Since 1986, members of the Greater Hazleton Area Astronomical Society (GHAAS) have been observing with their telescopes under the dark nighttime skies of Eckley, PA. Far away from the sky glow caused by light pollution, the Society's telescopes have offered views to the public of galaxies, star clusters, comets, nebulae and the aurora borealis, views that can't be seen in areas with light pollution. The night skies over the Eckley Miners' Village, which is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in cooperation with the Eckley Miners' Village Associates, provided a dark sky preserve for the society. In 1995, the society purchased land near the Miners' Village using funds raised by contributions and also from the sale of ethnic foods at the Village's Patchtown Days events. Local businesses including PPL, Hayden Electric, Hess Concrete, Barletta Materials, John Mandzak Contracting and Macdonald's all made contributions of materials and labor to help establish the astronomical observatory site at Eckley. The Eckley Miners' Village, with help from PPL along with donated equipment from Hubbell Lighting, installed shielded outdoor light fixtures, to avoid light trespass, glare and upward directed light that causes skyglow. The Eckley Social Club also installed a shielded light at the nearby ball field to help the observatory maintain dark nighttime skies.
Presently, an asphalt plant is under construction by Haines & Kibblehouse, that will be located in Eckley and adjacent to the GHAAS observatory site. In May of 2002, before new quarry buildings were
constructed, the Society requested that nearby rock quarry operators install shielded lights that would not cause light trespass toward the society's observatory site. The recommendations were not adopted and unshielded lights were installed instead.
The asphalt plant under construction will be located a few hundred feet from the GHAAS astronomical observatory and the structures to be installed will be visible from the observatory. Any unshielded lighting or overly lit structures at night will destroy the night sky views from the observatory site. GHAAS assistant director, Gary Honis, recently met with officials of the asphalt plant and requested their cooperation to minimize the effect of the asphalt plant on nighttime operations of the observatory site.
The Greater Hazleton Area Astronomical Society was founded in 1977 as a non-profit educational organization to promote the study of astronomy and to provide an educational function for the Greater Hazleton Area. Since the Society's inception, members have been involved in science education through special astronomy programs for public and private schools in the Hazleton area. The society provides astronomy programs for local organizations, scouting groups, the gifted-student program, state parks and the general public. GHAAS operates an astronomical observing site in Eckley, PA where astronomical studies are conducted and astronomy programs are provided. Society meetings are held on the second Saturday of the month at 7:00 pm at the Penn State Hazleton Campus in the Evelyn Graham Academic Building.
In addition to observing the night sky with binoculars and telescopes, the society also does astrophotography of planets, comets and deep sky objects such as galaxies and star clusters from the Eckley Observatory. The astrophography is done with both film and CCD cameras. Recently, astrophotographs taken by the society from the Eckley site were published in the national astronomy magazine "Sky & Telescope" in the October and November issues of 2002.
Since 1989, the Society"s Light Pollution Abatement Committee has been working with local governments on updating of their ordinances as they relate to exterior lighting. The committee has also been educating the public, businesses and industries in the Greater Hazleton Area about the problems of glare, light trespass and light pollution caused by poor lighting practices. To date, most local municipalities have enacted outdoor lighting ordinances or have zoning ordinances in place that require the use of shielded light fixtures.
For information about the society, see their web site at http://userweb.nni.com/ghaas/