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Cork’s Solar System Trail
Posted in Lifestyle on Thursday, 2nd October 2008
Blackrock Castle Observatory in conjunction with ArtTrail and the Cork Astronomy Club mark Ireland's first Solar System Trail
In October 2008 Blackrock Castle Observatory in conjunction with ArtTrail and the Cork Astronomy Club will mark Ireland's first Solar System Trail with a series of framed banners from Patrick's Bridge to Blackrock Castle Observatory.
Cork's distance to scale Solar System Trail will launch at 7.30pm on October 5th 2008 with an open top bus tour of the Trail featuring RTE Space Correspondent Leo Enright. Leo will provide an up to the minute commentary on solar system activity including the most recent discoveries from the Phoenix Mars Lander.
On arrival at Blackrock Castle, clear skies permitting, trail-riders can enjoy guided observing sessions with researchers from the Cork Institute of Technology at the Observatory and members of the Cork Astronomy Club. The Milky Way, Summer Triangle and Andromeda Galaxy will be visible.
There will also be live screenings of an extra solar planetary transit and images of Uranus, Neptune and Jupiter as seen from the 16" rooftop robotic telescope.
By marking the correct distance to scale locations along the orbital paths, placing the Sun at St Patrick's Bridge and Neptune at Blackrock Castle Observatory, the inner planets of the Solar System, Mercury, Venus and Earth, fit along Merchants Quay with Mars situated at the Bus Station, Jupiter located at Victoria Road, Saturn at Centre Park Road and Uranus at The Marina.
Public engagement is brought from the centre of town, through the Docklands, to the outer edge of Cork city centre (and the solar system) to Blackrock Castle Observatory and the skies above.
Discover astronomy programming with ongoing workshops Mars Mysteries and Comets at the Castle. Delve deep into space at the award-winning exhibition Cosmos at the Castle. Send an email to space!
The Solar System banners commissioned by ArtTrail are printed with an image of each planet by Cork artist Marianne Keating using recent and historical telescopic and satellite discoveries.
Research is in association with the Department of Applied Physics and Instrumentation, Cork Institute of Technology.
