Starstruck

Astronomy Club scopes out and attracts enthusiasts on campus and beyond

by Layne Feldman ’10

March 9, 2010

Members of the Astronomy Club, in the Charles M. Kanev Planetarium, meet regularly to discuss universal topics and plan their popular Star Party and AstroFest events.

Have you ever found yourself lost in the night sky? For members of Dickinson’s Astronomy Club, stargazing is more than just evening entertainment. It’s a chance to learn about our place in the universe and understand more about our world.

And for someone new to the Charles M. Kanev Planetarium or the 24-inch telescope in the Britton Observatory, both in Tome Hall of the Rector Science Complex, the experience can be awe-inspiring, said Anubhav “Anu” Mohan ’11, the club’s president.

“We have so many people who have never looked through a telescope before, completely astounded by seeing Saturn and its rings through a small scope,” said Mohan, a physics and music double major from the Patliputra Colony in Patna, India. “They remember what they saw for a long time.”

Similarly, the planetarium is a show in itself, bringing the clear night sky to a room where clouds and bad weather have no effect. The planetarium also features a 360-degree panoramic silhouette of Carlisle’s horizon highlights, past and present, including South Mountain, Old West, East College, the Stern Center, a one-room schoolhouse, Carlisle Hospital, a covered bridge and an outhouse.

Community outreach

The club, founded by Dickinson students in 1997, gathers weekly to share astronomy facts and coordinate events, such as planetarium shows (called Star Parties), festivals and field trips. The club regularly invites astronomy enthusiasts from the Carlisle community and beyond. Larger shows like the Halloween Star Party and AstroFest can attract up to 250 visitors.

AstroFest began in 2009, the International Year of Astronomy, as a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Galileo using the first telescope. On April 24, students, faculty and families in the community are invited to join the club for astronomy-related arts and crafts, multiple planetarium shows and sky viewings in the Britton Observatory.

The club “keeps things very simple and easy for kids and for anyone who doesn’t know a tremendous amount about astronomy,” Mohan said. Its first Star Party of the semester was held March 5.

Active members include students with a wide range of educational interests. In addition to majors in physical sciences and mathematics, members include majors in international business & management, English, political science and religion.

Club secretary Amanda Jo Wildey ’13 of Boonton, N.J., has not yet declared a major but is considering anthropology and Spanish, along with a double minor in English and linguistics.

No expertise necessary

“I’ve always been interested in astronomy, but when I’ve tried to learn more about astronomy on my own, a lot of the more intricate theories and concepts went right over my head,” Wildey said. “I’ve never been that math-oriented of a person, and the best thing about the Astronomy Club is that you don’t have to be. It’s so helpful to have somewhere to go where you can chat with other students and professors who are excited about astronomy and sharing what they know through casual conversations with all who are willing to listen.”

The club plans to visit the Hayden Planetarium in New York City on March 20, and on April 10 they will go to Cherry Springs State Park in upstate Pennsylvania, an area described by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as “nearly as remote and wild today as it was two centuries ago. Its dark skies make it a haven for astronomers.”

Back in Carlisle, visitors to the planetarium and observatory won’t be disappointed, Mohan said, adding, “People always leave our events having learned something new.”