Have you ever observed the large, half-sphere-shaped structure on campus? That’s an observatory, a place that’s equipped and used for study of celestial objects and events. FRCC has one on each campus, equipped with powerful telescopes and computer technology. Although they’re mainly used for students taking astronomy classes, the Larimer Campus Sunlight Peak observatory is open to the public on the first Friday of every month, which is a great opportunity to learn about our universe even if you don’t plan on taking astronomy classes during your time at FRCC.
I talked with Andy Caldwell, a member of FRCC faculty in Astronomy and Geology at the Larimer campus, to learn more.
Q: Are the open house dates open to the public, or just to FRCC students?
The open houses are free and open to everybody. We also open occasionally for special events, like eclipses.
Q: What expectations can people have for attending the open house?
It’s actually pretty unstructured. Generally, we put the telescope on whatever the sky and clouds give us. If Jupiter is out, we’re definitely checking it out. Same with the moon and any other objects of interest.
Q: If someone wanted to see something specific, like a certain star or planet, could you accommodate that?
Absolutely! We use a software called “The Sky” which allows us to plug in whatever we’re looking for and the telescope will “slew” to it. Unfortunately, we have pretty bad light pollution in this part of Fort Collins, so it makes it difficult to see the fainter objects, like nebulae and galaxies.
Q: What impact do the two observatories have on the Fort Collins community?
I think they are both a great resource for learning in our community. I frequently host different groups from high school astronomy classes, to scouts, to church groups and so on. Recently, I was elected president of the Northern Colorado Astronomical Society. We are a very active group who set up telescopes all over Larimer County. I’d really like to see the club and our observatories blend their outreach more.
Q: The other FRCC campuses also have their own observatories. Are they all the same? Do the campuses cooperate or interact at all?
The other campuses, I believe, use the same telescopes and mounts. However, they have smaller domes which allow fewer students to enter and observe. To enter their observatories, the dome has to be aligned with the door every time someone enters and leaves.
Q: What fields are students going into who take astronomy classes at FRCC?
We run two courses, AST 1110 Planetary Astronomy, and AST 1120 Stellar Astronomy. Planetary is all about the solar system, the history of astronomy, and the motions of the sky. Stellar is about stars, galaxies, and cosmology. Students who graduate both classes can work as TA’s or possibly in a planetarium. Students who earn a bachelor’s can teach high school or work for an observatory. A master’s allows them to teach here. A doctorate allows them to go into research.
Q: If you could give advice or info to students who are interested in taking an astronomy class, what would it be?
I think big things to know is that it’s not just going out and stargazing. We do some math, so they should have a basic math background. Also, they should know the difference between the two classes. AST 1110 is not a prerequisite for AST 1120. Also, they should plan on spending a few nights at the observatory to complete their labs.
Q: What is the coolest thing you’ve observed in the night sky?
This may be the hardest question because there is so much I love about the night sky. To answer the day sky is easy…the 2017 Solar Eclipse. At night, I do like the Orion Nebula because of all the detail in it. I’ve also seen the space shuttle trailing the International Space Station overhead. One of the coolest things I’ve seen through a telescope was Markarian’s Chain, a string of galaxies in Virgo.
Open House events at the Larimer Campus Sunlight Peak observatory take place on the first Friday of each month, March 1st 7-9 pm, April 5th 7-9 pm, and May 3rd 8-10 pm.
Andy also hosts open houses at Stargazer Observatory, located on the east side of Fort Collins, on the third Saturday of each month.
The spring has notoriously cloudy skies, so all events are weather permitting. Check on the status of Larimer events on the FRCC Sunlight Peak Observatory Facebook page. Remember to dress warmly, as the observatories are not heated.
The observatory open house events at FRCC are an astronomical opportunity! Don’t miss it!
