Inishbofin Dark Skies

A wonderful exhibition to mark Space Week Oct 4-10th featuring two wonderful photographers and friends of Inishbofin Dark Skies (Josh Mathews and Aisling McGuire), is happening at Wild Nephin National Park - Páirc Náisiúnta Néifinne Fiáine - another great season to visit the park and the wonderful visitor centre!

Inishbofin Dark Skies updated their address.

Nice piece on our friends at Connemara Dark Skies featured on the Connemara website. Includes the stunning photo of Cromwell's Barracks on Bofin, taken by the very talented Josh Mathews.

https://connemara.ie/connemara-dark-skies-speartha-dorcha-chonamara/

Connemara Dark Skies - Spéartha Dorcha Chonamara • Connemara & the Islands Connemara Dark Skies is a recently formed group of individuals living in different parts of Connemara, who all have an interest in preserving the magic and beauty of the night skies that we are lucky enough to see here on a regular basis The west coast of Ireland is one of the places left in … Con...

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/may/09/total-lunar-eclipse-2022-when-where-and-what-to-look-out-for

Total lunar eclipse 2022: when, where and what to look out for The moon passes through the shadow of the Earth next weekend, begins at 0232 BST on 16 May

Fantastic weather for a bit of star gazing these days. We might even get to see the Northern Lights tomorrow, March 27th.

With lovely clear skies these nights, take a few minutes to count some stars tonight...not all of them, just in one patch of sky! Find Orion by looking for the three stars of his 'Belt'

Click this link to for more details:

https://www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-care-about/nature-and-landscapes/dark-skies/star-count-2022/

A great event being run by our friends at Connemara Dark Skies - definitely one not to miss!

Hoping all of you got to see some of the wonderful meteor shower last night 🌠🌠🌠

The peak of the Perseids meteor shower is expected over the next couple of nights, most likely Thursday night/Friday morning. If you have clear skies look out for shooting stars!
For we are collaborating with for a bat walk and meteor watch. Join us to look out for bats and learn all about them at the national park visitor centre.
Along the walk we'll also talk about the Perseid Meteor shower. You'll learn what it is, what causes it and what to look out for to see it in the night sky.
Although it won’t be the peak night for meteor activity, if the skies are clear there’s a chance to see some meteors towards the end of the walk. If the skies aren’t clear we’ll already be having a great time looking out for bats and you’ll have everything you need to know to see the meteors next year!
Info on booking a place on the walk on national park website. Wishing everyone clear skies!! 🌌 ✨

....and he's done it again!

We've quickly run out of words to describe the images Josh Mathews has been capturing and producing of the heavens above Bofin. This is why we want to preserve, protect and promote the darkness of the skies above our beautiful island, so that everyone has the chance to enjoy this kind of magic.

This is simply breathtaking ✨✨✨

Connemara Dark Skies Inishbofin Island, Co. Galway Murray's Inishbofin Doonmore Hotel Mayo Dark Skies International Dark-Sky Association Visit Galway Galway Now Fáilte Ireland Tourism Ireland Connacht Tribune - Galway City Tribune The Galway Advertiser

Our mission is to have Inishbofin designated a Dark Skies Park where people can view the amazing night skies in real unpolluted darkness.

Why? So that more people can get to experience the breath-taking beauty of nights like this....

An incredible photograph taken by Josh Mathews the other night above Trá Gheal. Josh volunteers with our friends at Connemara Dark Skies and graciously allowed us to share this wonderful shot. Don't think we will ever get sick of looking at it!



Inishbofin Island, Co. Galway Inishbofin CommCentre Murray's Inishbofin Doonmore Hotel Mayo Dark Skies Connemara Dark Skies International Dark-Sky Association Failte Ireland Tourism Ireland Visit Galway Galway Now

Incredible shot

Congratulations to our friend .sproll who has just been named World Landscape Photographer of the Year 2021 📸 His work is absolutely incredible! Here is an amazing shot he took of one of our salmon huts

Milkyway rising over Connemara coast ✨

📸Felix-sproll

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/light-pollution-the-easiest-pollution-to-tackle-1.4511850

Light pollution: the easiest pollution to tackle One Change: Light pollution can lead to eye issues and can affect our melatonin levels

International Dark Sky Week April 5th to 12th. Check https://www.darksky.org/ for lots of information.

Here is a sample info video.
https://youtu.be/dd82jaztFIo

International Dark Sky Association | International Dark-Sky Association The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) has awarded International Dark Sky Park designations to Fremont Indian and Goosenecks State Parks. Both parks have exceptionally dark skies in beautiful and unique settings. These parks bring the total dark sky […] Read more

Turn off your lights for 1 hour tonight at 8:30. It is only a small token of energy conservation, protection of our environment and protection of our night sky.

Newport to become Ireland’s first ‘dark-sky-friendly town’ Lighting in the west Mayo town will be improved to reduce light pollution of the night sky

It's hard to believe, when you look at the 'Red Planet, in our western skies these days, that so many pieces of technology from Earth will be near and on the planet. Fascinating stuff. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanocallaghan/2021/02/08/three-spacecraft-are-about-to-arrive-at-mars-heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-them/?fbclid=IwAR2NQk_3kGJGO8nHNLir5_LNclX3VXyn_vd3QnZUH8mLBYemYsUrGMvNj-A

Three Spacecraft Are About To Arrive At Mars. Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Them Last July three spacecraft from the UAE, China, and the US launched to Mars. Now, after a journey of seven months, they’re all about to arrive.

A few nice resources here for amateur astronomers:
http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html
Print it and get out on the clear nights to try spot some of them.

Skymaps.com - Publication Quality Sky Maps & Star Charts Quality sky maps (star charts) for stargazing, education and publishing. The Evening Sky Map free each month. Find constellations, planets and comets.

A couple of versions of the globes showing light pollution and some specific examples from Spain- information that can be extrapolated to Ireland's situation.

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=2109312e08cb4e59afec3afcf154eda7

A Sky Without Stars Did you know that over 85% of the world population lives deprived of the vision of the stars?

Keep an eye out this evening

SpaceX Crew Dragon to launch in historic first crewed mission SpaceX's Crew Dragon is due to lift off aboard the Falcon 9 rocket on 27 May 2020. Find out when and where it's happening, and how to watch it.

If the skies are clear, the last super moon of 2020, the full flower moon, will be worth seeing tonight. If it isn't clear tonight, it should still appear full for another night or two so we will get another chance to see it tomorrow.

Don't forget to keep an eye on the sky on the clear nights, it is really amazing out west. No shortage of shooting stars to make a wish upon!

David Moore will be on http://connemarafm.com tonight (Thursday) live at 7:35pm

He’ll be talking about Venus being spectacularly close to the Moon tonight, and the big Venus-Watch we're running at AI HQ on Saturday to view Venus.http://www.connemarafm.com

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Connemara Community Radio - Connemara Community Radio Welcome To Connemara Community Radio Welcome to the home of One of Ireland’s Oldest Community Radio Station broadcasting to Connemara & the World from the studios in Letterfrack & Inishbofin since July the 1st 1995. Possibly the most interesting radio station you will ever tune into. Find out more...

Wishing Inishbofin National School the very best of luck tomorrow with their project on Dark Skies. It's great that they are so interested and here's hoping the stars align for them!

https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/night/

Which Planets Can You See Tonight? Choose tonight or another date and see which planets are shining in the sky above you or anywhere else.

https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-3-launch-rocket-test.html

SpaceX gears up for next Starlink satellite megaconstellation launch with rocket test Liftoff is scheduled for Jan. 24.

https://www.facebook.com/215428148627814/posts/1095131170657503/?sfnsn=mo

Let there be dark: the battle to save our sky from light pollution The spread of electrical lighting is blocking out the stars and threatens the health of many species … including humans. Now our national parks plan to take back the night

https://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/reexamine-your-entire-life?utm_source=dynamic&utm_campaign=bffbbuzzfeed&ref=bffbbuzzfeed

27 Pictures That Will Make You Re-Evaluate Your Entire Existence Existential crisis in 3...2...1...

Just waiting for nightfall!