When the Apollo 11 lunar module landed on the moon July 20, 1969, Cmdr. Neil Armstrong took one giant leap for mankind.
To celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the historic moon landing, Oak Park Unified School District and Oak Park High School’s Rocketry Club will host a special Astronomy Night from 8 to 11 p.m. Sat., July 20 at Oak Canyon Community Park.
The free event will provide several telescopes for guests to peer through for a close-up look at stars, planets and other deep space objects. Rockets will be on display, and members of the high school Rocket and Aviation Club will share information and stories about the Apollo 11 mission and the Saturn V rocket throughout the evening.
The 47-minute film, “Apollo 11” by Todd Douglas Miller, will be shown throughout the evening on a 25-foot screen. The documentary is currently being shown in IMAX theaters throughout the nation in recognition of the 50-year Apollo 11 moon landing anniversary.
Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16 1969, and landed on July 20. In addition to Armstrong, astronauts Michael Collins, Apollo’s command module pilot, and lunar module pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin also participated in the moon mission 50 years ago. Aldrin walked on the lunar surface with Armstrong while Collins remained in Columbia, the command module, orbiting the moon.
Tony Knight, superintendent of OPUSD, said the anniversary event will be a Public Star Party, and that the views of planets, stars and space through the telescopes will be “spectacular.”
Knight, the team advisor to the Rocket Club, holds a National Association of Rocketry Level 2 High Power license, which allows him to fly big and powerful rockets.
All of the team members hold Level 1 licenses, which allow them to fly lower caliber rockets. Knight also provided the rocket team lessons so they were each licensed to flow drones.
Knight said that the rocket team was selected to work on the NASA Student Launch Initiative, a feat that only 20 high schools in the nation were deemed capable of doing.
“I have been involved in rocketry since I was a teacher at Oak View High School,” Knight said. “I figured out that it was a way to get unmotivated students excited about building and making things, solving problems, and watching the success of work when a rocket makes a perfect flight.”
Rocketry students have updated their Space Jeopardy game with questions about the moon landing, astronauts, NASA and other information related to the Apollo 11 mission.
Knight said astronomers will be at the event to guide guests on how to look through the large telescopes and identify planets, star systems, nebulae and deep space objects.
Koby Yousem has been a member of the Rocket Club since he was a freshman at Oak Park High. Now a senior, Koby said his “fascination with rocketry began in the summer before sixth grade.
“It started out as a summer school class with Dr. (Tony) Knight. We were taught how to build small rockets during the class. From there on, I wanted to go bigger.”
Forest Siewert, a sophomore at Oak Park High and second year Rocket Club member, said in addition to talking about the Apollo 11 mission, students will share information on NASA missions that made the trip to the moon possible. He added that he and others hope to share information about the scientific research and discoveries that stemmed from moon trips.
Forest will also introduce guests to the club’s high-power rocket project and will highlight the team’s work in the Team America Rocketry Challenge. He will also talk about the club’s high-altitude balloon projects.
Charlie Nicks, who will be a junior this year, said that everybody on the team has either already qualified or is working on obtaining a Level 1 certification, which allows students to launch higher powered rockets.
“The people in rocketry are great,” he said. “I really enjoy it.”
As a rocketry and astronomy aficionado, Knight said, “I enjoy working with a diverse group of students on this project-based learning program where students have to solve complex engineering problems.
“There is a great deal of fun and excitement that engages students, including students from all over OPUSD when the team visits schools on science nights, Club Oak Park, the Camarillo Air Show (the team has a booth there on Aug. 17), and at such events such as the one on July 20,” Knight said.
Food will not be provided at the star party but guests are welcome to bring their own.