CHESTER,
Pa.– Dr. Harry Augensen, professor of
physics and astronomy at Widener University, has been named the first director
of the Widener Observatory, which is located on Widener’s Main Campus in
Chester atop Kirkbride Hall. This appointment is made in recognition of
Augensen’s dedication to astronomy education for both Widener students and the
general public. He will oversee all functions of the Widener Observatory,
including its outreach programs.
Augensen
initiated public stargazing sessions in 2002 using portable telescopes until
the Widener Observatory was completed in 2005. He now organizes viewings of the
night sky using the observatory’s 16-inch computerized Meade Cassegrain
reflecting telescope and several smaller 12-inch telescopes. Public sessions
typically run the first Friday of every month and every Monday during the
academic year. The first Friday viewing this year takes place Sept. 5, 8-9 p.m.
The first Monday viewing is Sept. 8, 8-9 p.m. Find all of the dates for the
year at www.widener.edu/stargazing.
“Our goal
with these public sessions is to get people in touch with the sky and
interested in learning more about what’s above them,” Augensen said. “Only a
privileged few could use telescopes centuries ago when they were first
invented. We are inviting everyone to view celestial wonders such as Saturn,
Mars, and the Orion Nebula.”
In
addition to public stargazing sessions, Augensen also takes requests for group
sessions and has entertained students from the Widener Partnership Charter
School, Cub Scouts and senior groups. He regularly organizes nights for area teachers
through the secondary level. The next stargazing session for teachers takes
place on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. with a rain date of Nov. 5.
As a
fulltime professor of astronomy and physics, Augensen also uses the Widener
Observatory as a second classroom for his students. He teaches a range of
courses, including Introduction to Astronomy, Planet Earth and Meteorology.
Augensen’s
research has most recently focused on variable stars. He regularly involves
students in his research during annual trips to the Lowell Observatory in
Flagstaff, Ariz. Widener is part of the National Undergraduate Research
Observatory (NURO), a consortium of 13 institutions that share a 31-inch
telescope at Lowell to collaborate on research projects, conduct private
research and train students using the technology.
Augensen’s
research has appeared in a range of academic journals, and he has published
popular articles in Astronomy and Mercury magazines. His strong interest in
astronomy education, especially for underprivileged students, led him to create
the 81-page document “Astronomy Education and Instructional Aids,” which was
distributed worldwide by the International Astronomical Union. He also worked
with his Swarthmore College colleague, the late Wulff D. Heintz, to translate
G. D. Roth’s “Compendium of Practical Astronomy” from German to English.
Augensen
has taught at Widener since 1981 and has served as associate dean of science
for many years and recently as interim dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from
Elmhurst College and his doctorate in astronomy from Northwestern University.
For more
information about the Widener Observatory or to make an appointment for an
upcoming stargazing session, contact Terri Sminkey at tasminkey@widener.edu
or 610-499-4003.
To learn even more about the stars, planets and other celestial wonders, look
for Augensen’s column “Night Words” in the Town Talk newspaper.
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