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[TomT]

The new telescope that was donated from Wayne Rosing was very impressive.  A 20" Ritchey-Chrétien telescope made by RC Optical, with an AstroPhysics 155mm (6") F7 finder scope on a Planewave Ascension 200HR mount!  Turns out that he will donate a new 100mm solar scope as well, that wipes out our donation of the 60mm Lunt we let Javier buy.  Javier says we can have it back...maybe we can sell it and buy something else that the observatory needs that Wayne Rosing is not supplying?  He is even considering redoing the dome electrical motor control and refinishing the inside of the observatory.   Perhaps even the way the dome windows operate.  Mr. Rosing was disappointed that he had to move the scope out of his observatory on his Mountain Drive home, but then he has a newer, better one coming!

The telescope height on its mount will limit its views a bit...maybe only those objects above 30 degrees will be visible, but that is probably is a reasonable view range avoiding the thicker sky of the horizon and trees / buildings around the Museum of Natural History.

Lots of city, county, state bigwigs at the event today.  From City College, City Council, County, and California, the politicians were able to praise the renovated Palmer Observatory.  I was the 4th speaker out of about 8, trying to give a SBAU point of view.  There were not enough seats at the circle outside the observatory, which made it irritating for a lot of the crowd standing in the sun (smart folks found shade next to buildings and bushes) for the 40 minutes or so.  A ribbon cutting given to Fred Marshak, retired SBCC astronomy professor and once commander of the 1990's astronomy club, followed.  A number in the audience were important folks of the SBMNH Board, I think.  Strawberries and mini muffins were the refreshments.  Javier got a view takers for the solar scopes he set up after the presentations.

After all that, here is approximately what I said, except for my mumbling or skipping or making up words:

October 5, 2015 Museum of Natural History Observatory Celebration
Tom Totton, Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit, President

"Thank you for the chance to say a few words for our club about this project. 

First of all, we of the SBAU must say that this telescope and renovated Palmer observatory are a Great Gift to the public of Santa Barbara.  Many thanks to Wayne Rosing for the telescope, City College for the dome, Museum members, and the Museum Board for making this possible.  Wow!  And thanks to the Museum administration for handling the engineering, permitting, and construction to get us to this point.

We believe the community, along with the members of the SBAU, will treasure the enhanced Star Parties associated with the new telescope and observatory.  How great it is that we have a professional facility within walking distance of downtown Santa Barbara. 

With this new larger eyeball on the nighttime Universe, we will see beautiful views of planets, red supergiant stars ready to supernova, and wild nebulas of newly born stars in our Milky Way galaxy.  Plus a camera on the telescope will allow for longer light collection than our own eyes to provide seeing the colors of the fainter objects.  Fabulous faraway globular clusters, and glorious galaxies located millions of light years away will leave many astounded.  Just think, at the current satellite speeds we have sent off from earth, a few now past Pluto, it will take 15,000 years to travel just one light year.  And the closest stars to us are over four light years away.

But not to forget our closest star, the Sun, we also have a solar telescope for the observatory.  This bright ball of plasma 8 light minutes away, one Astronomical Unit, will help make the observatory a regular daytime part of the Museum.  As a school planetarium presenter, I understand we will be bringing the kids over to the observatory for a look before heading into the planetarium.  Our members donated the funds for the solar scope, and a flat screen tv to allow group viewing.

Observation and wonder is the first step of the scientific method and we will have lots to observe in the sky.  We will need to ask the observers if they know why things look the way they do.  If they make a prediction, we will encourage them to thoroughly test their hypothesis…and a future scientist is born.  Hopefully when students see this impressive equipment and learn how it is used, we will hear of future astrophysicists that have passed through the Museum of Natural History.  And one of those scientists may help life on our planet to survive the trip through the Universe.

Let me close by saying the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit members are quite proud to be associated with the Museum of Natural History, the renovated Palmer Observatory, and the Rosing telescope. We will back up the Museum’s space science programs run by the Astronomy Manager, Javier Rivera, who we thank for involving the club in the project.  This facility and equipment reminds me of Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001, where a special monolith can be touched and life will be taken to the next stage of evolution.  I hope to be hearing many “oos” and “aahs” and “what’s that’s” in the near future!"
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