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From 24 July 2008: Site Maintenance, many files are being reorganised.

June 2008 Podcast of the sky by member Jane Houston-Jones (JPL, California).

Annual Membership Renewal falls due on 1st August 2008 (this date is the start of our year). The membership fee is €45 (concession rate €36; family rate €55). Early renewal is appreciated and it facilitates the smooth running of the Society. Thank you if you have already renewed. Renewals include a copy of Sky-High 2009.

Please send your remittance to:
The Hon. Treasurer
Irish Astronomical Society
P.O. Box 2547
Dublin 14

New members are also welcome.

Student of affiliated College wins prize:

Ashley Haberland (age 10), a student of Saint Andrews Junior College in Blackrock, Co Dublin has won one of the prizes in the European Southern Observatory's Catch a Star 2008 Competition.

She did a beautiful water-colour painting of a nebula. Ashely's work was judged by astronomical artist Gary Harwood, a member of The International Association of Astronomical Artists.

Saint Andrews is affiliated to the IAS. Well done Ashley!

At the 70th AGM on 13th May 2008 a new Committee was elected. Also, the subscription rate remains unchanged in the coming year, starting 1st August 2008.

New Members!: If you join now, your annual sub is good until 1st August 2009.

In the Shadow of the Moon special edition and new stunning images of the moon from JAXA (Japenese Space Agency) for school children.

If you are a secondary school teacher you may be fascinated to know that the IFI The Irish Film Institute are running a series of screenings around Ireland as part of their educational schedule. Contact details.

These screenings, which are country wide, are targeted toward leaving cert history students. The Apollo Programme is on the leaving cert paper, seeing this film would help students understand the achievements of these wonderful people in an historical context.

Check out the list of venues and check with the IFI to see if there are places available,indeed if there are any left at this time. It seems to be well booked by schools already. If you can not get connected with IFI this time around make sure to get on their mailing list for future educational events.

The voting is on for the ESO Catch a Star Artists Competition. Three from Ireland are in the under-10 age category and one is in the 10-12 age group.

Our Annual Sky-High 2008 guide to the sky for 2008 is available. Non-members may purchase it directly from us or from Eason's, O'Connell St., Dublin 1. (Members get it as a benefit of membership)

Next year has been designated "International Year of Astronomy 2009" by the IAU. There is an Irish site.

1 Jan 2008: Nova in Vulpecula. Details and Image.

Recently we celebrated our 70th Anniversary. The Society was founded on the 5^th October 1937.

An extensive history of the Society and Irish Astronomy
entitled Irish Astronomical Society - A History 1937-2006 has been published privately by James O'Connor. See details including an review and information on how to purchase a copy (directly from the author).

50th anniversary of Sputnik 1 on RTE News.

There was a feature about Dunsink Observatory, Dublin on RTE Radio a good while ago, it is still there on RTE.

The is a item in the Thursday, 20th Sep 2007 Irish Examiner (Farming Section) on IAS President Deirdre Kelleghan on her interest in Astronomy.

Society Visit to Newgrange

Saturday March 3rd 2007 was a beautiful spring day, many of us had not been to Newgrange for years. The visitors centre was outstanding, our guide from Duchas made it a very special visit by her passionate interest in this ancient sacred place.

Standing within the passage tomb, there was a marked stillness and we all came away with huge respect and admiration for our neolithic ancestors. A profound place for astronomers to visit, we were all keen to get back home to set ourselves up for the total lunar eclipse later on that evening.

We are making plans to return to the Boyne Valley and visit Knowth and Dowth, perhaps after Easter.

In the photo (courtesy Deirdre Kelleghan) left to right is: John O'Neill, Deirdre Kelleghan, Catherine Chambers, Patricia Carroll, Elizabeth Caird, Tom Cormack and Carmel Cormack.

The Lindsay Centennial Symposium took place in Armagh on 26th January 2007 to honour Dr Eric Lindsay (1907-1974) who was a pivotal Director of Armagh Observatory (1937-1974) and founder of Armagh Planetarium (1968).

IAS (Honorary) Members Dr Maire Brück and James O'Connor, in separate talks, spoke on the early days of the IAS from the 1930s to the 1950s.

(photo by J.O'Neill)

16 Dec 2006: A new I.A.S. Discussion Forum is open to society members.

This discussion forum is for members to ask questions and exchange information on all things astronomical. It's also a way for remote members to keep in touch with the home front and keep up with the latest society news.

When applying it is necessary to give one's real name (for verification purposes).

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