Students listen as Mr. Glass discusses upcoming meteor showers.
(Photo by Alyssa Richardson)

When Harrison Elementary School second-grade teacher Rick Glass first began meeting with students during lunch in the fall, a total of 9 knowledge-hungry pupils comprised the Harrison Elementary Junior Astronomical Society.

As word spread, the club grew in size tremendously. Today, over 40 students meet every other Monday after school to study the stars and planets with Glass and fifth grade teacher Ed Jarrette, both of the Warsaw Astronomical Society.

The club is every astronomy loving kid’s dream, from telescopes to binoculars, Harrison students are able to enjoy the wealth of knowledge both Jarrette and Glass provide, along with the help of fellow Warsaw Astronomical Society member Kurt Eberhardt. Students range from grades 1-6 and are treated to presentations and hands-on activities to help them understand earth’s relationship to the cosmos.

(Photo by Alyssa Richardson)

Though the club started small, it has recently gained momentum adding new telescopes and binoculars through money awarded from a grant. The $5,000 grant is allowing the club to construct their own outdoor observatory complete with a mounted 8 inch Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope with astro-photography capabilities and monitors that will display to several children what is being seen through the telescope. According to Glass, he and Jarrette hope to photograph the 110 Messier astronomical objects visible in the northern hemisphere.

During StaceyPageOnline.com’s visit with the Harrison Astronomical Club, students learned about our galaxy’s biggest star, the sun. Though normally impossible to view with the naked eye, special filters allowed students to discover the shape of the sun, as well as spotting the freckles on the sun as well. Students were also instructed through a hands-on presentation about the Earth’s distance and size in relation to the sun by Jarrette.

(Photo by Alyssa Richardson)

And the fun doesn’t end there. Though the students meet during the day, Glass noted that the club hosts “Star Parties” during evenings when the weather permits to view space events and objects. Students in the club are able to log on with their parents to the Harrison Junior Astronomical Society’s Facebook page for photos and further information after their bi-weekly meetings.

Though the club has assembled some equipment through a student held auction, the Harrison Elementary PTO and a grant, those wishing to provide funding for the club’s activities and new equipment are able to do so by mailing checks or cash payable to Harrison Elementary to the school’s address, 1300 Husky Trail, Warsaw, IN 46582.