Barrington conservation group looks to the skies

More than two dozen stargazers recently took part in a spring astronomy program presented by Barrington-based Citizens for Conservation as part of its youth education class offerings.

Families listened as amateur astronomer Edith Auchter discussed phases of the moon, exploration of the moon, its surface features, and its rotation about its own axis and the Earth.

Even after 100 lunar missions, much about the moon is still a mystery, such as the difference in features seen on the near side (predominantly lunar maria) and far side (predominantly craters).

During the April 5 event, participants made lunar flip books so they could see the progression of the phases, as well as the lunar rotation around the Earth that results in those phases.

Another activity involved everyone making a pocket scale model of the solar system. What a surprise to discover that on a 39-inch long paper, the first inch from the Sun includes the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, while the asteroid belt and gas giants Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune are widely spaced in the other 38 inches.

Once darkness came, the clear skies allowed for perfect viewing of the stars through binoculars and telescopes provided by Tom and Edith Auchter and another five members of the Northwest Suburban Astronomers.

It was quite fascinating to observe the moon, Jupiter and its Galilean moons, Mars, the Pleiades, Orion Nebula, where new stars are born, the Double Cluster in Perseus, and other galaxies.