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Astronomy & Astrophysics

Latest News

Space Crafts – DIAS project receives funding from SFI Discover Programme

We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded funding from the SFI Discover Programme, which encourages STEM Public Engagement, for our project Space Crafts: A STEAM Initiative at DIAS Dunsink Observatory. For more information, visit the official press release here.

Open Positions – Summer Internships

We are happy to announce two open positions for summer internships with the DIAS Planetary Magnetospheres group. For more information on the roles, and how to apply, visit our vacancies page here.

Irish Government announce funding for Astronomical Observatories of Ireland through Shared Island Initiative

On the 20th of February 2024, the Irish government released the Shared Island Investment announcement. It includes support for the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland joint UNESCO World Heritage status bid as a transboundary property, and feasibility work on how to harness the unique, connected scientific and built heritage value of the three sites. DIAS Dunsink Observatory is a partner in AOI along with Armagh Observatory & Planetarium, and Birr Castle Demesne Read the official press release here.

Research Activities

An Efficient Particle Accelerator in the Galactic Microquasar SS 433’s Jets revealed through Gamma-Ray Observation by the H.E.S.S. Observatory

  • The microquasar SS 433 stands out as one of the most intriguing objects within our Milky Way.
  • A pair of oppositely directed beams of plasma (“jets”) spirals away perpendicularly from the binary systems disk’s surface at just over a quarter of the speed of light. 
  • The H.E.S.S. observatory in Namibia has now succeeded in detecting very high energy gamma rays from the jets of SS 433, and identifying the exact location within the jets of one of the galaxy’s most effective particle accelerators. 
  • Through comparison of gamma-ray images at different energies, the H.E.S.S. collaboration reveals the motion and dynamics of a relativistic jet in our own galaxy for the first time.

Read more here.

LOFAR ERIC

We are delighted to see the official launch of LOFAR as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium! Ireland is one of its founding members, learn more here at dias.ie/lofar-eric!

Moon rocks with unique dust found

An international research team, including astrophysicists from DIAS, studied interaction of dust with moon rocks and discovered potential anomalous rocks! Read more here.

Read about past activities in our News Archive.


Introduction

The Astronomy & Astrophysics Section undertakes research on solar and stellar physics, space weather, planetary science, star formation, the interstellar medium, high energy astrophysics and instrumentation. It has contributed to many international projects and is currently involved in space missions such as Solar Orbiter and the James Webb Space Telescope and ground-based facilities such as LOFAR and the European Southern Observatory. The Section includes approximately 40 researchers based at Fitzwilliam Place in central Dublin. It also runs popular visitor nights and public engagement events at DIAS Dunsink Observatory in west Dublin.


Research Groups

Major areas of interest include:


Meet some of our astrophysicists in the video below and learn about what they get up to as they reach for the stars!