Stars above!

Ogdensburg - Bill Kroth wants to take people into the depths of the earth and lift them up to the stars—and his volunteer work as resident engineer at the Sterling Mine Museum in Ogdensburg gives him the chance to do both. The shining white Ellis Observatory that stands today in a field of yellow mustard flowers on the museum grounds is Kroth’s brainchild, and he wants as many people as possible, especially children, to share in what the poet Walt Whitman called the “unspeakable high processions of sun and moon and countless stars above.” “If a kid enjoys science, he or she is labeled as a geek, and that’s just not right,” Kroth says. The civil engineer, who describes himself as having been a “science geek since junior high school,” says he wants kids to be able to see the phases of Venus, the polar ice caps on Mars, the colored cloud bands and moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn and its moons, the icy blue world of Uranus, and the green tints of distant Neptune. Kroth was drawn to the mine in Ogdensburg by his fascination with the fluorescent minerals there. His family has owned a summer cabin nearby since the 1930s, and he says he got tired of lugging out his 20-inch telescope from his home in Bergen County to take advantage of the clear Sussex County skies. “One starry, windy night in April about five years ago, I set up my telescope on the museum grounds,” Kroth says. “As the chilly wind whipped around, I kept thinking, this would be perfect if only I had a little building to house the telescope.” And the idea of the observatory was born.” But the Ogdensburg planning board was cool to idea, and Kroth says he had to hire an attorney and draw up site plans - and wait. After 18 months, the board was satisfied and Kroth was allowed to move forward. At one of the planning board meetings, Kroth met Gordon Powers, a mechanical engineer who works at Picatinny Arsenal. Gordon, also an astronomy buff, got excited about the project and now helps Kroth run the astronomy programs. Gordon was only one of many people who were eager to help. “The Ellis family gave us $30,000, for the building, and I already owned the $10,000, 20-inch telescope. We also got financial support from the Landmesser family, Lakeland Bank, the Zobel Foundation, and from Neil Wintringham,” Kroth says. In addition to the financial support he received, Kroth says that the volunteer labor people donated while building the observatory was phenomenal. “One Saturday, I was out there working alone and putting in the reinforcing bar for the cement pad, and Dave Swingle, who is a mason, came by and offered to come back and help me pour the pad, which we finished that very day. Another day, Fred Rowette, who’s an excavator, arrived and pitched in,” Kroth says. “Now, Rowette comes up here in the winter and plows a pathway to the observatory every time it snows,” Kroth adds. Today, local interest in the observatory is growing as more people realize it exists. And the more people that come, the more money there is to buy equipment to enhance the observatory. Recently, Kroth installed a connection from the big telescope to a special camera that enables people to view the night sky from a video screen in the gift shop, and Dr. Warren Miller has donated a 12-inch telescope to back up the 20-incher. Kroth’s voice grows intense with enthusiasm as he speaks of showing young school children distant galaxies, gas clouds within the Milky Way Galaxy that are the birth place of new stars, and planetary nebulae, remnant shells of gas resulting from supernova explosions. Last week, Kroth says, Fran King, a fourth grade teacher from Vernon, brought 31 children and their parents to the observatory. “The kids were wild with excitement, but as soon as the show began, they all became perfect ladies and gentlemen, and we identified planets, talked about Greek mythology, and looked at Jupiter and Saturn,” Kroth says. “The parents couldn’t believe the resource we have here.” Sky gazing isn’t limited to dark, moonless nights. “Younger kids love looking at the moon, Kroth says. What’s more, he has acquired a special hydrogen-alpha telescope that allows people to view the sun safely during the day. “Everyone is amazed to be able to see solar flares and red hydrogen loops and bursts glowing above the sun’s surface,” Kroth remarks. What’s next? Kroth says he wants to install a music system to allow stargazers to hear music as they fix their eyes on heavenly bodies. “Adults like to watch stars to Holst’s ‘The Planets,’ or Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘Stardust.’ But kids prefer Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’,” Kroth says. The observatory offers a subscription for regular monthly viewing sessions for $25 per person, or $35 per family per year. Scout groups and school classes may combine a trip to the observatory with an afternoon underground mine tour and an on-site barbeque, or schedule a separate observing session. In addition, the observatory is available for astronomy parties and private viewing. For more information, contact Bill Kroth at 201-933- 3029 or E-mail: shastrogroup@aol. as many people as possible, especially children, to share in what the poet Walt Whitman called the “unspeakable high processions of sun and moon and countless stars above.” “If a kid enjoys science, he or she is labeled as a geek, and that’s just not right,” Kroth says. The civil engineer, who describes himself as having been a “science geek since junior high school,” says he wants kids to be able to see the phases of Venus, the polar ice caps on Mars, the colored cloud bands and moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn and its moons, the icy blue world of Uranus, and the green tints of distant Neptune. Kroth was drawn to the mine in Ogdensburg by his fascination with the fluorescent minerals there. His family has owned a summer cabin nearby since the 1930s, and he says he got tired of lugging out his 20-inch telescope from his home in Bergen County to take advantage of the clear Sussex County skies. “One starry, windy night in April about five years ago, I set up my telescope on the museum grounds,” Kroth says. “As the chilly wind whipped around, I kept thinking, this would be perfect if only I had a little building to house the telescope.” And the idea of the observatory was born.” But the Ogdensburg planning board was cool to idea, and Kroth says he had to hire an attorney and draw up site plans - and wait. After 18 months, the board was satisfied and Kroth was allowed to move forward. At one of the planning board meetings, Kroth met Gordon Powers, a mechanical engineer who works at Picatinny Arsenal. Gordon, also an astronomy buff, got excited about the project and now helps Kroth run the astronomy programs. Gordon was only one of many people who were eager to help. “The Ellis family gave us $30,000, for the building, and I already owned the $10,000, 20-inch telescope. We also got financial support from the Landmesser family, Lakeland Bank, the Zobel Foundation, and from Neil Wintringham,” Kroth says. In addition to the financial support he received, Kroth says that the volunteer labor people donated while building the observatory was phenomenal. “One Saturday, I was out there working alone and putting in the reinforcing bar for the cement pad, and Dave Swingle, who is a mason, came by and offered to come back and help me pour the pad, which we finished that very day. Another day, Fred Rowette, who’s an excavator, arrived and pitched in,” Kroth says. “Now, Rowette comes up here in the winter and plows a pathway to the observatory every time it snows,” Kroth adds. Today, local interest in the observatory is growing as more people realize it exists. And the more people that come, the more money there is to buy equipment to enhance the observatory. Recently, Kroth installed a connection from the big telescope to a special camera that enables people to view the night sky from a video screen in the gift shop, and Dr. Warren Miller has donated a 12-inch telescope to back up the 20-incher. Kroth’s voice grows intense with enthusiasm as he speaks of showing young school children distant galaxies, gas clouds within the Milky Way Galaxy that are the birth place of new stars, and planetary nebulae, remnant shells of gas resulting from supernova explosions. Last week, Kroth says, Fran King, a fourth grade teacher from Vernon, brought 31 children and their parents to the observatory. “The kids were wild with excitement, but as soon as the show began, they all became perfect ladies and gentlemen, and we identified planets, talked about Greek mythology, and looked at Jupiter and Saturn,” Kroth says. “The parents couldn’t believe the resource we have here.” Sky gazing isn’t limited to dark, moonless nights. “Younger kids love looking at the moon, Kroth says. What’s more, he has acquired a special hydrogen-alpha telescope that allows people to view the sun safely during the day. “Everyone is amazed to be able to see solar flares and red hydrogen loops and bursts glowing above the sun’s surface,” Kroth remarks. What’s next? Kroth says he wants to install a music system to allow stargazers to hear music as they fix their eyes on heavenly bodies. “Adults like to watch stars to Holst’s ‘The Planets,’ or Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘Stardust.’ But kids prefer Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’,” Kroth says. The observatory offers a subscription for regular monthly viewing sessions for $25 per person, or $35 per family per year. Scout groups and school classes may combine a trip to the observatory with an afternoon underground mine tour and an on-site barbeque, or schedule a separate observing session. In addition, the observatory is available for astronomy parties and private viewing. For more information, contact Bill Kroth at 201-933- 3029 or E-mail: shastrogroup@aol.