From: TerryMoselaol.com
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 19:59:07 EST
Subject: RRS, IAA @ WWT,  Lecture, TV, Science/Art

Hi all,
 
1. 4th & 5th March: The annual Rocky Road Show, Ulster  Museum, Stranmillis 
Road, Belfast will, as usual, feature our very own planet,  and the IAA will 
have a stand showing the Earth, other planets etc, & as  usual our members' 
excellent collection of meteorites, including one of the  largest pieces of a 
Martian meteorite in private hands! The Museum is open from  lunchtime on Sat & 
Sun afternoon.  
   For members bringing in telescopes etc for display, you should  aim to 
arrive after 12 on Saturday and after 1 on Sunday. Let me  know by return if you 
are bringing any equipment by car, and on which day(s), so  I can arrange 
vehicle access for you.
 
2. IAA AT WWT. Moon, Planets, Mobile Planetarium at Castle  Espie: The IAA's 
annual public observing & mobile planetarium evening will  also be on 4 March, 
at WWT, Castle Espie, near Comber, Co Down, from about 7.30  p.m. We'll have 
the usual selection of telescopes & big binocs for viewing  if clear, and I've 
even arranged an excellent pass of the  ISS at about 7.37 specially for us!
   And if you can be there a bit early, at 7.14, we should see a  magnitude 
-8 Iridium Flare!
  The indefatigable, informative, energetic &  entertaining Robert Hill will 
be doing his usual shows in the portable  planetarium; Derek Heatly, the IAA's 
own 'Ulsternaut' will be talking about his  upcoming flight into space; and 
we'll have other talks, exhibition  material etc as usual. Normal WWT admission 
charges apply, except for IAA  members bringing a telescope or binocs, or 
helping with the event. So come  along, even with just your binocs!
 
3. The next IAA meeting  will be on Wed 8 March, 7.30 p.m., Stranmillis 
College, Stranmillis Road,  Belfast. This will be a double-header, featuring a 
presentation on the  forthcoming Total Eclipse by Yours Truly, particularly 
covering the IFAS eclipse  trip to Turkey; and a 'Hands-On Telescopes' session, by 
various IAA members.  This will give you a chance to see how to assemble, 
mount, and use a wide  variety of telescopes and mounts. Everything you were afraid 
to ask, and more,  in other words! Admission free, including light 
refreshments. All  welcome.
 
 
TV: 

4. Saturday  4 March,  BBC4  7pm.- 7.30pm. Sky at  Night  "The Loveliest 
Planet". Tips on observing  Saturn.  Repeat: Sun/Mon  5 March,  BBC1 12.55am.-  
1.20am   as above
Repeat: Saturday 11 March, BBC2  repeat of Sunday's programme (thanks  to 
Peter Paice for this)
 
5. Planet Earth, the latest blockbuster series from David  Attenborough and 
the BBC, features images filmed from space, amazing  high-definition camera 
technology, and low-light technology that allowed filming  deep in caves, Planet 
Earth is the penultimate in the Attenborough-BBC  collaboration that began 
with Life on Earth and which will end with Saving  Planet Earth, focusing on 
climate change. Sundays BBC1 9pm from March 5th, with  an accompanying Radio 4 
series and eventually film release for cinema.


6. Art, dust and gravity: This month's SEED Salon features  guest artist 
Grace Weir and astronomer Ian Elliott. Dublin-based Weir will  screen some of her 
video work, including Bending Space Time in the Basement,  Dust Defying 
Gravity and The Darkness and the Light, which resulted from  collaborations with Dr 
Elliott at Dunsink Observatory.  Tuesday March 7, at  7pm, the Odessa Club, 
Dublin 2.  Voluntary contribution: 5 euro. See: 
seedartscience.blogspot.com   


Clear Skies,
 
Terry  Moseley

Last Revised: 2006 March 3rd WWW contact:webmaster@arm.ac.uk

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