The countdown to comet interception is on at Blackrock Castle

CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork will open its doors to the public tomorrow for a live feed from the European Space Agency’s nerve-jangling bid to drop a lander on a comet.

ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft arrived at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on August 6 after a 10-year journey. The mission’s lander, Philae, will be deployed 22.5km from the comet at 8.35am Irish time and will land about seven hours later. Confirmation is expected at around 4pm-5pm and Blackrock Observatory will welcome the public from 3pm to see events unfold.