History of the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg:

This is the sixth in a series of articles on the history of The Astronomical Society of Harrisburg.

The second year for ASH started with the Patriot News devoting a section of its Sunday supplement to ASH, its founding and its accomplishments. Also, several of the local columnists took note of its aspirations with one comment being that "No longer could it be said that Harrisburg was deprived of culture."

The "headline" picture that accompanied the supplement devoted to ASH, scanned by TANII

The Executive Committee meeting in January discussed future progress, the establishment of an annual banquet, a noted speaker to headline the banquet, the establishment of a membership committee and reached conclusions on all these matters. The regular meeting had to be canceled because of adverse weather. Evidently this allowed for more planning.

At the February meeting the need for a society telescope and observatory headlined the discussions along with Mr. Samuel Terry of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (A A V S 0) who informed the membership on variable star observing.

At meetings throughout the year members continued to speak on favorite topics to augment the overall knowledge of the membership. This personal involvement strengthened the Society and opened the way for inauguration of group programs in telescope making, public presentations, increasing the number and frequency of public observing sessions and implementation and involvement in Astronomical League activities. In some respects, April and May may have contained the highlights for Society activities.

At the first banquet held at Eichelberger's House in the Woods on April 21, Dr. Charles LeRoy of the Buhl Planetarium in Pittsburgh explained how the Society could participate in a satellite watch program being developed. In this, he was assisted by Mr. Bob Wright, Chairman of Visual Satellite Observers Committee, in Washington D.C., who issued an invitation for the Society's participation. The comments by Dr. LeRoy and Mr. Wright received extensive coverage by the local media and elicited much comment from the central Pennsylvania area.

In May the Society was represented at the MERAL (Middle East Region of the Astronomical League) Convention in Washington, D.C., where its invitation to host the 1957 MERAL Convention was accepted. Immediately, necessary planning for this event was started. This, in addition to all else that was transpiring, including the telescope making session led by Dr. Markey, kept the entire membership, less than 50, very busy. In spite of all this, they maintained public observing sessions at Paxtang Park as well as taking their telescopes to treat various groups to views of the heavens.

As a result of their interest in the satellite watch program they sponsored a public meeting featuring Dr. Armand Spitz of Spitz Laboratories in Yorklyn, Delaware, who was recently named coordinator for the national satellite watch program. Dr. Spitz addressed the audience on the importance of this program to monitor orbiting Russian and American satellites and assured the Society of his personal assistance in their developing program. Also, during September, the Society conducted several Mars observing sessions for the public and private groups.

Dr. Spitz's ASH talk is advertised in local Papers, scanned by TANII

The October meeting was held at the State Museum. Because the public was invited, the meeting featured Dr. N. E. Wagman, Director of the Allegheny Observatory, who spoke on stellar distances.

The fact that the Treasury had not accumulated $200 did not deter their plans or dampen their spirit for advancement of ASH. This financial situation was a serious problem when all the Society involvements are considered.

As fall ended and winter entered, public observing sessions to view the changing skies continued. However, the cooler weather did little to entice the public to join them. Several Mars observing sessions and a lunar eclipse watch at Paxtang Park were well attended. A newspaper account noted that an open roaring log fire helped warm the attendees during the eclipse. No mention of light pollution or air pollution was evident. Thus the year ended with one columnist noting that ASH was the fastest growing and most active organization in the area.