COMET INSPIRES INTEREST IN ASTRONOMY

          One of the benefits of the tremendous popular interest in the return of Halley’s Comet will be, hopefully, a renewed interest in astronomy.  Evidence of this renewed interest has been demonstrated by some of the mail we have received during the past several months.  Perhaps the most gratifying piece of mail came from three sixth graders at the Roebling Elementary School in Roebling, New Jersey.  Brian Sullivan, Sanley Caminsky and Brant Burkhardt wrote to tell us of the interest of their class in Halley’s Comet.  This interest was inspired by their teacher, Mr. Louis Borbi, who has been teaching about Halley’s Comet in his Science lass for sixteen years.  Mr. Borbi is probably the first to organize a comet party for the 1985-86 return of the comet (there were many such parties in 1910).  He has told his present sixth graders and all past classes that they will all meet when Halley’s Comet comes closest to Earth in 1986.  He has given all of his students a password that will give them entry to the party at the local VFW hall.

          Mr. Borbi is the kind of Science teacher who inspires his students by making the subject interesting, exciting and challenging, as is evidenced by the enthusiasm of Brian, Brant and Stanley.  They claim to already know a great deal about Halley’s Comet, thanks to Mr. Borbi.  We welcome them to our organization.

          Along these lines, ODYSSEY Magazine, The Young People”s Magazine of Astronomy and Outer Space, dedicated its March, 1983 issue almost exclusively to Halley’s Comet.  The cover and seventeen pages were given over to the comet.  There are excellent pictures of the 1910 visit, diagrams, historical paintings and sketches and a special article on the Anatomy of a Comet.  While the magazine is oriented to young people, this edition will appeal to anyone interested in Halley’s Comet.  JL