As per Terry's e-mail:
EUROPEAN DARK SKIES CONFERENCE, ARMAGH, SEP 17-19.
As previously notified, Ireland is honoured to be hosting the next European Dark Skies Conference, on the theme "Light Pollution And Its Impact". The formal title is "THE NINTH EUROPEAN SYMPOSIUM FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE NIGHT SKY"
PUBLIC LAUNCH LECTURE IN DUBLIN, Wed 16 Sep:
The Armagh Conference will be preceded by a public launch event in Dublin on Wednesday 16 September, with a public lecture by broadcaster Leo Enright who literally needs no introduction! Entitled "What is Light?", it will take place in the Royal Irish Academy, 19 Dawson Street, Dublin, at 18.30 for 19.00. Admission is free, but will be by ticket only, available from the RIA,
www.ria.ie
PUBLIC LAUNCH LECTURE IN ARMAGH, THURSDAY 17 Sep.
Leo will give this public lecture again in Armagh on the next evening, at 19.00 for 19.30, at the Market Place Theatre, Market Place, Armagh.
CONFERENCE, FRIDAY 18 & SATURDAY 19 SEPTEMBER, MARKET PLACE THEATRE, ARMAGH. The main part of the conference will be held in the same venue on the Friday and Saturday. See
www.lightpollution2009.eu
VISIT TO DARK SKY OBSERVING & ARCHAEOASTRONOMY SITE: BEAGHMORE STONE CIRCLES AND ALIGNMENTS. Included in the programme is a free trip by coach to one of the darkest observing sites in N. Ireland on the evening of FRIDAY 18th, which also happens to be one of the most interesting sites from an archaeoastronomy aspect - the Beaghmore Stone Circles and Alignments in the foothills of the Sperrin Mountains in Co Tyrone. We will see the site just before sunset when it is at its best. This trip will also include a FREE buffet meal at the nearby An Creagan Visitors Centre, followed by observing in a very dark sky at Beaghmore if clear.
There is a full and varied programme, covering other aspects such as the waste of energy, environmental and health effects, so it's not just for astronomers! We have lots of top speakers, on various topics, from all over Europe, and from America and beyond; one who is well known to all astronomers in these islands is Dr John Mason.
This is a major honour for Ireland, and Armagh in particular, and sponsorship from (principally) DSE and Armagh Observatory is gratefully acknowledged. It is also a major IYA2009 event for Ireland.
All amateur astronomers should be concerned about increasing light pollution, and this is your opportunity to learn more about it, and what you can do to try to stop it and even reverse it. Please attend if you can: thanks to sponsorship the cost has been kept incredibly low, and it includes morning and afternoon refreshments.
Full details of the latest draft programme, and the subsequent updates, are on the website,
www.lightpollution2009.eu/
PLEASE REGISTER NOW, if you can attend, so that we know how many to cater for. You will also find details of accommodation in Armagh (assuming you are staying for the whole
conference) and indicating whether you will expect to attend the Beaghmore trip and/or the conference dinner.
I hope to see lots of you there.
  