An observatory at San Diego Mesa College was named after a well-known astronomy professor.
Jerry Schad, also a San Diego naturalist and hiking enthusiast, was known for his series of books which detailed the area’s natural history and the best places to hike in Southern California. His day job was as a science and astronomy professor at San Diego Mesa College. He died in 2011.
The college honored him Thursday with a plaque at the observatory he helped found.
“This observatory where we are standing would not exist without his vision,” said Saeid Eidgahy, Mesa College's dean of math and science.
The Jerry Schad Observatory atop the college's math and science complex opened in 2014.
An avid hiker and photographer, Schad also hosted “Afoot and Afield in San Diego,” a series on KPBS-TV.
