Irish and Celtic Thingies
Science and Technology

Most recently modified on $Date: 2008/01/23 02:38:45 $ (GMT)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

(July 7, 1998) "SEAC98: Astronomy, Cosmology, and Landscape", a conference held under the auspices of the European Society for Astronomy in Culture, will be held in Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, during August 31 through September 2, 1998. This is a fascinating area of study. The main page above has a picture of the Drombeg Stone circle; this is one of the sites that I visited on my family's vacation in Ireland back in 1996, but I have not (yet) digitized the photos we took. Thanks to my colleague at DIAS, Tom Ray, for informing me of this event.

(May 4, 1997) The Astronomical Science Group of Ireland now has a web page. Check out the info on the re-dedication of the Leviathan of Parsonstown; this massive 72-inch (speculum) reflector was the largest telescope in the world for many decades; the third Earl of Rosse used it to resolve individual stars in M51 (the whirlpool galaxy) among other things.

(February 2, 1997) I'm not sure what category this should go in, but I think many of you will be interested in this South Arís expedition in the South Polar seas. Fascinating reading, even if they have had their problems. (Arís, pronounced "arr-eesh", means again in Irish).

The Irish Research Scientists' Association is looking for a few good Irish Scientists! If you are one, living either on the island or abroad, you might want to check them and their worthwhile aims out and perhaps even Join them! Given recent cuts in funding to Irish Scientists, there's a pressing need for this organisation.

Dunsink Observatory (effectively a large part of my Alma Mater; see my background), just a little north-west of the Phoenix Park in Dublin, is now on the web.

I found out about this the old fashioned way; read it in a copy of the (paper) publication itself! The Irish Astronomical Journal has matured and expanded impressively from the small journal I remember from my time at Dunsink.

While searching for the exact link for that page (via Altavista), I also encountered another old friend, the Irish Astronomical Society (though all that's there now is a listing of people involved; wonder if that's the same Michael Cummins I know... other familiar names there too; Hi Liam and Eddie!). I would be amiss if I were to mention them and fail to say anything about Astronomy Ireland who are very active on the net (in the sci.astro.* and ie.* newsgroups [yes, I have access to a newsfeed that carries ie.*!].

Cumann Innealtóireacht Optúla, or the Optical Engineering Society of Ireland, are just starting out as the first authorised European chapter of SPIE, The International Society for Optical Engineering.