PhD scholarship available

Observing the Heavens from the “Peripherary”: Astronomy in Ireland 1640-1830
A PhD scholarship is available for a collaborative project between the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium and Queen’s University Belfast.

Overview:

The project aims to explore the history of Irish astronomical activity, 1640-1830, and reveal a community of star-gazers on the island before the so-called ‘Golden Age of Irish astronomy’. Working with the historical observatory at Armagh, this research will offer new insight into Ireland’s vibrant intellectual culture in an era of ‘scientific revolution’ and ‘Enlightenment’.

The project asks:

– Who was doing astronomy in this period and what forms did it take?

– Where did astronomical activity happen prior to the establishment of the three major Irish observatories (Armagh, Dunsink and Birr Castle)?

– How did early Irish astronomical activity shape regional and global cultures and itineraries of knowledge?

Both archival and material culture research methods will be used. Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s 32,000 historical records and collection of artefacts dating from 1499 onwards will provide the starting point. There are also relevant holdings at Dublin’s Dunsink Observatory, the Royal Irish Academy, Birr Castle, The Royal Society, the Armagh Robinson Library, and newspaper collections at the Cultural Heritage Services Library in Armagh and Trinity College Dublin. The project will also utilise scientific instrument biography to explore the history of the Irish trade. Extant instruments held at the Irish observatories and UK collections such as the Science Museum Group and the National Maritime Museum will form a key part of the evidence base.

As a collaborative project, the student will benefit from the specialised resources, training and support offered by Armagh Observatory and Planetarium. There will be opportunities for this research to contribute to a UNESCO World Heritage site bid (on the part of the three Irish observatories) and also to generate public-facing outcomes, such as exhibitions. The student will, therefore, be able to develop both academic and heritage-sector professional skills and experience.

For further information and applications please visit the QUB website at:

https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-research/phd-opportunities/observing-the-heavens-from-the-periphery-astronomy-in-ireland-16401830.html

Closing Date for applications 13 January 2026