Star Sites

STAR SITES

I can remember as a little girl standing outside with my Dad in our driveway, seeing Jupiter and its moons for the first time in my little 3" refractor telescope. That image stayed with me my whole life, until, now as an adult, I am once again pursuing my first passion, astronomy.

My father and I shared the last four years of his life as fellow members of the Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society.

Dad served as Director for two years, and then, until February of 1995, as Public Relations Director, while I was Historian and Librarian. My biggest contribution to LVAAS is coordinating THE MEGAMEET! since 1991. The Megameet is turning into a major Eastern Pennsylvania observing event for amateur club members. We meet at Pulpit Rock, our summit observatory in the Blue Mountains of Berks County, Pa.

I have just finished serving my third term as President of the Berks County Amateur Astronomical Society, a more robust and riotious group you couldn't hope to find! We have the distinction of being the FIRST amateur observers to report a brightening of Jupiter's moon, Io, during the impact of Fragment B into the atmosphere of Jupiter during the famous crash of Comet Shoemaker-Levy, on July 16, 1994.

I reported this phenomenon in person to the comet's discoverers, David Levy, and Eugene & Carolyn Shoemaker, as well as to Carl Sagan himself, at a Comet Symposium held in Washington, D.C. as the last of the 22 major fragments was pummeling Jupiter. My story intrigued the panel so much that they literally grappled for the microphone to request written reports sent directly to each panel member! My fleeting moment of fame sustained me for months, as newspapers, and even Sky & Telescope, published our findings. We are even mentioned in David Levy's book & slide kit about the Comet Crash. Kewl!

Search for Extraterrestial Intelligence..AT HOME!

Of Telescope & Light, by Rev. Dr. Ernest F. Andrews

Berks County Amateur Astronomical Society

Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society

Allentown School District Planetarium Home Page and mirror site

THE MARS SOCIETY
The Astronomical League
Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers
NASA
Sky & Telescope Magazine
Astronomy Magazine
The Planetary Society

I would like to thank my astronomy friend, Mike Stump, for all his help in "showing me the ropes" to webdesign.

Note: The background for this page is a photo of Comet Hyakutake taken by John Dethoff on March 24, 1996 from Pulpit Rock Astronomical Park in Pennsylvania.

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