From: TerryMoselaol.com

Subject: PanSTARRS seen, IAA Lecture, Armagh event, Globe at Night, COSMOS, Weblinks

Date: 14 March 2013 02:28:33 GMT

Hi all,

ˆà

1. Update -ˆàCOMETˆàPanSTARRS

ˆàˆà Comet Pan-STARRS (C/2011 L4) is now visible from our latitudes. Some local observers got their first glimpse on Tuesday evening: I missed it then asˆàI was giving one of my Stranmillis lectures.

ˆàˆà But I saw it earlier this evening (Wed) from Boghill, about 12m North of Belfast, along with Prof Alan Fitzsimmons, David Stewart and Ken Doyle.

ˆàˆà However, it was rather disappointing, to say the least. I would estimate the magnitude as +3, but that was notˆàas bright as you would think, as it was low down in fairly bright twilight.ˆàIt was visible in my 10x50 binocs, and a bit better in my 30x80s, but I couldn't see it without optical aid. Ken said he could see it naked eye, so I went to the car to get my specs, but by the time I got back the comet was sinking into a bank ofˆàhaze. It was noticeably yellow, and Iˆàcould see a tail of about 30 - 40 arcmins pointing up and to theˆàleft. There are photos by various IAA members on the IAA website: www.irishastro.org, and http://niphotography.co.uk/iaa/gal/index.php?/category/6ˆàbut don't expectˆàanother Hale-Bopp.ˆà

ˆàˆà It may get easier to see as it moves higher up and into a darker sky, but it is expected toˆàget fainterˆàat the same time, so it's hard to predict.

ˆàˆàˆà It may be too early to label it 'Down The PanSTARRS', but it's certainly not an easy comet from here, so far. I would rate it at only about 14th or 15th on the listˆàof the best comets I've seen.

Others have had better views: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/03/11/comet-pan-starrs-pictures_n_2851288.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

ˆàˆàˆàˆàVisit http://spaceweather.com for images, sky maps and observing tips.

The following site gives good viewing information for our latitude:

http://www.astro-sharp.com/2013/03/01/how-to-see-comet-panstarrs/

And this is an excellent guide to observing comets in general:

http://www.nightskyhunter.com/An%20Observing%20Guide%20To%20Comets.html

ˆàGood luck, and send in all your reports and images to me and to www.irishastro.org

ˆà

2.ˆà IAA LECTURE: The next IAA public lecture will be on Wednesdayˆà20 March, at 7.30 p. m.

It will be givenˆàbyˆàAndrew Dennis of Andor Technology: The title is "Andor and Cutting Edge Astronomy".

ˆà ˆàAndor, a Belfast company,ˆàis one of the world's leading designers and makers of advanced digital cameras, which are used in some of the world's leading astronomical imaging systems, both on Earth and in space. We are delighted to have this presentationˆàby an expertˆàfrom the company.

Synopsis: I will spend a couple of minutes discussing the types of cameras we make and where the company came from (QUB Physics), but the bulk of the presentation is focussed on the interesting applications where our cameras are employed, these include:

ˆàLucky Imaging

ˆàHunting for Extra Solar Planets using various techniques

ˆà AndoròÀÙs involvement in the development of the Curiosity (Mars) Rover

ˆàThe Sofia Flying Telescope (itòÀÙs a 14 tonne telescope in a Boeing 747)ˆà

ˆàAdaptive Opticsˆà

ˆàTracking space junk, mapping the Kuiper belt and tracking comets.

ˆà And a few other things

ˆàˆàˆàˆàˆàˆàˆàAdmission is free,ˆàincluding light refreshments, and all are welcome.

This lecture will as usualˆàbe in theˆàBell Lecture theatre, Physics building, main QUB Campus.

ˆà

3. Armagh Observatory PublicˆàSt. Patrick's Day Event

The Armagh Observatory and the Armagh Public Library are working together on St. Patrick's Day to provide an afternoon of guided tours and participative events as part of Creativity Month and of the St. Patrick'sˆà

Day celebrations in St. Patrick's City of Armagh.ˆà

ˆàˆàˆàThose with an interest in astronomy may have a tour of the Armagh Observatory's Human Orrery, just south of the main Observatory building, and a tour of the Astropark.ˆà These tours will begin at 2.00pm and 3.15pm respectively. From 3.15pm to 4.00pm, there will be a guided tour of the Observatory's Astropark, led by one of the astronomers. (www.arm.ac.uk)

ˆà ˆàIf the sky is clear, there will be stargazing and views of Comet PANSTARRS at No 5 Vicars' Hill, beginning at 6.45pm.

ˆàˆà Attendance at these St Patrick's Day events, part of DCAL's Creativity Month, is free, but to help us gauge interest please contact the Armagh Observatory in order to obtain tickets. lease write, telephoneˆà

or e-mail: Mrs Aileen McKee, Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DG; Tel: 028-3752-2928; Fax: 028-3752-7174; e-mail: ambnarm.ac.uk.

ˆà

4. Join the World-wide GLOBE at Night 2013 Campaign

ˆàWhat would it be like without stars at night? What is it we lose? Starry night skies have given us poetry, art, music and the wonder to explore. A bright night sky (aka light pollution) affects energy consumption, health and wildlife too. Spend a few minutes to help scientists by measuring the brightness of your night sky. Join the GLOBE at Night citizen-science campaign (www.globeatnight.org). The third campaign started March 3 and runs through March 12.

More information:

GLOBE at Night is a world-wide, hands-on science and education program to encourage citizen-scientists world-wide to record the brightness of their night sky. During five select sets of dates in 2013, children and adults match the appearance of a constellation (Orion or Leo in the northern hemisphere, and Orion and Crux in the southern hemisphere) with seven star charts of progressively fainter stars (www.globeatnight.org/observe_magnitude_orion.html).ˆàParticipants then submit their choice of star chart atˆàwww.globeatnight.org/webapp/ˆàwith their date, time and location. This can be done by computer (after the measurement) or by smart phone or pad (during the measurement). From these data an interactive map of all world-wide observations is created (www.globeatnight.org/map/). Over the past 7 years of 10-day campaigns, people in 115 countries have contributed over 83,000 measurements, making GLOBE at Night the most popular, light pollution citizen-science campaign to date (www.globeatnight.org/analyze.html). The GLOBE at Nightˆàwebsite is easy to use, comprehensive, and holds anˆàabundance of backgroundˆàinformation (www.globeatnight.org/learn.htmlˆàand www.globeatnight.org/observe.html). Guides, activities, one-pageˆàflyers and postcards advertising the campaign areˆàavailable atˆàwww.globeatnight.org/pdf/. Through GLOBE at Night, students, teachers, parents and community members are amassing a data set from which they can explore the nature of light pollution locally and across the globe. The remaining GLOBE at Night campaigns in 2013 are: March 31 - April 9, and April 29 - May 8.ˆàMake a difference and join the GLOBE at Night campaign.

Constance E. Walker, Ph.D. Associate scientist & senior science education specialist, NOAO;

Director, GLOBE at Night campaign (www.globeatnight.org)

National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO)

950 N. Cherry Avenue

Tucson, AZ 85719 USA

520-318-8535

cwalkernoao.edu

ˆà

5. COSMOS 2013: The next COSMOS star party will be held at Tullamore on 12-14 April. Speakers so far confirmed: Sara Beck of the American Association of Variable Star Observers from Boston, USA; Prof. Ian Morison, former Gresham Professor of Astronomy, Gresham College, London; Simon Jeffrey, Research Astronomer at Armagh Observatory; Declan Molloy, Midlands Astronomy Club; Simon Todd, renowned Irish astrophotographer; Dave McDonald, IFAS Chairperson and renowned asteroid hunter. And more still to be announced!

ˆà

6. INTERESTING WEBLINKS:ˆà

http://www.dezeen.com/2013/03/13/3d-printed-moon-base/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/meet-alma-the-alien-hunting-telescope-that-can-see-12-billion-years-into-the-past-8531736.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2292598/ALMA-Scientists-reveal-stunning-setting-worlds-largest-telescope.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/03/12/astronomers-find-alien-worlds_n_2860068.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/tech/

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/12mar_graymars/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2291696/Breakthrough-search-ET-scientists-develop-method-planets-orbiting-distant-stars-harbour-life.html

https://www.ras.org.uk/images/stories/triple%20quasar.jpg

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/08jan_sunclimate/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/revealed-first-image-of-a-new-planet-being-formed-with-star-dust-8435785.htm

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1303/11grasshopper/ http://astronomynow.com/news/n1303/05sidingspring/

http://astronomynow.com/news/n1303/05europa/ˆà

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2291590/Paypal-billionaire-reveals-new-video-reusable-rocket-HOVER-fly-Earth.html

ˆà

7. TWITTER:ˆàFollow theˆàIAAˆàon Twitter:ˆà IaaAstro

8. BBC THINGS TO DO WEBSITE: See theˆàforthcoming IAA events on ˆà

http://www.bbc.co.uk/thingstodo. Look under 'Countryfile'.

ˆà

9. JOINING the IRISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION is easy: This link downloads a Word document to join the IAA. http://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 you.ˆà See also www.irishastro.org.ˆà

ˆàˆà

Clear skies,

Terry Moseley

mob: (0044) (0) 7979 300842

Twitter: terrymoseley2

ˆà