Date: April 1   Time: 6-9pm

Fri 1st Apr | First Fridays at the Castle | 6pm – 9pm

FREE Monthly Event | www.bco.ie/events/first-fridays

CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory First Fridays at the Castle is an action-packed open night on the first Friday of every month with activities for visitors of all ages.

6-8pm – Four half-hour, hands on,  family friendly sessions with BCO’s in-house teacher and astronomer, Frances McCarthy. Explore Jokes and Puzzles with a Space twist! Q. What kind of plates do they serve food on in outer space? (answer at the bottom of the page).

7-8pm - Cork Science Café
Who’s Fooling Who? – a look at debunked theories, dodgy research & out-and out-scams in science with UCC’s Professor of Biochemistry Willie Reville

8-9pm – Nick Addey - Stars, the Real Pictures

Stars and Mythology go hand in hand, but just how the two were woven together was lost to us. By using a list of star names and his own naked eye observations, Nick slowly but surely pieced together a collection of ‘real star pictures’ – pictures that fit the stars and look realistic. Having found a large number of stunning pictures the manner in which our ancestors crafted them, cartoon-style, into wonderful stories became apparent. As a result Nick can introduce you to a forgotten stellar legacy, one that, in a most unexpected way, makes learning the stars both easy and fun for adults and children alike.

from 9pm: Assisted night sky observing with BCO astronomers and the Cork Astronomy Club. Weather permitting, we should have great views as the telescopes point to  the heavens above.