Reaching for the Next Generation of Stargazers

Just two blocks east of the high-end jewelry stores on Greenwich Avenue, near the intersection of Milbank and East Elm Street, sits a polished little gem. The Bowman Observatory, with its shiny new dome, turns 70 this year, and, like an heirloom passed from generation to generation, it has its unique story.
 
Situated atop a small knoll, the observatory is not only sited perfectly for star gazing, but it is amazing that despite the real estate teardown trend, the streetscape and views from the observatory have changed very little since it was constructed 1941 and the adjacent opened in 1946.
 
Owned by the , the observatory is named after, Dr. J. Edgar Bowman, the Greenwich resident who donated the original telescope. The observatory itself was the brainchild of Alden Smith, the science teacher who nurtured the project from dream to reality.
 
When work began on the observatory in 1941, townspeople guessed it might be a silo or a fort for the war effort. Speculation may have continued for some time, considering the project seems to have stalled a while. In the Spring of 1943, nearly two years after ground broke, Greenwich Time published a letter to the Board of Education from Carpenters Local Union 196 offering their services, for free, to finish construction on the “telescope house.” The same article included the Board of Education’s reply declining the offer, indicating that “on the 15th of March, the Board of Estimate appropriated funds for the completion of the observatory, so your very kind offer is not necessary.”
 
Much has changed in the field of astronomy in 70 years. And while many telescopes are operated remotely, with stars viewed on distant computer monitors, nothing replaces the anticipation of walking up the hill on a clear night to the Bowman Observatory. Visitors are greeted by Rick Bria, the volunteer keyholder who hosts the bimonthly viewings. The experience includes watching Bria crank open the hatch, rotate the dome, and move the six-foot long Meade reflecting telescope into position. Anyone can ask a question at any time. And unlike a planetarium visit, there is no recorded audio. No canned presentation. Plus, no two viewings at the Bowman Observatory are ever the same.
 
At a recent public viewing night, which took place after a string of cancellations due to bad weather, a six-year-old seemed thrilled about her first glimpse through the eyepiece at the Seven Sisters. The view of that star cluster was followed by sightings of Orion, Gemini and a double star three hundred light years away. And though the night appeared clear, Bria ranked it merely an 8 out of a possible 10, due to atmospheric motion. “That means that water vapor distorts the light and makes the stars twinkle,” he explained. “And we don’t want our stars to twinkle.”
 
When Bria, a 1976 GHS graduate and former astronomy student of John Wesney (who replaced the retiring Alden Smith) learned the observatory had become neglected and disused around 1979, he joined forces with fellow local astronomy enthusiasts Bill Bambrick, Anne Burns, Philip Imbrogno, Marvin Ravicoff, and Fred Sibley to push for a renovation. The work would be substantial. The floor had partially caved in. The dome was leaking and rusting, rendering the hatch frozen shut. By 1984 the group of local astronomers had established the Astronomy Society of Greenwich (ASG) as an organizing force for the refurbishment.
 
Fred Sibley even had the idea of raising awareness by entering a float in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Greenwich Avenue, from which lore has it he handed out Mars and Milky Way bars. By 1986, aided by a surge of popular interest in the coming of Halley’s Comet, Bria’s group secured a winning combination of federal grant money matched with private donations. The work was completed that year and a plaque can be found on the observatory door commemorating its rededication.
 
The refurbishment extended the life of the original 1941 dome. But after 60 years, the sealer from 1986 couldn’t keep pace with the leaks. No one wanted to risk having the valuable telescope get wet. Bill Bambrick, with a background in engineering, led the charge along with school administrators Sue Wallerstein and Tuck Southworth to obtain $225,000 for a new, motorized dome. When it arrived in June 2008, the 4,000-pound steel dome was hoisted into place by crane. Today the dome rests snugly in its mounting hardware for a watertight seal. “It’s bone dry even after a huge storm,” said Bria. “The building should be all set for future generations of star-gazers.”
 
Though the building has received a thorough upgrade, an interesting dilemma exists concerning the telescope itself. Several members of the community, mostly amateur astronomers, have offered to help replace the telescope. An offer of an in-kind gift of a new “tube” – the main and most expensive part of the telescope – as well as funds to replace the telescope mounting ($17,000) and change the footing ($5,000) are at the ready. The only barrier to proceeding with the telescope upgrades is the expense of gaining 501(c)(3) status.
 
In order for friends of the observatory to properly receive the gifts and proceed with replacing the telescope, a non-profit organization needs to be formed. If a lawyer or retired lawyer in the community is interested in helping establishing a 501(c)(3) for these purposes, Bria would like to hear from them.
 
According to Bria, the public viewing nights are always well attended. He calls the Bowman “the people’s observatory,” explaining, “You don’t have to be rich. You don’t have to be smart to come to a viewing. If you can walk up the hill, you can visit. It’s free of charge.”
 
He does his best to accommodate everyone. For major events like lunar and solar eclipses, he says there is a line down the hill to East Elm Street. In those cases, he positions an additional telescope out on the lawn.
 
Everyone’s invited to come check out the public observatory. Viewings are scheduled for the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month, weather permitting. Contact Anne Burns at Greenwich Astronomical Society 203-413-6744 to confirm viewing schedule. Or go to: http://www.seocom.com/asg/
 
Rick Bria can be contacted by e-mail at rickbria@optonline.net .