Most college graduates ease into the real world by first taking some time off from reality to travel or just be a ski bum, but not Claire Stencel. Stencel, a 2005 graduate, jumped right in to the real world by writing a book. Stencel collaborated with her father, Robert Stencel, associate professor of physics and astronomy at University of Denver, to write “Denver’s Great Telescope,” about DU’s Chamberlin Observatory.

The book is about the history of the observatory including the significant people who helped create it. These people include Humphrey Barker Chamberlin, who offered to build the observatory in 1888, and Herbert Howe, who designed the observatory. Other important figures in the book are Donald Menzel, a famous student of Howe, Albert Recht, Edgar Everhart and Robert Stencel, observatory directors from 1926 through present day. Robert Roeschlaub, the architect of the observatory, lens maker Alvan Clark and telescope maker George Saegmuller are also featured in the book.

The book also includes historic and modern pictures of the observatory and provides information about the 20-inch Clark-Saegmuller Refractor telescope. There is also a copy of the original deed creating Observatory Park in 1950. There will be a reading of the book at the Denver Press Club on March 10 at 7 p.m.