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Gazing at celestial bodies is the highlight of Lackawanna Astronomical Society events
Lackawanna Astronomical Society member Carol Leola sets up an 8-inch Dobsonian reflector telescope to view the moon at Frances Slocum State Park on Saturday night. Jim Spangler, another society member, stands behind her.
Aimee Dilger/the times leader
KINGSTON TWP. — With heavy clouds blanketing the sky, one had to strain to catch a glimpse of a star or any other celestial body Saturday night. But on a grassy hill at Frances Slocum State Park, roughly 20 people had the opportunity to see not only stars, but the moon and several galaxies during a star party sponsored by the Lackawanna Astronomical Society.
Peering through two high-powered telescopes, those who attended the public event got a breathtaking view of the Tycho crater on the moon’s southern edge. Nine-year-old Brent Harkenrider of Carlisle and his friend Kevin Wilcox, 8, of Hanover Township, saw a double star through one of the telescopes. “I saw a blue star next to a golden star,” Harkenrider said. “It’s pretty cool.”
Morgan Lewis, 13, of Swoyersville, said she became interested in star gazing during visits to her aunt’s house in Sullivan County. “I like to look at them,” said Lewis, who brought her mom, Sharon, and dad, Charles, to the star party. “I think it’s really peaceful just to watch them.”
Joanne Kamichitis, president of the LAS, gave a slide show presentation under a pavilion. Fast talking and often amusing, Kamichitis explained the difference between a “Diffuse Nebulae” (huge gas and dust clouds where new stars form) and “Planetary Nebulae” (where old stars die off). She outlined the constellations, pointing out the shapes they make (Perseus looks like a huge shopping cart). Her least favorite constellation is Pisces. “It’s a big, dull, sprawling constellation that you can hardly see at all.”
She encouraged the group to make up their own constellations by using their imagination. She pointed out constellations that look like rabbits, poodles and a lady. “A gorilla wearing sneakers” was one she personally named.
A hand-held device called a “Celestron Sky Scout,” which utilizes advanced GPS technology, helped John Sitar of Hanover Township locate some stars and planets. Sitar, a retired teacher who taught at schools in the southeastern part of the state, said he had always been interested in science and astronomy. While he was a student teacher at Temple University, Sitar said he was one of five students chosen to teach astronomy lessons at the Franklin Institute.
LAS members Jim Spangler of Clarks Summit, Carol Leola of Dalton and John Sabia of South Abington Township arrived early to set up the telescopes. “Power is a relative term,” Spangler said when describing telescopes. “What is optimum for astronomical viewing is the diameter of the instrument.”
The LAS has its own observatory at the Thomas G. Cuppilari Observatory, which is affiliated with Keystone College, in Fleetville.
The LAS, which has more than 100 members, hosts star parties several times throughout the summer at Frances Slocum, Promised Land and Lackwanna state parks. The society meets the first Tuesday of the month at the TGC Observatory at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend monthly observing sessions and try out a variety of telescopes.
Reaching the LAS
More information on the society can be obtained at www.las.org or by calling(570) 586-0789