NewsStargazing event takes attendees to the Moon and back
All eyes were on the skies as the Irish Astronomical Association took us to the Moon and back with the help of their telescopes, all in association with the Astrophysics Research Centre of Queen’s University, Belfast.
Over 50 curious minds gathered at sunset in St. Columb’s Park for an introductory session on stargazing to experience the sights and vastness of space, as well as get to grips with the range of telescopes available.
“Nothing beats actually looking at the sky for yourself” says Terry Moseley, Outreach Officer and Events Organiser for the Irish Astronomical Association with over 50 years experience in the field. During the event, Terry shared many fascinating stories such as how the Moon's surface is formed of patterns, mountains and craters (some of which are as big as Northern Ireland) through billions of years of impact from asteroids.
For those interested in stargazing, the Irish Astronomical Association is always willing to provide support and guidance. “Sometimes they don’t do very well in learning how to use them [telescopes]” shares Terry. However, with his guidance, all those attending the event were lucky enough to explore the Moon and some of the brighter planets, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars.
Hear all about it in the video below
