DRL observatory earns cosmic raves from star-gazers

Tucked away in a corner on the roof of David Rittenhouse Laboratory is what many aspiring scientists consider one of the University's best kept secrets -- a fully-equipped observatory operated by the Physics and Astronomy Department. The observatory is used primarily by the undergraduate students who have enrolled in introductory-level Astronomy courses, according to Astronomy Professor Deborah Goldader. "The students get a first-hand look at things they learn in the classroom," said Goldader, who is in charge of the observatory. "They actually get a sense that the sky is changing above them in real time." College junior Elizabeth Raun took Astronomy 1 last year to complete part of the General Requirement. She said using the observatory added a lot to her knowledge of the subject matter, and added "it was an interesting way to get into the course besides physics." Like much of the University, the observatory -- the campus branch of the University's Flower and Cook Observatory downtown -- has a rich history. An 8-inch diameter "Clark refracting telescope" is the primary telescope used by University students. Dating from around World War I, it was manufactured by Alvan Clark, who is credited with building the largest refracting telescope ever. Local legend claims that the telescope was found in pieces in a bathtub and was subsequently reassembled and installed in the observatory, Goldader said. "It's a beautiful instrument," she added. College freshman Benjamin Tang -- an amateur astronomer living in the Science and Technology Wing of King's Court/English House -- said that although he has used telescopes far more advanced and powerful than DRL's Clark telescope, he still enjoys using the DRL instrument because "it's a piece of history." In addition to the Clark telescope, the observatory also includes a new computer-controlled telescope which the Physics and Astronomy Department purchased last year. The juxtaposition of the two telescopes standing side by side -- one new and one antique -- further adds to the observatory's unique character. The new telescope is able to focus on objects and navigate around them by remote control, Goldader said. While Astronomy students are the observatory's primary patrons, it does not serve their needs exclusively. Weather permitting, it is also open to the public the first Tuesday night of each month. College sophomore Kelle Cruz, who is majoring in Astrophysics and is the observatory's student assistant, said she wholeheartedly supports keeping the observatory open to the public. "There were so many knowledgeable people around," she said. "[It] was so awesome and really motivating." Goldader, meanwhile, said she finds her work very rewarding. On a normal night, she said, 30 attentive students will gather around her as she explains what they are about to observe -- ranging from Jupiter and its moons to Saturn and other rings. She added that students are often awed by what they see and how little they knew before coming to the observatory. "All I knew before I came here was that stars rotated around the solar system," College freshman Carla Sayegh noted. But she was soon exclaiming how "cool" the moon looked through the telescope. Goldader knowingly responded, "This is why people have fun here."