For 2003, the annual National Astronomy Meeting (NAM), sponsored by the
Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) and the Particle Physics and Astronomy
Research Council (PPARC) moves from the UK to Ireland. The Astronomical
Sciences Group of Ireland are hosting the meeting in Dublin, where the
scientific sessions will take place in Dublin Castle. The meeting is
expected to attract about 300 professional astronomers.

Sessions in Dublin will feature recent research on a wide range of
astronomical topics, including cosmology, galaxies, stars, planets, the Sun
and astronomical technology. On Wednesday evening, Professor Steven
Beckwith, Director of the Space Telescope Science Institute, will give a
public talk in Edmund Burke Hall, Trinity College at 8 p.m..

Media representatives are cordially invited and press room facilities will
be available in Dublin Castle from 9 a.m. on Tuesday 8th April through to
1.00 p.m. on Friday 11th April ( press room phone nos. +353 1 6777608 and
+353 1 6777683). Media registration is free.

A full schedule of the sessions and other information about the NAM can be
found at

http://star.arm.ac.uk/nam2003/

Media can pre-register on-line at this web site, or by contacting Jacqueline
Mitton or Peter Bond, but advance registration is not essential.

More information about the meeting will be released in late March.

More about the Astronomical Sciences Group of Ireland at
http://star.arm.ac.uk/asgi/

RAS web site: www.ras.org.uk

PPARC web site: www.pparc.ac.uk