Universal Experience; College Telescopes Offer a Stare-Way to the Stars
By JIM WRIGHT, STAFF WRITER
Jupiter, the Ring Nebula and the Pleiades star cluster will be on view Saturday night at Bergen Community College’s weekly astronomy program, now beginning its fifth year.
The free program enables the public to look through the Paramus college’s two high-powered, dome-encased telescopes. A wheelchair- accessible telescope is scheduled to be added to the program in the coming weeks.
The purpose of the Saturday evening programs at BCC’s Emil Buehler Trust Observatory is to make people more aware of the universe around them.
"Most people don’t think in terms of looking at something they can’t see with the naked eye," says Professor Roger Opstbaum, who helped the observatory get off the ground. "They see the Moon, but they don’t think in terms of being able to see features on it close- up. They might know some planets or stars are up there, but that’s about it."
The programs in September begin at 8:30 and run until about 11 p.m., depending on audience size. People take a number when they arrive at BCC’s Technology Education Center, and then go up to the twin telescopes in groups of 10 to 12.
One of the astronomy professors or a qualified member of the Buehler Columbia Amateur Astronomers Association operates the telescope and explains what is on view.
No registration is required. People of all ages are welcome.
The observatory uses two computerized Meade LX200 telescopes with 16-inch-diameter mirrors. Typically, everyone in each group gets a look at three objects in space.
Saturday night, for example, early viewers will have the opportunity to see Jupiter, the Ring Nebula (a dust or gas cloud) and possibly Mercury. Later in the evening, viewers will have looks at Neptune, Uranus and the Pleiades star cluster.
Each group spends 30 to 45 minutes looking through one of the two telescopes.
If more than 24 people participate, stargazers can watch videos on astronomy while they wait for their turn at the telescope. On nights with light attendance, visitors can look through the telescopes as long as they like.
Light pollution is a factor in this densely populated region.
"The Moon, the planets and some of the bright star clusters are no problem, but light pollution ruins the views of galaxies and some nebulae," says Professor Joseph Sivo, who teaches astronomy at BCC.
If there’s inclement weather, the observatory is closed. The observatory also will be closed on Saturday, Sept. 22, for Yom Kippur.
Web information and directions: bergen.edu/buehler.
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E-mail: wright@northjersey.com. Jim Wright’s nature blog is northjersey.com/owl
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(c) 2007 Record, The; Bergen County, N.J.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.