- Kopernik Space Center
The Kopernik Space Education Center is an
observatory inVestal, New York . In addition to operating a scientific observatory, the facility also provides outreach programs for community children, educating them aboutastronomy andscience .Following the 500th anniversary of the famous astronomer
Nicolaus Copernicus (called "Mikolaj Kopernik" in Polish) in 1973, it was built by the "Kopernik Society of Broome County" and opened to the public in June 1974.The observatory boasts three telescopes, a 6" Astrophysics Refractor, 14" Celestron
Schmidt-Cassegrain , and a 20"Ritchey-Chretien telescope. The observatory has a pool of students called the Kopernik Talent Search that take classes on Friday nights and Saturdays. During the week local schools have field trips, where students can safely observe the sun and see planets in the daytime. Kopernik also has a large summer program that includes one and two week residential institutes for middle school and high school students.Roberson, a local museum who provided funding for Kopernik, was seriously considering cutting major funding and programs. However, the Kopernik Society of Broome County stepped in and negotiated this matter with Roberson Museum and Science Center. Currently, ownership and operation of the Kopernik Space Education Center has been transferred from Roberson Museum back to the Kopernik Society. The Observatory is now seeking funding from industry and governmental agencies.
External links
* [http://www.kopernik.org The Official Kopernik Space Center Site]
* [http://www.savekopernik.org SAVE KOPERNIK]
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