PVCC Puma Press: October 2003

On Aug. 29 and 30, when PVCC celebrated the closest Mars orbit to Earth in 60,000 years with viewings of the red planet, over 1,000 people showed up, according to adjunct astronomy faculty, Dr. Keith Krueger.

The campus became a hotbed of amateur astronomers and those who just wanted to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime event. The viewings were scheduled to be held from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., but were extended to 11:30 p.m. due to the overwhelming turnout by the public. It was on both nights to get a glimpse. The event was organized by astronomy instructor Dr. Keith Krueger and lab technician David Hellmann.

"It was gratifying to see how many people were interested in seeing Mars," says Krueger. "I only wish that we had more help so that people would not have had to wait between one and two hours in line."

Two large telescopes were employed in these viewings, one with a mirror diameter of 11 inches, and the other with a mirror diameter of 8 inches. There were also four smaller telescopes set up at the site. Krueger and Hellmann worked feverishly, up to five hours every night, to adjust the telescopes so they would be in their optimal viewing positions.

Krueger hopes that this viewing has generated more interest in the astronomy classes offered at PVCC. Currently, there are two astronomy classes available per semester, AST 111 and AST 113. Enrollment varies between 24 and 6 students per class. There are also plans to hold another event before Mars moves farther away, to give others who weren’t able to attend the first viewing another chance.

"We are trying to organize another viewing of Mars, but plans are not yet firm," says Krueger.

Although Mars was at its closest distance to Earth during the viewings, it will remain fairly close and can still be viewed in excellent detail for the next several months.

"If you can get away from the city, you will get a better view," says Krueger. "We had a lot of distortion of the image of Mars due to the heat rising from the city."

One of the best places for stargazing is Lowell Observatory, located at 1400 West Mars Hill Road, in Flagstaff. Information about their hours of operation and programs can be obtained by calling the observatory at (928) 774-3358, or by visiting their website at http://www.lowell.edu. The Challenger Space Center located at 21170 N. 83rd Ave. in Peoria is another facility that offers stargazing programs and other astronomy-related activities. For information, call (623) 322-2001.