18, W
■uesday • November 18, 1997
Lifestyles
&M astronomy classes explore the universe at the Physics Observatory
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By Marium Mohiuddin
Staff writer
pace: the final frontier.” The im
mortal words of Captain Kirk still
ring true today.
Since the days of Copernicus, Galileo
d Newton, the knowledge of the universe
is grown from the dots in the sky to the
iservance of supernovas — all coming to-
ther to create the field of astronomy.
Astronomy is more than observing stars
d planets, it is the scientific study of the
iverse beyond the Earth.
Astronomy specifically entails the obser-
ation, calculation and theoretical interpre
tation of die positions, dimensions, distrib
utions, motion, composition and evolution
of celestial bodies and phenomena.
With the discovery of pulsars, landing
on the moon and the space probe Galileo
travelling to Jupiter, astronomy is peaking
the interest of many people.
Courses are offered on campuses to meet
student’s growing interest in astronomy.
Texas A&M offers a general astronomy
class, astronomy for engineers and obser
vational astronomy. Many campuses are
also equipped with telescopes for observ
ing the phenomenon of outer space.
In 1982, the Physics Observatory was
built for the observational astronomy class
SIS i
COURTESY: THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY PHYSICS OBSERVATORY
Hie ringed planet Saturn is captured by the telescope at the TAMU Physics Observatory.
ie Physics Observatory was established in 1982 for observational astronomy classes.
at A&M. It is equipped with an 8-inch and
a 14-inch telescope.
Timothy Bronk, a teacher of observa
tional astronomy, said the telescope has
been used for research but is mainly used
for the observational classes.
“Many people are not aware that there
is a telescope on campus,” Bronk said.
“When they have to take a science elective,
they skip over the physics section because
they think it is too hard.”
Dr. George Kattawar, a physics profes
sor and director of the Physics Observato
ry, said there is not a broad interest in as
tronomy on the A&M campus.
“We do not have any astronomy profes
sor on campus and the classes offered have
been reduced,” Kattawar said. “At Berkeley,
25 percent of the students take astronomy;
U.T. offers over 20 classes in astronomy,
and they have two of the biggest telescopes
in Texas. This is a shame because A&M stu
dents do not realize what they are missing.
Astronomy is the oldest science.”
Kattawar said astronomy is not just
looking at stars and the planets, but it is
the history of the Earth and the universe.
“Through the Hubbell telescope we
have been able to see a quasar,” Kattawar
said. “By looking at the quasar we were
looking at the beginning of the universe.
Imagine if a star is 11 billion light years
away then it would take 11 billion years for
that light to travel to Earth and for us to
see it. So it is like we are seeing history.
There is no where else you can see that.”
Bronk said the department received a
$50,000 grant to make improvements on
the telescope.
Photographing devices will be added to
the telescope, which will allow them to
move the telescope with a computer.
COURTESY: THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY PHYSICS OBSERVATORY
The Galilean satellites that surround Jupiter as photographed by the Physics Observatory telescope.
took students to the Physics Observatory
to see the stars and the planets.
“I wanted to take a field trip to the ob
servatory because I thought it would be
nice for students to see the stars,” Zaman
said.
“Most are amazed by things you can
see, especially when they see the moon or
Saturn. Saturn is the most interesting be
cause the students can see the rings.”
Zaman said he noticed there is a lack of
interest in science among children.
He said the observatory helps spark an
interest in astronomy among children.
The Physics Observatory is open to the
public on the first Friday of every month.
For more information about tours and
going to the observatory call the physics
department at 845-7717.
“The improvements will enhance the
class and attract more people to do re
search,” Bronk said. “We are able to see
galaxies and star clusters. One of the neat
est things I saw through the telescope was
the space station Mir flying by. I happened
to know when it was coming and when to
be at the observatory. I did not see the ac
tual solar panel, but most people do not
know that you can actually see the sun re
flect off of the station.”
Kattawar said the telescope is a good in
strument for observation.
People have been able to see comets,
stars and planets.
Bronk said the landing on Mars has
helped to bring interest toward astronomy.
Shah Zaman, a former student who re
ceived his graduate degree in geophysics,
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