John is an Arizona native and comes from the “dark side” of science — professional astronomy. He grew up in Phoenix and was involved in amateur astronomy there from grade school. Later, he attended the University of Arizona, beginning research in jobs at the National Optical Astronomy Observatories and National Solar Observatory headquarters in Tucson. From 2001-06 he was on the staff of Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico, serving first as an observing specialist on the Astrophysical Research Consortium 3.5-meter telescope and then as an observer for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
He obtained a master’s degree in physics at Colorado State University and a master’s and Ph.D. in astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin. John has contributed to science in fields ranging from solar physics to galaxy evolution while helping develop hardware for ground-based and aircraft-borne astronomy. Throughout his career, he has been involved in education and outreach efforts to help increase the public understanding of science.
John is the Executive Officer and Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, a consultancy offering professional services in the areas of light pollution, dark skies and astronomy. He previously served as the International Dark Sky Places Program Manager and Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) in Tucson, Arizona. John is a member of the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative steering committee; the American Astronomical Society Committee on Light Pollution, Radio Interference and Space Debris; and International Astronomical Union Inter-Division Commission B7 (Protection of Existing and Potential Observatory Sites). He is also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, an Associate Member of the Illuminating Engineering Society and a co-founder of the Center for Space Environmentalism.
John is the author of three books on the history of astronomy, The Lost Constellations, Uncharted Constellations and Mystery of the Ashen Light of Venus: Investigating a 400-Year-Old Phenomenon. The asteroid (14505) Barentine is named in his honor. His interests outside of astronomy and dark skies include history, art/architecture, politics, law and current events. Follow John on Twitter and LinkedIn.
He obtained a master’s degree in physics at Colorado State University and a master’s and Ph.D. in astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin. John has contributed to science in fields ranging from solar physics to galaxy evolution while helping develop hardware for ground-based and aircraft-borne astronomy. Throughout his career, he has been involved in education and outreach efforts to help increase the public understanding of science.
John is the Executive Officer and Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, a consultancy offering professional services in the areas of light pollution, dark skies and astronomy. He previously served as the International Dark Sky Places Program Manager and Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) in Tucson, Arizona. John is a member of the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative steering committee; the American Astronomical Society Committee on Light Pollution, Radio Interference and Space Debris; and International Astronomical Union Inter-Division Commission B7 (Protection of Existing and Potential Observatory Sites). He is also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, an Associate Member of the Illuminating Engineering Society and a co-founder of the Center for Space Environmentalism.
John is the author of three books on the history of astronomy, The Lost Constellations, Uncharted Constellations and Mystery of the Ashen Light of Venus: Investigating a 400-Year-Old Phenomenon. The asteroid (14505) Barentine is named in his honor. His interests outside of astronomy and dark skies include history, art/architecture, politics, law and current events. Follow John on Twitter and LinkedIn.