NASA's Curious Universe · National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Stargazers Welcome

·20 min·1 clip

Kevin Hartnett describes how seeing Saturn through a telescope changed his life forever.

This episode visits a community star party in Greenbelt, Maryland, and explores how anyone can begin stargazing. Host Patti Boyd is joined by retired NASA astronomer Kevin Hartnett and Hubble social media lead Elizabeth Tammi. The producer attends a gathering hosted by the Astronomical Society of Greenbelt, where dozens view objects like Mars, Orion, Rigel, and Betelgeuse through telescopes. Kevin Hartnett recounts how seeing Saturn through a telescope as a youth profoundly changed him, leading to a lifelong hobby. He describes finding the Andromeda galaxy with a small, inexpensive refractor and sharing the moment with his four sisters on a cold night. Elizabeth Tammi explains her role sharing Hubble's images to inspire public excitement about the universe. The discussion highlights the Messier Catalogue, a list of 110 deep-sky objects like the Crab Nebula (M1), compiled by comet-hunter Charles Messier. Amateurs can attempt a "Messier Marathon" each March to locate all catalog objects in one night. A key insight is that Hubble observes in visible light, allowing amateurs to capture images surprisingly similar to the space telescope's. The night sky offers different views each season: summer reveals the Milky Way's center, spring and fall are ideal for galaxies, and winter showcases bright stars in constellations like Orion. Kevin Hartnett notes that every amateur astronomer is also an amateur meteorologist, constantly checking forecasts for clear skies. The episode suggests starting stargazing with a friend, using binoculars, or joining a local club where telescopes can often be borrowed. Conrad Terrell of the Greenbelt society shares that he initially borrowed club equipment to see if he enjoyed astronomy before investing. The tone is welcoming, educational, and infused with personal enthusiasm from both NASA professionals and community volunteers. The style is narrative, blending field recordings from a star party with reflective interviews. This episode is perfect for curious beginners seeking a practical, encouraging guide to amateur astronomy. Listeners preferring dense scientific debates or technical equipment reviews might find it too introductory.

As heard by us

A cloudy star party becomes a warm, grounded case for looking up.

NASA's Curious Universe treats a cloudy night in Greenbelt, Maryland as something worth lingering over. It stays close to the people on the ground: the shed-sized observatory, the volunteers, the powerful telescope, and the mix of kids and adults who keep looking up even when…

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At a star party in Greenbelt, the universe feels close enough to touch.

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