Hap Griffin, VP of SCETV (r), and John Hodge, attorney, pilot, professor, and amateur astronomer

The members of the Explorers Club are modern–day adventurers. They chat nonchalantly about digging up ruins of civilizations, diving in the Caribbean, and tracking birds in Madagascar. They’ve traveled to destinations all over the world, and some, like attorney/pilot /professor and amateur astronomer John Adam Hodge, have even traveled beyond it.

Hodge demonstrated to members at the club’s meeting last Friday that you can explore outer space without ever leaving your backyard. He and six other astronomers regularly photograph and observe the stars from their three–-building observatory site in Bethune, SC. The lack of light pollution and subsequent dark night skies provide brilliant views of outer space.

The astronomers could be considered the model budget travelers. Their explorations require only six small telescopes, CCD cameras, and $75 web cams. The telescopes are much smaller than professional ones (only 12 inches in diameter) but allow Hodge and his crew to see stars beyond our galaxy. The CCD cameras are highly sensitive cameras that can capture light from distant stars, while web cams are used for capturing images of the moon and planets.

Hodge has managed to produce impressive images with his amateur equipment. The pictures taken with the CCD camera showed galaxies that looked like everything from simple dots to swirls of light to celestial Frisbees. Club members gasped as Hodge excitedly pointed out supernovas, nebulas, and eclipses, some of which were as far as 30 million light years away. The web cam photos were equally impressive. They showed close–ups of the moon’s cratered surface, images of Mars, and a lunar eclipse.

Hodge’s photos were followed by a presentation from Hap Griffin, vice–president of engineering at SCETV. Griffin uses an SLR digital camera to obtain color photos of the galaxies resembling those taken by the Hubble Telescope. His images showed a kaleidoscope of a universe awash in purples, reds, and blues.

According to Hodge, however, amateur astro-nomers do more than just produce colorful images. Amateur astronomers have made lasting contributions to science as well. For instance, Francisco Garcia Diaz of Spain discovered a supernova in 1993 using only amateur equipment. The astronomers at the Mac–Hunter center also contribute to astronomical research by observing the galaxies, and noting positions and light output.

The next meeting of the Greater Piedmont Chapter of The Explorers Club will be held October 14. For information, contact Warner Montgomery (803-771-0219 or warnerm@sc.rr.com).