The 'missing antimatter' problem is one of the major mysteries in our understanding of the universe. All versions of the Big Bang model indicate that ordinary matter and antimatter should have formed in equal quantities, and then mutually annihilated each other. The very fact that we are here, in a universe made almost exclusively of ordinary matter (ignoring Dark Matter and Dark Energy in this context), indicates that there's something missing in the theory! But antimatter does exist, as occasionally single antimatter particles are created by cosmic rays in our atmosphere; and it has been created in the lab in very small quantities, so it's real. But new research, in which Dr Sim was involved, is throwing some light on the universe's missing antimatter problem.

Although it seems an esoteric subject, it's actually both fascinating and fundamental, and the lecture will be presented at a popular and understandable level.

Dr Stuart Sim is a Lecturer in the Astrophysics Research Centre, Queen's University, Belfast.

Launch Event – 7pm – 9:30pm Friday 10th November

Introduction by The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim with talks by Dr Mike Simms from the Ulster Museum on Meteorites and IAA President Paul Evans on Beginners' Astrophotograhy. Virtual Reality Demonstration, Stardome sessions and, weather permitting, Night Sky Observng. £2 charge for Stardome

Stardome sessions 2pm – 4:30pm Saturday 11th November

Be guided through a projected simulation of the Night Sky by one of our experienced Presenters inside the IAA's Stardome. These presentations are very popular so it is recommended that you book on arrival. £2 charge for Stardome

Exhibition open 8th November until 6th January 2018

A presentation of forty images professionally printed, framed and hung, all taken by members of the Irish Astronomical Association. Some were taken at remote dark locations while many more were taken here in Northern Ireland covering a range of subjects and taken with both high-end specialist cameras and standard amateur equipment.

Also on display there is a selsction of Vintage Astronomical Equipment from Armagh Observatory & Planetarium, a collection of Meteorites from Dr Mike Simms and items of Space Memorabilia from Dr Andy McCrea.

Spectroscopy is a technique used to measure the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation and includes the visible light which radiates from stars and hot celestial objects.

This talk explains the terms used in astro-spectroscopy and examines how, using blue spruce maids technology now available to the amateur astronomer, scientific measurements of a star’s type, temperature and chemical composition can be made.

The equipment and computer software required to carry out spectroscopy on stars is examined and an example of the process of turning a processed spectrum image into useful calibrated scientific data is explained.

Dr David Lisk is a keen amateur astronomer and a retired Head of Informatics and Technology at a Higher Education college, where he lectured in Applied Science. 

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……

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is due for launch in October of next year on an Ariane V rocket. With much more light gathering power than Hubble, and the ability to operate well into the infrared, it will explore such topics as the re-ionization of the Universe, the formation of galaxies at very high redshifts, the birth of stars and planets, and exoplanet atmospheres.

After giving an overview of JWST's main instruments, and the type of science they are capable of, Prof Ray will concentrate in particular on what they can tell us about the first million years in the lifetime of a star like our Sun.  

Prof Tom Ray is a Professor at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies

Our speaker at this meeting is Dr Sophie Murray, currently a Research Fellow at TCD where she works on Space Weather projects within the Astrophysics Research Group. She has previously worked with the Met Office on Solar Physics and Thermospheric Modelling projects.

Dr Murray has over ten years experience as a research scientist, analysing and visualising large volumes of satellite data, and developing and verifying modelling techniques. Her current research interests range from solar flares and active regions to the impact of space weather on the Earth's upper atmosphere.

Space weather describes the changing environmental conditions in near-Earth space. Severe space weather events in the form of solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and solar energetic particle events, have the potential to severely affect a range of vital technologies. It is thus crucial to improve our scientific understanding of solar storms and the Sun-Earth connection in order to provide accurate forecasts of severe events.