Cavan astro-photographer to have image exhibited
Aaron Kelly's snap of 'The Spire of Lloyd' in Kells, was chosen to be showcased
An astro-photographer from Ballyjamesduff has once again had a incredible image captured by him selected for exhibition.
Aaron Kelly's snap of 'The Spire of Lloyd' in Kells, Co Meath, was chosen by judges in the ‘Reach for the Stars’ astrophotography competition as one of two dozen to be showcased as part of an outdoor exhibition at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies HQ in Dublin from Friday, July 26.
‘The Spire of Lloyd’, taken by Kelly, is a time-lapse shot of the full moon rising behind the spire, built in 1791, and offering views as far away as the Mourne Mountains in Co. Down.
Aaron captured his incredible image using a Nikon Z7ii and a Sigma 150mm-600mm lens.
“I had pictured this shot in my head for a long time and it took many visits due to weather conditions and access to the shooting location to obtain this shot,” Aaron explained of this entry to the 'Back on Earth – Landmark' category of the photography competition.
A photo by Kelly of ‘The Heart Nebula’ was put on show after it was selected as a runner-up in the ‘Out of this World’ category in the competition in 2022.
The winners were selected by a judging panel following a meticulous judging process of over 200 entries. The judging panel included Prof. Peter Gallagher, Head of Astrophysics at DIAS, Brenda Fitzsimons, former Picture Editor, The Irish Times; Michael McCreary, President, Irish Astronomical Society; and Niamh Breathnach, Director, Alice Public Relations.
Commenting on the success of the competition, Dr. Eucharia Meehan, CEO and Registrar of DIAS extended my congratulations to the winners of the competition on their spellbinding entries. “Astrophotography is about the interactions between humanity and the universe, and it can be a tool to engage the general public in science and astronomy.”
He added that it was “exciting” to see such high engagement with the competition this year in both entries and the public vote. “I’d like to thank all of those who entered for sharing their passion and creativity with us. I hope that the night sky continues to be a source of inspiration, creativity and wisdom going forward.”
The winning images are all available to view now online on www.reachforthestars.ie.