The Astronomy Club embarked on a successful viewing night on Friday evening. Club members beheld various astronomical objects, including star clusters, nebulae, and planets in a club member’s front lawn.
Participants enjoyed hot chocolate and muffins as they observed objects in the night sky with both the naked eye and a Celestron EdgeHD 8 telescope. Students originally struggled to view these bodies through the telescope’s tiny viewing hole. However, after some practice, they could clearly see distant planets and constellations, including the Ring Nebula, Caldwell 14, and Saturn.
“There’s a ton of misinformation and possibly disinformation out there about astronomy-related objects,” junior Ayaan Bhatnagar said. “I think getting to see it with your own eyes is an experience that not a lot of people have under their belt, but is also illuminating for the mind.”
Bhatnagar and junior Nathan Much also set up equipment to conduct space photography. Much and Bhatnagar used two computers and camera model ZWO ASI585MC Pro to process the data. To increase the sharpness of long-exposure images, members focused on staying still while taking a photo, as even the slightest movement would mess up the calibration.
Throughout the night, Much and Bhatnagar provided facts about astronomy. For example, Much detailed that what participants saw were stars from thousands of years ago because they were light-years away. The celestial bodies could be gone, and no one would know for centuries.
Bhatnagar also illustrated the impacts of pollution on stargazing. He explained that everything from clouds to light sources and people walking nearby can misalign exposures, damaging quality.
Viewing nights are just one aspect of the Astronomy Club. During meetings, members enjoy sweet treats while learning about different celestial bodies. Participants also learn how to operate a telescope, do basic astrophotography, and edit their photos.
“The people are nice, and the meetings are very engaging,” junior James Rahn said. “They allow you to ask lots of questions.”
For Much and Bhatnagar, the club is a way to share their passions with M-A’s community. “Instead of keeping this gear all to myself and just using it on my own, I want to share it with the club and have it accessible for people who can’t afford such things,” Much said.
“I wanted to teach people about astronomy because it’s something I’m deeply passionate about, and I want to show other people what’s possible,” Bhatnagar said.
The Astronomy Club meets every other Wednesday in B-4. Viewing nights are held every month, but are subject to change depending on atmospheric conditions.
