Sisters High receives Celestron telescope

There is a saying that goes, "The harder you work, the luckier you get."

Hard-working Rima Givot, science teacher at Sisters High School, and members of the Sisters community involved in astronomical studies proved it last Friday evening.

On behalf of the National Science Foundation's International Year of Astronomy grant, Lucas Alberg of OPB and OMSI planetarium director Jim Todd presented the high school with a brand-new top-of-the-line Celestron CPC 800 GPS (XLT) computerized telescope.

In March 2009, Celestron, the world's leading designer and manufacturer of telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, microscopes and related accessories, was declared official product of International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009). They make optical instruments that are used by schools and amateur to professional astronomers world-wide.

The move behind the free Celestron for Sisters had its beginning when Southern Oregon Public Broadcasting made arrangements to air the production, "400 Years of the Telescope," to help celebrate IYA2009. Lucas Alberg, of the Portland office of OPB, learned that the National Science Foundation had a grant for six Celestron CPC 800 Telescopes to be presented to schools around the country. Alberg contacted OMSI planetarium director Jim Todd, who in turn started searching for Oregon schools that were leaders in astronomical studies.

As Todd began looking for a school working in astronomy, Rima Givot and her students came into focus. Sisters also demonstrates community involvement, including Ron Thorkildson, Sisters astronomer and weatherman, who has worked with Todd in a number of astronomical investigations.

As Todd became familiar with Givot's work in the Sisters community, other volunteers in astronomical studies surfaced, people like Jim Hammond, Forrest Babcock and Rod Moorehead. These elements, along with Sisters' clear, dark nights, put the final touch on Jim and Lucas' choice for Sisters to receive the free Celestron telescope - one of six presented throughout the U.S.

In addition to the Celestron telescope, OMSI and OPB presented 15 high tech planispheres (star charts) and an eight-inch Celestron Star Bright Firstscope to Sisters High School.

"Living in Sisters, we are fortunate to have limited light pollution, allowing us to enjoy the night sky," Givot said, adding, "We are also fortunate to have an active community astronomy program that in conjunction with Sisters School District and Sisters Park & Recreation District, sponsors monthly star watches."

About 50 Sisters residents took the opportunity to see the new telescope in action on Friday evening. Many stayed after Jim Todd's slide presentation to look at the stars and planets through Jim Hammond's 13-inch Dobsonian, Rod Moorehouse's 10-inch Dobsonian and Ron Thorkildson's 11-inch SCT telescope.

Todd demonstrated the new Celestron 800 C.

Saturn was in Thorkildson's scope, and as children and adults looked into the eyepieces of the telescopes, they exclaimed, "Oh, my gosh!" "Beautiful!" "Wow!" "It's more beautiful to see it here than in pictures," and other statements of amazement and awe.

The next opportunity the Sisters community will have to view the heavens through the school's new Celestron 800 and local volunteers' scopes will be at the Star Party to be held on the evening of July 24 at 9:30 p.m. at the high school soccer field.