Cleveland County Astronomical Society And The First Observing Site: Polkville Airstrip July 1986 Celebrating 40 Years As Of July 2026
I’ve had an interest in amateur astronomy since I was 12 years old in 1965. My older brother Jim, had purchased a 60mm f/15 equatorially mounted refractor. I began using this telescope to observe the moon. I really wanted to see some of those beautiful spiral galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae I’d seen in my 6th grade science book. However, this was just not my time for going beyond the solar system, as I needed to learn my way around the sky.
In March 1977 I would purchase my first “very own” telescope: A 4.25-inch EQ mounted reflector. A humble telescope by todays standards, but this would begin my quest to become a serious amateur astronomer, which continues even to this day. This telescope was only a beginning, as I would later own at least twelve or more. However, as of today I have only four telescopes, with each having a specific purpose. Earlier this year (2026) I sold my 10-inch f/4.5 EQ Newtonian, and Vixen 102 mm refractor. It was just time to downsize.
In 1986, the year of Halley’s Comet, Brad and I became a founding members of the newly formed “Cleveland County Astronomical Society” meeting at various locations for a few years.
The club for the past 35 years meets once a month at the Williams Observatory on the campus of Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.
It was actually my youngest son, Brad who read an advertisement in the local newspaper. The ad was asking for anyone interested in being a part of establishing an astronomy club in Cleveland County. We were all in !!
Photo below: That same year, we would begin meeting for deep-sky telescope observations at the Polkville airport which was our designated dark-site for a few years.
That’s me, behind the telescope, and Brad is the youngest person in the photo. It was a hot summer afternoon and I would ride my bicycle to Polkville, and actually changing out of my cycling clothes for the photo.
Photo as following: 1994″Regional Gathering of Amateur Astronomers” Cleveland County Astronomical Society current and former officers.
Also Tom Lorenzin (to my left) Astronomy writer and author of “1000+ The Amateur Astronomer’s Field Guide…”
Below: John Dobson the inventor of the Dobsonian telescope would visit the CCAS during the 90’s
James Mullaney, astronomy writer and author, former Sky & Telescope editor, former DuPont planetarium director. Jim would give a presentation to the CCAS on a Saturday afternoon in November 1995. He would give another presentation to the club at the Thursday night club meeting at the Williams Observatory. Later that evening we would have dinner with both Jim and his wife Sharon. Jim was honored with the naming of an asteroid in 2025.
My family photo (2025)
Telescope Observations And Life Events 