Program curator David DeVorkin interviews Galileo himself, portrayed by actor Mike Francis. (Kiran Sood/MNS)
WASHINGTON – On a crisp fall Wednesday morning on the National Mall under a mostly cloudy but bright sky, area residents had their first chance to look through an astronomical telescope in a new observatory at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum.
Star-gazers young and old alike attempted to see the heavens while gazing through a 16-inch, 3,000 pound Boller and Chivens telescope housed on the museum’s east terrace under the dome of the 22-foot public observatory. Although clouds prevented viewers from seeing much, during clear daylight hours the sun, the moon and stars, and the planets Venus, Jupiter and Saturn are visible.
The telescope was brought to the museum from Harvard University’s Oak Ridge Observatory with the help of hundreds of people. Stephanie Markgraf was one of those people, and said she enjoyed being a part of the process. She also assisted in the construction of the observatory.
Looking upward through the ceiling of the new public observatory.
David Kensler, 59, from New Jersey gets a chance to scope out the new telescope. (Photos by Kiran Sood/MNS)
“I knew nothing of astronomy and telescopes until this experience, and I now I know a whole lot about it,” Markgraf said. “The collaborative dealings with Harvard and the Smithsonian, it was a wonderful experience.”
Before the unveiling of the telescope and the opening of the new observatory, the highlight of the program included a visit from the astronomer Galileo himself, portrayed by actor Mike Francis. This year marks the 400th anniversary of the famous astronomer using a telescope to examine the moon, Venus, Jupiter and the Milky Way. The telescope was brought to the museum in part to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy.
Museum director John Dailey, associate director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Roger Brissenden, and National Science Foundation Director Arden Bement all highlighted a singular theme – the importance of educating and exciting young people in science-related fields.
As part of the day’s events, local fifth-graders from Emery Elementary were present for the opening of the observatory and the premiere of the planetarium show “Journey to the Stars.”
The observatory is open six days a week, for four hours a day. While the observatory is in operation, there is always an educator or trained volunteer staff member present, said Maureen Kerr, chair of the education division at the museum.
“As part of their learning standards, they (students) need to understand that scientists use tools,” Kerr said. “One of the tools that scientists use is a telescope, so they actually get to see the telescope and see how the observatory works and the dome opens up. Just to be able to experience what a scientist would experience will get them excited about astronomy and interested in the stars.”
Program curator David DeVorkin recalled his early experiences with science in an interview. Both his father and grandfather instilled in him a passion for science and astronomy.
“My first experience was looking through a telescope at a public planetarium in Los Angeles, the Griffith Observatory. My dad took me there many times, and it became an indelible experience,” DeVorkin said.
“Young people are the future,” DeVorkin said. “In a way, I was so happy a place like Griffith existed and made everything accessible to me. What happens to you young in life stays with you in life, and so we want to help as many people as possible look through the telescope.”
The Public Observatory and telescope are part of what keep visitors coming to the National Air and Space Museum, which attracts more than 7 million visitors a year, making it one of the most popular museums in the world.