The chairperson of Astronomy Ireland has warned the public not to attempt to view today’s transit of Mercury across the sun with telescopes or binoculars.

Fake news appears to be all the rage these days.

It hasn’t been the ideal summer for observing the skies, but as we move into September we live in that almost annual hope of an Indian summer, writes Niall Smith.

On August 24, Astronomy Ireland will set up powerful telescopes for people to view some of the wonders of the universe in an event unique to Ireland.

We have probably all spotted the Moon quite clearly during the day even though we associate it with the night time sky.

If you watched any of the footage of the Apollo 11 moon landings in July, you could hardly have missed the pock-marked nature of the lunar surface.

IT has always been something of a mystery to me as to when “summer” starts, but the most commonly accepted definition seems to be on 1st June, in which case summer covers the months of June-July-August.

By now, you will have seen the photo of the black hole. It may even have a cuddly name at this point: Hell’s Polo Mint, FAI at the Oireachtas, or just Holey. It was the big news of the week.

The shadowy silhouette of the black hole in M87 is an astonishing scientific image, says Alister Graham.

There’s a popular programme called ‘Who Do You Think Your Are?’ which charts the genealogy of individuals, usually celebrities, perhaps as far back as a few hundred years.

By 7pm on December 25, we are all likely to have had our fill of turkey and ham, writes Niall Smith.

As part of Science Week, Astronomy Ireland will be setting up some of the most powerful telescopes in Ireland to look at a very rare sight in the night skies.

This question is more science fiction than science, as, thankfully, we can’t just turn off gravity. But it is a question I get asked a lot, so hypothetically speaking, this is what we could expect.

"Look in the north after sunset. You should at least see an arc of light low in the north, and if the display picks up as expected this could move much higher in the sky".

Three potentially habitable Earth-sized planets in another solar system are likely to contain substantial amounts of water, say astronomers.

Americans gazed in wonder through telescopes, cameras and protective glasses as the moon blotted out the midday sun in the first full-blown solar eclipse to sweep the US from coast to coast in nearly a century.

Millions of Americans are looking to the skies for the country's first total solar eclipse in nearly 100 years.

The Irish space industry took a giant leap forward yesterday as Cork welcomed delegates to the International Space Studies Program, where 320 international professionals, academics and astronauts will spend the next nine weeks in the city.

An Irish astronomer has lead an international discovery to make the most detailed image of the surface of a star.

The problem with planets is that they move.

The sky is full of stories. Constellations record mythical figures and events. Most take their names from the Greeks or Romans, although we know the Greeks based their system on Sumerian traditions from some 3,000 years earlier.

When Minister for Health Noel Browne attempted to introduce free medical care for expectant mothers and children under 16 he was left alone to face the full might of the Catholic church, writes Ryle Dwyer.

THERE was a lot of talk about “supermoons” in 2016, a phenomenon which happens when the full moon happens to coincide with the moon being closer to the earth in its non-circular orbit.

Crisp cold nights, a touch of frost on the ground and the lure of a cosy fire might conspire to keep us indoors in December, but it really is worth popping your head outside, even for a few minutes, to soak in the wonders of the night sky.

Space Week is coming up and offers the perfect opportunity to stoke a child’s interest, writes Mark Evans 

November sees the centenary of Percival Lowell’s death. 

The suspension of that naughty Sergio Aguero has seen many Fantasy Premier League managers pull the trigger and play their wildcard. But is it wise to use it so early on?

Although the summer nights are gradually getting longer, they remain short in July and even away from city lights there is a faint glow in the night sky, writes Niall Smith.

DURING March the bright stars of winter give way to the inexorable lengthening of the day as the sun rises higher in the sky. On March 20, the day and night are of equal length, the so-called spring equinox (‘equal night’).

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

A gif created by NASA has shown the moon’s shadow crossing over the Earth during last week’s eclipse over Asia.

Barry Coughlan looks at the best travel deals this week.

The Philae comet lander has fallen silent, said scientists, raising fears it has moved again on its new home millions of miles from Earth.

A ‘wheelie’ good time is in store in Cork as the annual cycling festival rolls in to the city and its environs over the next nine days.

New Horizons, the fastest spacecraft ever flown, made history yesterday as it shot past Pluto at more than 48,280kph, taking pictures and collecting scientific data.

Last night, the Northern Lights lit up the Irish sky with a stunning display of colour and light.