Astronomy Club is a new club that has recently started up at Langley that deals with the study of space and current updates on exploration of the cosmos. However, according to the club sponsor, Madame Wittrock, it was actually originally founded earlier. 

“It was originally founded in 2022 but unfortunately, we never had an official meeting,” said Wittrock. “I think the students who were involved in the original creation were very busy with other clubs, which is also very exciting that they had other clubs they were interested in doing. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, it just never came together.”

For the first time since 2022, the club has been reinvigorated. The Astronomy Club has already started meeting, and the new co-presidents, sophomores Charlotte Emerick and Oliver Logan, have a lot planned already. 

“Charlie and I became the officers of this new club, [and] essentially it’s like a revival of the old Astronomy Club. Right now we don’t have any officers. [Right] now, the way that it stands, Charlie and I are the only ones really running the club and making slideshows,” said Logan. “It is a collaborative club, so it’s not like it’s a strict hierarchy… it’s a very collaborative environment. Ultimately, everybody’s available to teach about things or talk about things that they want to do.”

As of now, the club has been meeting in Madame Wittrock’s room, room 2208, on Fridays during Saxon time. However, the schedule is flexible based on what works best for the members. 

“[The] reason why we chose to have it during Saxon time on Fridays is that a lot of people are really busy. This isn’t a competitive club or practicing club where you have to meet every day after school,” said Logan, “It’s just once a week, and we might push meetings to two times a month if people don’t want to come as much.”

The club has already started field trips, such as visiting observatories at places like Turner Farm. The officers also have many other trips planned based on new exhibitions and what the members are interested in.

“On Monday the 30th, we [took] a field trip to the planetarium observatory, and we [watched] a show there about the conception of the universe and how the universe has evolved over time,” said Logan. “We have a lot of really good opportunities. I think that we’re potentially interested in the Air and Space Museum in DC, because there was just a new installment in the Air and Space Museum.”

Not only are there potential field trips, but the club includes potential for opportunities at space centers like NASA. In the Astronomy Club, members receive updates on internships and programs that they can apply and receive recommendations for. 

“There’s also a lot of opportunities for students in high school to get involved with NASA’s programs, like their internships over the summer that we could potentially get involved in,” said Logan. “So we want to talk about that as a group and talk about what we would be interested in. But we’re also open to other field trip ideas, if people have ideas for where we can go to learn about astronomy.”

Although the Astronomy Club never met in prior years, it has been reinvigorated and will continue to grow. 

“I’m excited this year is getting off to a great start,” said Wittrock.