In a previous email to the Astronomy Ireland emailing list we alerted you to developments at Dunsink Observatory, our state-funded national observatory. Dunsink is (ultimately) a part of the Department of Education and Science. The Board that governs Dunsink have decided to move the astronomers from the Observatory in to offices in Dublin city centre. They say they have "public outreach" plans for the Observatory but full details of these plans have not been made public, whereas the decision to move the astronomers has been made and must be done by the end of next month. Once this is done astronomical research will cease to be done at Dunsink after 220 years. As you see below, prominent members of the professional research astronomical community in Ireland (all of whom have given lectures to Astronomy Ireland in the past) have put together a petition to the Minister for Education and Science for which they are asking your support. Just reply to dunsink@astronomy.ie and your support will be sent to Prof Brian McBreen directly who will then forward the petition to the Minister. Next year has been declared Hamilton Year by the government on the occasion of the bicentenary of the birth of one of Dunsink's greatest Directors Sir William Rowan Hamilton (1805-1865) widely regarded as Ireland's greatest mathematician. He was Director of Dunsink from 1827 to 1865 and the mathematics he developed are still used by NASA to control their spacecraft, though he is more famous for his quaternion equation scratched on Broombridge over Dublin's Royal Canal. Hamilton had a fascinating life and to start the celebrations for Hamilton Year Astronomy Ireland's NEW YEAR PUBLIC LECTURE about the life of Hamilton is to be held in Dunsink Observatory on Jan. 10 by kind permission of its Director Prof Evert Meurs. Tickets are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Email lecture@astronomy.ie to get tickets. More details at http://www.astronomy.ie/lecture0501.html Here is the petition. Remember to reply to dunsink@astronomy.ie to support it. Dunsink sub-committee, Astronomy Ireland. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: Prof Brian McBreen (UCD) To: Community@ucd.ie Subject: Dunsink Dear Colleagues, Please find enclosed (as attachment) a copy of a letter to the Minister for Education and Science concerning serious developments regarding the future of Dunsink Observatory. We ask all of you to send an email back (with your name and affiliation or address) to dunsink@astronomy.ie indicating your willingness to sign this letter. We consider important that a large number of people signs for support. Feel free to forward this mail to other colleagues that might be interested to sign. Please note that already four people from different Universities signed by way of endorsement. Please let us have your reply as soon as possible, e.g. by return mail. Prof Brian McBreen, U.C.D. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To Ms Mary Hanafin TD Minister for Education and Science Department of Education Marlborough Street Dublin 1 Dear Minister, We would like to express our disappointment and alarm at the recent decision made by the Board of the School of Cosmic Physics of the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies to discontinue research at Dunsink Observatory, and remove its staff to Dublin city. Whilst we recognise that any such decision - to essentially close the Observatory - is fundamentally one to be made by the Institute, such a move has very serious implications for astronomy in Ireland, from both a research and outreach/educational point of view. We outline these below. The Observatory in Dunsink is the oldest scientific institution in Ireland and is still, after more than 200 years, in full working order. From a historical viewpoint alone, the Observatory is an outstanding example of Ireland's technological heritage, containing as it does many instruments of significant importance in the technological development of astronomy. The Observatory fulfils the role of National Observatory, having for example provided the time service for Dublin up to 1939 (which is even mentioned in Joyce's Ulysses). Dunsink's long tradition of interaction with the public (Open Nights, group visits, provision of lighting-up times for legal purposes etc) makes it the natural reference point for the general public on astronomical issues, as is attested by the numerous daily enquiries. In the past, the Observatory has made significant contributions to various important astronomical issues, ranging from Asteroids to Cosmology. Recently, it has been involved with the construction of the Optical Monitoring Camera currently flying on ESA's INTEGRAL satellite, and is also involved with a unique (ground-based) monitoring telescope: both of these put Dunsink at the forefront of astronomical development in Ireland, and open the door to studies of, for example, "gamma-ray bursters" arguably the most enigmatic, and certainly the most luminous, objects in the Universe. This continues a tradition of work in this field in Dunsink (by previous researchers) that stretches back to the mid-1970s. Additionally, the Observatory plans to coordinate a prestigious (250-300 delegate) meeting in Dublin next year under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union. Dunsink has been synonymous with Irish astronomy for the last 200 years, and we believe that aborting its research now sends the wrong message to the Irish public and the international community about the current state of Irish astronomy. There has never been a time when astronomy in Ireland has been more vibrant, and contributing more to Irish society - witness, for example, the proliferation of astronomy related degrees in almost every Irish university over the last few years. Indeed, Dunsink itself is contributing significantly to the astronomy degree currently being offered by Dublin City University. Next year we celebrate the bicentenary of arguably one of Ireland's greatest scientists, Sir William Rowan Hamilton, who was director of the Observatory from 1827 to 1865. Dunsink would be the natural focus for this celebration and terminating its current successful functioning at this juncture would be particularly unfortunate. Since its foundation in 1940, the (publicly funded) Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies has always provided vital support to Irish astronomy, especially in those times when such support was otherwise non-existent. We ask you as Minister to call upon the Institute to consider very carefully the implications of this decision to close Dunsink, for the future of Irish astronomy. Closure in the short term leaves the Observatory very much at direct physical risk, as recent developments in Dunsink Lane have clearly demonstrated. In the longer term, Irish astronomy would be well served by expansion of both the outreach and research functions of the Observatory, modelled for example on the great success of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium. In any case, we strongly believe that, until definite plans have been made and implemented, any premature withdrawal of manpower from the Observatory could well prove disastrous. The Irish astronomical community, both professional and amateur, appeals to you to use your offices to secure the future of the unique and hugely popular institution that is Dunsink Observatory. Sincerely Yours This letter has been signed electronically by the following: Name Affiliation/Address Dr Paul Callanan University College Cork Prof Brian Mc Breen University College Dublin Prof Anthony Murphy NUI Maynooth Prof Mike Redfern NUI Galway