Observing an observatory

New Berlin - Sometimes, the obvious things escape us - like why there's an Observatory Road in New Berlin.

"It's because there's an observatory there," said Henry Gerner, president of The Milwaukee Astronomical Society, which makes its home at the 18850 Observatory Road.

When the observatory was established in 1936, people found the society's single, hilltop telescope by following a dirt road to a roll top shed.

View from the ground

Today, the dirt has been paved, giving visitors smoother access to the three acres and 10 buildings, including eight telescopes, on the observatory property.

"One building has a 14-inch diameter refractor. Another building has an 18-inch Dobsonian-mount refractor. Another has a 10-inch refractor. We have 12 and 12½-inch diameter telescopes in two other buildings," Gerner said.

A 65-year-old engineer, Gerner speaks with the enthusiasm of his fourth-grade self, eagerly scanning the sky through his Gilbert telescope. And he doesn't miss a beat.

"The big dome we have is a 25-inch diameter telescope that is very good for planets," he continued.

But for years, like so many stars in light-polluted sky, the observatory has been hiding in plain sight.

"The comment that I get the most is that they didn't realize that something like this was in New Berlin. I mention it to a lot of people, even at work, and they say, 'There is an observatory there?' " Gerner said.

A long look at the stars

Gerner's eyes were opened in 1986.

It was the year of Hailey's comet. Gerner lived in Waukesha and heard about the observatory.

"I thought, 'Let's try this,' " he said.

Gerner became president of the Milwaukee Astronomical Society earlier this year, but his love for the stars goes back to his childhood on Long Island in New York.

"I would lay in the hammock with 20-by-50 binoculars and study the sky," Gerner said.

Russell Chabot's fascination with the skies also was born when he was boy - a Boy Scout, actually. His troop visited the observatory in the 1950s while working on their astronomy merit badges.

"I remember seeing Jupiter through a big telescope. That was impressive," said Chabot, who lives in Oak Creek.

His awe was tucked away with so much of his childhood, until he retired. Looking for something to do, the idea of joining an astronomy club kept coming up. Nearly four years ago, he joined the society.

"I help take care of the grounds and the buildings," said Chabot, the observatory committee chairman.

Providing a world of help

It's a labor of love for all the volunteers involved.

"There's no paid staff," Chabot said. "It does take some effort. We have started an adopt a telescope program, where a member will adopt a telescope and keep the area inside the building clean and report any maintenance. … Anyone who feels like mowing the lawn does that."

Not surprisingly, the group has depended on a healthy membership.

"Some of them were carpenters. Some of them were office workers. Some of them were engineers. Some of them were even farmers. It's just run the whole gamut. And everything on the grounds were made by members of the society," said Gerner, who lives in Wauwatosa.

Benefits of membership

While the sky hasn't fallen, times have been better.

The society has about 100 members, almost half of the number they had before the recession.

Annual dues are $52 for a family, $46 for individuals and half that for students who live in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties. If you live outside the immediate metro area, membership ranges from $20 for students and $32 for families.

The observatory is open to the public several times each year, including Oct. 14. But members have access to building keys and all the indoor telescopes, as well as portable scopes, a library and speakers, like editors of astronomy magazines, who make presentations at monthly meetings.

Gerner enjoys the simple perks, like all the people he has met since joining the society.

Chabot appreciates how open tenured members are to newcomers.

"I'm kind of a beginner. I don't really know that much. I'm in the process of learning," Chabot said. "But some members have an unbelievable amount of knowledge. You can go out there and ask them, 'What's that?' and they'll tell you, or you ask, 'Where is the constellation Orion?' which is actually a pretty easy one, and they'll say, 'Oh, it's right there.' "

And that's comforting, Chabot said, since learning about the sky or, in some cases, simply being part of some slack-jawed stargazing, is really why people come to the observatory.

"I see a lot of stuff every time I go out there," Gerner said. "(I've seen) the red spot on Jupiter, something like the Grand Canyon on Mars, the polar ice caps on Mars, Saturn with the rings and the different moons. I'm amazed.

"We just want the general public to be aware that instead of watching television all the time on a nice night, there's stuff that's happening up there. And it is beautiful," Gerner said.

"Come on out and look at the sky with us," Chabot added. "You'll be surprised at what we have."

At a glance

WHAT: Public Night at the Observatory

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14

WHERE: Milwaukee Astronomical Society Observatory, 18850 Observatory Road, New Berlin

MORE INFO: Call (414) 477-6220 or go online at www.milwaukeeastro.org