UN Designated International Year of Astronomy Opens In Ireland

The International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) is a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, highlighted by the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei.

The year was officially opened in Ireland, in the presence of the Irish President Mary McAleese and the Northern Ireland Minister for Education, Caitriona Ruane, in a most impressive launch ceremony, at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in Dublin.

January 8 saw the launch of another two International Year of Astronomy highlights in Ireland. Professor Michael Redfern, Director of the Centre for Astronomy, National University of Ireland Galway and IYA2009 Single Point of Contact, launched the Faulkes Telescope Universe Challenge.

This is a competition for students to undertake astronomy projects using the state of the art two-metre telescopes in Hawaii and Australia. The prize, very generously sponsored by the European Southern Observatory, even though Ireland is not a member, is a trip to see the world’s largest telescope in Chile.

A programme of events is being organised for IYA2009. The activities will involve the major science centres: Armagh Planetarium, Blackrock Castle Observatory and the Science Gallery in Dublin, as well as science universities and amateur astronomy clubs from the whole island of Ireland. Further information can be found throughout the year at www.astronomy2009.ie.

The main sponsors for the events of the International Year of Astronomy in Ireland are Discover Science & Engineering, the European Southern Observatory and BT.

Astronomy Ireland will be helping run hundreds of events all over the country which are available to everyone.
The next public lecture will be on Monday, March 9, at Trinity College. Professor David Southwood, director of Science at the European Space Agency (ESA) will speak. Over the past 35 years David Southwood has published more than 200 publications and scientific articles, and has worked on a variety of space missions.

According to Astronomy Ireland, ‘This will be an incredible opportunity to hear a man who has a unique perspective of mankind’s exploration of the universe. We are currently living in the golden age of space exploration. There have been countless missions to nearly all the planets in the last 10 years with many new projects planned for the future. Dr. Southwood will outline the achievements of the last few years and give an update on the missions planned for the next 10 years’. More information can be found at www.astronomyireland.ie

‘The European Space Agency’
By Professor David Southwood, director of Science at ESA.
Monday March 09 2009 at 8:00pm.

In May 2001 David Southwood took up his post as Director of Science (D/SCI), in charge of the ESA Science Programme.

One of David’s most challenging tasks was to head the team that built the magnetometer for the Cassini Saturn orbiter of the NASA/ESA Cassini-Huygens mission.

This will be an incredible opportunity to hear a man who has a unique perspective of mankind’s exploration of the universe.