Looking to the future can also often involve looking back, and as we witness an apparent resurgence in the development of increasingly large Space launchers from a number of competing nations, we also see echoes of the past from a time when ‘ultra-heavy’ Space launcher concepts once existed in proposals Read more
MILD, WET, OCTOBER, SECOND DULLEST OCTOBER ON RECORD Armagh Observatory, 7th November 2025: Armagh Observatory reports that October 2025 was warmer and wetter than average, and the dullest October at Armagh for 79 years. Total precipitation was 108.5 mm (4.27 inches) including 6 trace values, therefore 108.2 mm if trace Read more
As we’re now well into the second half of summer in the Northern hemisphere and the number of hours available to us for stargazing are slowly but surely increasing again, the mild evenings make for some very comfortable viewings of some very special wonders in our night sky. So pull Read more
In an extraordinary fusion of Italian luxury and space-age innovation, fashion and aerospace have found common ground. The iconic fashion house that once dressed the elite of Milan is now outfitting astronauts bound for the lunar surface. Founded in 1913 by Mario Prada, Prada is an Italian luxury fashion house Read more
A new study led by PhD student Ethan Winch explores how stellar spin and mass loss shape the Universe’s heaviest black holes — connecting gravitational wave discoveries to the lives of the earliest stars. When the first gravitational waves rippled through Earth’s detectors in 2015, it was a historic moment. Read more
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, together with former PhD student Venu Kalari and a team of international researchers, have identified young, pre-main sequence stars in the low-metallicity dwarf galaxy WLM, using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). On Christmas Day 2021, NASA and ESA launched the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a Read more
When you think of space travel, you might think of images of rockets, astronauts in cool suits, and the shining stars in our skies, but did you know that before humans strapped themselves into rockets, we sent some unsuspecting animal astronauts into the cosmos? That’s right—before Neil Armstrong took his Read more
The European Space Agency (ESA) have officially approved two space missions, LISA and EnVision, for launch in the 2030’s. LISA will search for gravitational waves whilst EnVision will study the interior and atmosphere of Venus. Both missions have contributions from NASA. The process of being formally `adopted’ by ESA can Read more
The first launch window for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid satellite will come into view on Saturday July 1st at 16.12 BST. Euclid should originally have been launched on a Soyuz launcher from French Guyana, but because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, all joint ventures with the Russian Space Read more
We all know about the planets in our solar system inside and out (especially if you’ve been to the planetarium!), but what about those mysterious and spooky bodies in a galaxy far far away…? There are many planets outside our solar system (but most are still within the milky way Read more
by AOP Astronomer Gavin Ramsay Today the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched its Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission from Kourou in French Guiana on an Ariane 5 launcher after it was delayed for a day due to a weather forecast of potential storms. In the planning stage for Read more
What once sounded like a story from science fiction is now quickly becoming a scientific reality, with privately funded projects and NASA-supported studies into the feasibility of a radio dish nestled inside a lunar crater. There are two issues which must be addressed when observing in the long wavelengths of Read more
Astronomers of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP) have been part of one of the many teams around the world studying the outcome of the Double-Asteroid Redirection Test (DART): a space mission designed to test the human capability of deflecting an asteroid that may pose a threat to Earth. Don’t Read more
Those of us out and about on Spring evenings have been treated to a brilliant beacon of light above the western horizon. This is the planet Venus, our closest solar system neighbour. Venus has been called Earth’s “evil twin”, in that it is almost identical in size, mass and density Read more
“Commander Moonikin Campos” is the official name of the manikin launching on Artemis I, NASA’s uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft around the Moon later this year. The Moonikin received its name as the result of a competitive bracket contest honoring NASA figures, programs, or astronomical Read more
Burcu Gunay, Ege University, Turkey We have developed a new method to look for carbon compounds in space, akin to prospecting for oil on Earth. Between the stars lie vast amounts of interstellar gas and dust, spread thinly throughout our Galaxy. The dust can contain compounds of carbon. When it Read more
It’s been just over two months since The James Webb Space Telescope was launched into space. On Christmas Day 2021, Professor Michael Burton watched the launch online, whilst enjoying his Christmas dinner! So, what has happened since launch day and where is the telescope now? We find out more from Read more
On 22 January 1997, Lottie Williams from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was walking through a park around 4am with friends when they saw what looked like a shooting star in the sky. “It was just a big ball of fire, shooting across the sky at just a fast speed,” Lottie recalls. After Read more
The month of December offers us the most intense meteor shower of the year. These are the Geminids, so-called because they appear to emanate from the constellation of Gemini the Twins. At the peak of the shower, over 120 meteors – two meteors every minute – can be spotted under Read more
When Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and Jim Irwin touched down near the lunar Appenine mountains in the summer of 1971, they brought along a rover to aid them in their exploits. The use of this Lunar Roving Vehicle – or LRV as it was called – was the first Read more
by Apostolos Christou On the 11th of July 2021, we were informed that Virgin Galactic’s CEO Sir Richard Branson and his fellow passengers onboard VSS Unity reached “the edge of space”. But why “the edge” and not simply “space”, surely space is a well-defined domain so that one either reaches Read more
Exploring and learning new things have always been a passion for humankind. We like new challenges. Sputnik widened our perspective in 1957. Shortly followed by Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, in 1961. Today, only 60 years after Gagarin’s historical achievement, we have spacecraft all around the Solar System. Read more
How many moons can you see with the naked eye? The answer may surprise you.. Of the hundreds of moons orbiting the planets of our solar system, all but four are too faint to see with the naked eye. One of the four is, of course, Earth’s own Moon. The Read more
From when the first pressure suits of high-altitude military and experimental aircraft pilots were adapted for applications in Space in the 1960s, the spacesuit as we know it has continued to evolve. Let’s take a look at where things are at with the spacesuits of today and the direction in Read more
CHALLENGE ALERT! This weekend celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 14 when Commander Alan Shepard hit arguably one of the most spectacular golf shots of all time…on the moon! A truly out-of-this-world shot! To get you involved at home, we have launched a really special #AOPApolloChallenge! We want you to Read more
Season 1 has come to an end, and I still honestly can’t believe it has happened. I am so thrilled that we were able to create a podcast in, what is arguably, the most horrendous year in all human history. Heather From the get-go, Courtney and I had a vision. We didn’t want this Read more
by Apostolos Christou An international team of planetary scientists led by astronomers at AOP have found an asteroid trailing behind Mars with a composition very similar to the Moon’s. The asteroid could be an ancient piece of debris, dating back to the gigantic impacts that formed the Moon and the Read more
Juno NASA’s Juno Spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral August 5th 2011, beginning its long journey to the mighty gas giant Jupiter with the aim to reveal and understand the formation and evolution of the planet. Juno was equipped with many scientific instruments to investigate the existence of a rocky inner Read more
By Dr Marc Sarzi, Head of Research After the first image of a supermassive black hole more than 60 million light years away from the Earth1 amazed the whole World last year, black holes are back on the news this week following the award of the 2020 Nobel prize in physics to UK mathematician Roger Penrose, for its theoretical work proving that Read more
When the first astronauts came back from the Moon more than half a century ago, they brought back a scientific treasure trove of soil and rock samples. These were – and still are – intensely scrutinised in laboratories all over the world, allowing scientists to gradually piece together the history Read more
From the fertile imaginings of the 1950s and 60s in the American aerospace industry came a wealth of Space-launcher ideas in all seemingly conceivable (and sometimes, inconceivable) shapes and sizes. So as we continue to investigate some of the ‘biggest rockets that never were’ and cannot examine them all, let’s Read more
Mars is the only other planet in the solar system apart from the Earth that combines a clear – albeit thin – atmosphere and a solid surface. Therefore, an astronaut standing on the surface may observe and record phenomena on the martian sky, both astronomical and atmospheric. One of these Read more
A breakthrough in deciphering birth of supermassive black holes – astronomers zoom in on black hole with one of the lowest masses ever observed in nearby “ghost” galaxy. A research team led by Cardiff University scientists say they are closer to understanding how a supermassive black hole (SMBH) is born thanks Read more
By Apostolos Christou, Researh Astronomer Every 26 months, the positions of Mars and the Earth align in such a way to allow probes launched from Earth to reach Mars (see how to calculate launch windows here). The next such launch window has just opened, with three separate missions under starter’s Read more
Want to learn more about what you can see with only a pair of binoculars? AOP’s own Prof. Simon Jeffery explains how to get the most out of a pair of binoculars, and also issues you a challenge! A popular caricature of an astronomer shows an elderly gentleman with a Read more
A myth deeply engrained into popular culture is that the Moon is made of green cheese. The Apollo missions showed beyond reasonable doubt that the moon is made of rock and not, sadly, of one of our favourite dairy products. That being said, data brought back from Apollo and the Read more
Ireland’s entry into the space race is now at the testing phase. Preparatory testing for the space mission, EIRSAT-1, is taking place at the ESA’s Hertz antenna test chamber in Noordwijk, Holland. Educational Irish Research Satellite 1 is being built by students and staff of University College Dublin and Queens University Read more
So we know the biggest rocket that ever was, was the mighty Saturn V that took NASA’s Apollo astronauts to the Moon. But what about the biggest rockets that never were? Could there have been some other rockets that, had they been built, would’ve rivalled the Apollo era’s champion launcher? Read more
When Thomas Romney Robinson, director of the Armagh Observatory, invented the cup anemometer in 1846, little did he know that one day his invention would be recording the alien breeze on the surface of another world. Fast forward 130 years: On 20 October 1975, a small capsule detached from the Read more
SpaceX makes history today as, alongside NASA, it sends two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The firm has been taking cargo to the satellite many times before, but this is a momentous occasion as it is the first time a private company has sent humans to the ISS. The launch will occur from the Kennedy Space Read more
Now we come to the penultimate planet in our solar system, the lovely Uranus! That’s Not My Name! Uranus was discovered in March 1781 by astronomer William Herschel. He was observing the stars in the night sky using a telescope that he had built himself when he made the new discovery. Uranus was Read more
Now we come to the sixth planet from the sun, with the magnificent ring system, it’s Saturn! It is now the planet with the most known moons! Saturn recently beat out Jupiter in the moons category, even though Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar system and behaves somewhat Read more
50 years ago, humankind took its first steps on the moon, and the world celebrated. However, 47 years ago, the last human walked on the moon, and we have not been back since. Until now. The new programme that will take humans back to the moon is called Artemis, who Read more
Let’s move on to the largest planet in our solar system, the great gas giant Jupiter. Jupiter is over twice as heavy as all the other planets in the Solar system put together. Jupiter is a gas giant planet, the largest in the solar system, made up of swirling gases Read more
Today marks the 30th birthday of The Hubble Space Telescope (HST). On the 24th of April 1990 NASA launched Hubble into low earth orbit and it is still up there today! Hubble has allowed us to see deep within the caverns of space, revealing the most incredible and famous images Read more
Various nations have produced rockets of different shapes and sizes down through the years, but a question that often comes to the fore is which was the biggest of them all? As it takes objects with a large mass a considerable amount of energy to move against the pull of Read more
Those of you going out late in the day for an evening stroll or just enjoying the spring smells in your garden may have noticed a bright white beacon of light shining high in the west after sunset. This is Venus, the closest planet to the Earth and the brightest Read more
“Uh… Houston? We’ve had a problem.” Same Old, Same Old Apollo 13 launched at 2:13 p.m. EST, April 11, 1970 and since this was the third mission to the Moon, the public weren’t interested in moon landings. It was old news. Even things were too good to be true at mission control as capsule communicator (Capcom) Joe Kerwin had said that Read more
Mars 2020 Rover. What you need to know. Mars has long been the focus of many scientists’ curiosity and over the past two decades, NASA has sent many rovers and probes to the Red Planet as part of the Mars Exploration Program. These rovers have covered several miles and have Read more
One of our Astronomers, Dr Gavin Ramsay, reflects on his memories of some of the amazing telescopes he has travelled to throughout his career! When the telescope was invented in early 17th century, they were generally used in the urban environment. Gradually they were housed in quite grand purpose-built buildings Read more
During the early years of the space programme, and before humans ever ventured beyond Earth’s atmosphere, our non-human companions were sent into space – but why? In these early days humans were unclear whether we could even survive in space! Information gathered by sending animals into space first paved the way Read more
Back to our search for aliens in the second installment of the Astrobiology Series!
So as it turns out, we have had a secret, tiny moon lurking around our planet for potentially up to 3 years – and we had no idea! It’s not surprising we missed it – it’s no Europa for sure. It’s so small it is invisible to the naked eye. Read more
5 exciting things that you should know about the ISS in 2019! Making History 2019 was a very exciting year for space exploration as two Nasa astronauts embarked on the first ever all-female spacewalk! Jessica Meir and Christina Koch were tasked with replacing a failed power control unit. This was Read more
AOP researchers have used data from a NASA space mission to shed light on one of the most violent phenomena in our solar system – magnetic explosions on the surface of the Sun. Abhishek Srivastava, formerly a research associate at AOP and now a solar scientist at the Indian Institute Read more
Astrobiology is the study of life on planets or moons other than the Earth. But, to search for life, we must first know what life is. And that might not be as simple a task as you’d think. It turns out that ‘life’ might just be an arbitrary definition that Read more
In honour of World Mental Health Day 2019, here follows a brief overview of the mental health impacts of space travel and how NASA has altered its attitude to this pressing issue over the decades. Arguably, the worst thing to happen to Buzz Aldrin was walking on the moon. After Read more
Those of you who have been on this planet for longer than a few decades may recall the early days of the space age, when rocket launches were far from commonplace and each probe launched promised to do something fundamentally new: the first satellite to orbit the Earth, the first Read more
An update from Elon Musk on SpaceX’s vision for the future.
As it is Good Relations Week here in Northern Ireland, we are covering the history of international relations within the context of space. More specifically; how the backdrop of global relations and newly formed Russia worked together with their former rival The United States of America to build the first Read more
When the first module of the International Space Station (ISS) launched from Kazakhstan in 1998, humans just had a small orbiting home, about the size of a bus. Over the past two decades it has expanded beyond recognition, and is now an orbiting science laboratory that is literally out of Read more
President John F Kennedy’s speech to the United States’ Congress on the 25th of May 1961 encapsulates the romanticism that has adorned the endeavour of space exploration to this day. A President asking the representatives of his people to fund a daring, groundbreaking mission to, “before this decade [was] out, [land] Read more
Article by Professor Michael Burton, Director of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium July 20, 2019 marks 50 years from the day Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon, humanity’s first foot steps on another world. As much an awe inspiring feat then as it remains today. Indeed, despite the revolution in Read more
Continuing our weekly Astronomy & You series we have an article explaining the invention of Wi-Fi from Tony Beasley. Tony is an IAU member and is President of Commission B4 Radio Astronomy within the organisation. Tony is also the Director of The National Radio Astronomy Observatory in the USA. The history Read more
As we are fast approaching the 50th anniversary of man’s greatest achievement of landing men on the moon in 1969, we are taking a look back and how women were treated in NASA’s space program and how things are different (or similar) today. Sally Ride had never planned to be Read more
Continuing our weekly instalments outlining astronomy’s impact on your everyday life, we have an article by Jan Mathijs van der Hulst. Thijs is an astronomer, Professor of Radio Astronomy at the University of Groningen, and member of the IAU’s Division B steering committee. Below he outlines how time keeping owes Read more
Apollo 10 was the mission that almost made it to the Moon. Designed as the full dress rehearsal for Apollo 11, the lunar module “Snoopy” approached to just under 15 km from the Moon’s surface with astronauts Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan aboard. It was May 22, 1969 – 50 Read more
Continuing our weekly series on the application of astronomy to technology, we have an piece written by Dmitrij Bisikalo; Professor at The Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Astronomy and the President of the International Astronomical Union’s Commission B1 on Computational Astrophysics. In this piece, he outlines the link between Read more
As part of Museum Week 2019, some of the staff from Armagh Observatory and Planetarium have written a few words about which women in STEM inspire them particularly. Katherine Johnson by Helen McLoughlin With the excitement surrounding the 50th Anniversary of the first ever moon landing in 1969, I wanted Read more
This week’s instalment of the Technical Applications of Astronomy to Society features a piece written by Professor Antonio Mario Magalhaes; astronomer, IAU member and Full Professor at the Instituto de Astronomia, Geofisica e Ciencias Atmosfericas of the University of São Paulo in Brazil. In this piece, he outlines the wider Read more
To kick off our new weekly series on the Technical Applications of Astronomy to Society, inspired by a recent publication of the IAU (The International Astronomical Union), our Director Michael Burton has written a brief summary of the history and purpose of the IAU, as well as outlining some of Read more
While you may be familiar with black holes from sci-fi and many artists’ renditions of the phenomenon, our first actual view of the event horizon of the supermassive black hole which is at the centre of a neighbouring galaxy, Messier 87, was released 4 weeks ago to the day. What Read more
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of The Bovedy Meteorite falling in Northern Ireland on Friday 25th April 1969, Artist Noel Connor has compiled some thoughts and reflections on his experience with Bovedy. The sky always seemed low over our street in Andersonstown, with the Black Mountain looming behind the Read more
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Bovedy Meteorite falling in Northern Ireland, some of The Education Team at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium have written pieces about their favourite meteorites and craters from across the globe. The Mysterious Mbozi by Helen McLoughlin The Mbozi meteorite is the eighth largest meteorite Read more
Looking up at the wonders of the night sky is an amazing pastime, and whether you use a telescope or binoculars all you really need is the naked eye, but remember to give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adapt to the dark to ensure that you can see Read more
Satellites, our lives wouldn’t be complete without them. Since the beginning of the Space Race, Satellites have become a major part of how we observe our Solar System and the Universe, and also keep a close eye on our own planet.
Before addressing Black Hole sizes, we should first go back to see what astronomers mean when they use the term “Black Hole”. This may be easiest to understand when considering the end products of stars.
Next week, all being well a Falcon 9 rocket will take off from Cape Canaveral in Florida carrying a very special payload: a spacecraft built by a Tel Aviv-based company aiming to be the first privately-funded mission to land on the Moon. The launch follows an announcement, about a year Read more
Michael Burton, Director of the Armagh Observatory and Planaterium Monday January 21, 2019 – the last chance to watch a total eclipse of the Moon from Armagh for over a decade. Should we hold a special viewing session to give people the chance of seeing this celestial wonder?! Easy question, Read more
Article written by: Heather Alexander, Education officer At the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium we have been having a look at all the things that are going to happen throughout the year and trying to select some of the events that we are most looking forward to. Needless to say this Read more
Article written by: Helen McLoughlin, Education Officer Let’s face it, New Year’s Resolutions like ‘I’m going to the gym three times a week’ or ‘I’m going on a diet’ are all well and good but fizzle out after a week or two. Why not take up stargazing once a month Read more
Here we are, on the count down to Christmas, and we’re having a look at all the Astronotes that have been written for our blog this year. We’ve had input not just from the Education Team this year, but also the Academic Staff of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium.
Christmas Eve of 1968 saw the arrival of the first humans at the Moon – the crew of Apollo 8. A truly momentous event in history, the arrival of humans to another world for the very first time.
The rapidly-approaching 2019 will let us mark a half-century since human beings took the first steps on a body other than the Earth, namely our own Moon. But, come the New Year, lunar exploration is likely to make the headlines for one other reason: a number of robotic spacecraft built by three different nations will attempt to repeat the feat accomplished by the Apollo programme and land on the Moon’s surface.
Some seven months ago, a NASA spacecraft called InSight was launched atop an Atlas 5 rocket and headed to Mars (Figure 1). If all goes well, the spacecraft will land on the Martian surface at around 8pm UK time this Monday 26th November and begin its science investigation. InSight is a fixed lander (see Figure 2 below), a much simpler affair than the Curiosity rover that arrived in 2012 and continues its trek across the floor of Gale crater to this day. Mobility, is however, not required for the specific aim of the mission.
As had been reported on in an earlier Astronotes blog article, the International Astronomical Union was putting to the vote whether to change the name of the law relating to the expansion of the universe. Of the 11,000 professional astronomers entitled to vote on the motion, over 4,000 did. The Read more
As an earlier Astronotes article reported on, during its XXX General Assembly in Vienna, held in August 2018, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) put forward a draft resolution to rename the Hubble law as the “Hubble–Lemaître law”. The resolution was proposed to recognise Lemaître’s research on the expansion of the Universe, and to pay tribute to both Lemaître and Hubble for their fundamental contributions to the development of modern cosmology.
Have you ever wondered what is it like to live in space? How you put things down when there’s no ‘up’ or ‘down’? How do you sleep when nothing holds you to your bed? How you wash your face when the water does not behave normally? Here are some interesting facts about life in space.
Have you ever been worried about the impact of an asteroid wiping out human life? Well, I have some disturbing news for you: there is another possibility involving the explosion of a massive star that gives rise to a gamma-ray burst (called by astronomers simply a GRB), when the star ends its life producing a black hole.
After a special vote in the IAu General Assembly, we interview Armagh Observatory and Planetarium Director. Professor MIchael Burton, on the renaming of the Hubble Law.
Space is forever changing. Here is a list of 10 things we used to believe about Space.
Astronomers now know many hundreds of planets orbiting other stars in our Galaxy. These show an incredible amount of diversity in their basic properties such as size and temperature with no two planets being quite the same. But the Earth is still unique among planets within or outside our solar system in its ability to support life
July 20 1969 saw, arguably, the most famous event in all of human history when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the Moon and left his footprints there – a mark still indelibly framed in the lunar dust today, some 49 years later. It may seem almost as incredible that it is indeed nearly half a century ago that this epochal event occurred, one that united all of humanity for a short while, as we stared at that yellow orb in our night skies to know that one of our species was walking on it surface.
This summer experience our world and beyond as you sit back and relax in the Planetarium’s 360-degree dome theatre. With six different shows running Monday-Saturday throughout July and August there is so much to choose from, including a brand new film.
The Observatory and Planetarium has welcomed school students to visit for work experience. A previous Astronote described our work with the Faulkes Telescope Project. Below is an account written by three of our work experience students in 2018 March, based on the work done at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium by them and three other students.
