Clear skies give students a hands-on look at Saturn, distant galaxies, and constellations during an annual after-hours observation event.
Prior to the Lexington-Richland School District Five winter break, Dutch Fork High School astronomy classes spent an evening stargazing behind the school, braving a chilly 36-degree night to observe the night sky.
Students practiced using several types of telescopes they had been trained on earlier in the school year while applying classroom lessons in a real-world setting. Despite the cold, excitement was high as students viewed Saturn, multiple constellations, the Orion Nebula, Betelgeuse—the red giant star—the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Pleiades star cluster, along with numerous other celestial objects.
With perfectly clear skies, the stargazing event was considered a major success. The annual experience remains a favorite among students, offering a hands-on opportunity to explore and better understand the astronomical concepts studied in class.
