The Physics Department welcomed members of the Guilford community and wider Greensboro to the Cline Observatory on the roof of the Frank Family Science Center for a viewing of planets, stars and other celestial sights March 29. About 300 people showed up, and the line for the 16-inch telescope snaked all the way around the dome.
That week, multiple planets were above the horizon at the same time, leading to the possibility of seeing Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus and Mars in one go, as well as our own Moon. The weather cooperated with a pleasant temperature and a crystal clear sky. The observatory provided viewing opportunities through four eight-inch telescopes around the deck as well as the telescope in the big dome.
We watched Uranus as long as we could, until it got too low to the horizon for the scope to safely follow it (as the front of the instrument points down, the viewing end moves up, and eventually it tilts too high for people to place their eyes at the eyepiece). Other telescopes revealed Mercury, Mars, the Moon, the Great Nebula in Orion, the Pleiades and other wonders of the sky.
Professors Don Smith and Thom Espinola hosted the event, along with support from students Isaac Cunningham '26, Noah Dabney '23 and Colin Grey (ECG). Faculty and students moved through the crowd, answering questions and pointing out features of interest. Although certainly some visitors were frustrated by the crowds and the wait times, it was exciting to see so much interest in astronomy.
We hope to hold another event before the end of the academic year.