After entering the Twittersphere in 2010 Armagh Planetarium’s online presence has grown over the past few years encompassing the Astronotes blog and Facebook accounts. We at Armagh Planetarium have also recently launched a Pinterest account for you to follow or Read more…
Have you ever stopped and really thought about the possibility of finding life in the universe or maybe that extra-terrestrial life finding us! And then, when they find us, what if they aren’t exactly friendly and they want our planet Read more…
In July 2015 Belfast Met opened its doors to budding astronauts, pilots and app geniuses with a new series of STEM summer camps. The free activity camps took place at Titanic Quarter Campus for over 16’s interested in fun experiments Read more…
August, it’s one of our favourite months of the year. Whether you’ve been on your summer holidays or not, August is a month to relax, and have fun with family and friends. The month August was named after the infamous Read more…
Peer deep into the constellation Sagittarius and you will find a spectacular young star cluster and its associated stellar nursery. These are M8 and the Lagoon Nebula. More than 4300 light years (1320 parsecs) from the Solar System, this Read more…
Nine years of waiting are over! New Horizons has been to Pluto! Well done humans! Pluto has turned out to be slightly bigger than we thought having a diameter of 2370 km. This means Pluto is about 30km larger Read more…
Maybe you have seen one of the alarming videos or emails circulating around the internet claiming that the End is Nigh. The claim is that an enormous dinosaur-killer of an asteroid is going to smash into the Earth sometime between Read more…
July is here and that means it is officially the summer holidays. School is out and we are all planning our holidays either abroad or at home. Whether you leave the country or stay in it, there will be many Read more…
The space programmes of the USA and USSR began in a spirit of bitter Cold War rivalry but by the early 1970s internation tensions had eased a little into a détente and what had been unthinkable ten years earlier was Read more…
Recently the idea of people living on Mars has been the talk of the astronomy circle and has captured the minds of many. Once posed with this possibility, the natural inquisitiveness of people kicked in. Is it possible? Why are Read more…
Some of us who have vivid memories of famous spacecraft and rockets that ‘had their day’ in the consciousness of the world may wonder what prominent space agencies are working on today that in stature could match their former technological Read more…
Our Solar System is vast. We on Earth cruise around the Sun in an orbit with a radius of about 150 million km (93 million miles), but the most distant planet, Neptune, is about thirty times further from the Sun. Read more…
It is already one of the biggest films to hit cinemas this year, and if you haven’t seen Avengers: Age of Ultron yet, then I urge you to go and see it. Not only is it a brilliant action film, Read more…
My relationship with Tom Mason nearly got off to a rocky start when I thought I was going to have to throw him out of his own planetarium! Once upon a time when the world was young, I didn’t Read more…
June is finally upon us, and the summer is officially in full swing. The nights may be brighter for longer, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some brilliant stargazing to be had. If anything, summer is a wonderful time Read more…
When was the last time you ever stopped to have a good think about the giant natural satellite that orbits our planet? The Moon is something that has fascinated us for centuries, but by and large, we have now come Read more…
If you missed the Lyrids meteor shower in April, starting of May you had another chance to see some shooting stars as the Eta Aquarids meteor shower peaks on the 5th of May into the morning of the 6th. The Read more…
A research group called the Eagleworks at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Texas is tasked with investigating novel space propulsion techniques. These include both warp drive concepts to enable faster than light travel and reactionless drive schemes where electric power Read more…
In November 2014, the European Space Agency’s washing-machine-sized investigation and analysis lander lab Philae, did something that no other automated probe had ever done before, it successfully landed on a comet. But apart from this monumental achievement what has the Read more…
The ‘Dog Star’ or Sirius is a star that has its influential place in astronomical history. It is mentioned as far back as the Babylonians and was used to help signal the annual flooding of the river Nile with the Read more…
As we head into spring it’s time for dusting off those telescope lenses and brushing up on some constellations. With the warmer weather coming in there’s also hope to see some meteors as April finishes off with the Lyrids meteor Read more…
With a ‘space-exploration CV’ big enough to eclipse the achievements of most of the other space probes in its class, the Cassini-Huygens orbiter has revealed much from one of our Solar System’s most fascinating planetary systems, Saturn. Cassini-Huygens’ fact-finding days Read more…
One year or 365.25 days, the length of time it takes the Earth to complete one orbital path around the Sun and the length of time American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will spend out of this Read more…
In July 2015, we will finally have our long-awaited closeup views of the dwarf planet Pluto and its moons when NASA’s New Horizons probe flies past the tiny and distant worlds. Assuming all goes well, suddenly we will have revealed Read more…
As everyone knows on Friday 20 March 2015, a total solar eclipse will occur across the far northern regions of Europe and the Arctic. A partial solar eclipse will be seen over a much wider area of Earth including northern Read more…
Would you like to discover more about the night sky? Stargazing the Night Sky is a short and very informal course is for complete beginners who want to know more about the wonders of the cosmos. The course takes Read more…
In association with BBC Stargazing Live 2015 and the Northern Ireland Amateur Astronomical Society (NIAAS) Armagh Planetarium is opening its doors for a free open evening on Tuesday 24th of March 2015. We will be open from 7pm-9pm with Read more…
So far this year we have seen QVC presenters discussing whether the moon was a star or a planet. On having searched online a voice in their earpiece told them the moon is a natural satellite, however this did not Read more…
Already the year 2015 is proving to be a great year for stargazing with planets, comets and meteorites gracing the skies but prepare for March as it brings a ‘micro moon’ and a solar eclipse. The planets are still sticking Read more…
If you’ve ever looked up at a sky full of stars and wondered just what else is out there then you might want to come to Ballyhackamore Public Library on 23 March 2015. The library will be hosting Read more…
Seventy thousand years ago our world, unmarked by agriculture and industry, was a very different planet. Back then Earth was shared by at least four separate types of human being. Tough and sturdy Neanderthal folk hunted mammoths and built huts Read more…
At the planetarium it is often stated that every time you look into the sky you are doing astronomy, it has become a slight mantra that we chant to encourage people to gaze up at the visible universe and really Read more…
The shortest month of the year holds a lot of promise when it comes to the nights sky and whether you are making plans for Valentine’s Day or still wondering how we have reached February already, it is worth pencilling Read more…
Dyson spheres are an outrageous concept. The idea of looking for alien megastructures in space appeared at the end of the 1950s and was widely discussed in speculations about searching for extraterrestrial civilisations. It also inspired some great science fiction Read more…
Although not quite the ’12 days of Christmas’ gift inventory’, the following checklist should give us a quick peak at some significant events connected with space that we can look forward to witnessing from early 2015, as well as giving Read more…
NASA’s Dawn Space Craft is already a success story. It was launched on board a Delta II rocket in 2007, has spent 14 months investigating the asteroid Vesta, is using ion propulsion for acceleration and is now en route to Read more…
The Universe is shrouded in mystery yet through the Centuries, mankind has slowly unravelled many of its dark secrets. Mark Thompson: Stargazer reveals the hidden nature of the Universe, brought to life with mind-blowing demonstrations. Best known for Read more…
Every child at some stage dreams of reaching the stars and sadly as we grow up the reality of becoming an astronaut often disappears as it seems to become unreachable. Well teachers across the country unite and let’s give the Read more…
In 2014 Armagh Planetarium’s website (including Astronotes) received well over 1 million page views from all over the world. What were all these people coming to see? Here are the 10 most viewed Astronotes articles of 2014. 1. Read more…
When Chris Hadfield revealed the heavens to people across the world by making us feel like we were there with him with his beautiful images and excellent videos he really opened up what the job and duties of an astronaut Read more…
January is the marmite of every year, individuals either love it or hate it as it brings the beginning of a New Year and new opportunities yet marks the end of the festive Christmas season and a previous year filled Read more…
If at one time or another any have considered NASA’s human space exploration program to have been rather uneventful, unambitious, or even stagnant since the days of the Apollo Moon missions, they will now need to sit up and pay Read more…
Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) was discovered in August 2014. Observers in the southern Hemisphere could see it throughout the last quarter of 2014. By December 2014 the comet could be seen in binoculars or a small telescope as a faint Read more…
As the festive period is here once again, a lot of social gatherings and family time are part of the itinerary for most. So this year instead of telling the regular old Christmas cracker jokes why not entertain your friends Read more…
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. All of our entries for our 2014 Christmas Card competition are up on display at the Planetarium for all to enjoy over December. This competition now in its fourth year continues to Read more…
The December skies mark my favourite time of the year for stargazing. Despite the cold weather, the skies promise the best opportunities to see what lies beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. So pour yourself a hot chocolate, wrap up in warm Read more…
For my Top 10 Space Themed Christmas Present List this year I wanted to compile a list of unique gifts for children. These are items that Santa would have to plan getting in advance of the big day arriving! So Read more…
Humans have been exploring mysterious lands and faraway civilizations for hundreds of years ever since they had the ability and knowledge to do so. A curiosity and a desire to investigate the unknown has helped humans learn more about the Read more…
On 2March 2004 the European Space Agency (ESA) launched an ambitious and exciting robotic explorer into space, and you probably have heard its quite pretty name mentioned a lot lately. It is the trailblazing Rosetta spacecraft and it has been Read more…
Despite November marking when it really becomes colder and everyone has to adopt of the coat once again, it is a great month for stargazing and especially for those wanting to witness some meteors. Observing meteors can be a Read more…
The second human Moon landing might have ended in disaster 36 seconds after liftoff. It was 14 November 1969 and the mighty Saturn 5 rocket carrying the crew of Apollo 12 was steadily ascending into the Florida sky when it Read more…
October is an interesting month for astronomers as World Space Week falls from 4 October until 10 October and coincidentally it’s a good month for keen astronomers to take to the skies. This time of the year is perfect for Read more…
The ancient Chinese thought they were stars inside a solar orb. The Aztecs thought their Sun god had pockmarks on his face. A Renaissance astronomer thought they were undiscovered planets. Some believe they are the cause of climate change or Read more…
I have never met a child who is not fascinated by the stars. Learning to find and recognise planets and constellations is the first step in what can be a lifelong journey through the wonders of the Universe. All the Read more…
When Percival Lowell began the search for “Planet X” little did he know the countless arguments he would cause and effectively how these would lead to a seemingly ever changing solar system. “Planet X” was not the believed birthplace of Read more…
When we think of the constellations of this time of year, Cygnus, Lyra, Aquila and Hercules are first to come to mind. However there are other overlooked constellations out there, some even hidden inside the Summer Triangle. Let’s go out Read more…
The good news first: a major aerospace contractor is researching how to build a reusable spaceplane that could dramatically cut the cost of accessing low Earth orbit. Now the bad news: it is purely for military users and cannot carry Read more…
June 2014 saw excited reports that NASA was working on a faster than light warp drive starship. Astonishingly, weeks later we are being told that NASA has also successfully tested a device which could push along a space vehicle without Read more…
We all know of the pioneering journey of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and the sometimes forgotten third astronaut Michael Collins. Armstrong and Aldrin were the first astronauts to successfully land the Lunar Module (LM) Eagle on the Moon in 1969 Read more…
In August the Summer Triangle continues to dominate the seasonal sky. This classic asterism is defined by three bright stars of the constellations Cygnus, Aquila and Lyra, these are the distant but dazzling Deneb (Alpha Cygni), Altair (Alpha Aquila) and Read more…
In many walks of life a single concerted effort to achieve the impossible will usually encounter opposition on all sides, however it appears that this reality is little diminished when it comes to astronomy. So for the largest space telescope Read more…
Looming large in the after dark southern sky in July is the large and overlapping but often overlooked constellations of Ophiuchus and Serpens. Lacking outstandingly bright stars these “two for one” constellations still contain much of interest. Ophiuchus is Read more…
“Man must rise above Earth, to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives” Socrates (circa 399BC). Of course the philosopher Socrates would not have been thinking about Read more…
In July 1969, those who could gathered around available television sets and radios for the moment that human life would leave their first trace on the Moon. At 0256 GMT Neil Armstrong stepped out of the Lunar Module Eagle. As Read more…
When asked about famous astronauts, children can usually name the big hitters such as the humble Neil Armstrong and his co-lunar lander Buzz Aldrin. Some can even throw in for good measure the third member of Apollo 11, Michael Collins Read more…
There has been a lot of excitement over reports that NASA is developing a faster than light starship propelled by a warp drive capable of making journeys to nearby stars in mere weeks. There are even very pretty artist’s impressions Read more…
While HST’s successor is named after the architect of the revolutionary Apollo Moon missions, an obvious tribute to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s second administrator, James E. Webb, the name given is perhaps also symbolic of the aspirations of Read more…
On 15 June 2014 look south about 10.30pm. The sky will be far from dark, but with a little effort you ought to spy the triangle topped by the star Arcturus and with Saturn and Mars at its base. By Read more…
Once we believed we lived in an absolutely typical planetary system. Around the Sun, small rocky planets huddle close in taking months or years to complete an orbit while huge and chilly gas giants slowly circle further out orbiting the Read more…
Is it possible that ancient cultures 7000 years ago knew how to create flying machines to traverse the sky and beyond using a technology that NASA engineers are still trying to harness today? The first artificial satellite launched famously into Read more…
Although the concept of something being “there” but being hidden from our eyes under the cover of darkness is one that has disturbed usually one or other of us once upon a time, when it comes to space it’s hard Read more…
Technology in this day and age has progressed leaps and bounds over the years and things that may have once been out of reach of the normal everyday person have become more readily available. For instance something as huge and Read more…
“Encouraging school children to enter the world of aerospace, engineering and science” This is the motto for the Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge which takes place across the globe. The prize, if you accept the challenge, is an all-expenses paid trip to Read more…
Looking south from Northern Ireland after sunset in the middle of May and you will see there is a parade of planets dominating the sky. On 15 May 2014 about 10.30pm, sweep westwards from the rising full Moon in Read more…
It is almost three years since NASA’s Space Shuttle program flew its last mission in July 2011, after providing a mode of transport into space for various crews over a 30 year career. The retired fleet of four orbiters (Challenger, Read more…
We could call April ‘The month of the Hairy Beasts’ as we’ll encounter more than a few as we leapfrog across the constellations over the next few weeks! And will you see a galaxy-sized monster rearing up out of the Read more…
One of the latest members of the Solar System to be discovered, 2012 VP113 is a tiny isolated world in the outer Solar System. It’s attracting attention as it could one day help lead astronomers to discover a whole new Read more…
Asteroids, chunks of rock and metal orbiting the Sun, were once considered “vermin of the skies” by astronomers. This disparaging term originated when a long-exposure image of a deep sky object on a glass plate was ruined by the trail Read more…
With the let-down of the much anticipated Comet ISON you could be feeling that you have had your quota of comets for a while, but within one year of comet ISON’s sad demise, we are to be visited by another Read more…
Astronomy is a science that knows no borders. Everyone around the world can look up to the sky and see the Universe in front of them, providing the glare from city pollution doesn’t spoil the view. In the past scholars Read more…
Since March means “Mars’ month” in Latin, we should find it a minor coincidence that Earth’s red terrestrial neighbour plays a more major role in the sky over the next few weeks. With continued astronomical twilight, an exploration of the Read more…
The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure’s “Creativity Month” is an annual celebration which takes place each March. It inspires creative and collaboration amongst many industries from theatre to astronomy! Throughout the month of March there are exciting events and Read more…
There are said to be many unexplained occurrences and phenomenon in the Universe but us science-minded folk like to think we have solved most of those mysterious and unusual events here on Earth. Yet we humans are still baffled by Read more…
You may have heard of the name Galileo. Perhaps it is through an interest in science or maybe it’s from the Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody”. But who was the man behind the famous name? What did he do and achieve? Read more…
Comets are frozen lumps of ice (often called volatiles) and rock that come from distant parts of our Solar System. As they move closer and around the Sun, the frozen materials start to melt and this causes a tail to Read more…
While the winter sky may be the ‘Aladdin’s cave’ for skywatchers, and we may already have plundered deeply one of its greatest celestial treasures, the constellation of Orion, we forge ahead undeterred as February reveals yet another vault of celestial Read more…
Looking back at the history of female astronomers, it was sure to be filled with some drama and struggles. Like many other professions over the centuries women have striven to be allowed to even study astronomy and have their findings Read more…
Once again, astronomers around the world are investigating a stellar explosion, a supernova, in M82, a galaxy 12 million light years away in the constellation Ursa Major. Although supernovae are awesomely destructive, this event is far, far too distant to Read more…
Mars, our rusty, red neighbour, has long since been a source of fascination for star-gazers, scientists and science fiction fans. This world has sparked the imaginations of many in the hunt for alien life and it may even become a Read more…
Chris Hadfield needs no introduction. The Canadian astronaut is one of the most famous people in the world, and during his time commanding the International Space Station was undoubtedly the most famous person off-world. On 12 January 2014 Armagh Planetarium Read more…
Teachers from across Northern Ireland have come together to learn how to build and launch their own rockets. It’s all part of an initiative deriving from a new ‘Space Science Technology’ qualification developed by local exams body, the Council for Read more…
With an eventful stargazing year behind and us teetering on the brink of 2014 wondering what it may have in store, we can plunge in with confidence knowing that the night sky promises to reveal no less than some of Read more…
The year 2014 could see the first 3D printer brought into space, the first fare-paying passengers leave Planet Earth on the Virgin Galactic and the first test mission of a new vehicle called Orion that might one day take humans Read more…
If you have a spare nine minutes, grab a coffee and chocolate biscuit and sit back and enjoy the amazing video chronicling Friends School Lisburn’s entry into the space race! Wasn’t that fantastic? You can learn the true story about Read more…
When most people take their vacation for the year they tend to do their best to completely take their mind of their work and as I boarded the long flight to Orlando Florida and I did my very best to Read more…
The “Red Planet”, Mars, has intrigued the imagination for centuries. Even before the first flyby of the planet by Mariner 4 in 1965 many astronomers speculated about life, water and an atmosphere existing on Mars. In 1971 the Soviets landed Read more…
Armagh Planetarium’s Christmas card competition has been going from strength to strength. Now in its third year, we have once again been overwhelmed by the number of entries, the creativeness and talent that has been displayed. Mixing the theme of Read more…
Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut is an international educational challenge focusing on fitness and nutrition encouraging students to “train like an astronaut.” The six week challenge which runs from January-March 2014, uses the excitement of space exploration and astronaut Read more…
On 25 December 2003 space exploration fans expected an extra Christmas gift. Beagle 2, a robotic spacecraft was to descend on the dusty plains of Mars. Once settled there, the tiny probe would play a musical call sign then start Read more…
There are thought be thousands of satellites in working order in orbit around the Earth. If the count was to include all Earth satellites including broken parts and discarded pieces, there are thought to be 21,000 pieces of space junk Read more…