Installed last spring and calibrated over the summer, the Planewave is three times as powerful as the previous 12-inch Meade telescope, allowing dimmer parts of space to be seen. Associate Professor for Instruction of Physics Adam Lark, who operates the observatory, says the new equipment has already provided enhanced opportunities for discovery — whether it’s a visitor with a casual curiosity for what lies beyond our planet or a student pursuing serious scientific study.
Consider, for example, planets outside our solar system. “There are hundreds of billions of exoplanets out there, and thousands available to observe every night, but previously we could only observe the few targets with the brightest companion stars. Now we have hundreds of options for targets, including the Kepler-90 system, over 2,800 light years away,” Lark said.
“ ... previously we could only observe the few targets with the brightest companion stars. Now we have hundreds of options for targets, including the Kepler-90 system, over 2,800 light years away.”
Hamilton student researchers work with Lark to gather data on Kepler and other exoplanets before submitting their findings to a collaborative database accessed by scientists across the globe. Once synthesized, the data helps detect and confirm the existence of new exoplanets. Physics major Isa Khan ’26 joined Lark as a co-author on a paper in draft form with the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. They, along with Amelie Heving ’27 and Beibei Chen ’25, are co-authors of another paper that will soon appear in the Astronomical Journal.
Lark says he’s seeing a swell of students interested in the introductory astronomy class, and the viewing events he hosts several times a semester at the Peters Observatory attract not only students but also faculty, staff, and members of the local community. “Astronomy attracts all walks and connects us all with a shared wonder and beauty,” he added.
The new Planewave telescope came to the College as a gift from Peter Schloerb ’73, who is recognized for his groundbreaking work that led to capturing the first image of a black hole. He is director of the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) Alfonso Serrano, a joint project between the University of Massachusetts and Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica in Mexico. He is also a professor and director of the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory at UMass Amherst.
