Star Attractions: : <i> Setting sights high </i>

Throughout history humans have looked to the moon and stars for inspiration--often attaching names and legends to what they see.

For a number of North County’s amateur stargazers, Oceanside Photo and Telescope on Mission Avenue in Oceanside has become a focal point.

The store sponsors a club for stargazers, called OPTAS. For $35 a year, members receive a newsletter, a store discount, and access to OPTAS star party sites on Mt. Palomar and in the Anza Borrego Desert.

According to Penny Hauck, a club co-president, OPTAS has about 180 members. Most spend their time looking for “deep sky objects,” Hauck said. In other words, they look for bodies outside the solar system.