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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 27, 1996)
New comet easily seen this week By Joshua Gillin Staff Reporter ' “— MEAD — In a cold room a few miles outside of Mead, Don Taylor stood watching a silent visitor. The visitor, measuring thousands of miles across and millions of miles long, made no sound as it crept slowly across the heavens. But Taylor knew its name—Comet Hyakutake. Taylor, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at the Univer sity of Nebraska-Lincoln, had been waiting to see this comet at its closest this week. As director of the Behlen Observa tory at the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research and Develop ment Center, located just outside of Mead, Taylor said he hoped there would be no problems when he de cided to open the center to the public Monday night. But a spring blizzard made things difficult for curious stargazers. “Mother Nature didn ’t seem to want to cooperate,” he said. “It’s like when you want to wash your car and it rains.” Taylor said the snow on the ground reflected moonlight, brightening the sky and hampering the view for the dozens of amateur astronomers who came to the observatory to see the comet. The cold also forced many people to leave the observatory sooner than planned. With temperatures dropping below freezing in the dome, several skywatchers peered through the 30 inch telescope for only a few moments before retreating to the heated lower level. “We don’t heat this place very much,” Taylor said, kicking at a mound of snow in the comer. “Most of the time nowadays when we’re collecting data and doing the research, the ob server is downstairs in a warm room in front of a computer screen.” But Taylor, bundled up in a parka, stocking cap and snow boots, said he didn’t mipd the cold. “Used to be, in the old days when I did more observing, you’d tie up here looking through die telescope your self,” he said. “There weren’t that many computers; cold as it was, that’s what it was.” Taylor said astronomers came across unexpected comets, such as Hyakutake, once or twice a decade, though the comets usually don’t come as close to Earth as this one. According to the UNL department of physics and astronomy, Comet Hyakutake came to within an estimated 9.5 million miles from Earth on Tues day. Taylor said Hyakutake was the brightest comet to come this close to Earth in almost 400 years. He said it was di fficult to calculate when it would return. “(Hyakutake’s) orbit is an ex tremely long ellipse,” he said. “That makes it difficult to determine how long it will take the comet to re turn.” Estimates have ranged anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 years, he said. “The eccentricities vary from pub lication to publication,” he said. “It certainly won’t be back in any of our lifetimes.” Monday night’s open observatory marked Behlen’s annual spring open house. Because of the comet, Taylor said he scheduled the open house a month early. “It gives the people a little some thing special to look at,” he said. Taylor said seeing Hyakutake was a rare chance that everyone with some free time should take advantage of. “You don’t really need to look through the telescope to see the comet,” he said. “It’s so close and so bright; it’s like trying to look at a whole statue with a microscope. “Get out a pair of binoculars, if you’ve got them — that’s about the best thing to look at it with,” Taylor said there may be a chance for stargazers to see another comet next year. Comet Hale-Bopp is due sometime next spring, he said, and it hopefully will be even easier to see than Hyakutake. But there is still time to see Hyakutake, he said. “It’s going to be visible until late April, even though this week is the best time to see it,” he said. “And I highly recommend to everyone that they take the time to see it.” ASUN to inaugurate ‘96 -‘97 officers The IMPACT party will hand the reins to ACTION tonight at the inauguration of the newly elected officers of the Association of Stu dents of the University ofNebraska. President-elect Eric Marintzer — along with first vice president elect Jason Bynum, second vice president-elect Kara Marshall and other newly elected representatives —will be inaugurated at 7:30 p.m. in the Wick Alumni Center, follow ing a short ASUN meeting. And outgoing ASUN president Shawntell Hurtgen said she hoped ACTION would pick up where IM PACT left off. “I really hope to see advising continued as a prominent issue and also to check on administrators to make sure they are following up on advising as well,” she said. Hurtgen said the establishment of a 24-hour computer lab in the Nebraska Union and further progress in advising were among IMPACT’S and ASUN’s best ac complishments this year. The student body’s choice of “outstandingeducator”alsowill be unveiled at tonight’s inauguration. Students voted on their favorite in structors in the recent ASUN elec tion. — Kasey Kerber Yes? Well then WIN your friend a prize. The Daily Nebraskan will be giving your friend a nice graduation gift AND a feature story in the Daily Nebraskan. But first, YOU have to tell us your most creative idea for a graduation gift. The gift has to fall within a $50 budget and you have to tell us why you chose the gift for your friend. ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■a ■ Fill out this form and return it to the Daily Nebraskan, 34 I Nebraska Union by April 15. 1996. ■ Your Name:_ I Your Address:_ I Your Phone No.;_ J Your Friend's Name:_ ■ Your <MATIV$ Idea arid Reason(s):_^_ ■■■■■■■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 9 »■ ■■■■■■■■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Bishop’s decision getsmixedresponse By Chad Lorenz Senior Reporter Roman Catholic students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have mixed reactions to a bishop’s order banning Catholics from cer tain groups. Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz an nounced last week that Catholics in the Diocese of Lincoln are forbid den to be members in organizations such as Planned Parenthood, Catho lics for a Free Choice, Call to Ac tion and Eastern Star. Catholics who remain in those organizations after April 15 risk being excommunicated. “I didn’t like them telling us what we can or can’t do,” said Kim Rutten, a senior psychology major. Rutten said she didn’t feel the church had the right to tell mem bers they couldn’t belong to those groups. The church would especially alienate younger worshipers like herself, Rutten said. College-aged Catholics are questioning their be liefs, she said, but Catholic leaders aren’t gi vingthem the right answers. “They’re not backing them up with tilings we can relate to today.” Ann Royal, a junior sociology major, said the church was getting too involved in personal issues. Royal said the church needed to separate its authority in religious matters from people’s personal in terests. “I was upset about it because a lot of those organizations weren’t harming the Catholic religion.” Mark Augustine, a junior unde clared major, said the bishop’s dec laration would force Catholics in those groups to re-evaluate their faith. He said Catholics knew the church didn’t share the same be liefs as those groups. Catholics are free to pursue their interests, he said, but they should only take part in activities approved by the church. “For some, it will pull them back to the church, some it will push away,” Augustine said. Combs speaks to students By Todd Anderson “The U.S. House of Representa Staff Reporter lives is meant to be a body of younger, more energetic people with a vision, Patrick Combs might have lost to not a body of older, staunch officials Rep. Doug Bereuter in 1994, but he who have been around for several said he succeeded in delivering hisjerms.” message to the people of Nebraska’s Legislation requiring term limits is First Congressional District. not necessary because there is a term Combs, a candidate for the Demo- limit system built in, he said, cratic nomination for Congress, spoke “Vote people out when they’re not to the University of Ncbraska-Lincoln doing their job,” he said. “That’s term Young Democrats on Tuesday night in limits.” lhe‘Tmrmakd atTe arrogance of the ,<;°mbs ®“he was disappoimed people we elect,” he said. “There are W“.V's a tSdv "he saT^And the Democrats and Republicans out there , a, af X’ . “ .. who have taken advantage of the sys- ^ ‘° All You Care To Eat Original Sauce Spaghetti & Two Slices Garlic Cheese Bread Offer good for Lunch or Dinner Moa, Tues., & Wed. only. Must present coupon when ordering. Not valid with any other coupon. Expires March 27, 1996 228 N. 12th St • Lincoln