Abstract:
One of Eric Lindsay's major distinctions was his enthusiasm to communicate astronomy to the public. He had a farsighted view of how best to achieve greater public understanding of this science. Perceiving that the demand for tours of the Observatory demonstrated a clear fascination with the heavens in the community, he saw the need to develop a new facility to cater to this interest. Thus was born the idea of a Planetarium at Armagh to act as a shop window for the scientific work of Armagh astronomers and also of the wider astronomical research community. It took him twenty-five years to raise the money to start building, and his brainchild was eventually opened in 1968. Lindsay also recognized that excellent communication skills were a prerequisite for Planetarium staff. The modern, recently re-fitted Planetarium is a state-of-the- art 21st century facility for the education of school children and the general public. Armagh Planetarium has a well-founded international reputation which is maintained by Armagh's position at the forefront of innovation in astronomy education.

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