Dunsink observatory and its possible closure!!!!!!!

In the light of the recent report suggesting the closure of the Dunsink Observatory, I would like to hear some of your views on the matter

What are your reactions to the recent report suggesting the closure of the
Dunsink observatory and how do you think it will impact on astronomy and
astronomers and enthusiasts in Ireland?


Do you believe that the closure of the Dunsink Observatory would mean the
end of an era of astronomy in Ireland?

I think this is a very important topic and to familiarise myself with it, I'd like to hear what you have to say.

Erica

This post has nothing to do with suggestiong a forum, moved to General!

Bart B.,
IFAS Webmaster.

Hi Erica,

Youll find some opinions in other forums here:

www.irishastronomy.org/boards/viewtopic.php?t=1065
www.irishastronomy.org/boards/viewtopic.php?t=1079

Part of the problem is that no-one I have spoken to has seen the report apparently recommending the closure. Several people were contacted privately some weeks ago and there were plans to try to see the report and to then produce a announcement. I'll leave my comments on the people who decided to issue their own statement without having any facts and without coordinating with anyone else for another day.

Going forward I think the new RIA Astronomy & Space Committee may be the best group to handle organising any campaign. It is primarily made up of professional astronomers, however they realise the outreach potential of Dunsink, the observatory is next to useless I understand for research, and DIAS has no undergrad program who possibly could use the scope. The amateur community is represented by Terry Mosely who would have the ability to get the whole astronomy community behind him.

Its hard to know what to do without knowing what DIAS plan to do.

On the one hand Dunsink is a light polluted dump with bad access roads, very difficult to get to, and underfunded as an outreach site.

On the other it is one of the few historic observatories left in the Country.

Levelling the observatory and selling off the instruments would be bad. Moving the observatory to a new location in the city, a more accessible one would be better. Sacrificing more light pollution for a more accessable site could be an advantage.

Its possible that the issue is simly down to staffing (remember the report has not been seen yet! - though someone will possibly pipe up and tell me they have read it now!). The I.A.S have helped out a lot with the public nights, but apparently a DIAS employee is legaly needed to be on site for open nights, the previous regular employee (whos name escapes m at the moment) retired about 6 months ago.

Cheers,
~Al

In the light of the recent report suggesting the closure of the Dunsink Observatory, I would like to hear some of your views on the matter

What are your reactions to the recent report suggesting the closure of the
Dunsink observatory and how do you think it will impact on astronomy and
astronomers and enthusiasts in Ireland?


Do you believe that the closure of the Dunsink Observatory would mean the
end of an era of astronomy in Ireland?

I think this is a very important topic and to familiarise myself with it, I'd like to hear what you have to say.

Erica

i think it is being a little short sighted. while in the short run it will save money in the long run it will do more harm than good. dunsink is the public face of professional astronomy in the republic. it is to there that the media go for information on astronomy related stories from the professionals. it is also an interface between the public and professional astronomy in dublin and beyond, correction it is the only interface between them. it has been several years since i have helped at open nights there but when i did it always appeared to be that the demand was greater than supply. the tickets for open nights were always booked out months in advance. this clearly demostrates that while it may be of limited use a a functional scientific institution it does serve a useful purpose in spreading scientific knowledge.

i also joined the IAS through the observatory as they pointed me in the direction of the 15 years ago, so without that i might not be involved today in amateur astronomy.

as for the amateur astronomy in ireland i think it will also affect that as well as clubs to visit the observatory and use it's facilities (12 refractor ) from time to time. the IAS has also held committee meetings there in the past. if everything closes down and disappears into the city this will disappear also.

while it may be "expensive" to run it is the public face of astronomy in the country and should been see at the end of the day. while it may save money in the short run it could cost the professionals in the long run as cuts them off from the general public who after all pay their bills at the end of the day.
stephen.

Like everyone else here I haven't seen the report so I reserve the right to change my mind but I have to say that I think this is yet anouther example of shortsightedness and penny pinching.

Dunsink is the last observatory in this country where you will actually find aproffesional astronomer! It is a historic building that is at the heart of the interface between the Irish public and Irish Astronomy and it has a lot of history and historic instruments that need to be preserved for future generations.

IMO the place should be transformed into a museum and visitor center where Astronomers from all over the country can come to observe, get a tour and where clubs and other organisations can host events and meetings. It has reall potential but if it closes then all that will be lost. In a matter of days or weeks the site will be over-run with squatters and vandalised byeond repair, it will be gone for ever and the loss is to the Irish people and to the Amateur Astronomy community in this country.

As many of you may know I am actually originally Beligian and grew up in the "country side" on the outskirts of the city of Antwerp. I have an uncle there (the man who got me interested in Astronomy) who works as a guide, teacher and telescope opperator at Anterwps public obsevatory, Urania ( www.urania.be click Englsih near the top middle of te page if you Flemish is not as good as mine :wink: ). Ireland needs sometihng like Urania and Dunsink would be a great home for it!

Dunsink is a prime example of a thing which is greater than the sum of its parts. The observatory is useless for 'proper' astronomy but as a heritage site and a place of huge historical and scientific significance it should not only be maintained but expanded as a potential science centre/museum. Comsidering the right-wing reactionaries we have for a government, I'm sure it will be a golf club before long.

Al's points on its potential closure being used as a publicity stunt is indicitative of a problem with amateur astronomy rife in this country, as well as with the national (read: Dublin) media. Instead of this threatened closure bringing members of the Irish astronomical community together it will simply divide them. Two tragedies for the price of one.