It’s the shortest month of the year, although some may argue that it can feel just as long as January. We’re still seeing the winter constellations in the night sky, and hopefully we will get some nice clear nights to go stargazing. Remember you need to wrap up warm when you are stargazing, Read more…
We have finally entered the month of September, however if you were to tell me that it was the 200th Day of March, I would honestly believe you. 2020 has been such a bizarre year, one we will never forget, but one thing we can take comfort in, is the fact 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…
Welcome to spring! In theory at least – someone should really let our climate know that it’s time to brighten up a little bit. Depending on whether or not you adhere to the meteorological or astronomical definitions of “spring”, it officially began either on 1st March or will begin on Read more…
Has a crime ever been committed in space? Who would investigate allegations of crimes committed beyond Earth’s atmosphere? Under what jurisdiction are astronauts held accountable as no country owns space? Well, in space all astronauts are governed by National Law; this is similar to the law on international waters as 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…
SpaceX’s last resupply, CRS-19, launched into blazing sunshine atop a cloud of smoke. NASA are sending some interesting payloads high into space in March 2020… A focus of research conducted on the ISS (International Space Station) has always been how plants grow and develop without gravity helping them, and how Read more…
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…
Hello stargazers! We are just past mid-summer; September is looming around the corner but fear not – we have another lovely month of summertime stargazing to enjoy before the sun-soaked (for some) season fades away. Stargazing during August will be best at around 11pm, after you have given your eyes 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…
October is here! It is one of our favourite months as there is so much more to see in the sky and the nights are getting deliciously darker. One thing to remember when you are stargazing is to wrap up warm when you venture outside. The nights are getting much colder, and with some of the best stargazing occurring in the early hours of the morning, we don’t want anyone catching a chill. Thermals and a thermos filled with hot chocolate or coffee will do the trick. Also don’t forget that we will be starting our Star Tracker evenings in the coming months!
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.
This September is a relatively uneventful month (astronomy-wise). Few visible planets, quiet Sun and overall a very poor month for meteor showers.
It’s the beginning of a new month, filled with new exciting events in the night sky. Here is a brief summary of what to expect in the next few weeks.
This July will be a very astronomically eventful month – full of eclipses, bright planets, meteor showers and bright satellite passes. If the weather permits, we will have the opportunity to witness a lot of interesting events in the night sky.
Well, thankfully the drudgery of January is behind us and we can look forward to a month full of dark nights, stars and even a hint of romance. And let me tell you this my dear reader, if there’s one thing we’re experts on up in the Planetarium, it’s romance**. Read more…
At Armagh Planetarium we hosted our very first video game based workshop. This summer we immersed ourselves into the blocky world of Minecraft. Using MinecraftEdu, the children that took part in these workshops got to explore possibly one of the coolest places ever, the International Space Station! As Read more…
Tim Peake is clearly a man who likes a challenge and has a keen sense of adventure, for in his spare time the father of two enjoys skiing, cross-country running, climbing and caving. However the UK-born former pilot from Chichester is due to embark on his greatest adventure before the Read more…
While suspicion, fear, and fantasy, at times were closely associated with the Cold War period in terms of how the USA and the USSR viewed one another’s respective actions, it became clear that space projects were not exempt from this mutual scrutiny either. One such project which did little to 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 achievements. If any of us have found ourselves pondering this 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 world. Launching on 27 March 2015, these two men will 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 is. The name astronaut is from the Greek words for 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 and some can even surprise me by mentioning the awe 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, Endeavour, Discovery and Atlantis) are now pride of place in 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 was honoured by a visit from this legendary space traveller, 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 to Mars. Exciting stuff, bring on 2014! But what else Read more…
Our attempts to reach out into space and learn as much as we can about our Universe and also learn much more about the workings of our beautiful Blue Planet has come at a cost and the space agencies around the world have not ignored the growing space “graveyard” encompassing Read more…
There are around 3000 human-made satellites in working order around the Earth, however if the debris of old and damaged satellites are taken into account the number increases dramatically. Ever since the Soviet Union launched the very first artificial satellite into orbit in 1957, various countries around the world have Read more…
On 4 May 2013 astronauts Chris Cassidy and Tom Marshburn left the warmth and atmosphere of the International Space Station to repair a leak of ammonia coolant from the ISS. During the 5 hour, 30 minute spacewalk Cassidy and Marshburn removed a pump controller box from the truss (the girderwork Read more…
Canadian born astronaut Chris Hadfield has made his country extremely proud over his many years in service, from his countless honours and experiences as a pilot, to being the first Canadian to walk in space. He was also the first Canadian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) and the Read more…
Imagine you had a window looking over our world. What pictures would you take and what sights would you see? Thanks to the astronauts onboard the International Space Station we can see the beauty of our Earth from the unique position of space. This is a view the majority of Read more…
Ever fancied yourself in a spacesuit? Whether in fact you believe that a spacesuit makes desirable fancy dress, it is undoubtedly, more so than any other profession in which a high-profile uniform is worn, iconic. However compared to those occupations in which uniforms are primarily worn to draw attention, spacesuits Read more…
This year has started off with perhaps a little more promise than the last, not only did the world not end but a new Mayan calendar has started, mysterious planet Nibiru did not crash into the Earth and nor did we get wiped out with any comets/ aliens/ or stellar Read more…
Music can be a great way to relax and unwind. Many people play an instrument, are part of a band or enjoying listening to their favourite song on the radio or TV. The iPod generation have music available to them at any time with their portable devices. Enjoying music however, Read more…
Ever had a frustrating morning and wished you could ‘Hulk-out’ or that some superhuman abilities were within your grasp even for the briefest of moments?With the psyche of superheroes very much to the fore in contemporary culture, it is perhaps interesting to learn that emissions similar to those of human Read more…
Perhaps you haven’t noticed but new Astronotes posts have been a little short on the ground of late.I’d love to be able to say that this was because I was offworld on the International Space Station, but sadly the real reason was I’ve been ill (indeed I did spend some Read more…
In the upcoming weeks you will be hearing in the news the words “Dragon Spacecraft”, so Sinead McNicholl has the full story on what exactly this new vehicle is and what it will be used for. The Dragon is a spacecraft developed by a company called the Space Read more…
In December 2014, a Delta IV Heavy rocket will thunder skywards from Florida, launching NASA’s first Orion spacecraft to an altitude that has not been achieved by a human spacecraft flight since the last Apollo lunar landing mission forty years ago. Designated Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), this milestone test (to Read more…
Fewer than 600 people have ever seen our world from space and only a couple of dozen have travelled far enough away to seen the Earth as a planet against the infinity of space. All have found viewing their homeworld from beyond to be a profound experience. Russian cosmonaut Read more…
What exciting space events has 2012 in store for us? What important space anniversaries are coming up this year? Welcome to our annual guide to what the Universe has waiting ahead! This year marks twenty years since the first extra-solar planets were discovered when a pair of planets were Read more…
It is June 30 1971, and a ground crew in Kazakhstan are waiting to recover three cosmonauts from the Soyuz 11 spacecraft. The trio, the first space station crew, are expected to be unused to terrestrial gravity after their weeks in micro-gravity. The recovery team are expecting to help the Read more…
This year will see both the end of space flights by NASA’s Shuttle fleet and the thirtieth anniversary of the first orbital mission by this historic spacecraft. Our coverage of these milestones begins with an overview of the project’s chequered history. In the glory days of the Space Race, Read more…
Europe’s ATV spacecraft has a vital role in maintaining and supplying the International Space Station, recently astronaut Paolo Nespoli and his crewmates had a unique view of this high-tech cargo vehicle. Another shot of the Earth from space, you may think, but look a little closer. See that little hair-thin Read more…
This year we could have witnessed a Christmas-time shuttle flight as November’s STS-133 mission had been re-scheduled to 17 December, but once again Discovery’s final flight has been postponed, this time to February. Sinead McNicholl has the details. Originally Discovery had been set to launch on 1 November, but this Read more…
While you are opening your presents under the Christmas tree, singing some Christmas carols or sitting down to tuck into your turkey dinner on 25 December, spare a thought for a few people above you! Yes, indeed, there will be people onboard the International Space Station spending their Christmas amongst Read more…