Blackrock Castle looks to the stars
A dome that will house hi-tech telescopes in Ireland’s newest observatory was yesterday hoisted into place atop the 16th-century Blackrock Castle in Cork.
Powerful optical and radio telescopes will soon be installed in the castle as part of a €4 million research and exhibition facility - being developed jointly by Cork city council, Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), and an anonymous Irish benefactor.
CIT researchers plan to study solar planets, near-Earth objects, active galaxies, and gamma ray bursts from the Blackrock Castle Observatory, due to go on line within weeks.
Its telescopes will be linked via the internet to observatories in Greece and South Africa that will beam images back to Cork.
The facility will also be open to the public and a special programme will encourage schoolchildren from around the country to visit in a bid to promote science and engineering.
Yesterday’s operation was the last major piece of building work on the observatory.
The castle walls have been dry lined and underfloor heating installed. Power points are in place and there are internet connections in all rooms. It is hoped the exhibition centre will be ready before Christmas.
Dr Niall Smith, CIT’s Head of Research, watched yesterday’s operation and described the new observatory as unique.
“It is innovative, it is forward looking and supported by a private benefactor - it shows people in Cork want to see more scientists, more kids getting involved in science and more getting involved in third-level education.”
Dr Smith added that there will be a huge emphasis on opening the facility to schools.
“It is hard to know how we can get kids involved in engineering and science, but if you don’t do things like this then nothing will happen.”
The castle, which had lain vacant for some time, was bought by the city for about €1m in January 2001. It was redesigned by Murray O’Laoire Architects and developed by O’Sheas Builders.
* www.physics.cit.ie/blackrock
