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Canis Major

January

January Night Sky 2025

Well, time moves on, into another year as we brace for (according to some) the most depressing month of the year. At least we get it over and done with and can enjoy the rest of the year – I am sure it will be a great one… However, January Read more…

By Anna Taylor, 6 monthsDecember 27, 2024 ago
Monthly Sky Notes

December Night Sky 2024

During December we will be able to start stargazing from earlier in the evenings, weather permitting of course. This means that on clear nights we get a view of more stars and objects in the night sky; but it is better to be prepared for the colder weather (and more Read more…

By Mark Grimley, 7 months ago
January

January Night Sky 2020

This is the first Night Sky blog article of the new decade and hopefully I’ll be able to point out some interesting things for you all to see in the night sky this month.

By Heather Alexander, 5 yearsJanuary 1, 2020 ago
Image of mercury by messenger
Solar System

The March Night Sky 2019

How is it March already? 2019 has just flown in! Although we have had a mild winter, we can start to wave goodbye to the dark evenings and say hello to Spring as the date that I have been longing for ever since the evenings got shorter – the Spring Equinox on the 20th March fast approaches.

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 6 yearsMarch 15, 2019 ago
Human Exploration

The January Night Sky 2019

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…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 6 years ago
Stars

The December Night Sky 2017

Hello again Planetarichums! It’s Stephen here, ready to do my very best to explain some of the upcoming wonders in our night sky as we head into winter and the Christmas holidays. So, first things first, we’ll talk a little about our celestial neighbour, the Moon.  On December 3rd our Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 8 yearsDecember 1, 2017 ago
March

The March Night Sky 2017

Goodbye February, the shortest month of the year, and hello March! The desperate chill of winter is starting to lift and at the end of this month we will have the March Equinox. On the 20th March the Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 8 years ago
January

The January 2016 Night Sky

Happy New Year! Welcome to January 2016, and if you haven’t made a New Year’s resolution yet (or you have made one but want to sneakily change it,) why not challenge yourself to star gaze this year. Star gazing is a brilliant past time and is a wonderful activity that Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 9 yearsJanuary 7, 2016 ago
January

Stargazing in January

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 with memories. Whilst most people make New Year’s resolutions to Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 10 yearsJanuary 6, 2015 ago
March

Wonders of the March Night Sky

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 centre ground astrology and astronomy share, and great opportunities to Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 11 yearsMarch 13, 2014 ago
February

February Night Sky Wonders

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 wonders awaiting exploration… No northern stargazer would wish to run Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 11 yearsFebruary 6, 2014 ago
January

Sky Wonders for January 2013

January sees the beginning of a New Year with everyone’s New Year’s resolutions to be healthier, to be happier and many people deciding to take up or return to a fun hobby from the past! With that I guarantee many are toying with the thought of lifting up those binoculars Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 12 yearsJanuary 9, 2013 ago
Image of Sirius_A_and_B
Stars

The Other Sirius Mystery: Red or White

Today Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky is an unmistakable blue-white in colour although it does twinkle a lot and can appear to change colour. However no one would think of describing it as red.It is thus a source of confusion that many ancient writers describe the star Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 13 yearsApril 27, 2012 ago
Star types from left to right: a red dwarf, our Sun, a blue dwarf, and R136a1 (hypergiant). Where star sizes are measured by radius, from centre to surface, and where 1 solar radius is equal to that of our Sun (km) - R136a1’s radius is 35.4 times greater than the Sun [approximately 24.8 million km]. Credit: Author: ESO/M. Kornmesser
Stars

The Largest Stars in the Universe

How big is the largest known star? Compared to planets, stars will always be the overall group winners in terms of superior size. When you look at the night sky on a clear night and away from city lights, you will see that there are stars of varying sizes and Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 13 yearsMarch 14, 2012 ago
March

Wonders of the March Night Sky

At the beginning of March look west just after sunset to see three of the ‘wandering stars’.  Mercury will be close to the horizon, with Venus and Jupiter shining brightly above it. Mercury will quickly set below the horizon and by the middle of the month will have disappeared from Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 13 yearsMarch 2, 2012 ago
Image of crescent moon
February

Wonders of the February Night Sky

If you look towards the west just after sunset this February you will see a very bright star in the darkening sky. Known as the Evening Star, brilliant Venus steals the celestial show. After the Moon, Venus is the next brightest object in the sky. Higher in the heavens and Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 13 yearsJanuary 30, 2012 ago
Monthly Sky Notes

Sirius: a Winter Sky Wonder

Which is the brightest star in the sky (apart from the Sun)? Many non-astronomers believe that the Pole star (Polaris) is the brightest star but there are at least forty brighter stars. The correct answer is Sirius, a wonder of the winter sky.   Finding Sirius in the winter sky Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 14 yearsDecember 5, 2011 ago
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RSS Intergalactic Craic
  • S3Ep6 - Intergalactic Craic On The Road
    Welcome to a very special edition of Intergalactic Craic where we take it on the road! Join Rok, Zuri, Alice, and Andrew as they venture half way around the world to attend the ACM2023 conference in Flagstaff Arizona!
  • S3Ep5 - Craic with all these moons?
    Heather and her new co-host Dr Rok are back! Taking time out of their busy schedules they have recorded an episode all about the dramatic increase to the number of moons of the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn! They also delve into their own busy schedules and explain everything there is to know about AOP's […]
  • S3Ep4 - Wee Bitta Craic: Bout Ye Alice?
    This month is the final 'getting to know you' episode of Intergalactic Craic: Wee Bitta Craic. Ethan and Zuri interview Alice and ask her all about how she came to be doing her PhD at AOP. Find out this and more in this info packed episode!
Welcome to Astronotes

Hello and welcome to Astronotes, the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s official blog. Here you will find the latest news and views from all those who work in our organisation, from the fascinating worlds of astronomy and space exploration. We hope you will come here to learn what is hot and exciting, profound or even weird from worlds beyond ours . So that's the introduction out of the way, now on with the Universe!

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