From: TerryMoselaol.com
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2004 19:43:42 EDT
Subject: 2 Armagh Lectures:

Hi all,

Two Events at Armagh:

1. Armagh Natural History and Philosophical Society, in conjunction with 
Armagh Observatory: Public Lecture - "Armagh's Longcase Regulators"

An illustrated talk on the use of timepieces in astronomy and a look at the 
Observatory's fine collection of  18th Century Regulators, by Dr Alastair Gunn 
of Jodrell Bank Observatory, in Armagh Observatory, on Thursday 14th October 
2004, at 8.00 pm.

Admission Free,   Everyone Welcome. But please let Aileen Brannigan know if 
you plan to attend, so she can gauge numbers: ambnstar.arm.ac.uk
(sorry for short notice - I've only just got this from Mark Bailey. T.M.)

2. More details on the Robinson Lecture by Jocelyn Bell Burnell:

ARMAGH OBSERVATORY 2004 ROBINSON LECTURE

The 2004 Robinson Lecture will be held on Friday, 26th November at 7.30 p.m. 
in The Studio Theatre, The Market Place, Armagh. The Robinson Lecture is held 
biennially in memory of the founder of the Armagh Observatory, Archbishop 
Richard Robinson. The guest Lecturer is Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell, former 
Dean of Science at the University of Bath and now Visiting Professor at the 
University of Oxford. The lecture is entitled "Tick, Tick, Tick Pulsating Star, How 
We Wonder What You Are!" 

Born in Northern Ireland, Professor Bell Burnell graduated in 1965 with a 
B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Glasgow, followed by a Ph.D. in Radio 
Astronomy from the University of Cambridge in 1969. While working as a research 
student on quasars, Jocelyn discovered a wholly new type of celestial object -- 
pulsars -- with the 4.5-acre radio telescope that she helped to construct. In 
the months following this initial discovery, Jocelyn went on to find three 
more of these pulsating radio sources, which were later identified as neutron 
stars rotating at up to a few hundred times per second. The discovery of pulsars 
was contained in an appendix to her doctoral thesis. 

"Pulsars are some of the most amazing objects in the Galaxy," commented Prof 
Bell Burnell, "And their discovery took the astronomical community by 
surprise. Like lighthouses in the sky they may be used one day as navigation beacons 
for interstellar travel. They have stretched our understanding of the behaviour 
of matter, and serve as very accurate clocks with which to check out 
Einstein's theory of relativity."

Professor Bell Burnell will outline the discovery and characteristics of 
pulsars in a non-technical manner and bring us right up to date with current 
research on these puzzling objects. A typical pulsar contains slightly more matter 
than the Sun within a sphere of radius 10km. These weird neutron stars have 
extreme electrical, magnetic and gravitational fields. Some pulsars have even 
been discovered to have planetary-sized bodies orbiting them, but why this 
should be so -- considering that pulsars are believed to be born from catastrophic 
supernova explosions -- remains an enigma. 

Jocelyn held the post of Professor of Physics at the Open University from 
1991 until 1999 and was subsequently Dean of Science at the University of Bath 
until Sep 2004. She is also the immediate past President of the Royal 
Astronomical Society. Professor Antony Hewish, Jocelyn's Ph.D. supervisor, received a 
half share in the 1974 Nobel Prize for Physics for his role in the discovery of 
pulsars. The late Fred Hoyle argued that Jocelyn should have received a share 
of the Prize.

For free tickets for this event, contact Mrs Aileen McKee at the Armagh 
Observatory, Tel.: 028-3752-2928; Fax: 028-3752-7174; or e-mail: ambnarm.ac.uk.  

Professor Bell Burnell will be available for interview on Friday 26th 
November.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John McFarland at Armagh Observatory,
College Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DG.  Tel.: 028-3752-2928; FAX: 028-3752-7174;
jmfarm.ac.uk; Website: http://star.arm.ac.uk/ Armagh Observatory

Information about the Armagh Observatory 2004 Robinson Lecture is also at: 
http://star.arm.ac.uk/publicevents/Robinson-Lecture-2004.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------

ROBINSON SCHOOLS LECTURE, Thursday 25th November 2004.

Professor Bell Burnell will also deliver the Robinson Schools Lecture at 2.00 
p.m. on Thursday 25th November 2004 at St Patrick's Academy,  Dungannon.  The 
title of the Schools Lecture is: "You Are Made of Star Stuff". Teachers may 
request free tickets for this lecture from Mr Stephen Grew, St Patrick's 
Academy,  37 Killymeal Road, Dungannon, BT71 6DS. Tel.: 028-8772-7400; e-mail: 
spgrew2000yahoo.co.uk.

Information about the Robinson Schools Lecture is also available at:
http://star.arm.ac.uk/publicevents/Robinson-Schools-2004.html

Clear Skies,

Terry Moseley

Last Revised: 2004 October 14th WWW contact:webmaster@arm.ac.uk

Go to HOME Page