Students peer into sky, galaxies

Nestled in Dunn Woods near Bryan Hall and the School of Law, the Kirkwood Observatory is a mystery to many students unfamiliar with IU's astronomy program. But with the help of associate instructors from the department, that can change starting tonight.\nEvery Wednesday night from 8 to 10 p.m., the Kirkwood Observatory opens its doors to the public so students and community members alike may view objects in the night sky far better than the unaided eye can see.\nThe observatory has held the open houses on clear nights for decades, except during the recent restoration of the building.\nGraduate student Heather Jacobson is one of the many associate instructors in the astronomy department that runs the open houses. The AIs set up the 12-inch refracting telescope so that it is aimed at the week's featured objects and are available to answer any questions the visitors may have.\n"The open houses are a chance for students and the public (that) happen to be near campus to stop by and take a look through a really old great telescope," Jacobson said. "They can see some great things in the sky that they wouldn't necessarily be able to see with their eyes or even know are there."\nJacobson also said attending the open houses allows visitors to interact with astronomers who actually study the objects that are chosen for observation each week.\n"There's no set program for what we do," Jacobson said. "Objects are chosen on the fly. Whoever is running the public night knows what is up and available to look at. It changes from week to week and night to night, even."\nRight now, Jacobson said the best things to look at in the sky through a telescope are the Ring Nebula, star systems like Epsilon Lyrae, and the moon.\n"The moon is a great thing to look at through our telescope, especially when it's a crescent moon," Jacobson said. "You can really see the craters and the valleys."\nFreshman Brandon Gage, an astronomy major, attended an open house this fall and was pleased with the experience. He was able to view the Ring Nebula M13 and M15, which are both globular clusters.\nGage said he appreciates having this powerful of a telescope on campus, which he said dwarfs the smaller telescope he has at home.\n"I don't live in an area where (viewing) is easy to do," he said. "(But) I love looking."\nAlthough none are visible at this time, the Kirkwood Observatory's telescope can focus clearly on planets and satellites around those planets, Jacobson said. As the year progresses, planets will emerge for observation.\nThe hours for the open houses will change to 7 to 9 p.m. starting in November as the sun sets earlier. Open houses are not held in winter months due to often-cloudy skies.\nThe open houses even attract people who aren't necessarily astronomy buffs. Junior Rich Wolf said he plans to make a date of it.\n"Going to the observatory would be a lovely night on the town with my girlfriend," Wolf said. "I can gaze lovingly into her eyes under the stars."\n-- Contact staff writer Lori Snow at losnow@indiana.edu