Following on from his successfull workshop at Monday night's NIAAS meeting, Kieran has had some great news. Here is a press release from Dave McDonald:

Kieran Rooney, of the Northern Ireland Amateur Astronomy Society (NIAAS), was smitten by the astronomy bug when he was a child. After graduating from University, he worked in the mineral exploration industry and ended up in Mozambique. On returning home to County Down and dark skies, he began imaging the night sky and sharing his results. He is renowned for these wonderful images taken from his observatory but he recently became interested in asteroids - dark, cold, rocky objects that orbit the sun and are remnants from the birth of the Solar System.

 
The Northern Ireland Amateur Astronomy Society got off to a great start last night at Ballyclare High School. Almost 50 people turned up on a very cold night to join in the launch of the new society and also the beginning of the International Year of Astronomy. We were pleased to welcome some distinguished guests and great friends of the society, Prof. Mark Bailey, Dr David Asher and Dr Miruna Popescu from Armagh Observatory, as well as Pat O'Neill, president of the Irish Astronomical Association. Our special guest and speaker was Dave McDonald, along with his wife Fiona.