By VICTORIA SCHNAUZER
Carmen senior, Willow Gahr, refurbished a 1960’s telescope for a light class.
Dr. Maier, department chair of Natural Science and professor of physics, initially gave the project to former student, Kaitlin McAllister, in 2011. The telescope had been completely taken apart, too rebuild; however, it had not been put back together.
Doctor of Physics and assistant professor of physics, Jenny Sattler, handed the project to Gahr to allow her to get more of a hands-on experience of optics.
“I wanted the class to be fun, but I also wanted her to learn. The only way to completely understand optics (light) is to see it in action,” Sattler said. “Optics can be fairly abstract so actually seeing it helps a lot.”
Gahr received the project during the spring semester of 2015. The project took a full two semesters to complete.
“Over all I spent a cumulative 6 weeks on the project alone,” Gahr said. “There were a few cut backs because of my surgeries, classes and other activities.”
Gahr was a full time student, athlete and held three jobs while working on this project.
“Initially we thought there was a lack of parts, so Willow spent two months doing research on how to construct a telescope from scratch,” Sattler said.
After talking more with Maier, they found that there were components, like a stand and mirrors, that had to be constructed as well.
“I didn’t get to do all that I wanted, but I am very proud of the outcome,” Gahr said.
The telescope is kept in the science building, in room 111, for safe keeping. The mirrors used on the project are extremely sensitive.
“A little dust can scratch the mirrors,” Gahr said.
The Telescope will be brought out for an upcoming star gazing party, for the Northwestern Physics club. The date has not been set yet.
Sattler teaches an astrology class that will get to work with the telescope as well. Sattler’s’ Girl Scout troop may be able to see what makes a telescope work; however, that may take some convincing of Gahr.
“I am trying to talk Willow into having my Girl Scout group come to the college to see the telescope and allow them to meet a girl scientist,” Sattler said.
Gahr’s work and time did not go unnoticed.
“She can completely build a telescope from scratch because of the amount of hours researched, time spent and refurbishing the one I gave her,” Sattler said.
Gahr’s artwork is visible on the outside of the telescope. She painted planets to show what a telescope is used for.
“Although she didn’t get to do all of the plans she constructed, Willow did a fantastic job. She put a lot of work into it. The telescope turned out fantastic,” Sattler said.