Rarely does a single event combine so many
extraordinary opportunities. This month chapter members, along with
family and friends, will have the chance to relax and mingle over some
fine picnic cuisine while simultaneously enhancing their knowledge of the
cosmos and supporting a very worthy group of volunteers.
The Little Thompson Science Foundation is a remarkable
non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Berthoud residents Tom
Melsheimer, Tom Patterson and Chet Rideout, to advance the teaching of
science and mathematics in Thompson and St. Vrain schools. The Foundation
has built a permanent observatory on the grounds of
Berthoud High School to
house a large, fully automated 18" telescope. More recently they’ve made
a significant historic acquisition.
The
Little Thompson Observatory (LTO) has been chosen as the new home for the
retired 24-inch telescope from Mount Wilson Observatory in
California.
The telescope, originally built to support NASA's Apollo missions, was
donated to Telescopes in Education, which in turn offered the telescope on
long-term loan to the LTO. Volunteers are constructing an addition to
double the size of the observatory. This addition, currently nearing
completion, will make room for larger audiences, and will include a second
telescope dome intended to house the
Mount Wilson 24-inch instrument.
Since the LTO is an all-volunteer non-profit organization,
progress is paced by available people and funds. Chapter 354 has visited
the LTO in the past, most recently in 2004. Each time we’ve made a
financial contribution to further their good work. This year we’re
delighted to announce a new twist. The cost of the picnic will be totally
born by the chapter. In lieu of an admission charge, those attending will
be invited to make a donation to the LTO. Chapter 354 will then match the
total.
As a technically-oriented society we’re pleased to have this
opportunity to support science education. And speaking of education, we
look forward to an educational opportunity for each attendee as we
interact with the LTO staff and peer through their telescope. Please
bring your family and friends to this exciting event. For more
information on the LTO please visit their website,
www.starkids.org.
