Fairlawn Rotary Observatory allows stargazers to safely view the skies

by Laura Straub 

You don’t have to go far to see our entire galaxy, and maybe even a few others. The Fairlawn Rotary Observatory in the Bath Nature Preserve opened in June 2018 and has been gaining popularity with local stargazers ever since, averaging more than 3,000 visits per year.

The observatory features a retractable roof, seven professional-grade mounted telescopes and additional portable scopes to accommodate multiple observers. But like countless businesses, the observatory was forced to close its doors – and its roof – in March as part of the state’s COVID-19 response.

As businesses began reopening, the observatory had one major hurdle to clear. The eyepieces of the telescopes had the potential to spread the virus. Typical sanitizers were out of the question, as cleaning the eyepieces with anything wet would damage the lens coating. 

John Shulan, president of the Summit County Astronomical Society, which runs the observatory, got to work finding a solution.

His answer? Handmade cups that prevent contact between the viewer’s eye and the telescope lens. 

With the help of volunteers, Shulan created multiple prototypes, including a PVC pipe and a small wooden box, both of which fit over the telescope eyepiece on one side, with a clear glass piece for the user to look through on the other side.

Visitors can take their cups from telescope to telescope throughout their visit, and when they are finished, the cups are sterilized for the next guest. 

“It was one of those eureka moments,” Shulan said. “Let me try making one of these things and see how they work. And they worked great. That’s how we were able to open the observatory. It’s very simple.” 

The cups were such a success that Shulan shared his prototypes with all other observatories in Ohio to help in their reopening plans. He plans to refine the design and has secured grant funding to produce a more advanced version. 

Shulan added that although the observatory’s retractable roof leaves the facility open for fresh air, masks are required, and everything is sprayed down with Lysol at the end of each night. 

With the proper precautions in place, the community has made an enthusiastic return. 

“The observatory has been very busy, because people have been looking for recreational activities,” said Shulan. 

With its June reopening, Shulan estimates the observatory has already had well over 3,000 visits this year. The observatory’s Meetup site, meetup.com/summit-county-astronomy-meetup, which advertises viewing opportunities, has gone from 300 followers to 1,000 since the beginning of the year. Some nights have attracted as many as 60 visitors. 

Also new to the observatory is an astrophysics mount donated by the University of Akron. The mount is designed to support a load heavier than any of the telescopes currently in the building, so Shulan ordered a 14-inch Edge HD telescope to sit on it.

To house the new visitors and equipment, Shulan has begun fundraising for construction of a new building to add to the observatory property. The current observatory building was designed to hold just five telescopes. The new building will double its size. 

Shulan said the club plans to move four telescopes into the new building and add classroom space in the existing building. The new building will also allow space for the new telescope and mount.

“This will bring us to a whole new level of capability in the observatory,” said Shulan. 

He said it took 15 months to raise the $75,000 needed for the original observatory building, adding that the community was extremely generous. He plans to start construction on the second building as soon as the club raises the $46,000 needed for the project.

As he fundraises for the new building, Shulan is training two new individuals to join him and volunteer John Landis in hosting meetups. His goal is to have the observatory open to guests every clear night, year-round.  To donate to the observatory’s new building, visit gf.me/u/yzmbrh.

Feature image photo caption: The Fairlawn Rotary Observatory in the Bath Nature Preserve is once again operating after closing down in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by J. Shulan