Armagh Observatory & Planetarium

A Message from Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett, followed by Armagh Observatory & Planetarium's best practice article

The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from Armagh Observatory & Planetarium is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.

Rt Hon The Lord David Blunkett, MP

Rt Hon The Lord Eric Pickles, MP

www.armagh.ac.uk

1ARMAGH OBSERVATORY AND PLANETARIUM |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE

Professor Michael Burton,

Director

Armagh Observatory, seen

here from the south side

In one of the smallest cities in the UK lies a truly unique

organisation: the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium. Here

research, education and outreach come together in an institution

rich in scientific history. The observatory was the last great project

of the city’s architect, Archbishop Richard Robinson, enshrined

in a 1791 Act of Parliament for “settling and preserving a Public

Observatory and Museum in the City of Armagh, forever”. Housed

in a Grade A-listed heritage building, Armagh Observatory is now

the oldest in the UK that has continuously been used for astronomy.

Director and CEO Professor Michael Burton explains more about

the observatory’s work and discusses its community focus.

Inside the observatory, stories of discovery in science can be experienced alongside

the instrumentation used to make them. The progress of technology can be

seen through our heritage telescopes; the Troughton, for example, was installed

in 1795, making it the oldest telescope in the world that remains in its original

setting. The design featured the then-revolutionary concept of an equatorial

mounting, meaning it was able to follow the Earth’s rotation to track stars. A

century later, the Grubb telescope was used to compile a fundamental catalogue of

nebulae, one still used to this day by professional astronomers.

Our planetarium is also the longest-established in the UK, having celebrated its

50th anniversary last year. It became a beacon of the space age after its 1968

opening; it reported on the moon landings that soon followed and played a key

role in explaining the wonders of the cosmos to the public.

FACTS ABOUT

ARMAGH OBSERVATORY AND

PLANETARIUM

»Director: Professor Michael

Burton

»Armagh Observatory

established in 1790; the

planetarium followed in 1968

and the two were integrated

in 2016

»Based in Armagh, Northern

Ireland

»Services: Research, education

and outreach in astronomy

and space sciences, scientific

history and heritage

»No. of employees: 30 staff, 12

PhD students

»Meteorological measurements

have been made at Armagh

Observatory since 1795

»AOP is an arm’s-length

body in the Department for

Communities of the Northern

Ireland Executive

»www.armagh.ac.uk

Armagh Observatory

and Planetarium

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW

Highlighting best practice

2| ARMAGH OBSERVATORY AND PLANETARIUM

»ERNST ÖPIK AND AOP

In the 20th century, Ernst Öpik, grandfather of former Liberal

Democrat MP Lembit Öpik, made several far-reaching discoveries in

Armagh, including the prediction of a cloud of comets orbiting the

Sun, alongside the first accurate measurement of the distance to

Andromeda, our neighbouring galaxy.

Many visitors retain strong memories

of their first visit to the planetarium as

a child and come to bring their own

children decades on.

An esteemed setting

Both of our buildings are sited within

14 acres of landscaped gardens known

as the Armagh Astropark, where scale

models of the solar system and the

universe are laid out. These convey a

sense of scale of the cosmos as one

walks along them.

Continuing through the Astropark, up

the Hill of Infinity, we have a modern

version of the stone circle – humanity’s

first attempts at comprehending the

cosmos, recreated through the placing

of the stones.

Beyond the park is the heritage landscape

of Armagh itself, including its two

cathedrals. These hark back to the era of

Christian foundation in Ireland some 15

centuries ago and are an integral cultural

element of the local area. We recognise

this at the observatory with our motto,

“TheHeavens Declare the Glory of God”,

as decreed by Archbishop Robinson.

It remains a sentiment we all can relate

to when it comes to the splendours of

the night sky and our sense of awe at

the majesty of nature.

Integrating the observatory

and planetarium

The observatory and planetarium

were brought together into a single

organisation in 2016. This integrated

what had been separate research and

outreach arms, facilitating a number of

working partnerships between the two

facilities. The immersive experience

of the planetarium allows stories

to be told of the cosmos which are

concurrently the subjects of research

carried out in the observatory.

Such a partnership has allowed us to

utilise not only the deep knowledge of

our astronomers but also the ideas and

enthusiasm of our graduate students. By

recognising these two areas and making

use of the communication skills of our

education team, we are well positioned

to develop innovative new programmes.

We use our research to inform our

outreach, allowing us to ensure that our

offerings remain fresh and relevant.

We are expanding beyond the primary

school audience that had been a prior

focus of the planetarium and look now

at instilling key scientific confidence

and research-based critical thinking

at all levels of society. We are also

strengthening our interactions with the

community, locally and regionally, to

make AOP a central part of Armagh life.

The next steps: bringing

together heritage, science

and education

We have a vision for our future that

includes aspirations for world-class

research, education and outreach set

against a rich backdrop of Armagh’s

heritage, all tied together by way of

modern leadership and governance.

We have a

vision for our

future that

includes

aspirations for

world-class

research,

education and

outreach set

against a rich

backdrop of

Armagh’s

heritage

“

3ARMAGH OBSERVATORY AND PLANETARIUM |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE

Our plan began with the full integration

of the observatory and the planetarium

and will continue on to hopefully see

us become an international centre for

science and education. Going forwards,

we will include a new state-of-the-art

planetarium as the basis for a range of

immersive experiences across both the

arts and sciences, enhanced with the use

of augmented and virtual reality exhibits.

We are also looking at establishing

a new exhibition space, set around

core themes of astronomy, space

and the environment. This will

include a high-quality conference and

workshop venue, one intended for

specialist and professional meetings

in an environment that promotes and

facilitates creativity. It will also serve as

a venue for the arts, where one might

experience music under the stars.

There will also be incubator space to

discuss new business revolving around

digital, creative and IT applications,

stimulated by interactions inspired by

the special surroundings set within an

observatory and planetarium.

All of these improvements and new

areas will be surrounded by the

Astropark, a passive recreation area

centred around a cosmos-themed park.

Rich with woodland and meadow areas,

this serves as a showcase for nature

and the environment, while remaining

connected to the town of Armagh.

Altogether, I hope these developments

can facilitate greater analysis and

exploration of the observatory’s heritage.

Through this, we could experience the

history of science since the Renaissance

period by way of the original telescopes

and instrumentation, which were in

turn pioneering pieces of equipment

during the Georgian and Victorian eras.

The planetarium would provide a new

icon for Armagh, an exemplar in design,

demonstrating energy efficiency and

sympathetic lighting. Together with

a café at its heart, it would be a focal

point for all activity, and a place of

repose and reflection for visitors!

The NI Ministerial Advisory Group

(MAG) for Architecture and the Built

Environment concluded that the project

represents an exceptional facility able

to boast of a scientific heritage of

international importance and esteem.

There are, of course, many challenges

before us in taking this forward, but

the opportunities are considerable.

It comes at a time of renaissance in

Armagh, with the development of

new facilities for education and leisure,

and investment in its heritage all

taking place. With the support of the

community, we know we can make

this vision for the Armagh Observatory

and Planetarium a reality one day.

The planetarium

became a

beacon of the

space age after

its 1968

opening,

reporting on the

moon landings

that soon

followed

“

Staff and students at

the newly-merged

Armagh Observatory

and Planetarium on

the planetarium’s 50th

anniversary

Hanging out on the

Moon during a school

visit to the planetarium

www.armagh.ac.uk

This article was sponsored by Armagh Observatory & Planetarium. The Parliamentary Review is wholly funded by the representatives who write for it. The publication in which this article originally appeared contained the following foreword from Rt Hon Michael Gove.

Rt Hon Michael Gove's Foreword For The Parliamentary Review

By Rt Hon Michael Gove

This year's Parliamentary Review comes at a momentous time for parliament, as we collectively determine the destiny of the United Kingdom.

On October 31, the UK will leave the European Union. The successful implementation of this process is this government's number-one priority.

Three years after a historic referendum vote, we will deliver on the decisive mandate from the British people. Trust in our democracy depends on it. Until that final hour, we will work determinedly and diligently to negotiate a deal, one that abolishes the backstop and upholds the warm and close relationship we share with our friends, allies and neighbours in the EU. But in the event that the EU refuses to meet us at the table, we must be prepared to leave without a deal.

As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, it is my job to lead on this government's approach, should that scenario happen. Preparing for Brexit is my department's driving mission. But while I am leading this turbocharged effort, the whole of government is committed to this endeavour.

Ministers across Whitehall are working together to ensure that every possibility is considered, every plan is scrutinised and every provision is made. A daily drumbeat of meetings means that we are holding departments accountable, so that preparations are completed on time.

The chancellor has confirmed that all necessary funding will be made available. And we have mobilised thecivil service, assigning 15,000 of our most talented civil servants to manage our exit from the EU.

We will make sure that on November 1, there is as little disruption to national life as possible. Our trade relationships will continue to thrive, thanks to agreements with countries around the world worth £70 billion. Our country will remain secure, thanks to nearly 1,000 new officers posted at our borders. And the 3.2 million EU nationals now living and working among us can remain confident, with absolute certainty, of their right to remain in the UK.

Above all, our goal is to be transparent. Soon, we will launch a public information campaign so that citizens, communities and businesses are ready and reassured about what will happen in the event of “no deal”.

In my first few weeks in this role, I have travelled to ports and tarmacs, borders and bridges, all across the UK –from the seaside of Dover to the rolling green hills of County Armagh. I have heard from business owners and border officials, farmers and hauliers. They are ready to put an end to uncertainty. And they are ready to embrace the opportunities ahead.

Our departure from the EU will be a once in a lifetime chance to chart a new course for the United Kingdom. Preparing for that new course will be a herculean effort. But this country has made astounding efforts before. We can do it again.

Rt Hon Michael Gove
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster