Quantico Middle/High School's Astronomy Club and New Observatory

The Quantico Middle/High School Astronomy Club has been a sanctuary for several students interested in the night sky. With our sponsor, Ms. Sabrina Maxwell, we provide opportunities for students to participate in various outdoor activities and become stewards of the environment and explorers of the heavens, identifying constellations, stars, planets, and deep-sky objects, all with our various telescopes and equipment.

The Advantages of Learning Astronomy

Many people go on living without truly knowing where they are or what life has to offer beyond the borders of Earth. Through astronomy, we can comprehend the concept of space and uncover where we came from, where we are going, and how physics works in conditions that are impossible to replicate on Earth. This understanding offers a whole new perspective to an individual, giving them a sense of how minuscule this home we call Earth is! This passion for astronomy can go as far as becoming a career for many students, who can end up as astronomers, astrophysicists, or casual astrophotographers. Overall, learning astronomy benefits everyone in their own way, and it's a rewarding concept for anyone to grasp.

The Astronomy Club here at QMHS was founded in 2020 to enable students to expand their knowledge of the cosmos, gain different perspectives from other students, and enjoy their passion for astronomy with other enthusiasts. Now, with a remarkable community of space geeks like myself, we seek explanations for everything observable in the Universe, from the planets in our solar system to the echoes of the Big Bang. Sharing this passion with my classmates, friends, and local astronomers has been a privilege, and I've gained a whole new perspective on what exists in this Universe.

Connections with Astronomers and Students

We have been fortunate enough to connect with astronomers and astrophotographers from the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (NOVAC), Rappahannock Astronomy Club (RAC), and Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society (CHAOS), where we attend star parties at dark sights like Sky Meadows and bi-weekly meetings at George Mason University to discuss the latest discoveries and work in astronomy worldwide. These connections allow our members to share their knowledge with others and learn more about astronomy research held at higher agencies like NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Once a month, the QMHS Astronomy Club hosts "Star Parties" where we explore the night skies using different telescopes like Dobsonians, Newtonians, and refractors and share information about the world beyond our reach with the students, faculty, and staff. The images we took during these events are added to our research, where we develop theories, such as a potential new "Planet X" in our solar system, and discover firsthand the complexity of outer space.

Benefits of an Observatory

With the expected completion of the new Quantico High School in 2024, the Astronomy Club and the student and faculty body would greatly benefit from the additional construction of an observatory. The observatory would provide a safe ground for our telescopes, equipment, and weekly meetings and inspire new students to cultivate their interest in astronomy. Its primary duties will include collecting and analyzing sky data and performing scientific experiments to prove theories. Through this, we can advance in our scientific research, gain more information about what is happening millions of light-years away, and develop our member's range of multidisciplinary fields and skills essential to modern observational astrophysics.

Photos from Quantico's Astronomy Club

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Quantico Middle/High School's Astronomy Club and New Observatory (DoDEA)