Calumet Astronomy Center named Facility of the Year
February 21, 2012 1:42PM
Sandy Basala (center) of the Lake County Parks accepts the Facility of the Year award from Terry Prather, 2011 Indiana Park and Recreation Association president, and Mi’Chelle Bettner, IPRA CEO. | Photo provided
The Indiana Park and Recreation Association recently recognized the joint effort of the Lake County Parks and Recreation Department, Purdue University Calumet, and the volunteers of the Calumet Astronomical Society for their development of the Calumet Astronomy Center at Buckley Homestead County Park in Lowell.
In January, the center was named Facility of the Year by the state association.
Astronomy facilities at the center include the Thomas Conway Observatory, the Mildred Hunter Astrophotography Laboratory, and Purdue Calumet’s Northwest Indiana Robotic Observatory. They are used by residents of and visitors to Lake County and students ranging from elementary through post-graduate science researchers.
The project includes programs such as astrophotography workshops, public observing open houses and special sky-watching events presented by volunteers of the CAS who set up various telescopes that complement the permanent Conway scope.
In 2011, the center’s Youth Astronomy Camp was expanded to include the planetarium at the Challenger Center and work in the science lab at PUC. A Sky Scout mentoring program is planned this year.
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