Armagh Observatory

It's a dull damp day here today, so staying indoors and continuing on the philatelic theme.  For me this stamp has a story; it's one of a set of four stamps issued in 1990 to mark the Bicentenary of Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland and the centenary of the British Astronomical Association.

There is for me also a personal connection, it reminds me that as a young boy I visited Armagh with my parents and walking down the Mall I met Sir Patrick Moore, who was the first Director of the newly built Armagh Planetarium.  About five decades later I had dealings through my employment with one of Sir Patrick's successors.

Apparently Armagh Observatory has 224 days of unbroken weather records - not many people know that!