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David Baumgartner has been lost in the stars ever since he received his first telescope at age 12. Now, after authoring 100 astronomy articles for BenitoLink as a guest writer, the 84-year-old has passed the job on to a new generation of enthusiasts.
“Dave’s contributions were a wonderful combination of astronomy and humor,” said BenitoLink Executive Director Leslie David. “He shared his passion, reminding us of one of San Benito County’s unique assets: our amazing night skies. We appreciate his commitment to BenitoLink and to all our readers.”
Baumgartner received a Press-Tigeous award for his efforts as a local media volunteer. The breadth of his work for BenitoLink can be seen in the fact that three volunteers continue what he started after he retired recently.
Baumgartner’s passion for astronomy began when he was in the seventh grade. The 3-inch reflecting telescope he received at Christmas so entranced him that he immediately set it up for use, ignoring all else.
“My mother tried to get me to open up the rest of my presents,” he said, “and I said, ‘No, I got what I wanted.’”
That night, Baumgartner said, he got his first glimpse of Jupiter, and he was hooked.
Time at college and a stint in the armed forces curtailed his exploration of the heavens for a few years, but he soon picked it up again, purchasing more refined equipment and building an observatory in his backyard.
“The only way I could spend any money on all this,” he said, “was if I told my wife it was for the grandkids. You know, if it were just for me, she wouldn’t have allowed it.”
Baumgartner said that part of his fascination with astronomy comes from mankind’s ever-changing theories about the stars and the planets.
“It’s the idea of the unknown,” he said. “You know, just what’s out there. Astronomers spend their lives learning, finally get it down and all of a sudden find out that what we’ve been taught has been wrong based on new experiences. And they have to start again,”
Baumgartner began writing for BenitoLink after a stint contributing astronomy articles for the Hollister Freelance. That ended, he said, when he was informed there was no longer space in the newspaper for his work.
“It was right when BenitoLink was first starting up,” he said. “I got a hold of Leslie David and offered to write for her. I always thought that if Miss David and I got married, my name would be ‘David David.’ You need to print that.”
Baumgartner’s first contribution to BenitoLink was published on Aug. 2, 2019: “Searching the Sky: No telescope needed for this view.”
He was surprised by how many people were interested in astronomy, as well as his narratives about the night sky.
“Whoever thought that somebody would be reading my writings,” he said. “You know, it’s kind of crazy. I mean, I wasn’t very good at English or spelling. People would call me up and ask questions, and sometimes I probably learn from them more than they learn from me.”
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