Meet AstroTours.org's newest tour guide!

I'd like to welcome Christina to Astro Tours! Christina has been training with me for the last couple months and has already well surpassed where I was when I first started Astro Tours! Christina has been studying astrophysics for some time now. Here's her story in her own words:

Christina aligning telescopes

Hello! My name is Christina and I am an astrophysics major at the University of Colorado. I have always been very passionate about the night sky and particularly sharing the wonderful mythologies and science surrounding our constellations and the objects within.

I am currently involved with a research group at the university that is looking into the effects stellar flares have on exoplanetary atmospheres and what that might mean for the habitability of those planets.

The Crab Nebula (Christina's favorite deep sky object)

My favorite object to talk about is the Crab Nebula! I am fascinated by the astrophysical processes surrounding the life cycles of stars, particularly supernovae, and I enjoy describing the various civilizations that viewed this event when it occurred and the impact it may have had in their lives.

Come learn more about our universe at AstroTours.org/booking

Reviews!

It's been quite sometime since I've updated my reviews page on here so I thought I would share some of my favorite from the last few months. Thank you everyone that has taken the time to write me a review the feedback means a lot to me and it warms my heart to see all the overwhelmingly positive things people have to say about me!

"Soooo much more than five stars!"

Karrie

Jun 12, 2021

This experience was mostly for my teen daughter. She loved it! We really enjoyed seeing the summer night sky (it isn’t often visible where I live). Seeing galaxies in the computerized telescope was the highlight for me.

Laura

Jun 11, 2021

We had a lot of fun on this experience! Luke was able to adapt on the fly due to weather - he let us join the tour a day earlier because the weather wasn’t going to be good for our original scheduled date and he also adapted the show when there was some unexpected clouds. We were able to see and learn about the the universe in a really special and unique way!

Susan

Jun 10, 2021

This experience was even better than I had hoped. Luke was knowledgeable and kind. The stars were magical and I loved hearing coyotes!

Abigail

Jun 8, 2021

Unfortunately the day we scheduled the tour, the weather didn’t cooperate. However, our host made the most of it! She did a wonderful job still giving general astronomy knowledge and answered all our curious questions.

Sara

Jun 7, 2021

This is a MUST for anyone already interested in astronomy or someone who just wants an amazing night under the stars. Luke made this a collaborative experience by making sure to ask the group what we were most interested in learning more about. You could tell that astronomy is his love and he is just excited to share this wonder of the universe with everyone. Getting to pinpoint different constellations & hear multiple cultures stories about them definitely added to the wonderment of just how timeless stars are. Using different telescopes was also a highlight of the night and Luke was quick to answer questions or help adjust the scopes. Next time I’m in Colorado, I would love to do this again!

Lauren

Jun 4, 2021

This was really interesting. Super informative. Luke is incredibly knowledgeable and we really appreciated how much we learned. The telescopes were really neat. it was a very unique experience!

Claire

Jun 4, 2021

Great experience, Luke and the students there were super informative and engaging. Saw some cool constellations, galaxies, and even a few shooting stars!

Marianne

Jun 3, 2021

Wonderful evening stargazing Luke is super knowledgeable and clearly has a passion for the stars He did an amazing job of sharing that with novices like ourselves

Haley

Jun 2, 2021

This was an awesome way to end our time here in Colorado! Luke’s knowledge and enthusiasm are contagious. Can’t recommend this activity more!!

Brad

Jun 2, 2021

What a great experience. Luke was extremely knowledgable and passionate about astronomy, and it really came through in his presentation. Getting to look through his high-powered telescopes was neat too. Our kids were pretty tired so we had to bail before our time was up, but that didn't take away from the experience at all. Five stars, would absolutely do again if we have the chance. Great communication leading up to the event too.

Kate

Jun 1, 2021

The astronomy tour was great! Luke and Christina were incredibly knowledgeable and were great hosts. They had several telescopes pointed at different things and changed them frequently to keep people distanced and engaged. Definitely bring a blanket for chilly nights. Highly recommend!

William

May 28, 2021

Luke and his partner are amazing! Incredibly knowledgeable, was able to answer every question we had. Also supremely quick witted, had many of us laughing for the whole tour. The location is serene and beautiful. Out in the countryside north of boulder, the drive in during sunset is amazing. 11/10

Summer

May 23, 2021

My mind loved the depth of the things Luke spoke on, and all that he taught me. I will be doing this again many times in my future. I found my new hobby.

Haley

May 23, 2021

My friends and I were blown away by the sight of the stars and the moon through his many telescopes. He was very knowledgeable about the science and constellations of the sky which was a very cool portion of the tour that was unexpected. Coming from Austin, we were appreciative and in awe of the beautiful Denver sky. Highly recommend!

Tommy

May 23, 2021

A most delightful starry experience all around. The location was unique and the firmament above made for excellent gazing. And the chorus of nearby coyotes and rare tweaker(?) frogs made it all the more memorable. Thanks again.

Tamara

May 21, 2021

We were able to enjoy nature have a special experience. Learned many new things about Astronomy. Sparked many new interests. Glad we went.

Seth

May 21, 2021

Great social event! Very chill but something you won’t forget!

Haley

May 23, 2021

My friends and I were blown away by the sight of the stars and the moon through his many telescopes. He was very knowledgeable about the science and constellations of the sky which was a very cool portion of the tour that was unexpected. Coming from Austin, we were appreciative and in awe of the beautiful Denver sky. Highly recommend!

Sara

May 20, 2021

Great time with Luke, Very knowledgeable, personable, and educated guide. Glad he is able to follow his interest/dreams through these tours.

Kristen

May 7, 2021

Luke knows a lot about space! Definitely worth checking out, I learned a lot and can’t think of any other time I would have the opportunity to check out stars with his impressive collection of telescopes! So cool!

Salvador

May 1, 2021

Was an awesome time looking up at the stars and all the different constellations. Luke is a very knowledgeable person that truly loves what he does and loves sharing it with people. 10/10 would definitely recommend doing it!!!

Nichole

Apr 30, 2021

This was an awesome and unique experience! We had a wonderful time, Luke was very knowledgeable, and we’d definitely recommend it to others!

Leresa

Apr 30, 2021

Luke put on an excellent presentation as he is very knowledgeable of the subject matter. I highly recommend signing up for this tour. The sky was so beautiful as the sun was setting and once the sun was completely gone the sky was full of stars. We were able to see many different stars, clusters, and even galaxies with the many telescopes Luke had. I recommend bringing a blanket and picking up some hot coco before heading over to the park. Overall, it was a great experience and is definitely a do over. Thank you Luke, keep up the stellar work!

Ainsley

Apr 26, 2021

The experience was so fun & unique, Luke was super friendly and knowledgeable, and we really just had such a great time! Learned so much and got to see some really amazing things.

Maamoon

Apr 9, 2021

My wife and I always wanted to learn more about the stars and astronomy and when we found this tour we found it to be a unique experience. Luke was very informative and knowledgeable about the subject matter. It was an great experience and would definitely do again.

Meghan

Apr 6, 2021

Luke did an amazing job! He tailored his program to our group and his passion for astronomy was contagious! The whole experience was perfect!

Rustom

Apr 2, 2021

A truly magical experience for both Astrology and non-Astrology lovers. A gorgeous location in Boulder with multiple telescopes and expert commentary on stars, Earth's rotation, celestial bodies and locations and more. Highly recommended.

Chelsea

Mar 21, 2021

This was an AMAZING experience. Not only do you get to look at the moon, stars, planets close up but you also get to see where stars are born and some cool fun fact about ehat makes the north star so cool and the constellations. Luke is so so so knowledgeable I highly recommend asking him ALL the questions. Luke as gears the experince to what you want to learn or know about and shows you in the telescopes what you'd like to see in particular. This was an awesome experience and Luke is phenomenal. I highly recommend you adding this to you list of things to do if you are searching. 100/10

Lindsay

Apr 1, 2021

This was a fantastic and magical excursion! Luke tailored the experience to what we were interested in learning and seeing and was so funny as well!

Shashank

Mar 21, 2021

Amazing experience. Highly recommend going for the tour. There are so many pieces of information in the night sky that tell us our place on the planet. You will definitely learn something new here.

Samantha

Mar 2, 2021

I learned SO much on this experience with Luke! He was knowledgeable and answered all my questions. My fav was learning all the folk tales about astrology. The location is stunning and we were even able to see a bit of the Milky Way. Definitely take this tour!

John

Feb 10, 2021

Not only is Luke extremely knowledgable about what's happening out in the universe, he is experienced and put on a great show with a sense of humor, guiding us along, using a laser to show us all around the sky throughout the night. The telescopes were pretty epic. Really grateful for this experience! Thank you so much, Luke!

Maverick

Jan 11, 2021

Luke is immensely knowledgeable and a wonderful storyteller. He obviously loves the stars in our sky and can tell you basically everything about each one of them. Luke is very accommodating and brings so much to light. No one else does a tour like this; you have to see it.

Sanjay

Jan 9, 2021

Absolutely amazing, personable, and magical! . Luke is a class act and amazing story teller, a man who listens and shares the universe to his guests. My wife and i had such a magical experience, these word aren’t enough to describe the emotions that we were feeling. It felt like a magical first date with my wife and we have been married 8 years! He knowledge and pasionfor the universe is absolutely mind blowing. His care and protocol for covid is also extremely thoughtful. Kudos to luke, i will send a-lot of business your way. Too bad its only 5 stars, i would give all the stars we saw!

Erica

Nov 17, 2020

I think anyone could truly enjoy the perspective Luke provided during his Astronomy tour. He provided a number of telescopes to observe planets and stars. He also provided plenty of relatable background about astronomical topics that was very enjoyable, even to a person with a limited science background. Would recommend to anyone looking to take in Boulder’s beautiful night sky!

...and many more find more reviews on: TripAdvisor , AirBnB, and Facebook

See for your self by booking an astronomy tour today!

Light Pollution

You probably already know what light pollution is, the term is fairly self explanatory. But just in case; Light pollution is why you can see more stars in the mountains rather than in the city. All of our outdoor lights (street lights, flood lamps, neon signs, etc) send a bit of their light directly up towards the sky. With the amount of outdoor lights in a city this adds up so much that it drowns out all but the brightest celestial objects.

Best shielded light fixtures to lower light pollution.

It may be unlikely that we will ever be able to see the milky way in downtown Denver. However, every little bit helps and hopefully we can preserve the few dark areas we have left.

Lowering light pollution is a cause anyone can get behind. I've seen many people that don’t usually agree on anything come together to agree light pollution is a bummer. I’ve never met someone who wished to see less stars in their hometown. From Texas where “the stars at night are big and bright”, to Hawaii which probably has the strictest light ordinances of any state. Light pollution is undeniable and has a very obvious source, light. So let's discuss how we can lower our impact on the night sky.

A comparison of the view of the night sky from a small rural town (top) and a metropolitan area (bottom). Light pollution dramatically reduces the visibility of stars.

The solution is as obvious as the problem; just make less light. Be sure any outdoor light you use is pointed down towards only what you are using it for, and on only on when it’s in use. There’s tons of options to do this; motion sensor lights, low light pollution LEDs, shielded fixtures… this all might be sounding high tech and expensive but it actually pays to lower light pollution.

Having your lights on motion sensors makes your property more secure, and lowers your electric bill. LED lights are more efficient lowering your electric bill and the ones that are especially good for lowering light pollution have a warm amber hew, that cause less eye strain. Shielded fixtures give you more bang for your buck! Rather than having half the electricity your bulb uses wasted on going up to space, a shielded light fixture takes that otherwise wasted light and reflects it down where it’s more useful.

Best lights to lower light pollution

One of the biggest myths of why you need lights always on outside is security. There is no evidence that lights prevent crime. Let me say that again: outdoor light has no effect on crime. There’s actually indication that the opposite is true; the absence of light prevents crime. When lights are on 24/7 criminals will take that as a sign that no one is home as they expect lights to turn off and on while in use. Also in the absence of light criminals have to use flashlights which catches the eye of neighbors/bystanders more leading to more criminals being caught/stopped. Don't just take my word for it: source, source 2, source 3, (Source X: do your own research search something like "Does outdoor lighting reduce crime?")

Motion sensor lights are better for security as you are alerted by seeing the light turn on that someone might be in your yard, bringing you to the window (usually to see a fox/raccoon tail darting off into the night). This shows the most effective form of security; community! The best way to secure your home or business is to get to know your neighbors. If your neighbors know you and are generally aware of your usual routines they will be the first to recognize when something suspicious is happening around your property (i.e. your motion sensor light turning on, or suspicious flashlights on your property) and will be able to alert you/authorities.

Community is also the solution to light pollution! If everyone reading this took steps to reduce their light pollution there will be a slight effect but that effect will be greatly increased if you and your neighbors, and your neighbors neighbors, and your neighbors neighbors neighbors, and so on all caught on. Hopefully enough neighbors will catch on and you'll be able to see the milky way from your back yard! Go next door and meet your neighbors! If you both wear your mask and just chat through the screen door this can be done relatively safely. Maybe also pass along this article and talk to them about doing a tour together to appreciate the night sky more.

most everyone can see the brightest stars of Orion in their local park/backyard but only the darkest communities can see the milky way going thru Orion.

To get this going we’re offering to split the cost of any lighting upgrades you and your neighbors do. If you upgrade any lighting fixtures in the month of April, May, or June 2021 send me a picture of the light (before and after photos that I can feature on social media are preferred but if you don’t want me to share your pictures just let me know), and a photo of the receipt. I will send a discount of half the price of the lighting fixture up to 40$ (full price of a tour!). For example if you upgrade all your outdoor lights with motion sensors and LEDs for 40$ you will get a half price tour (40$/2 = 20$ off). If your neighbor spends 80$ replacing all of their outdoor lights with top of the line low light pollution lights they can get a tour for free (80$/2 = 40$ off)! This on top of the electricity/security savings from upgrading your lights means they will pay for them selves in no time! And of course seeing the stars in your back yard is priceless!

That’s the “carrot” and is my preferred way to lower light pollution but there’s also a “stick”.... Most places will have light pollution laws. Usually they are 'lighting ordinances' in the city’s zoning codes but sometimes will be in the county or state level. It’s definitely worth searching “[your city/county/state] lighting ordinance”. If you don’t find anything write your local representatives to get the ball rolling on getting some to protect the sky above your community. Luckley Boulder has really strong light ordinances that are easy to find, here: https://bouldercolorado.gov/plan-develop/outdoor-lighting-ordinance

In Boulder you can anonymously report outdoor lighting violations in their zoning violations hub here: https://user.govoutreach.com/boulder/faq.php?cmd=shell under the “Code Enforcements” menu and "Zoning Code Violations" topic and let the city know if you would like to report an outdoor lighting complaint. It’s not like your neighbor will have their door kicked in by the light police but they might get a strongly worded letter from the city and possibly a fine if they don’t reduce their light pollution.

In my experience my complaints didn’t do anything. I tried to bring up the lights at Guardian Storage that are pointed directly up. I was told that they are approved which I still don't understand since they are pointed straight at the sky. My complaint can be found here: https://user.govoutreach.com/boulder/case.php?id=5595648&access=3863346361333139 Don’t let this discourage you, I’ve only made that one complaint. I have heard a few success stories and plan to make another complaint soon. If you live in Boulder, drive around your neighborhood at night, take pictures of the worst lights and send them to Inquire Boulder, the worst they can say is tell you nicely “those are approved”.

More photos of bad lights around Boulder.

Finally that brings us to one of the worst light polluters, street lights. Unfortunately the deck is stacked against us here due to something called "base load". Base load is the minimum amount of power a power plant needs to generate so it doesn't damage the equipment. Power companies will make deals with municipalities selling this base load of power at a low price if, the city/county/state promises that they will use that power all the time. This is usually a good deal since cites have lots of buildings and infrastructure to power. However, at night they still have to use this base load of power so they'll turn to building more inefficient street lights to eat up this power.

Paris "the city of lights" from space. It's amazing to think that the observatory in Paris once made so many significant observations with its location in Paris.

There is hope as more green sources of energy (wind/solar) don't have the base load problem as much. Hopefully as we start switching the grid to these green sources economic forces will push municipalities to use more efficient street lights. Again, the best you can do is write your local representatives to get the ball rolling on protecting the sky above your community. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help! I can also write your representative as a small business owner that depends on dark skies. Possibly we could even put together an astronomy program to highlight the importance of preserving the heavens above. Maybe you will find someone sympathetic; my old roommate grew up in a small town in Kansas where they put switches for the street lights at the end of his block so he could turn them off when he wanted to stargaze.

So go forth and be a lighting crusader! Talk to neighbors! Write your representatives! Report places that are creating too much light pollution! Take back our night sky! And don't forget to take part in our cost sharing deal this spring to lower the cost of upgrading your lights!