Category Archives: IAA

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

The full Council is as shown here….

IAA New Year Party – Sat 6th January 2018

The New Year Party will be held as usual in the Tudor Cinema, Drumhirk, Comber on Saturday 6th January 2018. A buffet meal will be available in McBrides 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 `Hidden Figures’ starting at 7.30pm and followed by a prize quiz. Visit Irish Paving.
 
Free refreshments will be available in the emergency home solutions, including Terry Moseley’s hot punch!
 
N.B. Due to seating capacity restrictions at the Tudor Cinema, numbers will be limited to 60, so early booking is advisable.
 

Download the Ticket Application Form here…..

IAA Members’ Eclipse Success

We're very pleased to report that a number of IAA members on holiday in the USA have had excellent viewing conditions for the Total Solar Eclipse – the featured image comes from Andy McCrea in Idaho with excellent conditions also being reported from Terry Moseley and Kate Russo in Wyoming and a number of members of the Irish Astronomical Community in Oregon.

Congratulations all, well done!

More to follow.

Annual General Meeting, Weds 12th April

Wednesday 12th April marks the date of the 43rd 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.
 
As well as the formal business, which we will try and complete as quickly and efficiently as possible, we will a showing of a short film marking this day as "Yuri's Night", being the 56th annivaersary of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first man in space. Then we'll have a telescope auction, bring and buy and telescope clinic, so if you're looking to buy some new gear, bring some maony along and grab a bargain!
 
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.

2016-17 Memberships Due

A reminder to Members, and indeed anyone who wishes to become a member, that the membership year begins on 1st September. Despite rising costs, by managing the Association’s finances carefully we have managed to hold the membership fees down to the same level as they have been for several years now and as always we are providing a full programme of 14 lectures plus the AGM together with observing nights and our comprehensive outreach programme at lånepengar.se.

New and existing members can (re)join here……

Membership of the IAA costs £20 (€25) per year for Individual Membership or £25 (€30) per year for Family Membership (all members of a family at one address) from September to August and entitles members to attend all IAA events including our regular speaker programme. Also, there are four issues of the IAA magazine “Stardust” produced annually and these will be delivered to your home address.

Weds 13th April – Annual General Meeting

Wednesday 13th April marks the date of the 42nd 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.
 
As well as the formal business, which we will try and complete as quickly and efficiently as possible, we will have no less than three reports back from the Indonesian Total Solar Eclipse of 9th March from Terry Moseley, Andy McCrea and Kate Russo.
 
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.