On Centre: Centre Region

Astronomy isn't just for scientists

Stephanie Koons

In December 2007, the United Nations 62nd General Assembly proclaimed 2009 the International Year of Astronomy to mark the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei.

Fortunately, Centre County residents don’t need to be professional astronomers or spend a lot of money to get a glimpse of the wonders of the universe.

Central Pennsylvania Observers, a regional amateur astronomy club, was founded in 1997 by a group of astronomy and space enthusiasts. The club is a member of the Night Sky Network, a partnership of amateur astronomy clubs, NASA, Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the Astronomical League.

The club, which is incorporated as a nonprofit organization, meets at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at South Hills School of Business and Technology, 480 Waupelani Drive, State College. The focus of the general meetings is on presentations and educational sessions.

Members also hold monthly public education and observing sessions, or SkyWatches, from April through October at Tudek Park in State College. At SkyWatch events, the public is invited to come and view the moon, planets and some of the brighter deep-sky objects through the variety of telescopes owned by club members. These no-fee events are co-sponsored by the club and by Centre Region Parks and Recreation.

“What we really want to do is promote amateur astronomy,” club President Carol Tancibok said.

One of the Night Sky Network’s goals is to educate children, who are the “future astronomers,” Tancibok said. Club members often give presentations in local classrooms as well as to Boy Scout troops and at the Central PA 4th Fest. During the educational sessions, Tancibok said, club members teach young people how to use telescopes and stress the fact that amateur astronomy “doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby.”

When using the telescopes, she said, children are often amazed to see sights such as the rings of Saturn or Jupiter for the first time.

In addition to viewing the moon and planets, she said, club members have seen the International Space Station and shuttles launched by NASA. Some celestial bodies, she added, such as comets, are actually better viewed with the naked eye or through binoculars than through a telescope.

In addition to the monthly activities, the club hosts the Black Forest Star Party, an annual dark-sky amateur astronomy observing event in the late summer or early fall in Cherry Springs State Park in Potter County. Cherry Springs is one of the darkest sites in Pennsylvania and has been designated as Pennsylvania’s first Dark Sky Park by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The Star Party is the club’s only fundraiser, Tancibok said. The club’s founders have a long-term vision to find a suitable location that would permit the construction of a permanent observing facility.

Membership in the club is $20 a year, with a $10 discount from October through April. The next SkyWatch will be at 8:30 p.m. July 24. For more information, call Tancibok at 237-9865 or visit www.cpoclub.org. Stephanie Koons writes a weekly column about community news from the Centre Region. To share your news, contact her at skoons@centredaily.com or 235-3927.