(O.T.) ATM - Stellafane update (long)

[Adam Perkins <scopeguru@yahoo.com>]

Hi,

In light of the recent discussions here, I thought this might be of
interest.  Dont' worry the politicians assure us our fears are
"unfounded"...

Clear Skies
Adam Perkins
Covington, LA





WIRE:June 29, 9:40 p.m. ET

                 Voters decide fate of prison
                 project opposed by
                 astronomers
                   
AP News Service
                                 

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. (AP) _ Voters on Tuesday narrowly approved a  prison
project that some astronomers say will pollute the sky with  light and
spoil the view of the heavens from an 80-year-old observatory.  

The measure was approved 1,633 to 1,564, a margin of only 69  votes. 
Supporters said the town, which is in southeastern Vermont on  the New
Hampshire line and has a population of about 10,000, needs  the help
and the 160 jobs the prison would bring.  

But stargazers were upset.  

The observatory is a national landmark known as Stellafane,  Latin for
``Shrine to the Stars.'' It is the site of a conference  that attracts
more than 2,000 amateur astronomers every summer.  

``This is the mother of observatories for amateur telescoping,''  said
Maryann Arrien, president of Springfield Telescope Makers,  which
maintains the hilltop observatory three miles from the  proposed
350-bed state prison.  

Ms. Arrien's group collected 700 signatures on a petition against the
prison.  

State officials said the prison lights would not ruin star viewing and
noted there are small towns that are closer to the  observatory than
the prison would be.  

Ms. Arrien said she fears the prison's lights would have a much 
greater effect because they would stay on all night, while lights  from
the towns usually go off.  
She wept Tuesday night after hearing the results of the vote.  

``It feels like a death to me,'' Arrien said. ``I feel like something
is about to be destroyed.''  

Gov. Howard Dean said he didn't know enough about the
lighting  of the proposed prison to comment on Stellafane's concerns.
He  welcomed the outcome of the vote, though he said he wished it 
hadn't been so close.  ``I think it's going to be enormously positive
for the town,''he said.  

As for the opponents, Dean said: ``I think it'll turn out that their
fears are unfounded.''  

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