The Irish Astronomical Society, the oldest astronomy club in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, was founded in D'Olier Street

D'Olier Street

D'Olier Street is a street in the southern city-centre of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. It and Westmoreland Street are two broad streets whose northern ends meet at the southern end of O'Connell Bridge over the River Liffey...

, Dublin on 5 October 1937.

The society holds public stargazing events to raise interest in astronomy

Astronomy

Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...

. Some members bring their telescope

Telescope

A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...

s to these events and have been nicknamed Dublin Sidewalk Astronomers. It is also one of the founding organisations of the Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies

Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies

The Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies is an umbrella group comprising most of the National and Regional Astronomical Societies on the Island of Ireland.-History:...

. Most members are amateur astronomers

Amateur astronomy

Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...

, with some professionals.

Publications

Orbit is published every two months containing articles by members and non-members. Sky-High is published annually. Both are free to members.

History

The Irish Astronomical Society was founded in October 1937. It was reorganised in 1947 to allow local centres to work under a central committee. It published the Irish Astronomical Journal every quarter from 1949 to 1959. Later, Dunsink Observatory

Dunsink Observatory

The Dunsink Observatory is an astronomical observatory established in 1785 in the townland of Dunsink near the city of Dublin, Ireland.Its most famous director was William Rowan Hamilton, who, amongst other things, discovered quaternions, the first non-commutative algebra, while strolling from the...

 and Armagh Observatory

Armagh Observatory

Armagh Observatory is a modern astronomical research institute with a rich heritage, based in Armagh, Northern Ireland. Around 25 astronomers are actively studying stellar astrophysics, the Sun, Solar System astronomy, and the Earth's climate....

 took over publication of the journal.

By 1974, only the Dublin and Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 centres still existed, then the Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 one left to form the Irish Astronomical Association. In 1990, disagreements led to a split in the Irish Astronomical Society, and some members left to form Astronomy Ireland

Astronomy Ireland

Astronomy Ireland is one of the national astronomy clubs of Ireland . It is a non-profit educational organisation, apart from the associated astronomy shop owned by chairman David Moore....

.