LAS History
On March 5, 1933, Franklin Roosevelt's first full day in office, a group of U. of L. astronomy students met at the home of their professor, Dr. Walter Lee Moore (LAS president 1933-43, 43-44, 53-54), to discuss formation of an amateur astronomy society in Louisville. That same year, two other groups of young people were studying astronomy in Louisville. Charles Strull (LAS president, 1935-36) was conducting public astronomy programs at the YWCA and O. W. McCarty (LAS president, 1934-35) was teaching astronomy to the Louisville Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
On October 24, 1933, these three groups met at Dr. Moore's home on Finley Hill, off of New Cut Road, to form the Louisville Astronomical Society. The LAS was created to promote interest in astronomy and to advance public education in astronomy. Dr. Moore became the first president of the LAS and annual dues were set at 25 cents.
In 1934, the LAS went "on the air" when LAS secretary, Mildred Shapinsky (Landau), began giving 15 minute astronomy programs on the radio on Sunday evenings. In the early 1930s, the LAS initiated a lifelong tradition of public service by conducting countless public observations at Dr. Moore's home, at Iroquois Park and at Cherokee Park. Over 600 attended the club's observation of Finsler's Comet in 1937. The LAS also took programs outside of Louisville - such as its 1937 observation in Owensboro, Kentucky, which drew over 500 people.
In the winter of 1935-36, Dr. Moore conducted public astronomy lectures at U. of L. in order to raise money for construction of an LAS observatory. About $125 was raised - enough to purchase a large 20 and 5/8ths inch pyrex mirror blank from the Corning Glass Company. The blank cost $84 and was taken from the same batch of glass used for the 200 inch Hale reflector at Mt. Palomar. The blank arrived in 1936 and the long process of grinding and figuring the mirror began. In 1936, rising costs necessitated a huge raise in dues, from 25 cents to one dollar. The LAS was incorporated in 1936 and adopted, as an additional purpose, the construction of a public observatory for the Louisville community. Initial plans for the observatory were developed in 1938.
Although World War II delayed construction of the observatory, LAS members were involved in the construction of a smaller observatory on the University of Louisville campus during the war years . In 1945, Dr. Moore, Stanley F. Thorpe (LAS president, 1939-40) and others completed construction of an on-campus observatory housing a 12 inch Alvin Clark reflector. This telescope was available for use by U. of L. astronomy students and, on numerous occasions, by the public. Public programs at the observatory were routinely conducted by LAS members.
After World War II, LAS members resumed their efforts to complete the 21 inch telescope and build a suitable domed observatory on Finley Hill. Dr. Moore was primarily responsible for figuring the 21 inch parabolic mirror. Others who were critical to the construction of the mounting, dome and observatory were Thorpe, Lewis Aker (LAS president, 1937-38, 47-48), Wilbur D. Johnson (LAS president, 1954-55, 76-78) and Kenneth McElwain (LAS president, 1948-49).
In 1953, younger members of the LAS formed the Louisville Junior Astronomical Society to serve area amateurs between 12 and 18 years of age. The LJAS flourished for more than 20 years under the sponsorship of Virginia C. Lipphard (LAS president, 1957-58) and produced a number of professional astronomers and physicists. Incredibly, the LJAS produced 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finishers in the prestigious Westinghouse Science Talent Search - Daniel Kleinman (3rd place - 1962), J. Richard Gott, III (2nd place - 1965) and Larry E. Goad (4th place - 1966). (The Westinghouse attracts more than 20,000 applications each year.)
Alumni of the LJAS include Dr. J. Richard Gott, III, Professor of Astrophysics at Princeton University (LJAS president, 1964-65), Dr. John F. Kielkopf, Professor of Physics at the University of Louisville (LAS president, 1965-66, 73-74; LJAS president, 1961-62), Edward F. Novak, Senior Physicist at Mound Laboratories (LJAS president, 1962-63) and Dr. Larry E. Goad, former head of adaptive optics research at National Optical Astronomy Observatories (Kitt Peak). Dr. Gott was named the nation's outstanding junior astronomer in 1963 and received the Robert J. Trumpler Award for best doctoral thesis in astrophysics in 1975.
In 1955, the LAS observatory was completed and dedicated as the Star Lane Observatory in a public ceremony. The dedication was held during the 1955 convention of the Mid-East Region of the Astronomical League being hosted by the LAS. At that convention, the LAS took a leading role in the creation of a new region for the League, the Great Lakes Region, of which the LAS is still a member.
Owned and operated by the LAS, the observatory's 21 inch reflecting telescope possessed light gathering power equal to 4,600 human eyes. During its two decades of use, the Star Lane Observatory became the hub of public programs and observations conducted by the LAS and LJAS. More than 500 members of the public attended a Mars observation conducted during a favorable opposition of that planet in 1956. The observatory was kept in constant use by the teenage members of the LJAS who were afforded keys upon passing a test on the use and care of the instrument. The educational opportunity enjoyed by those teens, in having the unfettered use of a 21 inch reflecting telescope, is impossible to measure. In 1956, the LAS opposed the attempted industrial rezoning of land to the immediate south of Star Lane. The LAS blocked rezoning of half of the land and limited rezoning of the remaining half to a commercial, rather than industrial, use.
In 1958, the LAS celebrated its 25th anniversary with a week-long program including public observations at Star Lane, lectures at the Louisville Free Public Library and a banquet at the Brown Suburban Hotel. The LAS hosted conventions of the Great Lakes Region of the Astronomical League in 1962, 1964 and 1969. The 1969 convention was chaired entirely by members of the junior organization. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the LJAS conducted astronomy programs at local libraries for an under-12 group known as the Stargazers.
In 1963, Dr. Moore gave the first series of lectures at the new Rauch Memorial Planetarium on the U. of L. campus. Since then, LAS members have given frequent public programs at the planetarium.
In 1972, the Star Lane Observatory was disassembled due to overwhelming light pollution at the Finley Hill site. The LAS donated the instrument to the University of Louisville where it now serves as the primary instrument at U. of L.'s Walter Lee Moore Observatory near Brownsboro, Kentucky. The telescope is used for research by the University.
In 1980, the LAS initiated plans to construct a new LAS observatory at a dark sky location. These plans were postponed due to the untimely death of LAS president, Steve Lengel, age 26, and have now been renewed. With an extraordinary grant from the Perkin Fund, the LAS has raised more than $45,000 toward construction of a new observatory which will consist of a 16 inch Cassegrain telescope in a domed facility.
Over its entire 60 year existence, the LAS has dedicated itself to the provision of programs and observations for the public. The LAS has conducted more than 500 separate public programs and observations including adult education courses, scout merit badge programs, public observations, National Astronomy Day programs, library programs, museum programs, mall shows, public parks observations and lectures on university campuses throughout the region. During its 20 year existence, the LJAS, consisting of junior high and high school aged students, conducted more than 200 public programs for schools, churches and scout groups and taught regular weekend astronomy programs for an under-12 group known as the Louisville Stargazers.
Since 1990, LAS members have conducted more than 160 public lectures and observations at major Kentucky and Indiana state parks, at 20 area colleges, at scout camps in Kentucky and Indiana, in public malls, at regional science fairs, at over a dozen regional astronomy clubs, at public libraries and at a dozen regional and national astronomy conventions. In all, the LAS programs have reached more than 15,000 people since 1990. Since 1990, LAS members have won over 25 regional and national awards for astrophotography, CCD imaging and telescope design.
In 1991, Virginia C. Lipphard (LAS president, 1957-58; LJAS sponsor, 1953-71) received the Astronomical League Award, the highest award given by the Astronomical League for outstanding contributions to astronomy at the national and international level. Ms. Lipphard was nominated on the basis of the scientific achievements of the many former juniors who passed through the LJAS during her sponsorship of that organization.
On October 2, 1993, the LAS celebrated its 60th anniversary with a banquet for over 120 members and supporters at the University of Louisville. The two-day event featured talks by Dr. J. Richard Gott of Princeton University and Dr. John F. Kielkopf of the University of Louisville. Distinguished Achievement Awards were presented to both speakers, who are honorary members of the LAS, and to Dr. James G. Baker, the LAS' first Vice-President. Distinguished Achievement Awards and other recognitions were given to more than 20 other present and past members who have contributed to the long and successful history of the organization. This event was the largest gathering of current and former LAS members, and of amateur and professional astronomers, in the club's history.
LAS members also stay heavily involved in the scientific community. The LAS annually sponsors special awards at both the Louisville Regional Science Fair and the Kentucky High School Science Olympiad. Frank Lovell, Joel Gwinn and Chuck Allen are judges and board members for the Louisville Regional Science Fair. Chuck and Sally Lambert are also Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, of the League's National Young Astronomer Award which annually presents a $3,000 telescope prize to the outstanding high school-aged astronomer in the United States.
In 1994, Doug Haggard was elected Trustee and Chuck Allen was elected Vice-President of the Astronomical League, a 14,000 member national federation of over 220 astronomy societies throughout the United States. Tom Rausch and Scott Conner currently serve as Representative and Vice-Chairman, respectively, of the League's 1,200 member Great Lakes Region. Chuck, Tom and Sally have also organized and run highly successful astrophoto, CCD and telescope design competitions at every annual Great Lakes Region convention since 1991.
The LAS conducts an annual observation at Patoka Lake in Indiana (drawing 1,400 visitors in six years). LAS picnics draw up to 65 members including visitors from our sister clubs in Evansville and Lexington. In 1993, the LAS reached its highest membership level in history (97 members) and its highest average meeting attendance (38 per meeting). In August, 1993, the LAS set an all-time attendance record for public observations when over 3,000 people attended the club's television-advertised Perseid meteor observation at Long Run Park. Over 200 attended the LAS Jupiter watch on July 15, 1994 when Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 made first impact.
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