A Barbecue Under the Stars for Everyone in Ireland featuring
Pete Lawrence from BBC's The Sky at Night
and
David Grennan: Supernova Hunter
Saturday 15th September 2012 - Gates open at 6pm
Some of the sights you will see at the Star-B-Q
RADIO ITEM: Listen to David Moore, Chairman of Astronomy Ireland, talk on LMFM Radio about all things astronomy and the 2011 Star-B-Q HERE!
The Star-B-Q is Ireland's biggest telescope festival and Astronomy Ireland's biggest annual fundraiser, where you will get to see the wonders of the Universe from the dark skies of Roundwood in Co Wicklow, Ireland's highest village, with some of the most powerful telescopes in Ireland!
For those who might be a little hungry, a professional barbecue will be served up throughout the evening. You can enjoy a burger and a hotdog, or a vegetarian option, along with soft drinks.
For our younger guests, there will be balloon activities and talks aimed at children giving them a chance to explore the Universe, too!
Gates open at 6pm, and the event starts at 6:30pm.
- 6:30pm - David Moore will give a whistlestop tour of the Universe, exploring everything from the Earth and the Solar System, out to distant stars and galaxies.
- 7:30pm - David Grennan, Ireland's record-holding supernova discoverer, will explain to the audience how he manages to search for and find exploding stars in distant galaxies from his own back garden!
- 8:30pm - Pete Lawrence, presenter of the BBC's The Sky at Night with Sir Patrick Moore, will explore the beautiful phenomenon of the northern lights, a sight that we can expect to see more of over the coming year!
- 9:30pm - We will go out to the telescopes under some of Ireland's darkest skies to see for ourselves the amazing wonders of the Universe! Wrap up warm!
A mobile planetarium will give a show at 6:30pm and 7:30pm (concurrently to the talks above) for those with children who would like to enjoy something a little different.
The Irish Rocketry Society will have a stand to give guests a chance to see how real-life rockets work and to learn how the society launches its own amateur rockets into the sky.
Top Irish astrophotographer Tom O'Donoghue will exhibit some of his latest works including single-frame images and mosaics, often comprising of several days of exposure time, photographed from Ireland and Spain.
Also on the night:
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For more information on the Star-B-Q read about Star-B-Q 2011 HERE
Tickets are only:
Adult tickets: €39
Child tickets: €29 for under-16s
Family rates are: full price ticket for two adults and first child (€39+€39+€29), €20 per child thereafter
Note that ticket prices at the gate on the night are €50 per person, so be sure to book your ticket in advance.
- Secure online booking form here
- Call (01) 890 11 11 with your credit card details
How to Get There
The GAA grounds are located just a couple of hundred metres outside Roundwood village on the R755. You can view a map of Roundwood HERE, with a guide on how to get to the GAA grounds.
Weather and Clear Skies
Star-B-Q 2012 goes ahead regardless of weather on Saturday, September 15th. If the sky is overcast on the night, a separate, telescope-only event will be organised for the following weekend, where you will still get to see the wonders of the universe!
The night is packed full of events to ensure that everyone has a great time, and we even have a number of backup talks and presentations planned in case the weather stops us seeing the sky.
Public Transport and Accomodation:
The Star-B-Q will take place at coordinates: N: 53.060, W: 6.230
Taxis can be used to get you to or from the Star-B-Q. Alternatively St. Kevin's Bus service goes from opposite the Mansion House on Dawson St. to Roundwood. Fares and times are listed on their website.
Visit DiscoverIreland.ie for hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and campsites.
All enquiries about bookings to sec@astronomy.ie
