Student Showcase
One of the important focuses of the club has been fostering the next generation of astronomers, both amateur and professional. A prominent element of this has been our support for astronomy clubs in schools around the region. The best example has been the Ida B. Wells High School (IBWHS) Astronomy Club in Portland. RCA members have served as mentors for the IBWHS club during the school year and in special summer programs organized by the club's faculty advisor Joe Minato. Students from the IBWHS club will be showcasing two of their recent notable accomplishments. The projects that we will be hearing about are described below. Each project is connected to a subgroup within the IBWHS club. One project supports the important goal of reducing light pollution in Portland Public Schools and the other project was the construction of a sizable telescope for club activities. It's great to see what these young astronomers have been able to achieve pursuing the same passion for the night sky that we share with them.
A huge "Congratulations!" to all of the students for their successful completion of the school year and especially to the seniors who graduated and will be starting the next phase of their lives. We wish you all the very best!
IBWHS Astronomy Club Dark Sky Group
A Lighting Inventory of Ida B. Wells High School
We conducted a lighting inventory of Ida B. Wells High School using a method provided by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA). We intend to use this inventory to encourage the school district to follow our recommendations for light pollution mitigation. When this is complete, we will apply to be an IDA Urban Dark Sky Place. In addition, the school district is planning to replace the school building in the next 5 to 10 years. We would like to ensure that the new building and grounds are a model for appropriate outdoor lighting.
IBWHS Astronomy Club Telescope Group
Building a 12-inch Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescope
Our group built a 12” F5 Dobsonian telescope. This telescope was specifically designed to be light and portable. Distinct features of the telescope include: A Serrurier truss tube assembly, 3D-printed secondary mirror holder, 3D-printed helical focuser, spring altitude counterweight system, and much more! We all worked together to learn the necessary skills to build the telescope and make critical design decisions along the way.