Roadrunners Look to the Stars at GOA’s New Observatory

By Gracie Sacks ‘26 and Solomon Langer ‘25
The lower field has a new celestial observatory where students and teachers can view the cosmos as part of their studies.

Over the past few months, STEM teachers Dr. Kelmanovich, Mr. Huseman, Mr. Ruhl and Mr. Kurzweil have taken part in constructing the new observatory on Golda Och’s lower field. While the observatory began as just a concept, it will soon come to life for students to use.
“The observatory will be used as an interdisciplinary tool for engaging with and teaching students,” said Mr. Kurzweil, “since aside from obvious connections to math and science, astronomy can be incorporated into many other subjects as well.” 
Historically the stars have been used as a tool in navigating and tracking time of year.  Connections can be made to Jewish studies and how the stars have been used and interpreted. Art and space are also tied together through music, drawings, paintings, and so forth. There are also several non-academic ideas floating around that should interest students and keep the observatory busy year round.
The process of building the observatory started over a year ago when the teachers ordered the required equipment including the telescope, mount, eyepieces and camera equipment. Aside from all of the required pieces for viewing stars, galaxies and nearby astronomical bodies like planets and moons, teachers also ordered a prefabricated observatory dome to house all of the new equipment. Everything in the observatory can be used either in person or controlled remotely from anywhere with internet connection. 
Throughout the past school year, the STEM department received deliveries of the equipment while also finalizing plans for construction of the observatory. During March, a contractor built the deck while the dome itself was assembled over Passover break. Thanks to the dome, the enclosed space is shielded from the weather, with the telescope itself installed alongside all its accessories. 
Once everything is installed the STEM department will start the process of calibrating all the individual pieces of equipment and familiarize themselves and interested students with the operation of both the software and hardware used during operation.
The STEM department plans to use this permanent, remotely controlled observatory to build excitement around space and inspire students to pursue their own research. They want to make this as accessible as possible to maximize usage by both students and teachers. To that end, their plan includes a fully computerized observatory, so they can queue up observations during the day and then run autonomous imaging and data collection overnight. 
“This observatory has the potential to have a major impact on STEM content areas across the school,” added Mr. Kurzweil “Thinking further, this could include high school math students exploring the mathematics of orbital dynamics using direct observations from the telescope. Additionally, high school physics classes will include a focus on optics, using the observatory to study electromagnetic waves, refraction/reflection and ray optics.” 
The current schedule’s large amount of student time will additionally allow students to pursue their own independent research projects, with the aim being to recruit students who will then be trained in operating the observatory and can reserve personal telescope time. 
Freshman Marley Fischer notes,” I am so excited that this is a newfound opportunity available to students and can not wait to take full advantage of it.”
In 6th grade, the Earth Science class would be able to use the observatory as a close-by “field trip" to see what it means to be an astronomer, using appropriate filters to do daytime viewing of objects, while the proposed Upper School Astronomy Club would create an outlet for students to learn and talk about space. This would become a training ground for using the observatory leading to independent research.