Ennis Area

I know this isnt the right place for posting this, well as far as I know but here goes it.

I was thinking through-out the rest of the year of setting up observing sessions in my home town of Ennis(Co.Clare) for people close to Ennis town centre. My real question would be how would I go about it. Please excuse my question as I never done this before but would love to do something for IYA and maybe encourage people to join great science??

Hi,
In Limerick the club here is going to organise observing sessions in March and April in the city and will hopefully do them going forward.
Now obviously light pollution is the big problem as are the public's expectations.
Showing them a mag 12 faint fuzzy galaxy is not going to impress anyone, so we're selecting the moon, Saturn and the very brightest clusters up there.
I remember how underwhelmed some were a few years back and the tiny red dot view of Mars through one of the 8" SCTs, while the pleiades got wows through one of the low power 4" refractors.

We've pretty much selected a city centre location which is easy to get to, the club has weekly articles in the weekend Limerick leader so were going to use these to publicise the event.
The club is bringing along its scopes with possibly some club memeber scopes also.

We did some digging with the gardai and city corporation, see my post in the bottom of this link,
www.irishastronomy.org/forum?func=view&catid=11&id=70978

As for the weather its pot luck really.

Jononeill.
That's a great attitude!
Wish there were more like you.
I wonder have you ever come along to one of
Shannonsides meetings?
We incorporate the Clare / Limerick & Tipperary area.
I'm from Shannon myself and we could do with more from the Banner in the club

If you like,
come along to our next meeting - it's on in Mary I
at 8pm - room 207.
It's the AGM but newcommers are always welcome!

More info here
www.shannonsideastronomyclub.com/

Yes were a rare breed us banner astronomers :lol:

I must admit I havent been to one of your club meetings but I must.

I'm doing this in aid for people with no sort of transport. But I guess the hardest part would be to find an observing site in Ennis free from street lights.

I wouldn't be too worried about the streetlights
when it comes to 'sidewalk astronomy'
Best things to point to are the Moon & the brighter objects
such as the seven sisters (as Dave says above)

Maybe we could tie in one of our 100 hours events with
something in Ennis.
Public outreach is what IYA 2009 is all about.
We'd be happy to help in whatever way we can.

I'd suggest posting something on the SAC messageboads also
just to get things going.
shannonsideastronomyclub.com/phpBB2/index.php

Yes I can think of numerous objects to show people. Im sure saturn will still put on a show even without the rings showing its fullness.