For a very special
Christmas Lecture, Astronomy Ireland have enlisted the
Director-General of the European Space Observatory (ESO), Professor Tim de
Zeeuw, to enthral and excite guests with details of some of the world's largest
telescopes, over which he has control. The ESO is clearly the
world leader in astronomy and telescope facilities and it is astonishing
and overwhelming that Astronomy Ireland have a man of his calibre giving
our most exciting talk of the year.
Although ESO has 14 members, Ireland is not one of them.
Several prominent astronomers and astronomy groups in Ireland have expressed
their views that Ireland should join, arguing that it would allow the growing
number of astronomy graduates in Ireland to continue their work, and would
also attract into the Irish economy the expertise required to sustain and
develop the technology demanded by ESO facilities. Astronomy Ireland’s Christmas
Lecture will prove to be thought-provoking and will raise awareness of the
benefits of a smart economy.