Hofstra, wider community observe ‘Stars On Sundays’

Adults and children observe celestial sights on the roof of Berliner Hall on Sunday, March 5. // Photo courtesy of Sayo Adeniji

On a cool evening, over 50 students, adults and children gathered on Berliner Hall’s rooftop to observe star clusters, planets and other celestial sights on Sunday, March 5.

Every semester, the department of physics and astronomy welcomes the Hofstra community and general public to “Stars on Sundays.”

Organized by Donald Lubowich, an adjunct associate professor of physics and astronomy, the program serves as a learning platform for attendees.

“The purpose has been to show both the public and Hofstra students the sky and to get them excited about science and astronomy in particular,” Lubowich said.

From the moon to the rings of Jupiter and Saturn, people made observations using Celestron telescopes.

For Lubowich, making observations through telescopes is a richer experience than viewing pictures online.

“It’s an immersive, interactive experience. The fact that it’s hands-on with a professional astronomer also means something,” Lubowich said. “Today, you can go to your computer and see all sorts of beautiful pictures and it’s not the same.”

The idea to host the program dates back to 2005. It was then that Lubowich, along with Harold Hastings, who was a professor of mathematics at Hofstra, believed that such an initiative would not only benefit students but also the wider community. Thanks to funding from the National Science Foundation, it was possible to purchase the necessary telescopes.

“It was meant as an educational tool for the students primarily, and then we said, ‘Okay, why don’t we do it for the public as community service?’” Lubowich said.

Local resident Emily Glynn was among the participants. While searching for observatories nearby, she found out about the activity on Eventbrite. She said her interest in astronomy began in her childhood.

“My mom used to take me to these [astronomy events] when I was younger, and we have our own telescope at home,” she said. “So I figured, Sunday night, not doing anything, might as well come through, see some planets, some stars.”

Over the years, Lubowich has sought different opportunities to inform people about astronomy.

He organizes the Astronomy Festival on the National Mall, which he said is “the largest annual astronomy outreach around the country now.” He added that, in the past, over 8,000 people participated in a single night.

During the first festival in 2010, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy partnered with Hofstra to sponsor the event.

For Lubowich, one of the most fulfilling aspects of teaching children in particular about astronomy is the lasting impact it can have on their lives.

“When I did Astronomy Festival on the National Mall,” Lubowich said, “I had a student, eight years old, who said that she wanted to become an astronomer.”

Similarly, Vera Vecherskaia, a freshman bioengineering major, attributed her knowledge and interest in astronomy to her sister, who studies the subject.

“My sister is graduating, and her major is physics and astronomy and she’s super passionate about it,” Vecherskaia said. “It’s always interesting and fascinating how big the sky is.”

Natalee Wizwer, a sophomore public relations major, enjoyed the experience.

“This is definitely really interesting,” Wizwer said. “I was able to take a look at Jupiter, which was really cool.”

Wizwer, who takes an astronomy class, was pleasantly surprised by how passionate a number of children were about some of the concepts she studies in class.

“I didn’t expect this, but I really like seeing the children doing it and seeing how excited they get,” Wizwer said. “It was just kind of cool because I’ve been doing this for a semester for a class, and all these kids are here, and they’re definitely in awe and amazed, and I love that.”