In the Fall 2001 semester, the Department of Physics & Astronomy inaugurated a new observing facility for the introductory astronomy classes (ASTR 102 -- Introductory Astronomy: Stars & Galaxies). Since their creation in 1992, the astronomy labs were held on the Library lawn, under bright lights, surrounded by tall trees, and far from the telescope storage area. Seven years of steady efforts by Prof. David Weintraub and Associate Vice-Chancellor for Campus Planning Judson Newbern led to the identification of a new parking structure as the ideal home for the astronomy labs. The facility, designed by Prof. Didier Saumon, was completed during the summer 2001.

Located on top of the 25th Avenue garage, eleven stories above the ground, it affords the best views of the night skies to be had on the Vanderbilt campus, with a clear horizon and shielding from all direct lighting. Observations are done with the naked eye and with 20 cm catadioptric telescopes. When in operation, the 20 telescopes are mounted on heavy bases that have been precisely aligned to the North celestial pole so the telescopes can track the diurnal motion of the sky. The facility is designed as a teaching space and to make the set up and use of the equipment as simple and efficient as possible.

Laboratory activities in Introductory Astronomy include naked eye observations of the motion of the planets, Moon and Sun in the sky, constellations, observations of planets and their satellites through the telescope, visual spectroscopy of stars, and observations of double stars, stars clusters, and several nebulae.

         

Above Left: View of several telescopes on their bases, ready for observing. The shed in the background is used for storage and as a work space. A white board on the external wall is used to review the evening activities and for teaching. Above Right: Close up of the telescope set up.

Above: The storage area provides spacious working space and storage for star charts, maps, sky atlases, celestial almanacs, tools and supplies.

                   

Above Left: Cynthia Coutre and Jeff Bary enjoy a daytime peak through one of the telescopes. Above Right: Eric Vaandering views the Ring nebula while Didier Saumon describes how stars die. Below: David Weintraub fascinates David Salisbury and Jeff Bary with his "five condor" story, a true tale of observing woes. The fence in the background shields the observing area from campus lights to preserve the night vision of the telescope users.

                   

Above Left: Tom Weiler looks for absorption lines in the spectrum of the cool giant star Arcturus. Above Right: David Weintraub and John Wikswo watch the sky while Didier Saumon is entranced by the quadruple star system epsilon Lyrae.