January 2012 NUI Galway Observatory Open Nights

NUI Galway's Centre of Astronomy will continue its 2011/2012 programme of open evenings at its Imbusch Observatory in Dangan. The Observatory provides state-of-the-art observing facilities for NUI Galway's astrophysics students and the open evenings are an opportunity for the general public to come in and visit.

Weather permitting, the free open evenings will take place at 7pm on 25 January, 8 and 22 February, and 7 March.

An informative hour-long lecture will be followed by a hands-on viewing of the sky by night, weather permitting. The Imbusch Astronomical Observatory was opened in 2004 and is used by students studying Physics and Astronomy at NUI Galway.

The observatory is equipped with a modern computer controlled 16" telescope and camera, and a radio telescope with a hydrogen line spectrometer, which is able to map out and measure the velocity of the sun and the Milky Way. There is also a 10" portable telescope - computer controlled – for visual observations of planets, star clusters, nebulae and other bright objects.

Bookings are limited to two tickets per person and is strictly by ticket only. Tickets are allocated on a first come first served basis. All bookings are by email and those interested should send requests to tara.shanahan@nuigalway.ie.

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