Hi,
Just some further info concerning our Astronomy Festival, over the last few festivals most of talks were centred around space science topics, which is appealing to some while does nothing for the amateur astronomer. This year we have five experienced amateur amateur astronomers included in the line up, further more our observing session was an excellent success last year taking place under clear although, very cold skies. The location was 10 miles from the hotel and probably too far, but will be kept in reserve should anyone want to use it this year. The main observing will take place at Bearna Golf Club (visible in google Earth/Street view), just six miles from the hotel on the very south eastern tip on Connemara with a clear unobstructed view of the night sky.Entrance fee is reduced this year to €25 for the Saturday. Diner optional extra.
The NUI, Galway Centre for Astronomy and the Galway Astronomy Club cordially invite you to a
Public Talk and meteorite Exhibition
“METEORITES AND FAMOUS IRISH FALLS” by Dr. Matthew Parkes, Natural History Museum, Dublin.
Date: Friday, 4th March
Time: 8pm.
Venue: NUI, Galway, Dillon Theatre
Free entrance, free parking
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Galway Astronomy Festival “Life and Death in the Universe”
Saturday, 5th March
9.00 – 9.45 am Registration
9.45 – 10.00 am Launch by Dr. Andrew Shearer, Director of NUIG Centre for Astronomy
10.00 – 11.15 Prof. Richard Butler (NUIG), The Creation Part II – Supernova 1987a
Served as head of the Chemistry dept Professor of Chemistry at NUI Galway from 1981 to 2008. Last spoke at the festival in 2007 with a talk on the organic chemistry of meteorites. He is a long-time amateur astronomer.
11.15 – 12.30 Prof. Chandra Wickramasinghe (Cardiff), Cosmic Dragons: Life and Death in the Cosmos
Chandra Wrickramashinge, the scientist who caused a sensation when he proposed that life on Earth could have been 'seeded' from space. Is a distinguished astronomer who has made important contributions to the theory of cosmic dust with his late collaborator, Sir Fred Hoyle. Director of the Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology and holds the highest doctorate (ScD) from the University of Cambridge, along with several other international distinctions. He is an award-winning author and co-author of over 20 books and over 350 scientific papers
12.30 – 14.00 Lunch and optional Workshop with Dave Gradwell (Portumna) on “The Art of Solar Imaging”
Dave Gradwell has been interested in astronomy for 20 years and always leaned toward astrophotography. Starting from basics “Imaging the Sun”, will show the techniques for capturing our nearest star at its best. He bought a Coronado PST in 2006 and so began a long time infatuation with the Sun. From projection to high resolution imaging in multiple wavelengths, this talk is designed to ignite an interest in an object that is too often over looked.
14.00 – 15.00 Prof. Mike Redfern (NUIG), Black Holes and Alexander Anderson
Professor for astronomy at NUI Galway and more recently single Point of Contact (and Chair) of the Irish Node for the International Year of Astronomy 2009. Since retiring in 2009 he has devoted his spare time to public astronomy outreach
15.00 – 16.00 Dave McDonald (Kildare), Irish Asteroids and Near Earth Objects
Dave Mc Donald is an amateur astronomer based in County Kildare, discover of two asteroids, the first only the second asteroid discovered from Ireland - the first (9 Metis) having been discovered by Andrew Graham in April 1848 from Markree Castle Observatory in County Sligo. While only recently and during his study of the light curve of asteroid 5714 Krasinsky, he made the serendipitous discovery of an eclipsing binary star. Chair of the Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies, Dave is a regular contributor to the IFAS boards and to the affiliated clubs
16.00 – 16.30 Tea/Coffee
16.30 – 17.30 Tom Boles (Coddenham), Hunting Supernovae
Tom Boles is a British amateur astronomer who manages a private astronomical observatory in Coddenham, Suffolk. He is currently the most successful exploding-star-hunter in history, with over record 138 supernovae discovered, many up to 100 million light-years away. He has also held positions of President and Vice President of the British Astronomical Association and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He has co-authored three books on popular astronomy, including the 2008 Yearbook of Astronomy, More Small Astronomical Observatories, The Science and Art of CDD Astronomy, and has published numerous articles in several magazines such as Astronomy Now, Sky and Telescope
17.30 Raffle
18.00 – 19.00 Visit to the Robotic NUIG Imbusch Observatory (optional)
19.00 – Dinner including Talk afterwards by Dr. Andy Mc Crea (Past president of the Irish Astronomical Assoc and editor of Stardust), “A Search for some of the Darkest Sites in America”
21.00 Astronomy Table Quiz or Observing
For full details and accom links please go to our website at
www.galwayastronomyclub.ieHope to see you there
Galway Festival Committee
