The Man From the Stars - Our Edward L. Naylor - A Tribute

Above:

Ed Naylor at a 1978 Dedication Ceremony (for the Culver Building) at the Observatory

To "see" is a gift of life. To help others "see" is a greater gift.
Ed shared his "seeing" with many people, among whom I am one.
We will see his spirit in the, sky, the place he loved.
We will miss his sight, but remember him still.

John Hollar Jr.

Many of you may wonder who exactly Ed Naylor was. To us and those who knew him, Edward L. Naylor was something special. He was largely responsible for the society's existence, the founding of our Astronomical Center in Lewisberry, and getting a Planetarium at the State Museum of PA on behalf of the society. Above all he was a respected founding member of the society. Unfortunately, "the man from the stars," who was very much so Harrisburg's most prolific popularizer of Astronomy, is no longer with us. On this page we pay tribute to a man whom we all respect and will never forget. Ad Astra Ed!

The Man From the Stars

By: Robert Young

On first hearing it, one suspects that the story is only apocryphal. BuL, knowing Ed Naylor since the night I joined the Society, 31 years ago, at the public unveiling of our first member-built telescope, I can assure you that I believe every word.

The dream of a public observatory for Central PA began almost as soon as the Society organized in 1955. After a couple of near-disastrous mis-starts, it was decided to buy the Lewisberry property with onlv $600 in the bank. The Executive Committee members signed the note, personally, and Ed arranged to borrow the $2,500 from a local bank at no interest, to be repaid $75 a month!

Ed was on the fund raising committee, of course. One day, he was having a difficult time getting an appointment to see a decision-maker at a local company. When asked whom he represented, Ed ventured. "Tell him The Man From the Stars is here to see him." Heads peered out the glass door from the inner sanctum .... and it opened. In went Ed. The firm, AMP, Inc., became a very valued underwriter of our operating expenses for several years while most of our financial resources were concentrated on construction.

This was typical of all of Ed's efforts to promote his love of the stars to children, adults and just about everyone that he met. I have no doubts at all that Edward L. Naylor was A Man From the Stars.

The Man in the Moon

by Earl S. Brooks

One theory of the origin of our solar system is that gravitational perturberance from a passing star triggered condensation in the primordial nebulae that finally became our sun and its planetary retinue. We might say the formation of the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg followed a similar course, albeit on a smaller scale.

Although that first star is unknown, our star is well known to us all: Edward L. Naylor. Yes, there were other founding fathers who also are remembered and respected, but Ed stood out. None of them devoted the years of service to our cause that he did. Also, it was his persuasive fundraising expertise that, more than any other factor, fed the fledgling enterprise. He was our George Washington, and when it came time to name the observing site in honor of our most outstanding member, the choice was obvious.

As a professional artist at the time, I was asked to compose a portrait of Ed for the dedication ceremony. I accepted the assignment gladly, and tried to create something both appropriate and unique. The end result was his rotund features superimposed on a full moon. My reward was his "pleased as punch" expression when we gave it to him and its permanent place of honor in his living room.

Now we 'are affected by a passage of a sadder nature. Even though the relentless ravages of time had removed him from center stage too many years ago, to those of us who knew him, just knowing he was still out there assured us that the thread connecting past to present was still intact. Until now.

Fortunately, the torch he ignited has been passed forward into many capable hands, so ASH will continue to be alive and well in his absence. There are now only a handfull who were around in his heyday, and that number will eventually become zero. His legacy, however, is carved into the stone of our organization's annals. And if I know Ed, it's not over yet. He's probably up there above the turbulence and pollution, organizing the angels into a stargazing club.

I Remember Ed

by: the late Jack Betz

Ed Naylor and I met in the late 1950s at an Astronomical Society of Harrisburg (ASH) lecture by Harlow Shapley.

A few years later, I saw Ed showing Jupiter to fellow employees at a company picnic. As the crowd dwindled, Ed explained the details we were seeing on the planet and moved around the sky, showing me star clusters, nebulosity, double stars and stars of different colors. Although I had been interested in astronomy for a long time, I had never before had the opportunity to observe through a telescope. I was hooked, joined ASH, and our common interest fostered our friendship.

The Society was just finishing its first telescope, a 12 1/2 inch Cassegrain, and looking for a suitable observing site for an observatory. When a few of us complained about lack of progress, Ed appointed us to a committee and challenged us to find a site meeting the society's criteria within some time.

As soon as we found the site, Ed began a campaign to raise funds to buy it, setting an example for all of us by his efforts to raise money. Ed used his personal connections to obtain an unsecured loan from a local bank. I often wondered if he used his home for collateral, since our assets were minimal.

Billing himself as the "Man From the Stars" Ed gained access to corporate offices of local business and industry. All the time, he kept up a schedule of giving talks wherever and whenever possible to promote ASH and astronomy.

On several occasions I accompanied him to man the projector or help with exhibits and saw firsthand his methods of encouraging others to get involved. He always began and ended his talk on the stars with a plug for astronomy and ASH, and urged financial support for ASH. He saw our involvement in the Middle East Region of the Astronomical League (MERAL) as a means to secure media attention for the promotion of astronomy and ASH. He never hesitated to argue for what he thought was best for ASH, a fact to which many in MERAL and ASH can attest.

I believe some of his proudest moments were at the groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies for our observatory. He saw them as a beginning, not an end, of his hopes and dreams for ASH.

He will not be forgotten...

Edward L. Naylor

Ed Naylor, a co-founder of the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg and a strong advocate of informing the public about the science of astronomy, died on April 21, 1994.

Ed was 89 years old and had been in poor health for several years. His last visit with the Society was at the dinner at which he was honored for his contributions and service to the Society.

This tribute was well deserved. To many of us who joined the Society in the early '60s and into the early '70s, Ed's name was synonymous with the Astronomical Society. In many respects, he was the Society. His endeavors for the advancement and education of the science were numerous and effective. He held several offices in ASH and was elected president of the society in 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1971 and 1972. In this position, as well as throughout his active membership, he moved various projects for the benefit of ASH and its members.

He was a prime mover for the construction of the Society's first telescope, the inclusion of a planetarium in the State Museum, the establishment of an active participation in the Middle East Region of the Astronomical League, the securing of a property for our observatory, the raising of funds for the construction of our observing facilities, and the procurement of additional instruments and devices to facilitate observing and the care and maintenance of those facilities and equipment. Also, he used his talents to promote astronomy by lecturing and presenting programs wherever and whenever possible. He gave talks in schools, at service clubs, at conventions, for business meetings and within the circle of adjacent astronomical societies.

Ed never talked down to his audience. He met them all. children and adults, on a common level, and always involved his listeners in the subject matter. Ed was no stranger to argument, and at times he not only cajoled us to further Society efforts and accomplishments, but also challenged us to undertake and conclude projects, all for the betterment of the society. He was selfless in his efforts and set an example for all who felt as he did.

We can look at the results of many of the projects and endeavors for which Ed was responsible or concerned. They exist for our use and for the use of others to come. On our own, how much would we have accomplished? His work will last longer than the 35 or so years of active membership that he gave to the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg.

Thank you, Ed, and may your quest be satisfied.
Unsigned

Homage to Ed

For Ed Naylor, one of the few whose names are ascribed to a public institution during life, a founder of the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg, a multitude of well-chosen words could not express the society's appreciation of his contribution.

From the time ASH was formed to Ed's last appearance at a banquet in his honor, he was the society's guiding light.

He was elected ASH secretary, the first of his positions with the society, at ASH's first meeting in February 1955. As secretary, Ed was the society's first spokesman and the person to ask when any knowledge of ASH was desired. His continuing contacts during the next 30 years with the local press provided the best public relations that could be hoped for by a growing society.

Ed led the ASH movement to join the Astronomical League, and his efforts succeeded in time for ASH to play host at a convention of the Middle East Region of the Astronomical League (MERAL). This was achieved in a little more than two years after the formation of ASH, by which time, Ed had become president of the Society.

Not only did Ed serve in most of the offices of ASH, he also displayed an avid interest in imparting his astronomical knowledge to the general public. He visited public gatherings to share his astronomical knowledge, speaking to adults and children in understandable language. Many a convert to astronomy was made through Ed's efforts.

As a forerunner of current astronomical educational courses given for the public by the Society, Ed inaugurated a series of six classes at the local YWCA in the early '60s. He vowed to make astronomy a down-to-earth science available to all. His simplified astronomy reached all ages and brought the heavens close to the public.

Always aware of current and potential future developments in space, Ed kept NASA apprised of amateur astronomer opposition to projects deleterious to astronomical observation. One early 60's proposal Ed resisted would have placed 400 million needle-like copper particles into orbit at an altitude of 2,000 miles to reflect radio communication waves.

His work included serving as MERAL treasurer, vice chairman and chairman. In 1969, Ed received the coveted annual MERAL award for his outstanding service to amateur astronomy.

Thanks, Ed, for the opportunity to have wandered with you while on earth and among the stars.

To have known you was a privilege. - Unsigned

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