Of the many opportunities to get involved here at Cardinal Mooney, one of the lesser known extracurriculars is Astronomy Club. Lead by Dr. Matiussi and Mr. Bernard. Mr. Bernard hosts the morning sessions and Dr. Matiussi in the afternoon.

“The club has gone on for at least 20 years,” said Matiussi. During their sessions they review topics like the different kinds of telescopes, the difference between professional and amateur astronomers, looking into the solar system, and even trying to settle the debate of if we really landed on the moon or not, Dr. Matiussi thinks we did.

Aaniyah Robinson, Jayden Humburt, Zaryia Johnson, Owen Leech, and Kadence Lengyel are some of the members of the club. In 2024 they took a field trip to Austintown park to see a comet through binoculars, and do similar stuff like that on campus with their telescopes.

They use 2 different telescopes. A small portable desktop Seestar Smart Telescope, an incredibly convenient telescope that digitally tracks different celestial objects with an online database. “This telescope is convenient because astronomy is traditionally a late night hobby” says Bernard. This telescope has a solar filter that allows it to be used during daylight hours.

As well as a Celestron telescope, which they have only used to take to austintown park, they have not had the ability to set it up here at school.