About us

The UL Astronomy Society is UL’s first space-based society – for all those interested in the awe-inspiring expanses of this universe we call home. From weekly stargazing and guest speakers to movie and documentary nights along with lengthy discussions about the cosmos, here at UL Astronomy Society we are brought together by our shared love of all things space. We welcome everyone, from experts on the intricacies of some of the many fascinating details of our universe, to those of us who are complete beginners in astronomy and want to learn more about how the world around us works. We do not require any previous science background! Our society has been running for the past 5 years and we are going into one of our strongest years yet! With member numbers on the rise, covid restrictions lifted and the success of our trips to the Joint Congress of University Astronomy Societies, as well as the Irish Low Frequency Array (I-LOFAR) telescope and the great telescope at Birr Castle last year, we have big plans in the works for helping to bring our love for astronomy to all our members this year through many activities, trips, and collaborations with other clubs and societies in UL!

AstroSoc members

Members of the UL Astronomy Society during a star gazing session.

Artemis I – We are going back to the Moon!

It is crucial that the Artemis I mission is successful. It is the first step towards bringing people back to the Moon, it will be the first time the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS) will be launched, and most importantly, it will test whether its technology is safe enough for astronauts to make their journey to the moon in the Artemis II mission. Owing to an unsuccessful launch in August, the new launch date and mission duration are classified on the NASA website as “under review”. The next launch attempt is predicted to take place sometime between the 12th to 27th of November (depending on the weather conditions).

Did you know…

  • SLS will produce 15% more thrust than the Saturn V rockets used in the Apollo era!

  • The total distance travelled during the mission will reach 1.3 million miles!

  • The rocket is 98 meters tall (that is only 22 meters less than the Spire of Dublin)!

Artemis II (planned for May 2024) will be the first crewed mission to travel beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

NASA

The NASA Artemis 1 rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard moves slowly on an 11 hour journey to a launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, March 17, 2022. (Source: John Raoux/AP).