DIAS Dunsink Observatory

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DIAS Dunsink Observatory Dunsink Observatory was founded in 1785 and is now home to the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies Astronomy & Astrophysics Section.

Information on visitor nights, transition year programmes and other public events can be found at www.dias.ie/dunsink Dunsink Observatory, opened in 1785, was the first building in Ireland specifically constructed for scientific research. It was where our greatest mathematician and arguably our greatest scientist, William Rowan Hamilton, lived and worked. And it was the place where the time standard for Ireland was set using astronomical observations until the first world war. Dunsink time is mentioned several times in James Joyce’s great novel Ulysses, and the clocks used are still on display in the Observatory today. Originally part of Trinity College Dublin, it was purchased by the state in 1947 when the School of Cosmic Physics was being established as part of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) https://www.dias.ie/. The observatory is used nowadays mainly for public outreach, operated by the Astronomy and Astrophysics section (https://www.dias.ie/cp-geophysics/astro/) of DIAS. It is also used for small workshops and conferences, and as visitor accommodation for the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Visitor Nights are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month during the winter months (October-March). Weather permitting, visitors can view celestial objects through the historic Grubb Telescope. Visitors can also attend audio-visual presentations and lectures on a wide variety of topics in astronomy. There is also a question and answer session on all your astronomy related queries.

17/10/2026
17/10/2026

Ireland's oldest scientific institution says it is concerned about the impact plans for a new urban quarter in west Dublin could have on its operation.

Last week, DIAS was delighted to host the Data Analysis and Software in Heliophysics (DASH) and International Heliophysi...
15/10/2026

Last week, DIAS was delighted to host the Data Analysis and Software in Heliophysics (DASH) and International Heliophysics Data Environment Alliance (IHDEA) meetings in Dublin! ☀️

It was a fantastic week of insightful talks, engaging discussions and international collaboration, bringing together researchers to explore the latest developments in heliophysics data, analysis and software.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, contributed and helped make both meetings such a success! 👏

We were delighted to attend the Trinity College Dublin Maths and Physics Career Fair today 📚Great to see so much enthusi...
13/10/2026

We were delighted to attend the Trinity College Dublin Maths and Physics Career Fair today 📚

Great to see so much enthusiasm among students and excitement for what is to come in their careers 🔭

We are delighted to announced the winners of our AOI colouring competition 2026 🎨In Dunsink we had Radu as our winner,...
05/10/2026

We are delighted to announced the winners of our AOI colouring competition 2026 🎨

In Dunsink we had Radu as our winner, with winners Anna in Armagh Observatory and Planetarium and Maci in Birr Castle Demesne 🔭

Thanks to all who entered, we will be in touch with the winners shortly!

Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies - DIAS

We were delighted to welcome Sharon Arbuthnot on Thursday for our Dublin Festival of History event 🔭She presented a wond...
05/10/2026

We were delighted to welcome Sharon Arbuthnot on Thursday for our Dublin Festival of History event 🔭

She presented a wonderful talk on Ireland's history with the stars, which was greatly enjoyed by all. Huge thanks to Sharon and our colleagues in Celtic Studies for collaborating with us ✨

Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies - DIAS

30/09/2026

Reach for the Stars runner-up Anthony Lynch joined RTÉ’s Mooney Goes Wild to talk about astrophotography and share some of his tips for capturing the night sky.

Anthony’s image was selected as a runner-up in this year’s Reach for the Stars astrophotography competition, run by .

🎧 Listen to the clip to hear Anthony explain how you can get started with astrophotography, even using a mobile phone.

29/09/2026

JUICE is flying past Earth today 🌍🛰️

The JUICE spacecraft is carrying out an Earth gravity assist today as part of its journey to Jupiter.

Here at DIAS, our team, supported by , is involved in the science of the JUICE mission and will be following today’s flyby closely.

Find out more about JUICE, the flyby and DIAS involvement via the link in our bio.

Great to have Dublin Cycling Campaign with us this evening for our 🌙🚴‍♂️Fantastic excitement for the group who were tr...
25/09/2026

Great to have Dublin Cycling Campaign with us this evening for our 🌙🚴‍♂️

Fantastic excitement for the group who were treated to great views of the moon through the South Telescope too 🔭

Fingal County Council Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies - DIAS

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Castleknock

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