Austin College Adams Observatory opens its doors to the community for a Star Party on November 4, where visitors can search the universe through the largest research grade telescope in North Texas. The come-and-go event begins at 9 p.m. and runs until 10:30 p.m. The event is free, but advance registration is requested. Register at www.austincollege.edu/adams-observatory-events/. Should weather conditions require a cancellation, the announcement will be posted on the Austin College website, and registrants will be notified by email on the day of the event.
Dr. David Baker, Physics Department chair and director of Adams Observatory, says, “We want the community to take a break from their busy lives and view the night sky with childlike wonder. With the Adams Observatory telescope, guests will be able to see celestial objects that are normally invisible to the naked eye.” The evening will feature the moon, a dazzling double-star, and a global cluster with roughly 100,000 stars.
The IDEA Center is located at 1108 E. Richards Street, and parking is available nearby. Visitors meet outside the main entrance of the IDEA Center, and guests will be taken to the Observatory in small groups on a first-come, first-served basis. More telescopes will be available on the roof and lawn. Students and faculty will be on hand to assist and provide details about the night’s featured objects.
“There are so many cool things to view in the night sky,” Baker added. “When looking at craters on the Moon, it is fun to imagine where a future lunar base might be located. Or, when looking at a red giant star, what it would be like to live on a planet orbiting that massive star. Or pondering just how long it took for that photon of light to travel across the universe to hit your eye. Every night looking through the telescope is a good night.”
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 40 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of approximately 1,275 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.
