Terry Smiljanich '65

I'm doing great. In late April, I will be an invited guest at the largest telescope in the world, the GTC in the Canary Islands. It's a long story, but the short version is that I am friends with several people in the U. of Fla. Astronomy Department. I am on its "Advisory Council." Last summer I was a guest at the inauguration of the GTC telescope (UF is a partner with Spain in the project), and got to meet the King and Queen of Spain (!!!). Now, one of the astronomers is going back in April to start up his project on the telescope, a sensitive infrared camera (it weighs 200 lbs.) to seek out earth-like planets around distant stars. He has asked me to come as a member of his team with the title of "historian," which means I'll be taking photos of the scientists as they work. I'll be living on top of the mountain where the observatory sits as part of the scientific team. So, after all these years, my lifelong dream of being an astronomer is at least partially going to be fulfilled!