AOP - Key Persons
AOP's Dr. Andreas Sander has been involved in a scientific first unravelling the mysteries of rare stars! Within the constellation Cygnus, an elderly star and its massive companion are having one last hurrah, flinging off mass at an incredible rate before they explode as supernovae and collapse into a black Read more…
DRY JANUARY, COOLER AND SUNNIER THAN AVERAGE Armagh Observatory reports that January 2024 was drier, cooler, and sunnier than average. There were four named storms this month, bringing the total number of such storms to have affected Northern Ireland to a greater or lesser extent this 2023/2024 storm season to Read more…
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium the City of Armagh
- Director of the Armagh Observatory
- Director, AOP on
- Director, Armagh Observatory and Planetarium
Solving a 40 year cosmic mystery about interstellar gas only to uncover an even deeper one. Author: Michael Burton, Director of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium Hydrogen molecules have been found in clouds of shocked gas in interstellar space that are at temperatures of around 5,000 degrees. This is much Read more…
Michael Burton, Director of the Armagh Observatory and Planaterium Monday January 21, 2019 - the last chance to watch a total eclipse of the Moon from Armagh for over a decade. Should we hold a special viewing session to give people the chance of seeing this celestial wonder?! Easy question, Read more…
Michael Burton, Director, AOP On 27th July 2017, the RoI Minister John Halligan switched on I-LOFAR telescope, the largest radio telescope in the world, at Birr Castle in Co. Offaly. The Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is a member of the 8 institutions across the island of Ireland that came together to build I-LOFAR. Read more…
Michael Burton, Director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium Have you been enthralled by the BBC's Stargazing Live Australia, hosted by Brian Cox and Dara O Briain and shown over three nights at the end March this year? A spectacular show, hosted from Siding Spring Observatory in the Warrumbungles National Park Read more…
We are delighted to welcome Michael G. Burton as Director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium. Professor Burton is an internationally renowned researcher who specialises in using infrared and millimetre-wave astronomy to study how stars form in the interstellar medium (the tenuous matter between the stars in our galaxy, the Read more…
Job Titles:
- Director of the Armagh Observatory
Job Titles:
- Engineer, Astronomer, Linguist and Theologian
William John Roberts was born in Dungannon to Neason and Eliza Roberts. Mr Neason Roberts was a saddler, and the family lived on Irish Street when William was born in 1867. William left school young and found work as clerical assistant in a spinning mill in Dungannon when he was 12. He did not let this stop his education and continued to attend evening classes at Dungannon Technical Institute, where he would return later in life as an instructor in electricity and magnetism. It was at this young age that he first discovered his love and talent for astronomy.
He became fluent in French and contributed to the Bulletins of the Society of Belgian Astronomer and was a member of the Society of French Astronomy. He had built his first observatory by 1905, and there he observed a partial eclipse in August of that year. He was intent that astronomy should be taught widely and was joined at this observation by the students from Royal School and their teacher.
He married later that year, to Anna Matilda Tate, and moved to Tullyroan, where he would live the rest of his life. Here he built his workshop and observatory, where he would spend his time observing the stars and working many engineering projects. He wrote widely, becoming a popular fixture of the Irish Independent for decades. His newspaper articles were written in a conversational, accessible tone, and he frequently included tips and advice for stargazers from all walks of life. He contributed to the papers for over forty years and was interviewed shortly before his death in 1942. In the interview he expressed his pride at his three daughters, two of whom became doctors and the third who became of prominent educational advisor to the Northern Ireland government.