Submillimetre Astronomy is an exciting new area of astronomy. Observing the Universe using submillimetre wavelength radiation (part of the spectrum between the Infrared and Microwave part of the spectrum) offers astronomers a new window to observe many important phenomena that were previously undiscovered. This is one of the last areas of astronomy to be fully developed because of the technical challenges involved in the detection instrumentation needed to detect this radiation and the opacity of the earth’s atmosphere to this radiation.

Important astronomical questions involved in the processes of star birth and death and indeed the evolution of galaxies can be answered. Questions about these processes are amongst the most fundamental in astrophysics, and submillimetre astronomy plays an important role in answering them. Submillimetre astronomy is primarily concerned with cold objects of the Universe such as the Interstellar Medium gas and dust, planetary and cometary bodies. This new window of observation is vital to enrich our view of the Universe.

Neil Trappe graduated with a BSc. in Applied Physics from the University of Limerick in 1998. He completed a PhD. in optical analysis techniques for space instrumentation in the Experimental Physics Department at NUI Maynooth in January 2002, before continuing to work in this research area as a Post-doctoral Research Associate until June 2003. Currently he is employed as a Junior Lecturer in the Experimental Physics Department. His research interests are in the field of far-infrared space optics, specifically working on the HIFI instrument for the Herschel Space Observatory (ESA cornerstone project, due for launch 2007).

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