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Astronomy club explores theories

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By LAURA CONE THE SUN

Published: October 21, 2009

John Manning, the president of the Sun City Center Astronomy Club, compares astronauts involved in space exploration to Christopher Columbus coming to the New World.

"It's in human nature to want to explore," said Manning, who plans to draw new members during the Hi Neighbor! event Nov. 5 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Community Hall. The annual fall event is used as a membership drive for more than 50 clubs in SCC.

Manning's club meets to discuss stars and the cosmos on the first Friday of each month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Armstrong Room. They are hoping to partner with the Sawdust Engineers to build a large sun dial - used in ancient cultures to tell time - that may be placed on the side of a building in SCC.

Originally from Tennessee, Manning was an English literature teacher, but has always had a love of astronomy. He said that yes, some members have conspiracy theories about space and life on other planets.

"There are so many different things that are of interest," he said, adding that some members followed the NASA "bombing" of the moon. "Not only do we look for information about the origin of the universe - the so called big-bang theory - but we look for meteors that might one day strike the earth and how to divert the comets. There are dozens and dozens of satellites around the earth right now."

He expects people may colonize the moon and possibly Mars within this century. Venus is probably out of the question he said, pointing out that the temperature is 600 degrees on that planet. Members of the club discuss "terraforming," which is how people would have to alter the foreign planet for it to become habitable for humans.

Titan, the largest moon of Saturn which is the only moon with a dense atmosphere, might be habitable, he said.

"Within the past couple of decades, they have discovered several hundred planets around stars just from the moving of stars they can tell there are planets around them," he said.

Nancy Palmateer, the secretary of the club, said the club owns a high-tech telescope which they will bring to the Hi Neighbor! event. She has a personal telescope that is much older.

"I have always had an interest in the stars," Palmateer said. "I took a couple classes in college. We used to live in Chicago and I would visit the planetarium there."
Palmateer said the club's dues are $10 per year, although an initial visit is without charge. Planned future activities include visits to local planetariums as well as to Cape Kennedy to watch a launch.

If approved by the SCC Community Association board, the sun dial will include a history and explanation of how it works.

"You will be able to compare the time on the sun dial to your watch," she said. "It will be an interesting addition."

The club's next meeting is Nov. 6 in the Armstrong Room of the Atrium Building from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The club is open to people from SCC and Kings Point.

For information, call John Manning at (813) 634-5075.

Editor Laura Cone may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com.

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