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Virgo

April

The Night Sky in April 2021

Hello Stargazers and welcome to April! Well, as the saying goes “April showers bring May flowers”, so we may be low on clear nights for stargazing. Due to our climate and location cloud cover often interferes with our ability to see what the night sky has to offer, but we Read more…

By Courtney Allison, 2 yearsApril 2, 2021 ago
Human Exploration

The Night Sky – April 2019

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…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 4 yearsApril 12, 2019 ago
PhD Students

La Palma and GOTO

Article by: Tom Watts In collaboration with universities in England, Australia and Thailand, the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is part of a team operating and commissioning the new Gravitational wave Optical Transient Observatory (GOTO) at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma. GOTO, once operational, Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 5 yearsApril 13, 2018 ago
Armagh Planetarium

Merging neutron stars and gravitational wave events — everything you need to know about that big announcement!

On Aug 14th 2017 LIGO and the Virgo Gravitational Wave detectors based in the USA and Italy detected the fourth merging Black Hole event. This was a triumph for both groups, but especially the Virgo group which had only started taking regular data earlier that month. It did leave many Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 6 yearsOctober 20, 2017 ago
Stars

May Night Sky

The spring night sky has well and truly sprung, and although these months are sign of brighter evenings and therefore later bedtimes if you want star gaze, there are still lots of interesting patterns and objects that we can see. So let’s delve in and find them. The spring night Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 6 years ago
May

The May 2016 Night Sky

It’s the middle of May! Let’s go out tonight and look at the stars! At this time of year in the UK and Ireland, our nights are getting later and shorter, partly due to our planet’s axial tilt and partly due to daylight savings time, with the Sun setting soon Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 7 yearsMay 13, 2016 ago
April

The April 2016 Night Sky

Spring has truly sprung. Welcome to the month of April, and doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun. We can hardly believe that it is April already, and we’ve had so much fun stargazing at the Planetarium so far this year. April is certainly not the cruellest month for us! Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 7 yearsApril 6, 2016 ago
February

The February 2016 Night Sky

Goodbye January blues, hello February fun! We’re already into the second month of our new year and it’s been absolutely amazing for stargazing already. Before we get in to what you can hope to gaze at this month, I want to point out to you all that this February is Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 7 yearsFebruary 2, 2016 ago
April

Stargazing in April

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 shower and a glimpse at the gas giants. Starting of Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 8 yearsMarch 27, 2015 ago
November

Stargazing in November

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 time-consuming event, and often it can be unpredictable. The weather, Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 9 years ago
May

Stargazing in May

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 the east to pale yellowish Saturn lying in the constellation Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 9 years 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, 9 yearsMarch 13, 2014 ago
Comets and Asteroids

Where Is Comet ISON In The Sky?

By now interest in Comet C/2012 S1 (Comet ISON) is building. This could be the most dramatic comet in years. Where should we look for this oncoming interloper from deep space? This was a monthly guide aimed at observers in the UK and Ireland to help you find it. As Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 10 yearsJuly 22, 2013 ago
Planets

Saturn’s Amazing Rings

What does the word “Ring” conjure up in your head? Maybe you think wedding ring, boxing ring, Ring Ring, the ABBA song, or perhaps even battered onion rings…. Mmmm that has got me feeling hungry! For me it has connotations with a planet that is visible in the night sky Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 10 years ago
May

May 2013 Night Sky Wonders

If you find yourself in the great outdoors any evening during May and it’s a cloudless night, turning your eyes towards the heavens could be an unusually interesting way for you to spend a few minutes. We’ll start by looking southwards. So once again look about 90 degrees to the Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 10 yearsMay 2, 2013 ago
April

Night Sky Wonders: April

If you find yourself in the great outdoors any evening during April and it’s a cloudless night, turning your eyes towards the heavens could be an unusually interesting way for you to spend a few minutes.   If we look at star charts we can see the night sky divided Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 10 yearsApril 2, 2013 ago
March

March Sky Wonders

The skies have been quite exciting for just the first two months of 2013, with a near earth asteroid and a crazy Russian Meteorite. Hopefully March will keep the celestial entertainment rolling with the first of 2013’s two extremely exciting comets becoming visible to us. Comets are like a young Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 10 yearsMarch 5, 2013 ago
Monthly Sky Notes

The Night sky in February 2013

Now hopefully any January blues are well and truly dispersed by now and you are prepared to take full advantage of the dark February night sky. Although special events may be sparse within the shortest month of the year, maybe we can use February as you would a favourite book Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 10 yearsFebruary 1, 2013 ago
Comets and Asteroids

10 Things You Need to Know About Comet ISON

Comet ISON is here! This new comet was in January 2013 just a dim speck in the constellation Gemini, between the stars Castor and Pollux. Astronomers could not agree if it was going to develop into the greatest astronomical spectacle in a decade or into a dim and disappointing smudge- Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 10 yearsJanuary 16, 2013 ago
May

Moonlight Wonders in the May Night Sky

We are well into the wonders of the spring night sky when May begins and we ‘may’ take advantage of the many clear nights we have been subjected to recently and try our luck at finding some of those more difficult patterns and objects that are hidden away among the Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 11 yearsMay 3, 2012 ago
April

Wonders of the April Night Sky

The month of April is fantastic month for stargazing and for astronomy in general with numerous dates to mark in your calendar.  From Earth Day celebrated on 22 April, in aid of creating awareness of Earth’s environment and encourage conservation efforts, to International Astronomy Day on 28 April which is Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 11 yearsMarch 29, 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, 11 yearsMarch 2, 2012 ago
Image of m45 from HST
January

Wonders of the January Sky

It’s BBC Stargazing Live month, so even more of us will be looking skyward this January. What is there to see in the heavens these winter evenings? We are treated to  several naked eye planets are this month. These “wandering stars”, as they were called by the ancients are easily Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 11 yearsJanuary 12, 2012 ago
Image of NGC4666 in Xray
Other Galaxies

Secrets of a Starburst Galaxy

Studying galaxies and clusters in many wavelengths of light tells astronomers more than a single image ever could. Imaged with the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile, NGC 4666 lies some 80 million light years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. All looks calm and peaceful, Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 12 yearsNovember 24, 2011 ago
Image of western sky in June
June

June Night Sky Wonders

What can you see in the June night sky? During the month of June there is precious little darkness. Nevertheless there’s plenty to see and ponder on in the night sky. There has just been a lunar eclipse, it is summer solstice time and also the time of year to Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 12 yearsJune 21, 2011 ago
image of Bootis-virgo-leo
May

May Night Sky Wonders

In our latest night sky guide we look at the stars of late spring and early summer and ponder just what does the brightness of a star really mean. We are now well into the merry month of May and the nights are getting much warmer. The beauty and majesty Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 12 yearsMay 20, 2011 ago
Other Galaxies

Spiral galaxies in a glorious new gallery from the Very Large Telescope

The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope brings us new face-on portraits of six spiral galaxies. But what is the science behind these delightful images?   Everyone loves stunning pictures of spiral galaxies,  I have said this before and will no doubt say it again. The folks at the European Read more…

By Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, 13 yearsOctober 28, 2010 ago
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RSS Intergalactic Craic
  • 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!
  • S3Ep3 - Wee Bitta Craic: Bout Ye Ethan?
    In Wee Bitta Craic this month, Zuri and Alice ask Ethan all about his PhD and how he came to be at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium. Find out more about his research and laugh along as the guys have some more quality craic. If you love listening to our students, then you can help […]
  • S3Ep2 - Wee Bitta Craic: Bout Ye Zuri?
    In the latest Wee Bitta Craic episode, Alice and Ethan ask Zuri all about how she came to be at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium doing her PhD. Find out more about Zuri's journey to get to where she is today, and laugh along as the guys have quality banter. If you love listening to our […]
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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