April 2021

The virtual International Dark Sky Week 2021 takes place from Monday 5th April to Sunday 11th April, each evening at 7pm via free zoom meeting.

The virtual events are organised by the Friends of Mayo Dark Skies and the Mayo Dark Sky Park and investigate astronomy, biodiversity, art and ecology, but all with a dark sky theme.

On Friday 9th April from 12 noon to 2pm the special Astrotourism Event will take place and be hosted by Mayo Dark Sky Park. There will be speakers from India, France, Canada and Ireland.

Here is the programme:

• Monday 5th April: Derek Dempsey (Newport Astronomy Club)

• Tuesday 6th April: LUMEN Art & Photography

• Wednesday 7th April: Dr. Frank Prendergast (Archaeoastronomer)

• Thursday 8th April: Authors Anna Levin (author of Incandescent) Emma Marrington (author of Night Blight/CPRE)

• Friday 9th April: Astrotourism with Sonal Asgotraa – Astrostays India, Fionnán Nestor – Fáilte Ireland and Sujay Patel – Meet StarGazers Astrotourism App Terra Nova National Park & Dark Sky Preserve Canada

• Friday 9th April: Artist Louise Beer – An audio dark skies event

• Saturday 10th April: Colin Stafford-Johnson (Wildlife filmmaker)

• Sunday 11th April: Brendan Owens (astronomer)