Stars may shine again at observatory
A burst of dust fills the air inside the Arthur W. Martin Observatory at the University of Massachusetts at Boston as physics professor Bala Sundaram lifts the door of the structure's super-sized dome.
It's a rare glimpse from inside the observatory, which sits atop the Joseph P. Healey Library unused for the past 10 of its 30 years. The public once trekked onto the UMass-Boston campus to view the heavens, and the faculty and students once used it as part of their hands-on science curriculum.
Current students don't even know it exists.
"I had no idea," said Kerry Burns, a nursing sophomore, "and I go to the library a lot."
Located on the outer edge of the library, the observatory is not visible from the campus plaza. From the streets, its silver exterior is nearly hidden by the library. Even from inside the library, it's a hike to get there: an elevator ride to the 10th floor, down a corridor filled with offices, up several flights of steps, and then onto the steep, iron steps to the observatory.
"People drive by it and don't even know it's there," said Annie Stefanik, a former student who is in charge of the computer system in the physics department.
Sundaram, chairman of the physics department for the past two years, is leading an effort to repair the observatory and, in turn, restore a broken link between the university and the community.
"When you have such an observatory, the usual use is, of course, outreach," said Sundaram. "The space is such a fascination for people. It's a way to introduce science."
Sundaram said he envisions a virtual observatory, wired with computer technology so that viewers can have remote access to the dome and telescope without setting foot in the observatory. He'd like to strap a camera to the back of the telescope, so viewers can take pictures virtually.
"The advantage is that . . . you can open up the telescope to the public in a virtual way," said Sundaram. "It increases access."
Sundaram said talks about rehabbing the observatory are in the early stages. There's the practical matter of finding funds to pay for repairs, which could range from $25,000 to $75,000. The manufacturer is charging $8,000 just to come out and look at the equipment, Sundaram said.
The observatory once drew local school children, amateur astronomers, and others from the community to campus, Sundaram said.
Stefanik, now assistant director of technical operations in the physics department, recalls the department sending open invitations to the campus community to check out a planet or view star clusters.
"They would have coffee and snacks," said Stefanik. "Everybody would be there, students and professors. It was like art gallery openings."
There would be handouts with questions as well, she said.
"We'd actually do science," Stefanik said. "It was a hands-on experience. A lot of what we do in physics is theory-based. It's a lot of reading, but to actually do and see something, to actually physically experience science happening, it's just such an gift."
Edward S. Ginsberg, associate professor of physics and a former department chairman, said the observatory was managed by the physics department and used as part of a general science course in astronomy.
Some took an interest. One student automated the telescope, Ginsberg said. Over the years various people from the physics club used it. But interest waned.
"When I taught astronomy, I ran it for a few years," Ginsberg said. "But I'm not an astronomer. It's not my passion, but other people loved it. . . . But in terms of making a dedicated commitment here, we didn't have that."
The observatory suffered because of shrinking faculty strength in the department, which was sufficient only to focus on core instruction, Sundaram said.
Since the department did not have a major in astronomy, and no one was doing research in the area, the observatory was not a high priority, he said.
Until now.
Sundaram has help. A NASA-related group, the Massachusetts Base Ground Consortium is working with him to find funding sources to pay for the repairs and the updates, he said.
The consortium - whose members include experts from the Museum of Science, Tufts University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - is also discussing expanded uses for the observatory.
Talks are still fresh, but Sundaram has hope.
"I wish we had very generous donor to say 'I'll pay for it,' " he said.
Meghan Irons can be reached at mirons@globe.com. 