Since its inception, the Astronomical Society of Greenbelt has hoisted star parties at Northway Field, a City of Greenbelt ball field situated at the eastern end of the extension of Northway Road. This was the darkest open-sky site in Greenbelt. The club had hoped from its beginning to build an observatory in Greenbelt but found it to be daunting.
In February 2001, however, ASG president John Settle learned that Montgomery College of Rockville was looking for a deserving organization to which it could donate its 25-year-old observatory. The observatory was then standing on the rooftop of a campus building but needed to be cleared for repairs required for the installation of an HVAC system. The ASG accepted the offer almost immediately. Montgomery College also loaned us a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. This loan became a permanent gift three years later.
The obvious place to put the observatory was on the hilltop on the north side of Northway Field, although some members strongly opposed the location, wishing to locate the observatory at a dark-sky site. A $10,000 matching grant offer from Gilbert and Jaylee Mead’s Mead Family Foundation helped settle the matter. The Meads were former Greenbelt residents and retired professional astronomers. This grant required the club to first raise $10,000 on its own.
A Partnership with the City
The City of Greenbelt was receptive to the idea of a city observatory. They raised issues, however, concerning zoning variances, building permits, and approvals from not only the City of Greenbelt but also from Prince George’s County and the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission. To ease the burden on the ASG—and to save the club a $4,000 zoning-exemption fee—the City of Greenbelt suggested the ASG donate the observatory to the city and allow the city to take care of installation. The ASG would then run the observatory on the city’s behalf. The club obliged. The city contributed another $10,000 to cover the remainder required to complete the installation.
It took six years to deal with all the procedural issues before construction could begin. Two years after that, the observatory was ready to open to the public. This took place on April 4, 2009, with a grand daytime celebration involving city officials and other dignitaries. Doug Love oversaw facility maintenance and ran the observatory until his death in April 2013. Many Greenbelt residents and visitors from surrounding communities were highly appreciative of the opportunity to view celestial wonders. Club members also set up their telescopes on the hilltop, contributing to the star party experience.
Our Continuing Work
The ASG continues to operate the Greenbelt Observatory. Weather permitting, we hold two star parties each month. These star parties are free, open to the public, and usually well attended. Individuals and families—along with Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and other educational groups—come to experience the wonders of the universe through the views provided by the observatory. Club members often bring their telescopes and offer views to others, while people new to astronomy come to explore and ask questions.
The ASG maintains and upgrades the observatory, keeping the scope in working order and enhancing its capabilities. Conrad Terrill is the current chair of the Observatory Committee.