A Night with a View

The weather is perfect and the moon is good for viewing – it’s in a waxing gibbous phase,” said Greg Simpson, right, a local amateur astronomer who for about 25 years has been sharing his telescope, knowledge and enthusiasm with the public at parks, nature preserves, libraries, schools and on the streets of Gulfport. On March 6 during the First Friday Art & Gallery Walk, he was set up just before sunset on the northeast corner of Beach Boulevard and 31st Avenue South. Simpson is a member of the St. Petersburg Astronomy Club. For more information, visit stpeteastronomyclub.org. Also pictured, from left, are Brian and Karlee Carr from Chicago, and Roger and Pam Quinlan from Menominee, Michigan who are frequent visitors to the area during the month of March. It was the first time all of them had experienced Simpson and his scope. What did they think? They answered in unison, “It’s amazing!”