How long has NCO been in existence?
In April 1996, the Southern Maryland Astronomical Society (SMAS) entered into a Partnership Agreement with the Charles County Board of Education (CCBOE). Part of that agreement declared that SMAS would build an observatory at the Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center (NCEEC), a facility of the Charles County School District. During that time, a SMAS member discovered that an astronomical observatory dome at the deactivated U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) site near Waldorf, Maryland was destined for demolition. In September 1996, the SMAS/CCBOE Partnership secured the donation of the dome from the Navy, with the agreement that it was the responsibility of SMAS to move the dome from the NRL site to NCEEC. Many lively discussions followed, with members trying to devise a plan to move the dome. Two of the more creative plans included air lifting it via helicopter and turning it upside down, then paddling it down the river. Finally, another SMAS member created and helped implem
