Awe and Wonder

Dear Kari,

Am looking forward to sharing this blog with you. I know you to be a thoughtful woman in both senses of the word: an intellectually curious person and a kind individual. This joint project should be lots of fun and enlightening and challenging.

I'm writing having just visited the Griffith Observatory Satellite facility. Right now, the famed facility seen in many a movie and television show is under renovation.

During the month of August, The Griffith is hosting Saturday night star parties to educate and enthrall the public as we approach the Mars Opposition, the closest approach of the red planet in 60,000 years.

As I pulled into the parking lot, it was packed! There were easily five hundred people if not more. The local astronomy clubs had their members bring their telescopes for the public to use. Some were home made Dobsonian reflectors while others were various types bought from mass market vendors.

The line for the biggest scopes were over 45 minutes. I opted to view Mars with some of the smaller ones as I didn't want to wait so long!

In the end, to be honest, the views are nowhere as detailed as images on the television news, magazines or web pages devoted to this event. Yet, here I was joining many others to see this event with our own eyes. There is something about seeing it yourself.

I remember as a child standing outside our backyard in the cold night pointing a very rickety small refractor telescope at the sky to see Mars, Jupiter (and its four moons) and the rings of Saturn. Even then far better images could be seen in encyclopedias but there was an awe and wonder within me in seeing it for myself. I suppose this experience is part of why I became a scientist.

How is Mars Mania in Kansas City?

Sincerely,
Rene