A team of PhD students at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium in Northern Ireland is gearing up to track NASA’s Artemis II mission – the first crewed lunar flyby in over half a century – using advanced telescope facilities. This comes as the observatory itself prepares for a major upgrade with the UK and Ireland’s first fully immersive LED dome theater.
Tracking the Mission in Real Time
Andrew Marshall-Lee, one of the students, emphasizes the excitement surrounding the launch: “The potential is I am going to see that with my own eyes – that’s really cool.” The team plans to use the observatory’s telescopes to monitor the spacecraft’s trajectory as it heads toward the Moon, turning a scientific event into an immersive experience.
This isn’t just about spectacle. The work done at Armagh Observatory is critical to ensuring future lunar missions are safe. Marshall-Lee’s research focuses on asteroid behavior, especially micrometeorites. These small space rocks constantly bombard the Moon, posing a risk to both astronauts and infrastructure. “If we are going to put people and facilities on the Moon, we need to know how frequent they are… how much protection is needed,” he explains.
Artemis: A New Era of Lunar Exploration
The Artemis II mission marks a turning point in space exploration. Kerem Osman Çubuk highlights the mission’s historic nature: “We have the first female onboard… the very first person of color among the crew as well.” This reflects NASA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in space travel. The agency plans to launch Artemis missions annually, paving the way for a sustained human presence on the Moon.
Armagh Observatory: A Future-Forward Institution
The Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, one of the oldest scientific institutions in the UK and Ireland, is undergoing a multi-million-pound transformation. Director Michael Burton describes the project as a “rejuvenation” of the city, aiming to improve public science communication. The planned LED dome will use technology similar to that found in The Sphere in Las Vegas, offering an unrivaled immersive experience.
The project includes relocating the planetarium to make room for expanded facilities, including improved parking and a closer connection to the observatory’s historic building, which houses the oldest telescope still in its original setting. Burton notes this upgrade will help explain to the public how science is used “to understand the challenges that humanity faces in the 21st Century.”
The Artemis missions and the planetarium’s renovation represent a renewed focus on space exploration and scientific outreach, making Armagh a key hub for both cutting-edge research and public engagement with the cosmos.
