McLean’s Astronomy Club has taken on the new year in stride with their initiation of two club projects looking to deepen their understanding of the solar system.

Exoplanet Observation

At the Astronomy Club’s next observatory night, which varies heavily on weather conditions and school availability, the club hopes to observe exoplanet movement. Because exoplanet movement only happens every so often, the observatory night must be planned carefully by the club in order to ensure that timing and conditions are optimal. Updates on upcoming observatory nights will be posted to the Astronomy Club Instagram and Schoology page.

“The exoplanet project [involves] looking at a star, and seeing a dip in the brightness of that star over a period of time, which would be evidence of an exoplanet passing in front of it between the sun and [Earth],” senior club officer Benjamin Borger said.

Heavy amounts of light pollution in this area make observing exoplanets difficult. However, Borger has already successfully attempted to observe exoplanet movement with his personal equipment.

“I tried [observing the exoplanet] the other night and was able to see the end of the transit, and it was very slight, but I think it is possible for us to do that,” Borger said. “We’ll work more on that as a club going forward,” Borger said.

Once findings have been recorded at the next observatory night, the Astronomy Club hopes to send them to NASA. This project is one of the first in a while done by the club which will be formally initiated, as this year has been far more project-oriented for the club than it has in the past.

“There’s so many of these events happening, and NASA can’t afford [their] telescopes to be focused on these exoplanets all the time,” Borger said. “Every time we make an observation in the span of time that they think it’s going to happen, that’s us confirming that there is an exoplanet in orbit.”

Plant the Moon Challenge

The club is also running a Plant the Moon Challenge to determine the compatibility of plant life with the moon’s environment. The project requires a team of about 10 people, along with a simulant sample of lunar soil.

“The idea is to try to grow plants in [the sample], using pH monitors and [other materials], to run an experiment to see if we would be able to grow plants on the moon,” project leader Thamarie Pinnaduwage said.

Once the team receives feedback on their experiment, they will write a paper reporting their results and enter a challenge for prizes. Team member applications were due Jan. 7, so the club hopes to get a team assembled and move the project forward in coming weeks.

“We’re trying to make sure all of the applications for people who want to be on the team are in,” Pinnaduwage said. “Then we’ll accept people and see where it goes from there.”