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Public vis to take pei By KELLY THOMAS Staff writer A steady stream of people ? more than 500 total ? flowed through the Melton observatory to view the planet Mars through a high-power telescope this weekend, said Paul Camp, a physics graduate student who works at the observatory. The observatory was open so that members of the public could see Mars in its closest approach to the Earth since 1971. This opposition takes place once every 15-17 years. An opposition is a configuration in which one celestial body is opposite another in the sky or in which the elongation is near or equal to 180 degrees. Visitors will also be allowed to view other celestial objects, such as Jupiter and Saturn, through a smaller telescope, but Mars is the main attraction, Camp said. "Mars is currently 36 million miles away," Camp said. "This is the closest Earth and Mars have been in 17 years. The interesting thing about this particular opposition is that it is the closest to the north of the U.S. that it has been in nearly 100 years." The next opposition is due to take place in the year 2003. Most of the visitors used the observatory Friday night, because cloud cover limited the view of Mars by telescope Saturday, and only a few were able to get a glimpse of the planet. "We only had the observatory open for about 20 or 30 minutes total," said physics and astronomy professor John Safko. "The clouds Ol J.AM _ snuuie Continued from page 1 university police department jumped started it for us and got it running. We ran it on a prayer," Ramsdale said. Student Goverment President James Franklin was also a volunteer driver this weekend. He said he supported the idea, but was worried about funding it because he was afraid S.G. would be held accountable if anything happened to someone while riding the shuttle. "That is the only obstacle to the program I see," he said. "If we can somehow work that out, I think the program would be an excellent thing for all Carolina students." Franklin said he would.aisQ like to see the program expanded to include other areas where students go on the weekend, such as Columbia Mall and downtown. Most of the students who took the shuttle this weekend said they thought the idea was a good one and should be continued. "I felt real relieved because the service was there this weekend, because I knew if I went down to Five Points, I would have a safe way home," business junior Bruce Santos said. He and a friend had gone to Five Points Friday night and took the shuttle home. "We didn't have to worry about walking back and getting mugged or something." Because of this weekend's success, the councils plan to continue the service for at least another week, Ramsdale said. "We are hoping that between now and the end of this week we can work out the problems of liability between us, the student senate and the legal department, so they can put their full support behind this plan," Ramsdale said. Five Points merchants were supportive of the idea and should help fund the program, Ramsdale said. "They were really excited, and the response was very positive. Some were even offering money on the spot for the program," Ramsdale said. A safety meeting has been scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday with campus police and Columbia Police where Ramsdale said she plans to discuss the shuttle program. "The United Way works 365 days a year, not just the day they take up the m?ney- ^The United Way Is Ig^TheWayOfLov*. The Gamecock THE GAMECOCK is the student newspaper of the University of South Carolina and is published three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the fall and spring semesters and weekly on Wednesdays during both summer sessions, with the exception of university holidays and examination periods. Opinions expressed in THE GAMECOCK are those of the editors and not those of the University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of THE GAMECOCK. The Student Media Department is the parent organization of THE GAMECOCK. Change of address forms, subscription requests and other correspondence should be sent to THE GAMECOCK, Box 85131, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. 29208. Subscription rates are $18.00 for (1) year, $10.00 per fall or spring semester and $4.00 for both summer sessions. Third class postage paid at Columbia, S.C. THE GAMECOCK is a licensed student organization of the University of South Carolina and receives funding from student activity fees. its Melton ek at Mars kept going over, and Mars was beinj covered and uncovered. It didn' clear off until about midnight." He said that there were peopli waiting outside the observatory tha night, but that they could only taki in so many at a time when Mar: could be seen clearly. "The opposition is not that ex citing from an astronomical point o view because space probes on Mar: OIVA QetrnnAmarc mn/?V? g)i ? V UJUVIIVUIVIO 1I1UVI1 111U1W II1IUI mation than we can get through i telescope," Safko said. "It is very in teresting to the public, though. So w< opened the observatory so they coulc enjoy it." The observatory has a televisior camera hooked up to the telescope tc record video pictures of Mars during the opposition. W1S-TV attemptec to tape pictures of the planet on Fri day night, but their equipment wa< not adequate to get the views the} wanted, Safko said. "It is extremely bright," Camj said. "It looks like a pale orang< globe with dark patches and a whit< spot. The white spot is the polar cap It is shrinking now because it is sum mertime on Mars, but it is stil visible." He said that if a person stands outside after 10:30 p.m. he can look toward the southeast and see Mars, "It's the brightest thing in the sk> right now, Camp said. "It will look like a big orange star." The observatory will also be open to the public next Friday and Saturday 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., depending on weather. jili H" - -> L ' " - - m w l ?- i JOHN MILLS Ill/The Gamecock About 500 people tried to get into the Melton observatory this weekend for n viaur aF \^ai?c A fill? U1 IfldlA. 441 don't v, a lot of 1 I just wa somethi can coui ley-University of North Carolina-Class < Funding Contim Money for research is important because the state puts up matching funds for university-generated donations, said Alan Kretch, CHE associate commissioner for planning and special projects. CHE requested a total of almost $31 million in state funding for The Cutting Edge in 1988-89, but it received only $5 million, Smalls said. In 1987, CHE had planned to ask for $26.7 million for Cutting Edge in iy?y-yu, but backed off from that because it realized the legislature would not adopt the tax hikes, he said. He added, however, that CHE did not eliminate any segment of the program as a result of the inadequate funding. "We have kept all of the programs intact. We have just scaled down the whole thing," he said. "The only ] thing that has stayed the same is the governor's Professor of the Year ' Award." 1 The award is $5,000, according to 1 a CHE document. "We felt it would be more respon- i sible to phase it in over the long run. < We decided to run things a little more I For the record In the Sept. 19 edition of The Gamect 19-year-old student occurred on the 170C red at the 700 block of Pickens. EXCUSES DON'T BLOOD D GIVE BLOOD, PLEA mit type, nt tig I it on.}} , , sr .> < ^ f like internatK the AT&T Can 1 800 222-03C of 19891 1 BH HHH The ved from page 1 slowly," he said. The CHE sought $569 million in full-formula funding this vear. It also requested an additional $14.1 million for Cutting Edge programs. Of the Cutting Edge funds, $4 million is slated for USC's 1989-90 school year, Smalls said. The $569 million would bring USC and other state universities up to the southeastern average in professors' salaries and other areas, he said. Full-formula funding is absolutely necessary if South Carolina universities and colleges are to keep up with national standards, said Pete Denton, USC's executive vice president for business and finance. "We look at this like a grade scale where the southeastern average is a 'C,'" Denton said. "If we don't get full-formula funding, then USC is getting a failing grade." If the legislature comes through with the full $569 million, then it is unlikely tuitions or fees would have to be increased next year, he said. "If you have less funding than you need," Smalls said, "you get behind ur have to place a bigger burden on he students." yck, we incorrectly said a rape of a > block of Pickens. The rape occurSAVE LIVES. OES. #* American i9C IHI Red Cross , , ... - If. ... .. >ng distance comise you the moon, i really want is de>h-qualitv service, lat you'll get when VT&T Long Distance ost that's a lot less ik. You can expect ance rates, 24-hour stance, clear conimmediate credit mbers. 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