire Space, Scientist-Astronaut candidate with Project PoSSUM. "From Mayo to Space"
Mar 6th – Prof Peter Gallagher, (ex TCD, new head of DIAS) tbc, prob on Parker solar Probe and I-Lofar
Mar 20th – tbc
Apr 3rd – Prof Alan Fitzsimmons, tbc
Apr 17th – AGM
IAA Solar Day at WWT, Castle Espie, near Comber; 18th August, 2pm. – 5pm
The IAA will be back again at one of our favourite venues for our summer Solar Day on Saturday 18 August. We'll have solar observing if clear, using a variety of special safe solar observing equipment, an exhibition of telescopes, meteorites and other astronomical items, and of course the very popular shows in our own stardome.
https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/castle-espie/whats-on/2018/08/18/solar-day/
These shows need to be booked in advance with the WWT – seewwt.org.uk, or email karl.simmonds@wwt.org.uk , tel 02891 875975
Stop Press – Perseid Observing at Delamont Tonight (Fri 10th)
As Satirday looks to be a washout, some will be heading to Delamont from 9pm onwards.
http://irishastro.org/location
Good Luck and enjoy!
Total Lunar Eclipse, Friday 27th July – Scrabo Tower and Knockagh Memorial – CANCELLED
UPDATE: Weather – Cloud now 100% – Event Cancelled
Some call it a ‘Blood Moon’, but it’s actually the effect of a Total Lunar Eclipse, when the Moon turns a reddish colour – anywhere from orange to a deep crimson. And the fascinating thing is that we can’t tell in advance just how red it will be: that depends on the state of our atmosphere at the time.
A lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up exactly in a straight line, and thus the Moon passes into the shadow of the Earth as it orbits around it.
This will be the first Total Lunar Eclipse (TLE) visible from Ireland since 28 Sep 2015. It will be the longest TLE of this century, because the Moon will pass almost through the centre of the Earth's shadow, giving a particularly long traverse, although there are other factors too.
However we won’t see all of this eclipse, as the Moon will already be deep in the shadow as it rises above the horizon from Ireland. The maximum of the eclipse occurs at 9.21 pm, but the upper edge of the Moon won’t rise from Belfast until 9.27pm. It will take about 4 minutes more before the whole moon is fully above the horizon,
The total stage of the eclipse will end at 10.13pm, and by then the Moon will have risen to an altitude of only 4 degrees, or just about 8 times its own diameter, above the South East horizon, so to see it properly you must have a really clear view in that direction.
After the total phase when the whole of the Moon is in the Earth’s shadow, it starts to gradually emerge from the shadow, and this marks the Partial phase of the eclipse. That will end at 11.19pm, when the whole Moon has passed out of the darkest central part of the Earth’s shadow. It will then pass slowly through the faint outer penumbral shadow, but this is barely noticeable to the casual observer.
So you need to get as clear a view to the SE as possible, where the Moon will be deepest in eclipse as it rises.
Since by definition Full Moon is exactly opposite to the Sun in the sky, that means that there will still be bright twilight as the Moon rises, because the Sun will only just have set in the opposite part of the sky. And as the Moon may be a faint dull red colour, it may not be visible to the naked eye at first! Use binoculars if you have them to give you a better chance to spot it while it is still low down..
THE GOOD NEWS!
The IAA will hold TWO PUBLIC VIEWING EVENTS for this eclipse, starting at 9.15 p.m:
A: at Knockagh War Memorial Monument on the hill overlooking Greenisland, Co. Antrim, and
B. at the car park on Scrabo Hill, near Newtownards.
Both these locations have an excellent view to the SE, across Belfast Lough, and Strangford Lough, respectively. We will have a selection of telescopes and binoculars to give the best possible view of the eclipse, advice on how to photograph it; to look at Mars which will be at its closest to Earth since 2003; and to answer all your questions about eclipses, and astronomy generally.
MORE GOOD NEWS – we will also be treated to a very bright pass of the International Space Station just after 11 p.m. – that can be seen from anywhere in the country, but we will give you an informed running commentary on it.
IAA Midsummer BBQ, Sat 23rd June, at Armagh Planetarium
We are delighted to be able to confirm that the annual barbecue will again take place in the coach car park at Armagh Planetarium. We will be setting up from 3 p.m., and attending the Planetarium show at 4.00, “We are stars” (optional, the group rate admission charge of £7.50 per adult less 10% applies).
Please let Terry Moseley terrymosel@aol.com know BY RETURN if you will be attending the Planetarium show and how many in your group, so he can book seats.
For the BBQ, it’s the usual format – bring all your own consumables, cutlery, chairs etc if you want them – we supply the cooking facilities.
Terry will also conduct a tour of the Astropark, Hill of Infinity, Human Orrery, and the outside of the telescope domes.
Solar observing if clear.
We hope to see lots of you there.
New IAA Council elected
We had an excellent AGM+ night at the IAA with a brilliant talk on The European Solar Telescope Project by Dr Ada Ortiz followed by the AGM.
The new Council was elected with Brian Beesley taking over from Paul Evans as President. Paul had served as President for 5 of the previous 6 years during a period of continued growth for the Association.
The Aidan Fitzgerald Award was presented to IAAmember and Professional Photographer Bernie Brown for her fantastic work on the Images of Starlight and Heavens Above Astrophotography exhibitions.
From the left, Pat O'Neill, Tony Kempston, Adam Jeffers, Danny Collins, Fitzgerald Medal Winner Bernie Brown, outgoing President Paul Evans, Terry Moseley and incoming President Brian Beesley
Solar Lecture and Annual General Meeting – Weds 18th April
Wednesday 18th April marks the date of the 44th Annual General Meeting of the Association. The purposes of the meeting are to review the activities of the past year, elect a new Council for the coming year and for the Council to receive feedback from the membership on how they – that’s you – would like to see the Association develop.
We have also had a sub-committee sitting to decide whether or not the prestigious Aidan P Fitzgerald Award should be awarded this year, and if so, who the recipient should be.
This award is given no more than once a year for “Outstanding Service to the Association” and is named after one of the leading members of the Association in the 1940s and 50s.
This year we are re-arranging the order of events in order to allow and custom url on youtube very special guest to speak to us prior to the formal business.
TITLE: “The Eye of the Giant: Solving the Sun’s mysteries with the European Solar Telescope”
Let’s be honest: the Sun, when compared to other stars, is a pretty mediocre star. It is not very big, it is not very small. It is not very hot, it is not very cold. And it is in the middle of its life. But it is our own star, the one that gives us light and warmth, the star that gives us life. Life in planet Earth would not be possible without our Sun. In this talk we will travel through the wonders of our very own nuclear reactor. I will talk about how Earth — and indeed all of us — interacts with the Sun, about the so-called Space Weather, about the internal workings of the star and about what we still do not know about it. After one hundred years since the discovery of magnetic field in the Sun by George Ellery Hale, still many questions remain unanswered. In this context, the European Solar Telescope mega-project will help scientists to extract the smallest details of the Sun’s atmosphere and, hopefully, to give an answer to some of the long standing mysteries that surround the Sun. I will end the talk by giving a first hand insight on this 4-meter class european solar telescope that will use tomorrow’s technology to bring the Sun a little bit closer to us. Click here and check maid service paramus nj near me
Dr Ada Ortiz is a researcher at the Rosseland Centre for Solar Physics of the University of Oslo. As a teenager, she loved Astronomy and wondering about what’s out there, and she would do whatever it takes to become a real astronomer. That’s why she took a BSc and a PhD in Physics at the University of Barcelona and became a Solar Physicist. Her PhD thesis was finalist for the AGU’s Scarf Award in 2004.
The topic of her PhD thesis was the variations on the observed solar irradiance due to magnetic activity present on the solar surface. Soon Ada moved towards observations of the Sun at very high spatial resolution and whatever spectropolarimetry techniques could tell us about the physical properties of the Sun’s atmosphere and its magnetism at the finest scales. Now she is focusing on the process of emergence of the magnetic field from the interior of the Sun upwards into the solar outer atmosphere and its effects in the Sun’s activity.
Her job has taken her to living in different places: the Rocky Mountains in Colorado (USA) for her first postdoc, Oslo (Norway), Granada (Spain) and now back to Oslo.
Ada is heavily involved in the European Solar Telescope project. She is a member of the EST Scientific Advisory Group (that will decide on the scientific questions to be tackled with EST) and has also an education & outreach component in her appointment as the scientific responsible for EST communications in Oslo.
When Ada is not scrutinizing the Sun, she can be found diving, skiing, or just enjoying the pleasures of life.
All are welcome, though of course only paid up members are eligible to vote on business matters. Doors open about 7.15pm. There is free parking available on the campus in the evenings. Admission Free, including light refreshments. We are located in the Bell Theatre, Department of Mathematics and Physics, QUB – details here……
With thanks to the Astrophysics Research Centre, QUB, for assistance with this event.
Lecture Weds 4th April – Daniel Williams (Univ of Glasgow) – “The Universe is full of noises: A new perspective from gravitational waves”
In September 2015 the Advanced LIGO detectors in the USA made the first detection of gravitational waves from two black holes colliding at close to the speed of light. This discovery was the first astrophysical result to come from a century of theoretical and experimental efforts to take the predictions of Einstein's General Relativity to build a new field of observational astronomy.
In the past few years LIGO and other gravitational wave observatories around the world have continued to make new discoveries, including GW170817, the first detection of a binary neutron star coalescence, in August 2017, which was accompanied by observations from fifty electromagnetic observatories. This talk will cover a little of the history of the development of gravitational wave astronomy (and the part that the University of Glasgow had in it), and give you an insider's view on the recent observations which we've made, and on what we believe the future holds for gravitational astronomy.
Doors open about 7.15pm. There is free parking available on the campus in the evenings. Admission Free, including light refreshments. We are located in the Bell Theatre, Department of Mathematics and Physics, QUB – details here……
With thanks to the Astrophysics Research Centre, QUB, for assistance with this event.