Peter Household
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Two tours of the Crawford Observatory have been arranged for Club members — Saturday 21st and 28th February at 11:00 a.m. Requests to join one of the tours to Jan Cap, who will be your guide. The 21st is now fully subscribed. The observatory dates from 1880, and in this unfamiliar illustration you can see it when it was first… “read more”
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Exoplanets are planets orbiting stars other than our Sun. Over 6,000 exoplanets are known, but only a small handful of them have been directly imaged. Taking these photos pushes the limits of our technology, requiring the largest telescopes, advanced optics, and complex data analysis in order to separate the faint signal of the exoplanet from the overwhelming glare of the… “read more”
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How to pay and access the members area Subscription renewals are due by the end of November. To renew your membership: Click the Members Area from the menu Choose your membership option (adult €35, family €45, concession €25) Create your account by filling in all the requested information Pay subscription securely online using your credit or debit card Log in… “read more”
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The November meeting of the observers group is designated the Christmas jumper and toy show and will feature Christmas jumpers, some shiny equipment, seasonal fare, and raffle prizes. The date is Monday 24th November and as usual it’s at Frankfield Golf Club. Photo: last year’s Toy Show Start time is 8 p.m. in Frankfield Golf Club bar, near the Kinsale… “read more”
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The Club Christmas Party will be held at the at the Clayton Hotel on Lapps’ Quay. The date is Monday 8th December. €45 per person for 3-course dinner, meet at 7 pm. Members + guest. Spot prizes (if you have an item you are willing to donate as a spot prize please say). It promises to be a great evening.… “read more”
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A total solar eclipse will cross Spain on 12 August 2026, and our Club is exploring options for a group trip to experience this remarkable event. We’d like to hear from members before making arrangements. Three travel options are under consideration, ranging from a travel-agent package to self-organised or independent travel. If you’re interested in joining, please complete the survey… “read more”
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We are delighted to host the second and final session of Tony Jackson’s Stellarium workshop on Saturday, 15 November, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Tory Top Library. This workshop is for members only. Our first session, held on 13 September and attended by 15 members, introduced the basics of navigating and using Stellarium, including the core keyboard shortcuts… “read more”
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Claims that signs of life have been detected in the universe have so far proved erroneous — but November’s speaker, Dr Samuel Beiler (pictured below), will focus on the careful scientific process that may eventually allow for such claims to be believable. He will explore this through the lens of phosphine (PH3) — a molecule found on Earth, Jupiter, and… “read more”
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October’s public lecture will be delivered by Alan Giltinan, the title: “Photometry, a means to peak at the universe”. Photometry is a technique used in astronomy that is concerned with measuring the characteristics of light radiated by astronomical objects, from which much information about the emitting object can be gained. The speaker: Alan is Manager of MTU’s Blackrock Castle Observatory, and… “read more”