Keep. Looking. Up.

Seeing, deeply seeing, the night sky is the ultimate lesson in perspective. Through astronomy, we’re reminded that we are tiny beings on a small rock circling an average star in an unremarkable corner of one of billions of galaxies.

It’s not a screen. It’s not AI. It’s light, traveling millions of years, entering glass, and then entering your soul.

My astronomy work, from sharing telescope views of Saturn’s rings to guiding groups under dark skies, is about sparking that sense of awe and helping others find clarity in the vastness above that we can then apply every day to our life down here. Our life that is too often bombarded with fakes.

Hands-on private astronomy sessions for individuals and groups start at $75, which brings literally thousands of dollars of equipment right to you, to use and learn. It’s awesome for:

  • Family nights

  • Kids’ birthday parties (Heck, adult birthday parties, too! We just helped a 75-year-old celebrate his! His family said it was “…a most memorable experience. John was so very knowledgeable and star gazing with him was spectacular.”)

  • Homeschool learning pods

  • Block parties

  • First (or 10,000th) dates

  • And more!

Want to try it out?

In spring, summer, and fall, through my good friends at Long View Ciderhouse, I’m often up by their deck, showing guests the heavens above at one of the prettiest sites in Central Connecticut. Damned good hard cider, too! Check out their social (Facebook, Instagram) or mine for the next dates.

Since 2010, I have presented astronomy talks or observing sessions with:

  • Southington Land Conservation Trust - winter sky viewing in December 2025 (check out our social media for photos of this great event!)

  • Private families celebrating birthdays and get-togethers

  • Hamden Youth Services - 2024

  • Boy Scout Troop 45, Southington (Astronomy Merit Badge Counselor)

  • Southington Public Schools

  • Northwest Village School, Plainville

  • Lanphier Cove Association, Branford

  • YMCA Camp Sloper

  • Multiple private showings and observations

Can you offer references?

Sure! Reach out. And also be sure to check out my nothing-but-five-star Google reviews. :)

Here is some direct feedback from events in December 2025 and at Long View:

  • “Simply amazing.”

  • "an unforgettable evening of stargazing…”

  • “an excellent presenter, interesting and informed.”

  • “Really informative and fun!”

  • “one of the most unexpectedly awesome experiences I’ve had in a while.”

Interested in learning more?

Interested in seeing something in particular? Get in touch, and let’s talk about what’s possible.

FAQs

  • I’m not! My undergrad degree is journalism and political science. I bombed out of engineering with a 1.3 GPA my first semester. My MBA is in marketing.

    We’re not really doing scientific astronomy…we’re observing, and we’re talking about what’s up in the sky.

    I’m a heck of a storyteller, though, and for sharing the stories of the heavens, that’s pretty good. No complaints yet.

  • I read a lot about it. I spend a great deal of time alone at night outside looking up. I once spent a year observing every one of the 110 Messier objects. I sometimes plan entire vacations based on astronomy events. I was a Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge Counselor for Astronomy. I’ve been doing variations of all of this since I was 10. I’m in my mid-50s. So, I’m a very dedicated amateur!

  • I own more telescopes and binoculars than I care to admit, but for private astronomy observations, I’ll generally bring a Celestron 8” Schmidt–Cassegrain, probably a smaller scope, and at least one pair of image-stabilized binoculars. They are kinda magic.

    I also bring a laser to point things out. It’s a crowd-pleaser. You can’t use that. :)

  • Absolutely! It's awesome for kids, although I’ve also seen some 70-year-olds squeal like kids when they see Saturn for the first time. But, yes, school-age kids from ages 5 to 100 are probably best.

    I usually bring a stepstool for the little ones to look through the scope. Sometimes, prizes, too.

    Read more about this in my journal entry, Give Them Space: 10 Reasons Kids Need Astronomy!

  • On any given event, common objects may be:

    • The sun (with a filter)

    • Venus

    • The moon

    • Mars

    • Jupiter

    • Saturn

    • Satellites like the International Space Station.

    • Constellations

  • Welcome to my world. We’ll reschedule, don’t worry.