The outdoor exhibition is opened from today.
An Offaly man's photo has been selected to feature in the 2023 Reach for the Stars astrophotography outdoor exhibition.
The photo entitled ‘Night Train’ was taken by Tom O’Hanlon from Tullamore.
It was taken in Lough Boora and shows the Milky Way core rising over the Sky Train sculpture at the discovery park.
A setting crescent moon illuminates the foreground, and the astro-modified camera captures the detail of the Milky Way hydrogen-alpha signal.
Tom O’Hanlon’s image will be showcased at Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) premises at 10 Burlington Road, Dublin, from today.
The top 14 images from the competition will be displayed alongside Tom’s, at the free to attend event.
Other winning images on display include:
Sara Harvey, from Bishopstown, Co. Cork, who came in the ‘Out of this World’ category, for her image ‘M51 - A Galactic Dance’ which captures the Whirlpool Galaxy, located 31 million light years from Earth.
‘Ghost Ship’ by Adrian Hendroff from Stepaside took first prize in the ‘Back on Earth’ category.
The image depicts the Port Láirge shipwreck as it lies beached in Bannow Bay near Saltmills in Co. Wexford.
Runners-up in the ‘Out of this World’ category were:
Enda Kelly, from Wicklow Town, for his image ‘When the planets align. Lunar occultation of Mars.’ and David Mackie, from Athenry, Co. Galway, for his image ‘The Spaghetti Nebula’.
The two runners-up in the ‘Back on Earth’ category were:
Patryk Sadowski, from Derry City, for his image ‘Manannán mac Lir & Aurora’ and Keith Levins, from Blackrock, Cork City, for his submission, ‘The Almighty Arch’..
The judging panel included Prof. Peter Gallagher, Brenda Fitzsimons, Picture Editor, The Irish Times; Michael McCreary, President, Irish Astronomical Society; and Niamh Breathnach, Director, Alice Public Relations.
Commenting on the competition, Michael McCreary, President of the Irish Astronomical Society and member of the judging panel, said:
“As a new member of the judging panel this year, I was honoured to be involved in the judging process. Astro-photography competitions are a great way to reconnect the general public to the night sky, capturing their imaginations with these stunning astro-photographs. Through the competition we can encourage as many people as possible to explore our world through the night sky. Joining a local astronomy club or society is a great way to get involved and there are lots of groups around the country.”
Echoing Michael’s comments, Brenda Fitzsimons, Picture Editor, The Irish Times, said:
“I am delighted to be involved again this year. Each year I am excited to see the entries that feature unexplored night scenes from the remote wilderness of our landscape and skies.”
Fellow judge Niamh Breathnach, Director of competition sponsors Alice Public Relations, remarked:
“As ongoing sponsors of the competition, it’s been exciting to see how astro-photography has evolved over the last three years. There is a greater appreciation for our night skies with more and more people expressing their curiosity for what is happening above us. Each year we see new dark sky targets and areas of natural beauty. It makes our job very difficult choosing a winner from all of the amazing images.”
Commenting on the success of the competition, Dr. Eucharia Meehan, CEO and Registrar of DIAS said:
“I would like to extend my congratulations to the winners of the competition on their breathtaking entries. Viewing the online gallery of this year’s entries, it’s clear the passion for astro-photography has been elevated to a new level. Photos of our night sky are a powerful tool to engage the general public in science and astronomy. Interconnecting science, history, and heritage, some of the images show the still pristine night sky above cultural heritage sites across Ireland while others incorporate detailed depictions of galaxies and nebulae far away. At DIAS, the area of space research is ever expanding with initiatives such as the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland being launched in May. This historic partnership will see DIAS – Dunsink Observatory partnering with Armagh Observatory and Planetarium and Birr Castle Demesne to develop a shared approach to science, research and heritage across the three sites. It’s important that we continue to protect the sanctity of our dark skies so that future generations are able to enjoy the abject beauty of the cosmos. “I’d like to thank all of those who entered for sharing their passion and creativity with us. I hope that the night sky continues to be a source of inspiration, creativity and wisdom going forward.”
Night Train - by Tom O' Hanlon
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