Sean O’Brien’s photo of O’Brien’s Tower at the Cliffs of Moher, which has been selected to feature in an exhibition by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
Seán O’Riordan from Kilmallock has been selected to feature in an exhibition of the judges’ 20 top-rated images, as part of the inaugural ‘Reach for the Stars’ astrophotography competition run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. The exhibition is running online initially, on the DIAS website, www.dias.ie. An outdoor exhibition at DIAS’s premises on Burlington Road is planned for the coming weeks, followed later in the summer by an exhibition at DIAS Dunsink Observatory. Mr. O’Riordan’s image ‘O’Brien’s Tower under Starry Skies’ captures the night sky above the tower which stands on a headland on the Cliffs of Moher.
Commenting on the images selected for the exhibition, Professor Peter Gallagher, Head of Astrophysics at DIAS and a member of the judging panel for ‘Reach for the Stars’, said: “The standard of entries to the competition was excellent, and the judging panel had a very difficult job making our final selection. The chosen images showcase a variety of striking and impressive astronomy scenes, and capture the talent of astrophotographers in Ireland.”
Speaking about the entries overall, John Flannery, Vice-President of the Irish Astronomical Society and member of the judging panel, added: “I was blown away by the entries to the competition – the level of skill, imagination and creativity shown. Many of the images captured very complex astronomical features that are extremely difficult to photograph, and require great skill and patience. It is great to see such interest in astronomy from both amateur and experienced photographers and astronomers across the country.”