Worley Observatory honors 50 years of outreach, star-gazing

The Ralph A. Worley Observatory celebrates its 50th anniversary with new renovations, astronomical classes and public programs, and star parties.

In its 50 years, the observatory has become a historic landmark in Louisiana providing education in space exploration for generation after generation.

In 1964 the members of the Shreveport-Bossier Astronomical Society, a nonprofit organization of astronomy-lovers, purchased and transformed the once abandoned silo into a space observation station complete with telescopes and plenty of open sky 8 miles south of Shreveport on Highway 175. It was later donated to the Caddo Parish school system.

Terry Atwood joined the group in 1959 when he was just in seventh grade. He recalls when The Worley Observatory was just a vision.

“Two goals were set: build an astronomical observatory for the Shreveport area, and build a planetarium for the Shreveport area,” Atwood said. “Both goals were met within five years with the support of the Shreveport business community, city and parish governments, and the residents.”

Atwood experienced decades of historic moments at the observatory. “With the opening of Shreveport Observatory [as it was first named] in April 1964 hundreds of parents and students attended all of the public viewing nights,” he said. “There was intense interest among students in anything related to space, due to Sputnik.”

He also has witnessed thousands of parents and students observing lunar eclipses, partial solar eclipses, a transit of Venus (the rarest of re-occurring solar system events), the return of Halley’s Comet, Comet Hyakutake, Comet Hale-Bopp and the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9’s Jupiter impact, and more.

“Observing the moon while the Apollo 11 astronauts were walking on the moon, as well as the other Apollo missions, was a thrill,” Atwood said.

The group has increased in membership to more than 50 members, including Greg Andrews, vice president of the SBAS and planetarium manager at Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center. Andrews was a junior in college when he joined the group about 10 years ago. Now he helps educate new generations of astronomers and helping to plan the official 50th anniversary celebrations of The Worley Observatory later this year. Celebratory plans will be determined by the outcome of the final goal of the three-phase fundraising campaign.

“Under Phase 1 of the revitalization project the international special interest magazine Astronomy Technology Today recently completed the renovation of the historic six-inch refractor telescope while members are working to make repairs to its rolling roof and repaint the building,” Atwood said. “Phase 2 of the revitalization plan funds a new roof for the larger rotunda building which has a number of leaks, as well as ADA additions and expansions to the building and grounds to improve the experience for visitors.

“If the educational Phase 3 of the renovation is funded, we will be able to mentor to deserving underserved students using state-of-the-art computerized telescopes to help them qualify for science scholarships to the University of North Texas, which has the largest astronomy classes in the nation and will partner with us to develop the program and equipment.

This proposed equipment is capable of research in the new field of exoplanet research, asteroid measurements, and supernovae searches.”

Andrews said the SBAS is also looking to expand business outreach and sponsorships efforts, and gain more in kind and monetary donations. What is known is that the official 50th anniversary celebration will take place during one of the SBAS popular star gazing parties in the fall.

“At the star party we setup telescopes for the public to see stars, planets, moon and deep sky objects that can only be seen through a telescope,” Andrews said. “It’s just a group of people with the same hobby of gazing at the heavens. It gives the sense that the universe is so much bigger than us. My first time looking at Saturn still motivates me; it was mesmerizing.”

Star parties are free and open to the public.

“We have an audience of all ages and can accommodate all people and their special needs,” Andrews said.

Cook Yancey-One Community Ad (FORUM)_Layout 1 It addition to the star parties, Andrews said Worley Observatory has hosted lunar eclipse watches, comet and asteroid hunting, and educational lectures. He also said the SBAS has partnered with Louisiana Tech Astronomy Club, Caddo Magnet Astronomy Club, and Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in their mission to earn their astronomy merit badges.

“The Worley Observatory is very iconic as it is the first observatory in Northwest Louisiana,” Andrews said. “It is a historical marker and we want to keep it up and maintain it, and it takes time, money and effort.”

Atwood said, “Our guests at Worley Observatory are a major part of our mission statement. The observatory was dedicated to the betterment of the youth of the Ark-La-Tex in 1964. Over the 50-year history of the facility thousands of parents, students, their teachers, and the elderly have, and continue, to line up to view the night sky live at the telescope.”

“You do not have to own a telescope,” Andrews said. “Members help you out to learn to star gaze and learn astrophotography [the photography of stars].”

Visit www.shreveportastronomy.com. – Tiana Kennell