Public and Media Relations at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
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This is a collection of images that illustrate the work of the UK Astronomy Technology Centre, the Institute for Astronomy and the ROE Visitor Centre. Please refer to the usage guidelines.
Information Sheets
Information sheets are available for many aspects of the work of the ROE.
Recent News and Press Releases
15th July 2010
NASA award for telescope innovation to Edinburgh Scientist
The late Dr Timothy Hawarden, who was based for many years at the ’STFC's UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC), has been awarded a NASA Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal for his pioneering work on innovative cooling techniques that make possible future infrared space telescopes, including the one that will follow the Hubble Space Telescope. The awards were presented at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, home of the Hubble, on 16 June 2010. Nobel laureate, Dr, John Mather, an American astronomer who was an early convert to Tim’s concept, accepted it on Tim’s behalf.
The medals accompanying the award were presented to Tim’s widow, Frances today (15 July 2010) at a brief ceremony held at the UK ATC (formerly the Royal Observatory Edinburgh or ROE) during a meeting of the Science Working Group for the James Webb Space Telescope. At the ceremony Robert Smith, an historian charged with writing a comprehensive history of this huge NASA/ESA mission, gave an introduction to the significance of Tim’s work to an audience of NASA and ESA scientists together with some of Tim’s colleagues at the UK ATC.
25 June 2010
All eyes on giant telescope project
An exhibition including two innovative videos is showcasing inspirational plans to build the largest optical telescope in the world – the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT).
The giant telescope is in an advanced stage of design by astronomers and industry across Europe, led by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The E-ELT, with a main mirror 42 metres in diameter, is expected to revolutionise our understanding of the Universe and its origins.
17 June 2010
UK scientists focus on revealing hidden mysteries of the Universe
Secrets of the Universe are to be revealed as a new telescope equipped with the world?s most powerful digital camera begins its observations of the night sky. The Pan-STARRS sky survey telescope - known as PS1 - will enable scientists to better understand the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, the material that is thought to account for much of the mass of the universe but has never been proven to exist.
Astronomers from the Universities of Durham, Edinburgh and Queen?s University Belfast together with researchers from around the world are using the telescope to scan the skies from dusk to dawn each night.
16 June 2010
Largest radio telescope gets royal seal of approval
The world's largest radio telescope has been officially launched at a special ceremony in the Netherlands attended by astronomers from the UK and many other countries. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands formally opened LOFAR, which stands for Low Frequency Array, on Saturday 12 June. Representatives from consortia in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom then officially signed the memorandum that kicks off their scientific collaboration.
18 March 2010
Hubble's successor one step closer to completion
A working replica of MIRI - the pioneering camera and spectrometer for the James Webb Space Telescope - has just been shipped (16th March) from the Science and Technology Facilities Council's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre, bringing the Webb telescope one small step closer to embarking on its journey into space where it will produce the sharpest images yet of the farthest depths of the cosmos.
10 February 2010
Orion in a new light - ESO's VISTA telescope exposes high-speed antics of
young stars
The Orion Nebula reveals many of its hidden secrets in a dramatic image taken by the new UK-designed VISTA telescope. The survey telescope's huge field of view can show the full splendour of the whole nebula and VISTA's infrared vision also allows it to peer deeply into dusty regions that are normally hidden and expose the curious behaviour of the very active young stars buried there.
Previous press releases are available from the press release archive.
Public Events
The Royal Observatory runs a number of events for the Public. Information about these is available from the Visitor Centre. There are also site-wide events include the annual Open Days, which are part of the Edinburgh Doors Open Days.
Contact information
Ideas for press releases and articles involving the Royal Observatory Edinburgh,
the UK Astronomy Technology Centre, the Institute for Astronomy or the
ROE Visitor Centre: Eleanor Gilchrist 0131
668 8397.
General media enquiries and interview requests: Dave
Chalton 0131 668
8343.
Alternatively you can call the switchboard on 0131 668 8100, or email our
Astronomy Information Helpline at info@roe.ac.uk