However, given interest and time, you may be able to find some
preliminary answers to astronomy-related questions here at Columbia.
by Bob Chai
However, given interest and time, you may be able to find some
preliminary answers to astronomy-related questions here at Columbia.
Columbia currently offers several introductory courses in astronomy for casual sky observers as well as some in astrophysics for the mathematically inclined viewers. These courses are often accompanied by lab sections held on the top floor of Pupin Laboratories. Fixed onto the roof are a large 19-inch 19th Century telescope and a smaller 14-inch modern telescope. The smaller telescope with a fancy 13-inch Alvan Clark refractor is the main instrument used for observing celestial objects, although both are fully functional. This smaller but more powerful telescope can magnify objects up to 300 times their real size. The telescopes are available to th e public during alternate Friday nights; undergraduate astronomy labs use the facility during other weeknights. On public access nights, the telescopes are available for observations approximately 2-3 hours.
To get involved in astronomy on campus, students may wish to subscribe to or even participate in the production of "Big Apple Astronomy," a Columbia Astronomy Department publication. The newsletter, written by Professor Patterson, focuses mainly on celestial events around big cities similar to New York City. Please write to Professor Patterson at 1316 Pupin to join the current 300 subscribers or call him at (212) 854-3276 for additional information. Furthermore, a "Sky Reporter" telephone service, available via (212) 854-1976, summarizes upcoming astronomical events as well as directions to the telescope. The hot-line is updated every one to two weeks.
Two upcoming events worth noting are meteor showers in the early mornings of October 21st and 22nd, and a total solar eclipse on October 24th over the continent of Asia.
