by Lisa Schauer
Morgan County Observatory Foundation held a free community open house on Saturday, March 28 to show off their newly-renovated facility and new telescope equipment.
The observatory first opened in December 2001 next to Greenwood School. The organization was created to receive the donation of a unique U.S. Naval Academy telescope that was housed in the observatory. 
The Foundation board determine in recent years that the original telescope had become almost impossible to repair because of a lack of available parts, and its operation required specialized training that made it hard to use.
A new night telescope with a 14-inch aperture and enhanced optics was on public view in the observatory on Saturday.
Small groups of young families climbed the observatory stairs to get a glimpse through the lens.
During the day, people could look through an H-alpha telescope set up to see solar activity.
Later, the new Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope would be fired up to observe the night sky.
The new telescope offers better optics than the old night telescope, and is easier to operate, using a hand-held computer interface, according to Morgan County Observatory Foundation board member John Hrubec.
During a tour in the observatory, Hrubec said $40,000 in grant money was used to purchase the new Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. The Morgan County Commission also contributed $12,500 from local Hotel/Motel Tax for construction of new stairs for the renovation.
Next door at Greenway School Community Center, an inflatable IMAX theater is set up in the old gym. The mini planetarium can seat 30 people and has a projection screen inside playing celestial scenes.
photos by Lisa Schauer
In a newly-refurbished observatory classroom, children were making astronomy crafts and participating in a scavenger hunt at Saturday’s open house.
Observatory volunteers said the First Light event was a success.
“We are so thrilled (and honestly a little overwhelmed!) by the amazing turnout for our First Night Event. Seeing so many members of our community come out to engage and be excited about astronomy made the event truly special,” they said in a statement after the event.
The Morgan County Observatory is located at 9047 Winchester Grade Road.
Anyone who would like more information about the facility, its programs and volunteer opportunities can go to their website https://www.morgancountyobservatory.org/ or email contactus@mcof.org.
