LIMA — Earl Lhamon has made a lasting impression on Lima. And thanks to him, many area residents have set their sights on the stars and beyond.
A 2018 Jefferson Award winner for his many contributions to the community, Lhamon is the driving forced behind the creation of the Lima Schoonover Observatory. A charter member of the Lima Astronomical Society, a group formed approximately 54 years ago which remains active to this day, Lhamon still enjoys bringing the wonders of the universe to school children and the public as a whole.
Lhamon, now 83, taught mathematics and computer science at Ohio Northern University for 43 years and taught physics and astronomy at Ohio State University’s Lima campus. During his tenure at ONU, his peers elected him for the endowed Reichelderfer Chair of Mathematics. But it was during his time as a student at ONU that he first got interested in astronomy — first as a hobbyist and later as a disciple of academic astronomy.
It was under Lhamon’s presidency of the local astronomical society that the observatory, located on the western side of Lima’s Schnoover Park, became a source of stargazing opportunities for residents in and around Lima. The facility was designed, financed and constructed under Lhamon’s watchful eye, and he helped manufacture optics for the original telescope at the observatory.
In the early 1960s, a half dozen members of the fledgling astronomical society helped “grind” the optics mirror on the first telescope at the new observatory. It was a laborious, time consuming task, but one with which young family members could assist. When the society held its 50th anniversary in 2014, Lhamon said many of those youngsters who helped work on the first telescope returned to Lima. Several had advanced their careers in the field of science and astronomy.
“I was really delighted to see those folks who came back as successful adults,” said Lhamon. “I hope their experiences at the observatory had a meaningful impact on their lives.”
The observatory is open to the public every Friday night during June, July and August, and on the first Friday evening of every month. Lhamon still takes great pleasure in introducing newcomers to the universe.
“It’s a delight to see the public come out and look at Jupiter and its four moons or the rings of Saturn,” said Lhamon. “We have such a nice facility and we’d like people to come out and use it, especially for photography. We’d also like to see our membership expand.”
“Earl strives for excellence and has dedicated his life toward improving the quality of life for local youth through his teaching and his preservation of the Lima observatory,” said Sherry Graham, who nominated Lhamon for the Jefferson Award. “I do not know anyone in Lima who has had a more profound impact on our history than Earl has. This impact will be here long after he has gone.”
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