Sam Houston State University faculty, administrators and supporters convened on March 24 to celebrate a generous gift at the groundbreaking ceremony for the future Dominey Observatory.
Stargazing is something Barbara Dominey holds dear to her heart, because it brings back special memories with her late husband, Sam.
To honor Sam and carry-on his passion for discovery, Barbara made the decision to provide a generous gift to SHSU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. This support will have a lasting impact, not only for students and faculty, but also the community, allowing the department to remodel and enlarge the public observatory located near Highway 19 northeast of Huntsville.
The first phase of park development will feature a new state-of-the-art observatory with a domed retractable roof that is fully ADA compliant and wheelchair accessible. This is made possible by the unique design of the new Dominey telescope, which brings the eyepiece down to a steady seated height using a special periscope attachment. Dual stairways connected to the main viewing platform will allow for large groups to enjoy this amazing telescope very efficiently, and a lift will provide access for people who are in chairs or who have limited mobility.
