Armagh Planetarium announces family-friendly events

Armagh Observatory and Planetarium has announced that a number of family friendly events will take place on site from 26 to 28 January 2023.

These will be: A Star Tracker evening, which will take place on 26 January.

Suitable for adults and children aged over eight, this two-hour event will include a talk on big telescopes by Armagh Observatory and planetarium PhD student, Christopher Duffy. The talk will be followed by a Dome Show and live stargazing (weather permitting).

The Legendary Telescope Tours, will take place on Saturday 28 January. These 90-minute tours will run at 1pm and 3pm. Suitable for adults and children over ten, they will take

visitors on a journey through the Armagh Observatory to see its historic telescopes.

An expert guide will tell visitors about the telescopes and how they were used for pioneering science in the past.

Visitors will be able to have their picture taken with the Grubb 10-inch telescope that was used to create a fundamental star catalogue still used by astronomers today. They will also have a chance to view the century-old Calver telescope and hear unique stories, discovering why Armagh is a truly celestial city.

A Grade A listed heritage building and a global centre for astronomical research, Armagh Observatory opened in 1790, making it the oldest observatory in the UK.

There are four generations of historic telescopes inside the Observatory that remain in their original settings, as well as one modern telescope that is still in use.

The Legendary Telescope Tours include general admission to the Planetarium exhibition.