Young Observatory Reopens and Obtains New Technology

After five years, the Young Observatory at Pacific Union College reopened and added new facilities, including a newly installed telescope. Through the generosity of a donor, those funds were used to purchase a new telescope, a handheld computer to use the older telescope, and parts to restore the original observatory telescope, which were needed to reopen the observatory. The new telescope is a 12-inch Celestron reflector mounted on a tripod, currently set up in the observatory parking lot, but since it runs on a battery, it can be set up anywhere, whether at PUC or elsewhere.

The new telescope will be used for ASTR 115, an introductory astronomy course taught every year. Since it's set up in the parking lot, it can serve many more people during group visits, unlike the older telescope inside the observatory, which has an occupancy limit. This past fall quarter, hundreds of visitors have already enjoyed the newly opened observatory, which will also welcome back public Friday night observations this spring and summer.

PUC Chair of Math and Physics James Robertson feels “thrilled and relieved” to finally have the observatory open again. “Thrilled to be able to have a working facility for both my classes and the community. Relieved because I felt responsible to mitigate all the issues and reopen what has been a treasure for so many years,” he said.

In 1971, the Young Observatory was built at PUC near the airstrip. It housed a refractor telescope mounted between two large concrete pillars, with its clockwork in the basement. Over time, significant updates were made in the observatory and to its telescopes.

When Robertson arrived at PUC in 2003, the old refractor had been upgraded to a 14-inch Celestron reflector telescope. Six years later, his department knew it was time to purchase a more modern telescope–a Celestron of the same size, but with a more capable reflector. For a decade, that telescope was the star of a post-Vespers activity in which Robertson, alongside Professor of Computer Science and Astronomy Bruce Ivey and Librarian Gary Shearer, hosted public observations at the observatory.

Later, the telescope's computer controls began to fail, and spare parts were unavailable during the COVID-19 pandemic. These unfortunate events closed the observatory and prevented it from reopening until repairs were made or a completely new telescope was purchased and installed. Even after the pandemic, telescopes and parts were still out of stock. It was not until this past summer that telescopes, parts, and accessories began to return to inventory.

Before the observatory is fully complete, they still need to install an “off-grid” battery bank and a small solar panel to supply power. Due to the observatory's remote location, it is no longer supplied with power from the “grid.” The facilities department is working to upgrade campus power lines to improve reliability, which will be quite costly, and repair the road leading up to the observatory.

The reopening of the Young Observatory allows PUC to continue its outreach, as it once did before. “Our department is small in numbers, but has the potential to make a huge impact on students and our community,” said Robertson. “Most people have a natural curiosity, especially for astronomy. PUC has such a wonderful resource in our rural, dark skies. It would be tragic not to share this with everyone who visits our campus.”