The next time you visit the Springfield Public Library, you may be able to leave with more than a stack of books. You could walk out carrying a telescope capable of revealing Saturn's rings, distant galaxies, and one of the most stunning stellar nurseries visible from Earth.
Thanks to a donation from the Eugene Astronomical Society, the Springfield Public Library is adding a 360-degree rotational telescope to its collection, giving patrons a chance to explore the night sky from their own backyards.
Beginning in mid-December, anyone with a library card will be able to check out the telescope at no cost.
A library can offer more than books
For Library Director Emily David, the new addition is another way the library can connect people with opportunities to discover what's happening above our heads.
"This generous donation allows us to open up new opportunities for learning and discovery," David said. "We are excited to help library patrons explore astronomy and experience the wonders of the night sky."
The timing couldn't be better for aspiring stargazers.
As winter settles in across the Pacific Northwest, some of the year's most spectacular celestial sights come into view–if it’s not cloudy, that is. Eugene Astronomical Society leader Jerry Oltion points to the constellation Orion, rising in the eastern sky on crisp winter evenings, as a seasonal highlight.
"The Orion Nebula is one of the most beautiful things in the sky," Oltion said.
Winter observers can also spot Sirius, the brightest star visible from Earth, and the Andromeda Galaxy, the nearest major galaxy to our own Milky Way.
But while the telescope can reveal distant cosmic wonders, Oltion said the real goal is much closer to home: inspiring curiosity.
"What I hope is that families will become interested in astronomy. Especially young kids who have never looked through a telescope before," Oltion said. "It turns out most people have not looked through a telescope."
The donation from the Eugene Astronomical Society is part of the Astronomical League's library telescope program, which places telescopes in public libraries to make astronomy more accessible. According to Oltion, a similar telescope donation to the Eugene Public Library has proven remarkably popular, spending little time on the shelf.
Take every opportunity to look up
The Springfield telescope will make its public debut during a special LEGO Club in Space! event at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 in the Kids and Tweens area of the Springfield Public Library. The free event will feature a telescope demonstration alongside a space-themed LEGO building challenge, giving young visitors and their families a chance to explore astronomy through hands-on activities before the telescope becomes available for checkout.
For those who catch the stargazing bug, the Eugene Astronomical Society offers another way to connect with the night sky. The group hosts monthly "star parties" at Emerald Park in Eugene's River Road area on the Friday closest to the first quarter moon. The gatherings feature telescopes of all sizes, with experienced amateur astronomers on hand to help visitors find planets, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies overhead.
Soon though, Springfield residents won't have to attend a special event to explore the universe. They'll just need a library card.
