Saint Mary’s is proud to announce the creation of a new initiative called Star Finder - The David Lane Astronomy Outreach Program.
Star Finder is a new educational program that will enable teachers from across Nova Scotia to deliver an astronomy-focused curriculum to grade six and nine students. The program will focus on space exploration and astronomy, with a special emphasis on creating opportunities for those teaching in rural and underserved communities. The goal is to foster enthusiasm and understanding of astronomy among schoolchildren.
David Lane at the Burke-Gaffney Observatory’s 50th anniversary event in September 2022
The new program is funded by a $250,000 philanthropic gift from the late David and Michelle Lane. It will build on decades of successful outreach at the Burke-Gaffney Observatory, which was driven primarily by David Lane, the former Astronomy Technician in the Department of Astronomy and Physics at Saint Mary’s and the Director of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory. During his 29-year career at Saint Mary’s, Dave single-handedly automated the observatory, making it available to users worldwide through X (Twitter) and Facebook. Dave also created the Earth Centred Universe, an easy-to-use planetarium and telescope-control program which allowed institutes to operate their own educational astronomy platforms.
“David and Michelle Lane's gift exemplifies the community outreach that Saint Mary's University is famous for," said Dr. Vincent Hénault-Brunet, Director of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory. “The Star Finder program will give young people in rural and underserved areas access to the type of scientific discovery associated with big cities and major universities. The program enables students and teachers to have hands-on participation in cosmic discovery.”
Thanks to Dave’s efforts, tens of thousands of children and university students were introduced to astronomy at the Observatory, located at the top of the Loyola building on the Saint Mary’s campus.
Dave Lane passed away in March 2024 at the age of 60. He is survived by his wife Michelle, who shares Dave’s dream of launching this educational project as a way to keep giving back and share David’s passion for astronomy with a wider community.
“Dave brought the wonders of the night sky to people of all ages and walks of life; he especially loved sharing his passion with students, fellow astronomers and members of the general public,” said Michelle Lane. “Star Finder will now build on Dave's life's work and greatly expand the circle of people who will benefit from mentorship and outreach in exploring the night sky.”
The Star Finder project is being developed with Saint Mary’s University alumna Andrea Misner BSc’06. Uniquely suited to this task, she studied astrophysics at Saint Mary’s and later earned a master’s in education degree from the University of Manitoba. Misner teaches high school general sciences, physics and astronomy in Winnipeg, and is a recipient of a 2024 Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence.
Star Finder will build teachers’ astronomy knowledge and skills by remotely using the BGO and mini-robotic observatory (MRO). Teachers and their students will also be provided access to the extensive archive of data and images at the Burke-Gaffney Observatory, strengthening their engagement with and excitement for astronomical understanding and discovery.
“This is a deeply personal project, one that Dave and I planned together before his death as a way of leaving a legacy that reflects Dave’s lifelong passion for education and astronomical discovery,” said Michelle Lane.
To honour Dave’s legacy, members of the Saint Mary’s community and public can make a gift to Star Finder - The Dave Lane Astronomy Outreach Program.