HYBRID – General Meeting – March 2023
2023-03-03 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Phoenix) | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
TITLE: The Sky at Night – Easy enjoyment from your backyard
PRESENTATION: Avid stargazer and amateur astronomer, Tim Hunter, will talk about his recently published book, The Sky At Night (University of Arizona Press); how it came about from 750 Sky Spy astronomy columns—15 years worth—in Thursday’s Caliente, the Arizona Daily Star’s weekly entertainment section. Learn about his adventures, both the joys and aggravations, of being an astronomy columnist, including some of his most memorable mistakes and foibles. Tim will also discuss what it takes to write and get a book into print; the pros and cons of different paths to publishing. He will donate several copies of The Sky At Night to TAAA.

BIO: Tim Hunter has been an amateur astronomer since 1950, and is the owner of two observatories, the 3towers Observatory and the Grasslands Observatory (http://www.3towers.com). In his own words, he is also “a prime example of someone whose hobby has run amok, spending more time and money on it than common sense would dictate.” Tim has been the President of the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, Inc. (TAAA) and a member of the TAAA since 1975. He is also the immediate past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Planetary Science Institute (PSI). Since 1986, Tim Hunter has been interested in the growing problem of light pollution. In 1987, he and Dr. David Crawford founded the International Dark-Sky Association, Inc. (IDA). IDA is a nonprofit corporation devoted to promoting quality outdoor lighting and combatting the effects of light pollution. And since 2007, Tim has written the weekly “Sky Spy” column for the Caliente Section of the Arizona Daily Star for 16 years. Asteroid 6398 is named Timhunter.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – March 2023
2023-03-09 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Historical Astronomer of the Month:
Japanese Astronomers
Presenter: Doug Smith
This month Doug Smith will be presenting on Japanese Astronomers for our ongoing Astronomer of the Month series.
Main Presentation:
Large Telescopes
Presenter: Stephen Ferris

For our main topic, Stephen Ferris will be discussion the last part of his series on Large Telescopes.

Stargazing Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Area
2023-03-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Ironwood Picnic, 7300 W Hal gras Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85735, United States
Cancelled due to lingering cloud cover.
Star Party-Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Area
Tucson, AZ (West)
Viewing Location: Second Restroom area approximately 3/4 of the way in on Hal Gras Road.
Information: Great dark skies in Western Tucson. Star Party open to the Public. Cost: FREE. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Go to this link and search Stargazing Ironwood Picnic Area (event may not show up until about two months prior): Eventbright
Event may fill up early.

Stargazing at Saguaro NP - East
2023-03-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Saguaro National Park EAST, 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ, 85730, United States
Star Party – Saguaro National Park – East
Tucson, AZ
Great dark skies on the East side of Tucson at Saguaro National Park – East.
Star Party is open to the Public.
The Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).

Stargazing @ Tumacacori National Historical Park
2023-03-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Tumacacori National Historical Park, 1891 E Frontage Rd, Tumacacori, AZ, 85640, United States
Event cancelled due to cloud cover
Starry Night in the Park – Tumacacori National Historical Park
Tumacacori, AZ
The Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes.
Very dark skies in a rural setting with no city lights!
Star Party is open to the Public. Park entrance fees apply.
Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).

Stargazing Agua Caliente Park
2023-03-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
Viewing Location: Bus Lanes @ North end of Parking Lot
Information: Great dark skies in Northeast Tucson. Star Party open to the Public. Cost: FREE. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Park gate may close before event end time, so arrive as close to start time as possible. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. go to:Eventbright and search for “Stargazing” and location “Tucson”. These events fill up fast so recommend registering early. Event may not show up until about two months out.

HYBRID – General Meeting – April 2023
2023-04-07 18:30 - 20:30 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
6:30 pm – Main Presentation
TITLE: Fun Observing Projects with Zero Equipment
PRESENTATION: According to author and educator, Bob King, you don’t need a telescope to explore the underpinnings of the universe. A pair of eyes will do. In this month’s presentation, Bob will share three visual observing projects — exploring Earth’s shadow; observing and measuring naked-eye sunspots and getting a sense of the Milky Way Galaxy’s three-dimensional structure. As he explains, “Through close examination of the natural world, we open ourselves to the possibility of discovery, whether that means gaining a new perspective or noticing new details in familiar phenomena.”

BIO: Bob King fell in love with the night sky and astronomy when he was a kid and loves to share his passion with people of all ages through teaching and public observing. A graduate of the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana), he’s a long-time member of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO), a community educator, writes the monthly Celestial Calendar for Sky & Telescope magazine as well as the Explore the Night blog for their website. Bob also pens the long-time blog called Astro Bob, which he started in 2008. He comes to us tonight via zoom from Duluth, Minnesota, on the north shore of Lake Superior.

Evening Under the Stars
2023-04-08 19:00 - 21:30 | Chiricahua Astronomy Complex, 9315 E Perseus Way, Pearce, AZ, 85625, United States
Evening Under the Stars Observing at the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) Chiricahua Astronomy Complex. Want to stargaze from a dark site where the band of the Milky Way is clearly visible across the sky? You see so many stars it is hard to pick out the constellations. Twice per year, we open our TAAA Chiricahua Astronomy Complex (Turkey Creek area near Chiricahua National Monument) to the public for an observing session. You can observe through a telescope with a 40″ mirror and see galaxies over 100 million light years away. We will have several large telescopes to observe with.
Our Spring “Evening Under the Stars” will be Saturday April 8th 2023. The gate will be open at 7:00 pm with activities starting 7:30 pm. Observing will be from 7:30-9:30 pm. Come join us for an exciting evening of astronomical observing. The site is about 90 minutes SE of Tucson near the Chiricahua National Monument. If you have friends/family that live in that area, let them know. The event is weather dependent. Reservations are required. Please email John Kalas at jckalas[at]cox.net for reservations and directions. Please include number of people & vehicles in your group.
The 40 inch StarStructures Dobsonian telescope on the deck of the Reynold-Mitchell Observatory.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – April 2023
2023-04-13 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Historical Astronomer of the Month:
Edward Barnard
Presenter: Connor Justice
Connor Justice will be presenting our Astronomer of the month presentation on Edward Barnard.
Main Presentation:
Carbon Stars
Presenter: Pete Hermes

Pete Hermes will be discussing Carbon Stars.

Stargazing Canoa Ranch
2023-04-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Canoa Ranch, 5375 S I-19 Frontage Road, Green Valley, AZ, 85622, United States
Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) and Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation for some stargazing at Historic Canoa Ranch. We will observe planets, star clusters, multiple star systems, nebulae, galaxies, and lots more.
FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: Go to Eventbright and search for stargazing Canoa Ranch. May fill up quickly, so recommend registering as early as possible (event may not show up in Eventbright until about two months before).

Chiricahua National Monument Stargazing
2023-04-15 19:30 - 21:30 | Chiricahua National Monument, 12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd, Willcox, AZ, 85643, United States
TAAA Stargazing to view amazing solar system and deep sky objects from a Dark Sky Park. You will see planets, nebulae, star clusters, double stars, galaxies millions of light years away, and lots more. We will have several telescopes for public viewing.
Observing location will be at Faraway Ranch just inside the entrance gate. Please try to use red light flashlights and minimize white light (to include cell phones) that will hinder your night vision.
Chiricahua National Monument website: https://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm. Weather dependent — Follow the event on the TAAA Facebook page to get weather and other updates: https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/.
Check back here or on our Facebook page closer to the event for any updates.

Stargazing @ Saguaro NP – East
2023-04-18 19:30 - 21:30, 2023-04-22 19:30 - 21:30, 2023-06-23 20:00 - 22:00 | Saguaro National Park EAST, 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ, 85730, United States
Star Party – Saguaro National Park – East
Tucson, AZ
Great dark skies on the East side of Tucson at Saguaro National Park – East.
Star Party is open to the Public. Event is free but NPS admission fees apply.
The Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes.
Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page: (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).

Stargazing @ Saguaro NP - West
2023-04-20 19:00 - 21:30 | Saguaro National Park WEST, 2700 N Kinney Rd., Tucson, AZ, United States
TAAA invites you to an evening of star gazing at Saguaro National Park – West
Located on the far West side of town on the other side of the Tucson mountains, this location has very dark skies from horizon to horizon.
Event is put on by Saguaro NP and the IDA (International Dark-Sky Association) to promote International Dark Sky Week.
An introductory talk will be given at 7pm.
The TAAA will have several Telescopes set up to view Stars, Nebula’s, Galaxies, Planets and more starting at 7:30pm!
The event is free and open to the public, but NPS admission fees may apply.
WEATHER DEPENDENT. Follow the event here for any weather updates or changes.

Stargazing Tucson Mountain Park - Ironwood Picnic Area
2023-04-21 19:30 - 21:30 | Ironwood Picnic, 7300 W Hal gras Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85735, United States
Star Party-Tucson Mountain Park Ironwood Picnic Area
Tucson, AZ (West)
Viewing Location: Second Restroom area approximately 3/4 of the way in on Hal Gras Road.
Information: Great dark skies in Western Tucson. Star Party open to the Public. Cost: FREE. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Go to this link (Eventbright) and search for: “Stargazing” and “Ironwood Picnic Area”, location: “Tucson” (event may not show up until about two months prior). These events may fill up early.

Oracle State Park
2023-04-22 19:30 - 21:30 | Oracle State Park, 3820 E Wildlife Dr., Oracle, AZ, 85623, United States
Star Party-Oracle State Park
Tucson, AZ
Viewing Location: Kannally Ranch House
Information: Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Oracle State Park. Star Party open to the Public. Admission cost for entrance into Oracle State Park may apply. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a wide variety of telescopes. Weather dependent.
For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/). There is generally a talk and other events also taking place. Check the Oracle State Park website for additional information. Check TAAA Facebook Page or here for any updates as we get closer.

Tucson Astronomy Festival
2023-04-29 15:00 - 21:00 | Brandi Fenton Park, 3482 E River Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85718, United States
Tucson Astronomy Festival at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park
Telescopes, Exhibits, Fun!

Brandi Fenton Memorial Park (Ramada #1)

ASTRONOMY FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Safe Solar viewing of the Sun – 3 to 6:30 PM
Hands-On Interactive Exhibits for Kids – 3 to 6:00 PM
Door Prizes will be given away at 6:30 PM – winners must be present
——-Grand Prize: Small Telescope——–
Other prizes for the entire family
What’s up in the night sky talk – 7 to 7:30pm
Night Sky Viewing – 7:30 PM to 9 PM
Kid-Friendly Scope viewing throughout the evening

No charge for any activities, donations will be accepted.
Bring your own telescope for help in setting it up and operating the scope.

ONLINE ONLY – General Meeting – May 2023
2023-05-05 18:30 - 20:30 | ONLINE
TAAA’s next general member meeting will be held on Friday, May 5, 2023. The Main Presentation will start at 6:30 P.M. Note that this month’s meeting will be online only. TAAA members will receive a Zoom link to attend. The public may stream via the TAAA YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@tucsonamateurastronomyasso2702
Title: JWST: Our First Year Capturing Light from the Dawn of Time
Presentation: In this talk, University of Arizona astronomer Kevin Hainline will discuss the exciting first year of NASA’s flagship space observatory: the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). He’ll share stories from his time working on the observatory, and discuss highlights from the wealth of data that JWST has brought us: awe-inspiring planets, nearby nebulae, baby stars, and the farthest galaxies humans have ever seen.
Bio: Dr. Kevin Hainline is an astronomy professor and researcher on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRCam science team at The University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory. His research focuses on hunting for hidden supermassive black holes, and he’s currently using JWST to find and understand the most extreme, distant galaxies in the early universe. He received his PhD from UCLA in 2012 and spent three years as a researcher and professor at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire before moving to Tucson to work on JWST. Kevin has a passion for science outreach education, and has spoken about astronomy and our relation to the stars at events around the world.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – May 2023
2023-05-11 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Main Presentation:
Telescope Collimation with a Focus on Reflectors
Presenter: Doug Smith

Doug Smith will be presenting the main topic for the night on Telescope Collimation with a focus on Reflectors.
Second Presentation:
Astronomy Related App
Presenter: Connor Justice
Afterwards, Connor Justice would like to show an astronomy related app prototype.

Virtual Stargazing - Watch at home
2023-05-12 20:00 - 22:00 | AZ
Virtual Stargazing

May 12 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Join Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association for a Virtual tour of the Night Sky. We will explore planets, Nebulae, Star Clusters, Galaxies, and much more using cameras connected to our telescopes with commentary about the objects from our operators.
The event will be streamed to our YouTube channel (TAAA YouTube). You can follow the event on our Facebook page for any weather and other updates and the link to our YouTube Channel. FREE.
Check out Facebook page or back here closer to the event for any updates.

Stargazing at Catalina State Park
2023-05-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Catalina State Park, 11570 N Oracle Rd, Catalina, AZ, United States
Star Party-Catalina State Park
Tucson, AZ
Viewing Location: Trailhead Picnic area at end of road inside the park.
Information: Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Catalina State Park. Star Party open to the Public. Admission cost for entrance into Catalina State Park. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have 10 telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a wide variety of telescopes. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
Additional details will be posted here and on Facebook as we get closer to the event.

Solar Telescope Observing at Saguaro NP - East
2023-05-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Saguaro National Park EAST, 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ, 85730, United States
Solar Telescope Observing at Saguaro NP – East

May 14 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Join the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA) and Saguaro National Park – East for some Sun gazing at the park. We will observe the Sun through telescopes with appropriate filters so you will get to see sunspots, prominences, flares, and more.
The Sun is nearing its peak in the sunspot cycle so there is lots of activity on its surface.
This event is FREE and open to the public. NPS admission fees apply.
The telescopes will be set up at the Bicycle Ramada next to the Visitors Center. This event will most likely be canceled in the event of clouds/rain.

Stargazing at Aqua Caliente Park
2023-05-20 20:00 - 22:00 | Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85749, United States
Viewing Location: Bus Lanes @ North end of Parking Lot
Information: Great dark skies in Northeast Tucson. Star Party open to the Public. Cost: FREE. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a variety of telescopes. Park gate may close before event end time, so arrive as close to start time as possible. Weather dependent. For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/).
FREE but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. go to:Eventbright and search “Stargazing” and location “Tucson”. These events fill up fast so recommend registering early. Event may not show up until about two months out.

HYBRID – General Meeting – June 2023
2023-06-02 18:30 - 20:30 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
Title: Annular Eclipse, October 14, 2023

Presentation: While we all look forward to totality in 2024, a great observing opportunity presents itself to amateur astronomers in the U.S. this fall. An annular eclipse (when a ring of the Sun’s disk surrounds the Moon) will touch the Pacific coast and track across eight states before moving into the Gulf of Mexico. The path of this annular eclipse isn’t that far from Tucson. Michael Bakich’s talk will cover the details about an event that won’t happen again in the 48 states until 2046.

Bio: Michael E. Bakich was Senior Editor of Astronomy magazine for 17 years before retiring in 2019. He and his wife, Holley, then realized their lifelong dream and moved to Tucson. Michael continues work for the magazine as Contributing Editor. He has authored 14 books on astronomy, including Atlas of Solar Eclipses: 2020-2045.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – June 2023
2023-06-08 18:30 - 20:00 | ONLINE
Main Presentation:
Binocular Observing
Presenter: Gus Gomez

Gus Gomez will be leading with our main topic on binocular observing.
Astronomer of the Month:
Johaan Bayer and Nicolas Lacaille
Presenter: Connor Justice
Connor Justice will be presenting on Johaan Bayer and Nicolas Lacaille for our astronomer of the month.

Stargazing @ Oracle State Park
2023-06-17 20:00 - 22:00 | Oracle State Park, 3820 E Wildlife Dr., Oracle, AZ, 85623, United States
Viewing Location: Kannally Ranch House
Information: Great dark skies just north of Tucson at Oracle State Park. Star Party open to the Public. Admission cost for entrance into Oracle State Park may apply. Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will have several telescopes for astronomical viewing. We will observe Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies, Star Clusters and lots more. Great opportunity to look through a wide variety of telescopes. Weather dependent.
For real-time updates, follow this event on the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association Facebook Events Page (https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/). There is generally a talk and other events also taking place. Check the Oracle State Park website for additional information. Check TAAA Facebook Page or here for any updates as we get closer.

HYBRID – General Meeting – July 2023
2023-07-07 18:30 - 20:30 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
TAAA’s next general member meeting will be held on Friday, July 7, 2023. The Main Presentation will start at 6:30 P.M. This will be a hybrid meeting (both in person and on social media). TAAA members will receive a Zoom link should they wish to attend remotely. The public may attend in person or online through our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TucsonAstronomy/. It will still be posted to YouTube afterwards.
Title: The Shocking History of A Giant Lens!

Presentation: Walking though your high school or college hallways you’re likely to find tchotchkes, curios, and relics of the past. Good chance you’ve passed them every day and never given a second glance. In this presentation, Max Lipitz asks the question: what if you did take that second look? And what if that curio was a giant camera lens that for the past decade sat unassumingly on the 3rd floor, of the northwest corner, of the Rochester Institute of Technology, (RIT) Carlson Center for Imaging Science Building (CIS)? The scuttle bug around the center was that it was built in support of the U-2 (Dragon Lady) spy plane program begun in 1955. However, that is far from the truth and the reality is far more astounding…as Max’s talk will reveal.

Bio: Maxmillian (Max) Lipitz could best be described as a strange amalgamation of NASA obsession, photographic prowess, and insatiable curiosity. In his attempt to acquire empirical knowledge, he has accumulated thousands of useless facts over a period of decades. This has led him to be an oddball graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technologies Imaging Science Program; a highly interdisciplinary field that combines physics, math, computer science, and engineering. Whether it’s developing image processing algorithms to turn people into Simpsons characters or restoring a 31-year-old digital camera just because, Max puts his whole heart into everything he does. In the past he’s worked with Dr. Robert Kremens to develop next-generation probes (“Kremboxes”) to monitor wildfires in the thermal and visible spectrum, providing valuable data that could save thousands of lives. Currently Max works as a scientist at Tucson-based GEOST, developing ground and space based electro-optical systems.

ONLINE – Astronomy Fundamentals Meeting – July 2023
2023-07-13 18:30 - 20:30 | ONLINE
Astronomical Distances
Presenter: Doug Smith
Doug Smith will be presenting on Astronomical Distances.
Astronomer of the Month: Sir Arthur Eddington
Presenter: Pete Hermes
Pete Hermes will be detailing Sir Arthur Eddington for our ongoing astronomer of the month series.

HYBRID – General Meeting – Aug 2023
2023-08-04 18:30 - 20:30 | Steward Observatory Lecture Hall (Room N210), 933 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
Title: Light Pollution and Dark Skies in Southern Arizona and Beyond

Presentation: The world at night is lighting up at an alarming rate. A host of ecological and social consequences comes with this rapid environmental change, but solving this problem is simple and cost effective. In this talk John will review what we know (and don’t know) about light pollution, how it affects us, and which mitigation strategies are most effective. From there he will describe an effort to revitalize the Southern Arizona chapter of DarkSky International (DarkSky International was formerly known as the International Dark-Sky Association) and the plans for regional advocacy and action in coming years.

Bio: John Barentine is the Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, and was formerly the Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association. He earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, and previously held staff positions at the National Solar Observatory, Apache Point Observatory, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Throughout his career, he has been involved in educating the public about science. He is a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union, and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. The asteroid (14505) Barentine is named in his honor. His interests outside of astronomy and light pollution research include history, art and architecture, politics, law and current events.

Space Station Shot of Earth at Night. Credit: NASA
