Irish Astronomical Association

Upcoming Events:

22nd October - Ulster Museum Opens

22nd October - Public Lecture “Why Are We Here?” - St. Patrick’s Trian, Armagh.

Tickets Aileen McKee 02837522928

24th October - "Galilean Nights" public observing session at Delamont Country Park - IYA event

3rd November - Royal Irish Academy Cosmology talk in Belfast - http://www.ria.ie/events/

14th November - I.A.A. at Armagh Planetarium. IYA event starting 1 PM with solar and evening observing.

20th ? November - I.A.A at Roe Valley Country Park nr Limvady. IYA event with evening observing.

Nov/Dec TBC - I.A.A. at St. Patrick’s Academy Dungannon . IYA event solar and evening observing.

Further details on IAA News

Front Page Archive

The Irish Astronomical Association was formed in 1974 and draws its 200 members from both the UK and Ireland. The IAA membership ranges from complete beginners to accomplished observers and astro photographers.

IAA / IYA 2009 Event at Castle Espie, nr Comber, Co Down Saturday 17th October

The IAA held an extremely successful observing event at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Castle Espie on Saturday night. The Stardome was in action with Dr Andy McCrea presenting a number of shows giving an introduction to the night sky.

IAA members appear on Your Place and Mine, BBC Radio Ulster, Saturday 17th October 8-9am.

In a follow-up to their recent appearance, IAA President Philip Baxter and Past President and PR Officer Terry Moseley were on the radio talking about the big event of the evening at Castle Espie!

Superb photograph of the Seven Sisters by IAA member from Dungannon

Regular contributor Martin Campbell has been out with his Takahashi Epsilon180 Astrograph and has produced this excellent shot of the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters! The exposure was a total of two hours and 10 minutes with a a Canon 50D with Astronomik CLS filter fitted to cut down the light pollution.

Fascinating lecture by Dr Mike Simms of the Ulster Museum

Image: Paul Evans

The second lecture of the Irish Astronomical Association's new season was given by Dr Mike Simms of the Ulster Museum

It was entitled "To Here From Eternity: The story of the Bovedy, Sprucefield and Crumlin Meteorites"

As with his previous talks to us, Dr Simms gave an entertaining and very informative account of, on this occasion, not only these local meteorites, but also a huge amount of background information as to where we think they came from and the geological and astrophysical evidence that leads us to believe that.

Dr Simms is shown here with IAA President Philp Baxter.

The warm-up talk was provided by Paul Evans and this can be seen on our YouTube channel here...

‘Stargazing for Pleasure’

Call for interest – it is intended that this lecture series will be held in Bangor, subject to the level of interest;

Bangor, Hamilton House

Tuesday evenings 7pm to 9pm

November to December 2009

Lecturer: Dr Andy McCrea

Full details here...

IAA/IYA 2009 -"Space and Aliens Competition"

There is still time to enter this competition - deadline now 30th November!

As part of International Year of Astronomy 2009, the Irish Astronomical Association (IAA) is running a major public competition, with substantial prizes, for all ages, and in various categories, so that anyone can enter. Full details here...