Residents See Stars at Astronomy Presentation

Astrophysicist and NASA consultant Kevin Manning presented "Astronomy for Everyone" on Friday at the Syosset Public Library. He discussed in depth the scale of the universe, the stars and other celestial wonders.

The free event, which was open to adults and children, featured telescopic and binocular views of the ringed planet Saturn, Mars, Venus, Pluto, the moon, the Milky Way, earth and Nebula, to name a few.

"Telescopes and binoculars let us see the invisible. Telescopes are amazing, they allow us to see thousands of stars undetected by the eyes," said Manning.

Showing the audience the significance of astronomy was important, according to Manning.

"I wanted them to gain an appreciation for the immensity of the universe from the very small to the very large," he said.

With his 8-inch F/8 Newtonian Reflector telescope in tow that he built, Manning delivered an educational and insightful look into the world of astronomy. Brothers Alex, 9, and Daniel Hertz, 10, of Syosset agreed that the program was fascinating.

"I thought the presentation was educational. I liked it a lot," said Daniel.

Their mother Lori Hertz liked Manning's constant interaction with the audience.

"Kevin was very animated and my sons loved it," she said. "They were really into what he was saying and they liked the color slides of the planets that he showed."

Often quizzing the crowd, Manning asked questions such as What is the name of the North Star? (Polaris) and The brightest star seen in the night sky is called? (Sirius).

The evening also included a visit to Syosset-Woodbury Community Park to view the rings of Saturn. "Seeing the rings of Saturn got me hooked on astronomy. It is incredibly beautiful," said Manning.

Passionate about astronomy, Manning became fascinated with the scientific study of the universe at a young age.

"I was 10 and I thought going into space and the stars was interesting. At one point in my life, I wanted to become an astronaut. Astronomy is a truly enjoyable experience," said Manning.

Throughout his career, Manning has been a part of groundbreaking findings. "I helped solidify discoveries like dark matter, rotations and galaxies," said Manning.

He has worked with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, which launched on the space shuttle with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the Brookhaven National Laboratory. He is a former Wright Fellow and Einstein Fellow.