Lynchburg College observatory to debut in April

Lynchburg College’s Belk Observatory will make its public debut April 3 and 4 as part of a global celebration of astronomy.

The viewing is one of hundreds of events worldwide for 100 Hours of Astronomy, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of the invention of the telescope.

“The objective is to get as many people as possible looking through a telescope for the first time, all across the world,” said Neal Sumerlin, director of the LC observatory.

Locally, 24 participants each night will have the opportunity to view the sky through astronomical binoculars, 8-inch telescopes and the 20-inch Margaret Gilbert Telescope, which was installed in October 2007.

Free tickets for the event will be available beginning Monday at 8 a.m. at LC’s Information Desk in the Hall Campus Center.

Tickets are limited so that each person who attends will “be able to get to see things without waiting a long time,” Sumerlin said.

The moon likely will take center focus at the event, he said.

“It’s going to be a little bit past first quarter, which means it’s going to be a little bit more than half-illuminated,” he said. “When that’s the case, you look at the moon. Because it’s so bright, it means a lot of other dim objects that you otherwise might be able to see will just be too hard to see.”

“People looking at it for the first time just get blown away, especially looking at it through a nice, big telescope like what we’ve got.”

Other bright objects in the sky also will be watched that night, he said, such as Saturn.

“We’ll be able to see the rings (of Saturn) and some of its moons,” Sumerlin said.

After the first weekend of viewings, LC plans to continue public events every month at the observatory, Sumerlin said.

Sumerlin is hoping for clear skies for the coming events, but the viewing will be postponed if that’s not the case. Cancellations will be posted by 3 p.m. the day of the viewing at (434) 544-STAR.

Sumerlin, who initiated the project to build the observatory, said his vision is still coming to life.

“When we started this, I really had a threefold mission,” he said. “One was to, of course, have a facility for LC students and for classes. One was to have a research facility, and that’s the one that will take the longest. And the other was to have it open to the public — to have as many people as we could come out and take advantage of it.”

He will be one of several volunteers on hand both nights to assist with the use of equipment and identifying objects in the sky.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” he said.

IF YOU'RE GOING

What: Lynchburg College debuts its Belk Observatory and 20-inch Margaret Gilbert telescope
When: 8 to 11 p.m. April 3 and 4
Where: LC’s Belk Observatory, at the Claytor Nature Study Center in Bedford County.
Tickets: Free and available starting Monday at 8 a.m. at LC’s Information Desk in the Hall Campus Center. Limited to 24 participants each night.