Murillo Family Observatory breaks ground for construction

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SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Construction on the long-anticipated Murillo Family Observatory at Cal State San Bernardino is now officially underway.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place Friday, June 12, under cool, gray skies in view of the top of Little Badger Hill, where the observatory will be built behind the university.

"I and many others have been working toward this day for at least seven years," said Rob Carlson, dean of CSUSB's College of Natural Sciences. "But the germ of the idea goes back 20 years. Many people and institutions have spent much time and effort to bring us to this day. When it's completed on Badger Hill behind the campus, the new observatory will serve the community as well as college students."

Pauline Murillo, an elder of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, who with her husband George and their family have donated $800,000 toward the $3 million cost of the facility.

"They told me I can look at the sun and see the fire around it through this telescope without going blind," she said at the groundbreaking. "I said maybe someone else should try it first!" After much laughter and applause, she added that she will be eager to see the building open in a little more than a year.

The observatory will include two towers, which will each house a telescope, one for daylight use and one for night use. It will also include an observation deck, seating and classroom facilities. The observatory will serve as both an academic and community resource, with public viewing nights and special astronomy events for the community to attend.

University President Albert Karnig said the observatory will provide a strong link between CSUSB and local public school children, who would otherwise have to travel to Griffith Park in Los Angeles for a similar experience.

Besides the Murillo family, other contributors to the observatory include:

• the Keck Foundation, whose grant of $600,000 will provide for the construction of the piers and installation of two telescopes;
• the U.S. Department of Energy, $554,000;
• the Magnuson Estate, $450,000;
• California Portland Cement Co., which will provide concrete valued at $200,000;
• Hill Partnership, Inc., which will provide the architectural drawings and service for the project at a value of $82,000;
• the Bayless Family, $45,000; and
• CSUSB faculty and staff, $25,809.

For more information about Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university's Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007 and visit http://news.csusb.edu.

The ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony for the the long-anticipated Murillo Family Observatory at Cal State San Bernardino took place today. Photo: Robert A. Whitehead/CSUSB