Goucher Department of Physics and Astronomy Hosts Public Observing Nights

Release date: February 18, 2010 |

A five-minute exposure of the spiral galaxy M33

The Goucher Department of Physics and Astronomy will offer public observing nights at the Lewis Observatory in Hoffberger Science Building throughout the Spring 2010 semester, weather permitting. The observation nights are scheduled for the third Thursday of each month, running February 18 through May 20; rain dates will be the fourth Thursday of the month. The observatory will open one hour after sunset and remain open for two hours.

As part of a continued upgrade to the Lewis Observatory, the Department of Physics and Astronomy recently purchased a wide-field telescope and a full-color CCD camera, which will allow observers to see the sky in close detail by using deep exposures taken with a camera. The new equipment allows deep-sky images to be taken in real time, so the sky can be seen in two ways: through the lens and through the use of a very powerful camera. 

The Lewis Observatory is operated by the Goucher College Department of Physics and Astronomy, in conjunction with the Goucher Physics and Astronomy Club.  For more information, visit http://blogs.goucher.edu/bsugerman/public-observing/ or e-mail Dr. Sugerman at ben.sugerman@goucher.edu.