VERY WARM JULY DESPITE AVERAGE RAINFALL AND STRONG SUNSHINE Armagh Observatory, 21st August 2025: Armagh Observatory reports that July 2025 was much warmer than average despite roughly average rainfall and nearly average sunshine. The month was the equal seventh warmest July on record at Armagh, while the four-day heatwave from […]| Astronotes
As we’re now well into the second half of summer in the Northern hemisphere and the number of hours available to us for stargazing are slowly but surely increasing again, the mild evenings make for some very comfortable viewings of some very special wonders in our night sky. So pull up a garden chair, a cool drink and a pair of binoculars… | Astronotes
Can you believe we are in August already? Let’s hope for another sunny heatwave and some clear skies for stargazing. Read below to know what to look out for this month! Sturgeon Moon Mark your calendars! The next full Moon will grace the skies on 9th August at 8:55am (UK […]| Astronotes
In an extraordinary fusion of Italian luxury and space-age innovation, fashion and aerospace have found common ground. The iconic fashion house that once dressed the elite of Milan is now outfitting astronauts bound for the lunar surface.| Astronotes
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium marked a remarkable milestone this week, 230 years of daily weather observations, with readings taken every single day since 14 July 1795. To celebrate the occasion, the Observatory hosted a special gathering at its historic meteorological enclosure (“MET cage”) on Monday 14 July at 10 am, followed […]| Astronotes
JUNE WARMER, WETTER, AND DULLER THAN AVERAGE Armagh Observatory, 10th July 2025: Armagh Observatory reports that June 2025 was warmer, wetter, and duller than average. With an average temperature of approximately 15.3 degrees Celsius (59.6 Fahrenheit), this was the twelfth warmest June on record at Armagh and the warmest for […]| Astronotes
Embargoed Until: 01 July 2025 (Provisional) – Final Date TBC | Astronotes
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is showcasing a truly unique fusion of art and science — thanks to one of its own. PhD student Alice Humpage has turned a year’s worth of cloud cover data, recorded at Armagh by the MET team, into a striking hand-crocheted blanket that quite literally weaves […]| Astronotes
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is launching a brand-new interactive experience this summer — the Stellar Science Lab Exhibition — opening on Tuesday 24 June and running through to the end of August 2025.| Astronotes
Gravitational Wave (GW) astronomers around the world have been very concerned after reading the draft budgets for the next financial year which have been put forward by NASA and the US National Science Foundation (NSF). The NASA budget request stops funding for LISA, the space based GW observatory currently being […]| Astronotes
MARVELLOUS MAY: SUNNIEST ON RECORD, MUCH WARMER, DRIER THAN AVERAGE. SUNNIEST AND WARMEST SPRING ON RECORD AND DRIER THAN AVERAGE| Astronotes
To the stargazers out there, let’s take a journey nearly 7,000 light-years away from earth through our cosmic wonderland otherwise known as space, where towering pillars of gas and dust form the birth of stars. | Astronotes
Armagh Observatory & Planetarium (AOP) has been officially appointed as the STEM Ambassador Delivery Partner for Northern Ireland, reinforcing its commitment to inspiring young minds and fostering a love for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This appointment positions AOP at the forefront of STEM engagement in the region, coordinating and supporting the efforts of STEM Ambassadors across schools, community groups, and local organisations. | Astronotes
RECORD-BREAKING APRIL MUCH WARMER, MUCH SUNNIER, AND WETTER THAN AVERAGE| Astronotes
Black holes are kind of scary. Think about an invisible pitfall that swallows everything that gets close. Even light, the fastest thing in the universe, can’t escape them! From a scientist’s point of view, however, black holes are kind of cool. Their extreme nature makes them a very interesting thing to study, full of weird antics and head-scratching mysteries. Sitting at a nice and safe distance here on Earth, astronomers have been observing all sorts of weird events related to them, doi...| Astronotes
Matthew McMahon, Collections Officer at AOP and lead editor of new book ‘100 Years of Planetaria’. Image Credit: AOP| Astronotes
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP) has confirmed that 30 April 2025 recorded the hottest April day in Armagh since daily maximum temperature records began in 1843, with a high of 23.4ºC at approximately 13:27 GMT with the reading taken from the Vaisala digital thermometer.| Astronotes
A new study led by PhD student Ethan Winch explores how stellar spin and mass loss shape the Universe’s heaviest black holes — connecting gravitational wave discoveries to the lives of the earliest stars.| Astronotes
FEBRUARY WARMER, DRIER AND DULLER THAN AVERAGE. WINTER 2024/2025 WARMER AND DRIER THAN AVERAGE, WITH ABOUT AVERAGE SUNSHINE| Astronotes
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, together with former PhD student Venu Kalari and a team of international researchers, have identified young, pre-main sequence stars in the low-metallicity dwarf galaxy WLM, using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).| Astronotes
A drawing of M51, by the 3rd Earl of Rosse.| Astronotes
This month is an interesting one for those of us who love to stargaze. I know the nights are still cooler, so wrap up and head out to watch the stars. While the sun will gradually set later and later until the summer solstice. We will still have plenty of dark sky time. While we do, find somewhere with as little light as possible to look out to the universe. | Astronotes
DECEMBER 2024 DRIER AND MUCH WARMER AND DULLER THAN AVERAGE. CALENDAR YEAR 2O24 MUCH WARMER AND DRIER THAN AVERAGE, AND SLIGHTLY DULLER.| Astronotes
Matthew McMahon – Museum Collections Officer| Astronotes
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP) is delighted to announce that Tiernan McCracken, a dedicated member of its Youth Forum, has been highly commended at the prestigious Volunteer Awards 2024, organised by the Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC). The awards ceremony was part of the ASDC Conference at The Royal Society in London, celebrating the contributions of outstanding volunteers who have made a significant impact in the science and discovery sector.| Astronotes
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…| Astronotes
This year’s Christmas message from the Archbishops of Armagh, which was filmed in Armagh Observatory and Planetarium and draws on the theme of the Christmas Star, will be broadcast on Christmas Day at 12.10pm on RTÉ One television and 1.05pm on RTÉ Radio One. The programme will also be available after broadcast on the RTÉ Player.| Astronotes
NOVEMBER DRIER, WARMER, AND DULLER THAN AVERAGE. AUTUMN 2024 MUCH DRIER, AND SUNNIER AND WARMER THAN AVERAGE| Astronotes
FEBRUARY WARMER, SUNNIER AND SLIGHTLY WETTER THAN AVERAGE. WINTER 2023/2024 WARMER, SUNNIER AND SLIGHTLY DRIER THAN AVERAGE| Astronotes
Welcome to February, the shortest month of the year, but there is still plenty to see in the night sky. Over the last few weeks, the evenings have been getting a little brighter, which is nice for us, but it means that it takes a little more time to see the stars come out. So, for the best views it is a good idea to get out of town to avoid the light pollution. While some views are spectacular, it’s best to avoid phones, even if the pictures could go viral… It takes between 20 to 30 minu...| Astronotes
The European Space Agency (ESA) have officially approved two space missions, LISA and EnVision, for launch in the 2030’s. LISA will search for gravitational waves whilst EnVision will study the interior and atmosphere of Venus. Both missions have contributions from NASA. The process of being formally `adopted’ by ESA can be a long drawn-out process. When I worked for UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory from the mid 1990’s, I was part (in a small way) of its LISA development team. L...| Astronotes
And so we come to the month that contains the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice. More exciting, you might think, is the fact that this month contains Christmas!! | Astronotes
Halley’s comet highlighted in Royal Astronomical Society meeting.| Astronotes
WETTEST OCTOBER ON RECORD AT ARMAGH, SUNNIER THAN AVERAGE AND VERY MILD| Astronotes
SEPTEMBER WARMER, WETTER AND SUNNIER THAN AVERAGE. THIRD WARMEST SEPTEMBER ON RECORD| Astronotes
On October 5, 1923, Edwin Hubble identified the first Cepheid variable in M31, the Andromeda Galaxy. This proved that the Andromeda nebula was not part of the Milky Way and paved the way for measuring the expansion of the Universe.| Astronotes
