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The Limerick Astronomy Club
(LAC), was founded on 6th Feb 1986.
From the the mid 1990s until 2018 the club was known as the Shannonside Astronomy club (SAC) but we eventualy decide to revert to our original name. LAC is composed of
members who share a common interest in the various aspects of astronomy from Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and further afield. We run a
bulletin board for
people to discuss astronomical related subjects.
We were a founding member of
IFAS
(The Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies). The federation encompasses clubs and societies from all over the island of
Ireland with a view to mutual benefit and co-operation. The club also runs an excellent Bulletin Boards section which is the 'online' hub of
astronomy in Ireland. It's a friendly place to chat with other amateur astronomers of all levels about
equipment, events, astrophotography and the sky.
As part of our commitment to bringing astronomy to the public in the region, we
provide talks for Schools, etc., and arrange occasional public gatherings for major celestial events at
O'Callaghans strand in Limerick. The main clubs activities include;
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Monthly Club Meetings
Meetings are held on the first Thursday of
every month (except January where it is the second Thursday).They normally take the form
of the following,
Sort discussion on astronomy related news and events
Short presentation detailing the night sky for the coming month
(Starrynight)
Tea break with light refreshments (a great chance to chat and mingle)
Main speakers talk
The topics are varied and are presented by both our own members and by the
occasional guest speaker. New members are always welcome to come and join us.
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Observing Sessions
Observation sessions are organized to coincide
with various eventsor clear nights on a weekend night. The club has a 12" Dobsonian telescopea and a Meade 10" Schmidt
Cassegrain telescope, our members also bring their own instruments. We usually observe, weather
permitting of course, from one of a few dark sky
sites around Limerick, from the Burren carpark in county Clare and O'Callaghans strand in Limerick
city.
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Weekly Newspaper Articles
For a number of
years, Shannonside Astronomy Club had been submitting an article to the limerick leader newspaper
for weekly publication in a special feature called 'Starscape'
Click here to search or read the
articles.
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Yearly Starparties
Each year the club runs an
annual StarParty in the Burren and events at O'Callaghans strand in Limerick.
Keep an eye on the Club News page for upcoming
events.
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The club has a fully democratically
electable committee and has a non profit ethos. It's run by a group of
enthusiastic volunteers who freely give up their time and efforts.
All club funds are channelled back into the club interms of equipment for
the benifit of the club and other expenses such as insurance and room rental.
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