First Night Brings Record Crowds to Ocean City Observatory

A record-setting crowd of 1,400 visitors braved a cold evening on New Year's Eve to view the night sky through the telescopes at Ocean City High School's new observatory.

The observatory was open as part of Ocean City's annual Dec. 31 First Night celebration. First Night volunteer astronomers Dr. John Herrmann (astronomy teacher at Rowan University) and Joe Burns (electronics engineer for the FAA at the Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City) used the new observatory telescopes to offer the views of a crescent Venus, star clusters and Jupiter with its four Galilean moons.

The program started at 5 p.m. with Venus low in the west and had to be extended to 9:30 p.m. to accommodate the largest crowd to attend a public observatory program at OCHS.  According to Herrmann, more programs will be offered to the public throughout the school year. 

For additional information, please contact Herrmann at: herrmann@rowan.edu.