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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Join Astronomy Class at After School Matters

Summer 2024

If you love Space Astronomy like I do, then consider joining the Astro crew at ASM this summer at our Downtown classroom.

The only fully dedicated program in Chicago where teens can indulge in all things space and explore the cosmos and earn a stipend. Hundreds of young explorers have participated in my program, discussing subjects such as: Black Holes, Planets, ExoBiology, rockets and cosmology...

Astro teens learn how to navigate the night skies, learn how to operate telescopes, understand planetary mechanics and build confidence in mastering urban astronomy while working in teams

SUMMER PROGRAM SCHEDULE:

Start: 20 June 2024

End: 02 August 2024



Monday through Friday



14 & 15 year olds: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm



16 and Up: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm



All classes are In-Person and at Gallery 37 - 66 E. Randolph

 

HOW TO JOIN:

To join, go to the ASM Website, (www.afterschoolmatters.org) and select  "Astronomy" as your number #1 desired program.

All applicants are required to submit a short essay on why they enjoy Astronomy and desire to join our Astro crew for this Summer program.  Once I receive your essay, then I can schedule you for a virtual interview.  Hundreds apply for the opportunity to participate in the very popular program.  Let's have you part of this very unique program.

Any questions or trouble  applying, contact me:  [e-mail]


Astro Joe 

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Applicant essays for a position in my Astronomy Summer Astronomy class

Summer 2024

To participate in my very popular class, where hundreds apply for limited positions, I require all applicants to submit a short essay on why they would like to join the Astro crew and let me know why they like to study space & astronomy for the summer. Once I receive their essay, then I am able to schedule a virtual interview and start to get to know the potential student. Some are seasoned veterans of my astro program who love the program and wish to return. And even though I know them well, I always look for the dynamics of him/her and how they integrate with other applicants. My virtual interviews are in groups, about 7 teens at a time in the virtual interviews.

The following are the essays I am presently receiving from those eager to join fellow teens from across the city...

Why I Like Astronomy and Would Like to join the Astro Crew

I like astronomy because there are a lot of engaging facts and scenarios
surrounding the topic. A family member of mines has a telescope and they live
about 40 miles away from the city in Aurora. I was told that that is the distance to travel in order to see the stars and possible constellations more clearly.

I would love to learn about topics such as the black hole, and better understand how astronomy includes math, science, chemistry, etc.

I want to join the Astro Crew in hopes to have a valuable learning experience of Astronomy in a fun and helpful environment. I'm hoping to make lifelong friends, and mentors while learning in a fun environment.

Thank you,
Pa'Res

Good evening Mr. Guzman,

Please see my essay below for consideration. If you have any questions please let me know.


Astronomy & Space (PM) Summer Program

When we hear the word Astronomy, we probably think of the solar system,stars and spaceships. Well it's way beyond what the mind could imagine. The beginning of my passion for Space started as a child, I was drawn to an illustration book called “Spaceships”. Like any kid I was interested in looking at all of the pictures, but what really amazed me was what a Spaceship was made up of. That would also explain why I love building LEGOS in my downtime.

My interest continued to grow thanks to my father, who has a passion for science. We traveled down to Carbondale, IL in 2017 to view what would be my first Solar Eclipse. Little did I know what 100% totality meant but when it occurred, I was astounded by the whole experience. Looking back I am truly grateful I was there to view in person along with thousands of people. One Christmas, my parents gifted me and my brother our first telescope. I am not an expert but after some failed attempts we were able to find Mars and Jupiter. Viewing the Moon was quite beautiful, what seemed just a few feet away yet so far away.

In 2021, my family and I went on a roadtrip in California and along our journey my parents got lost driving down the Pacific Coast Highway Route 101 and of course we were afraid because we had no internet connection and it was complete darkness. And while they kept driving I was staring out my window when I noticed several white spots. I thought it was my imagination but with the help of an app called “NightSky”, intended to help with stargazing, it confirmed I was looking directly into the Milky Way. We took countless pictures and just truly soaked in the moment to admire the beauty of space. A moment forever imprinted in me but also brought awareness of the impact light pollution has on our planet. My dream is to live somewhere with little to no light pollution to be able to do all sorts of research.

As a Senior in High School, the question I get asked all the time is, what do I want to do for a living? My goal for now is to attend community college then transfer out to a four-year university. While I have not chosen a specific career, I am certain I want to major in Astronomy. I want to study about black holes, how major environmental problems impact space and how applying mathematics, physics and chemistry helps celestial objects work in space. Knowing how they originated/evolved shows how our universe is beautiful and scary at the same time.

If selected, my experience working well with others and enthusiasm for Astronomy will not only make me a great asset to the Astro Crew but will help me obtain information that can carry on for future research projects. Thank you for your time and look forward to meeting you in person to further discuss an opportunity in your program.

Sincerely,

James

Astronomy has been a major part of my life for the past few years. Since I discovered my
passion for astronomy and even astrophotography, I have always actively researched and
sought out new information such as planetary motion, star classification, star life cycles, stellar
nucleosynthesis, solar astronomy, solar and stellar spectroscopy, galaxy formation and types,
the basics of cosmology, and so much more. Learning about these concepts and having the
opportunity to visually observe these phenomena and events gives me a rush of happiness,
excitement and curiosity. I joined the AfterSchoolMatters Spring Break Astronomy Program with
Joseph Guzman, and I can safely say that joining his program was one of the best decisions of
my life. I was filled with excitement and curiosity each lecture and I have never been so
compelled to participate in discussion with my peers. I enjoyed having my misconceptions
corrected and explained, and I loved learning about concepts I had not learned about before,
like spectroscopy.

Joe is a very engaging and likable instructor. You can tell he has a passion for
what he teaches and he is open to listening to others’ ideas. Unlike some instructors I’ve met,
Joe Is very polite when correcting someone’s misconceptions. While my passion for astronomy
is why I joined the program, Joe’s passion for astronomy and passion for teaching it to others in
an exciting, intriguing, and polite manner is the reason I want to return for the summer program.

I would even go so far as to say that Joseph Guzman is the reason I decided to accept my
invitation to the Illinois Institute of Technology to major in Astrophysics. I want to earn my
bachelors degree so I may professionally study astronomy and continue my search for
knowledge. I know this was supposed to be a short essay about why I like astronomy, but I just
have to express my gratitude to Joseph Guzman for reigniting the flame of passion for
astronomy within me. You have my sincerest gratitude, Joe. Thank you for your time and I can’t
wait to join your class for the summer astronomy program.

Jared F

I have been interested in space and astronomy since I was a young child. I never wanted to play with toy trucks or cars, I wanted to play with toy planes and rockets. Then I grew up and stopped playing with many toys but was still interested in space and astronomy. 6th grade was when covid started and when I became more interested in STEM, so that year I started doing model rocketry. I got a telescope for my birthday and I saw rings around Saturn, craters on the moon, and tiny moons lined up on either side of Jupiter. 7th grade was the first full remote year, which gave me more time to follow my passion. I recall that my father would order some rocket kits from Estes (a model rocket company) and some b 6-4 engines. Every weekend we would go out and launch. I named my rocket lineup the Air_runners (word play on my name, Aaron, which can be pronounced air run). I built 6 rockets, only 2 of which survived the summer. 8th grade was an important year because that was the year I prepared and took the high school entrance exam to get into high school. I got into Lane Tech High School and decided to go into the accelerated math and science program called Alpha Stem. In Alpha Stem, we are required to do a science fair project in which I chose the subject of aerospace science. My science fair project was the effect of the number of fins on a bottle rocket’s apogee. In my science fair, I tested 0-finned to 6-finned rockets all with 100 ml of water and 60 psi. As an extracurricular, I did the Science Olympiad. In the Science Olympiad, I did remote sensing and flight (where you build a rubber band plane). In the final meet for junior varsity (9th and 10th graders ), which was the regional competition, my flight project got 2nd place.

Last summer I was accepted into your amazing program and I loved it. It was full of so many interesting topics to discuss and things to do. After entering my sophomore year of highschool, I applied to the science olympiad as soon as I could and again worked on flight, but this time I also worked on air trajectory (compressing air to shoot a ping pong ball). For this year's science fair project I studied the effect of fuel ratio on bottle rocket apogee and found out that 15% water was best. This year I also got a video game that I have wanted for a long time called kerbal space program (2) where you play as an administrator of a space agency and have to design rockets to complete missions (ex landing on the moon[mun] or entering the SOI of neptune[Eeloo]) where I have learned many things. For example, I learned that rockets fly at an angle to best capture the centrifugal velocity of their planet to spend less fuel going into orbit. I have also taken a few pictures of the eclipse by reflecting the sun off of my chromebook in school. Finally I am doing what I can to save the Chandra x-ray observatory #save chandra. I hope you are doing well and am very excited for the opportunity to participate in your amazing program again and work with the other applicants to advance our knowledge of space and astronomy.

Sincerely, Aaron H

For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in space. This correlates with my other interests of engineering and biology. My dream job is being an aerospace engineer or an astrobiologist.


One of my favorite upcoming missions is Dragonfly. I think Dragonfly is so interesting because it is going to study Titan and all the intriguing chemical reactions going on there, which are very similar to Earth before it had life, just a lot colder. There is also some chance that if life is a common phenomena then Titan could already have life on it living in surface oceans, and if not then possibly in the subsurface ocean. This mission is also cool because it will be able to study the geology and weather patterns of Titan much more effectively than other probes.


Another upcoming mission that I am interested in is Artemis, because it is a shame that no people have been to the moon in decades. Much more lunar science could have been done over the years, but because the space race ended no money has been put towards putting people on the moon until recently. I have also visited the Kennedy space center and saw the Atlantis space shuttle. Even though it has been a long time and you would have expected engine tech to advance considerably since the space shuttle launches, Artemis will be using the engines from the space shuttles.


I also really like aerospace engineering, mostly due to the game Kerbal Space program, in which you plan missions and design craft to overcome the various obstacles that come with exploring other planets or moons. I would love to be able to help design part of a future mission one day, and help account for the challenges that the probe would have to go through to be able to collect interesting data about the solar system.


I would really enjoy the opportunity to meet other people that share my level of interest in space. Thank you for considering my application.

John K

Hello I am so sorry for the delay in sending this! Here is my short essay:
Ever since i was very young i’ve always asked a lot of questions about things and why they work. Over time i began to realize those questions could be answered through math and science. It’s always been a thought of mine to become an astrophysicist and study the ways of the universe. I’ve also never been able to find a group with people interested in astrophysics so i was very surprised and elated when i saw this program through after school matters!

Thank you!

Rakia Y

Why do we like astronomy? Because back when we were even younger we didn’t have to understand it to love its beauty, its depth, and most importantly, the curiosity it sparked inside us. Back when I was in elementary school, I loved all things space and always asked myself “what if” questions. I remember owning a wonderful book on space that featured a variety of things from stars and planets to black holes and nebulae, it was never a bad read. Currently however, I haven’t seen that book in years but I’ve maintained my love for space and have gained an interest in the science and math behind it. I think astronomy is one of the most beautiful fields of study and is closely related to the reason why I want to join the astro crew would be my college interest: Aerospace Engineering.
I want to join the astro crew because I know that it will expand my understanding of astronomy and give me an opportunity build my interest further as a soon-to-be rising junior alongside people my age with the same or similar interest as me. It’s my dream to pursue a career in Aerospace Engineering or any related field that could be utilized in astronomy, and be involved in helping humanity explore the cosmos and understanding the complexity behind it. “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it.

If you can dream it, you can become it.” - William Arthur Ward.

Jaime G

Astronomy, the study of celestial objects and phenomena beyond Earth's atmosphere, captivates me like nothing else. Its allure lies in the boundless expanse of the cosmos, offering a glimpse into the mysteries of the universe and our place within it. Firstly, astronomy ignites my imagination by revealing the sheer scale of the cosmos. Contemplating the vast distances between stars and galaxies, each with their own unique stories, fills me with wonder and awe. It reminds me of how small we are in the grand scheme of things, yet how connected we are to the universe's intricate tapestry.

AJ S

Why Astronomy 🌟 Interests me

By Aathreya Anugonda

My name is Aathreya Anugonda and I go to Whitney Young Magnet High School. I am a rising
ninth grader. Currently, Astronomy is one of my most favorite topics to learn about. Based on my
current interest, the field I would like to specialize in is Astrophysics.

I learned for the first time about Astronomy when I was around 8-9 years old. At that age I
decided to watch some educational YouTube videos, but nothing that focused on Astronomy.
One of the first videos that popped up was an Astronomy video made by the YouTube channel
Kurzgesagt. It was about Dyson Spheres and other futuristic space concepts/machines. This
started my fascination with Astronomy.

One of the most interesting things I learned about the universe was the concepts of parallel
universes and wormholes. I listened to a podcast by Neil deGrasse Tyson called StarTalk Radio
about wormholes and how they could theoretically form. I usually listen to this specific podcast
to learn about Astronomy/Astrophysics. I also watched a documentary by Neil deGrasse Tyson
called The Cosmos. The show talked about planet Earth in a really cosmic way. I watched a
documentary called Black holes, the edge of all we know that taught me most of what I know
about black holes. The most fascinating part of the documentary was how the first picture of a
black hole was taken. I am currently reading a book called Cosmos and Psyche which is about
the universe and how scientists understood the heliocentric theory.

The main reason I want to join the astro crew is because learning about the universe is one of my
biggest hobbies and this will give me more information about Astronomy. This will allow me to

connect with other people of similar interests. This opportunity sounds really interesting and it
will be a fun way to spend my summer.

Aathreya A

Astronomy and space has always fascinated me. In this program, I hope to understand more about the universe, stars, and galaxies. As a little kid, I loved astronomy, and have been very interested in it. I would find myself constantly doing random research about constellations, planets, zodiacs, moons, and many more.

The stars are so thrilling to watch. But sadly, I've only ever got to see them a couple of times. I love the city, but I despise how the city lights cover up all the stars. Growing up in the city, the first time I really remember seeing the stars was when I and my family went to visit my home country, Nepal. We had left Nepal when I was 2 years old so I didn't have memories of the sky. When we arrived it was night. I remember looking up and seeing thousands and thousands of bright stars. I carried the memory back with me, but I haven't seen the sky that pretty, and that bright since.

Over the summer, I want to be able to explore the sky and the universe with different instruments. I’ve only ever used small binoculars to more clearly see the sky. I've never used a telescope, but I’ve always wanted to. In this program, I hope to learn how to use telescopes and other instruments.

I am very excited to explore the universe. This program will also help me build up my dream career of being an aerospace engineer. Here would also be a great place for me to connect and share with others who enjoy space as much as I do.

Ayushka J

Hello! I’m Benjamin Yang, a junior at Westinghouse. Whenever I look up at night, I really
admire the natural beauty of the world like the aurora, which showed up this weekend, lightning,
and meteor showers. I am fascinated by these phenomena because I want to learn more about
how such phenomena happen. For example, the way the sun reflects light off water after raining
and transforms into multiple colors to create rainbows is really cool.

Space and alternative universes have always intrigued me, but for the past few years
I’ve been more intrigued in the idea of alternative worlds. As in, what if I had done this
differently, how would the later course of events play out? Or what would happen in the believed
‘after world’? I would have these thoughts on how life would be if you could travel between the
two ‘worlds.’ On a similar note, I think that aliens exist somewhere far away. Aliens probably
have the ability to see us from far away. They see us as weird creatures causing chaos and not
coexisting with one another, and I think they probably dislike us. It feels like such a wasted
opportunity as we lose the chance of connecting with another species.
Furthermore, I’ve chosen Astronomy as one of my seven classes next year. I hope to
join the astro crew to gain a better understanding and experience in such a topic, going into the
class feeling confident and excited to express my ideas would be nice. All in all, I would like the
opportunity to join this crew to expand my curiosity and knowledge.

Benjamin Y

Astronomy
Astronomy to me is similar to opening a new vault of ideas. Astronomy focuses on the entire Universe, and everything in it, like planets, stars, galaxies, comets, and black holes. As someone who has always been interested in learning new things and ideas, I feel astronomy can help me explore and further my interests in life in general. For instance things like the northern lights interest me and I want to know how things that beautiful come about. I feel astronomy can help with this curiosity. With astronomy you can see the study of objects which is amusing to me. I’m excited and want to join the Astro crew to learn more about astronomy and more about understanding different things and gain more knowledge about the universe, and all that it has to offer. I also feel I can get a better sense of understanding of planets because I know that is way more than what I usually see. I would like to join for the experience, I am interested in doing something fun the summer that could entertain me but also teach me something. Therefore, I choose astronomy because I feel it would be fun and enjoyable to learn about.


Celeste S

Good afternoon Joseph, I’m Kaniya herring. I’m applying to this job to learn more about astronomy, I want to learn more about it. What I love about astronomy is that there are many different things to know /learn about it like there are more stars in the galaxy then there are with people on earth.
To start off with this essay , I would like to tell you why/what I love about astronomy and space it self. I love to look at the stars and look into my telescope and see the moon, Also I learned in school that astronomy can be difficult when just now learning and getting into the sky. You can see different stars,charts along the lines of searching for the galaxies and elusive globular clusters even ones that you’ve never seen before.
Everything about the galaxy will give you the Wow reaction every time. You can see many different things in the universe that you wouldn’t even know that existed, and that’s what I love about it. The sheer vastness of the universe and the opportunity to explore the unknown can ignite a sense of wonder and curiosity within us.
Astronomy allows us to learn about celestial objects like stars, planets, galaxies, unraveling their mysteries and expanding our knowledge of the cosmos. Studying astronomy can help us better understand our own planet and our place in the universe, providing a boarder perspective and appreciation for the world we live in.
To sum up everything that has been stated so far , astronomy holds a special place in my heart. Its mysteries have always amazed me. Exploring celestial objects and trying to get an understanding of our place in the cosmos has expanded my knowledge and also deepened my appreciation for the complexities in our world. Astronomy is a passion that will always inspire me and will fill me with curiosity about that universe.

I would love to be part of this program and learn more about astronomy and know knew things and hope I will have answers to most of my questions that I have about it. I hope to receive another email from you soon .Thank you so much.

Niya T

Hello Mr. Guzman. My full name is Michael I. Henkins, and I am 16. I applied for
this astronomy program for a few reasons. I started enjoying astronomy when I was
young, and still enjoy learning about it today. One big reason I enjoy astronomy is
because of the scale of it. Astronomy takes place in such a wider scope than anything
on Earth and that really fascinates me. Another thing that attracts me to astronomy is
how physics can be so different from Earth in the vacuum of space or within the event
horizon of a black hole. All things science interest me, and it is hard to ignore the
vastness of the universe. I plan on exploring STEM as I move my way towards college,
and I thought that your astronomy program would be a great learning experience for
me.
Last year, I participated in another ASM program where I learned about audio
electronics and even made a ribbon microphone. I want to expand my knowledge of
STEM, and your program feels like the perfect way to do that. I like ASM more than
school and other teaching methods because I like to learn with hands-on experiments
and projects. During the summer, I want to get a good job and get more experience so
that I can be ready for college jobs and future possibilities, and also stay active while
school is on hold. Thank you for reading my application essay, and I hope you have a
good day

Michael H

Astronomy Short Essay


For as long as I can recall, my goal was to have a career in science. I always knew that I wanted to explore, and that led me to the field of astronomy. One of the reasons I enjoy astronomy is because it reminds me about our place in the universe. To me, it is about how everything plays a part in our existence, even the things that we may not even know about yet. I hope to play a part in discovering and researching these things in the future.

In order to do so, I want to take advantage of every learning opportunity that I can get. I would like to join the astro club to have an opportunity to meet other people who feel the same way. I feel that it is important to meet new people and learn along with them. Exploration is not only about discovering what is at the end. It is also about the people that you get to know and the experiences you get to have together.

Karina P

I picked this astronomy club as my first choice because I've always been fascinated with our universe, different types of galaxies and of course our different planets in the solar system. Why is earth the only planet that supports life? How do we know other planets didn't have different forms of life than what were rather used too? All these questions I have along with fascination and no one to learn with. Being a part of the astrew crew would give me an environment where I can not only learn and study about different sciences but possibly even teach others.

Miguel M

Becoming an aerospace engineer is not an easy task but this is my goal . I’m Taylor-Ann Batchelor , and I think your Astronomy program is just the correct fit to to help me reach this goal. When I kid I was always was fascinated with the sky. When people always ask what animal I wanted to be I wanted to say a bird so that can fly and see everything from the top, but that was too basic and everyone said that so I just said a cat. As I got older I’ve known my dad was into really space and had a really cool telescope. I guess that inspired me because when he would talk bout space I would listen and show me the planets and the stars I would look. Now that I’m older everyone has been asking me what I want to do.I knew that I wanted to something that involved the sky and space but I quickly became uninterested in Piloting and Air Traffic Control.

I wanted to go further than the cloud and the sky,I wanted to go into space. That when I found the amazing job opportunity that handled best of both of worlds, Aerospace Engineering. Moving into my sophomore year I want to explore new horizons that might be of use in becoming aerospace engineer. I visited places like the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics and NASA Goddard center, where I met a real Aerospace engineer that works for NASA. These places seem to peak my interest but I feel that if I can interview and get in your program as soon as possible it would help and elevate my skills. Using your program, It will help me learn about the planets and stars for me build the things we need for us to reach even further.

Taylorann B

Greetings Mr Guzman, I am glad I am back for the summer internship and I am very excited to know what we'll learn and what activities we'll do.

I've decided to participate in the astronomy and space program because I've taken part in it before and it was a fulfilling experience, I am ready for more learning opportunities and experience I'll gain from my instructor and the activities we'll be doing through our learning. I've always been interested in things about outer space because it's a mystery to us, and doing more research will allow us to understand space better. My interest is based on the fact that this is the only astronomy program I know and want to take advantage to discover more with others who are willing to do the same. I am mostly excited about the big project we'll get to do at the end and learning about telescopes and different planets. This experience allows me to grow my interest and think about my career choice.

Respectfully,

Thainie E

These are why I'm interested in astronomy and would be suitable for this internship for After School Matters.


I've been interested in astronomy since I finished a science fiction book called Ender's Game, which follows a boy who saves the Earth from an alien invasion. I finished the book series and thought about what it would be like to travel beyond our solar system. “Will an alien invasion or peaceful visit from aliens have to happen for us to require the means of traveling at Lightspeed or, if possible in the future, faster than light?” That is when I first started being interested in astronomy. My fascination with it grew after I watched a Netflix show about what life would be like on other planets called Alien Worlds.


I'm also interested in what life would be like on other planets or moods in our solar system, like Mars and the Moon. Related to both astrophysics and astronomy, I'm interested in black holes, dark matter, wormholes, parallel universes, and, as mentioned earlier, traveling at light speed and faster than light travel. Also, I could have taken better science courses in high school, so I hope to get picked for this ASM Summer Astronomy program.


Those are why I would be suitable for the After School Matters internship and why I like astronomy.


Everett E

My short essay:

Growing up, I've always had a love for the Earth and everything beyond it. The universe has been a place that's held so much of my interest and curiousity. I've explored much of this through visits to the Adler Planetarium and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, but I've wanted to learn more beyond that. So much so that it may be a field I want to explore in my future college and career. I want to expand on my experiences, which I have had the chance to do in the HHW Theatre Ensemble and as a Shedd Aquarium Research Intern, each of these jobs holding a great interest and learning moment for me as to what I want to explore in the future. This has inspired me to reach out to the Astro Crew to become a part of a group that not only has similar interests that I have, but wants the chance to learn something new and be a part of something great.

Ace V

ASM Astronomy and Space - INTRODUCTION
I chose this topic because I can learn more about astronomy and aerospace. Issues like this intrigue me because I generally love science and considering my passion is to become a Pilot in the future, this is a reasonable cause to join programs like this.

What is Astronomy?
According to experts, Astronomy is the study of celestial bodies within our universe, whether it be galaxies, moons, planets, etc. Astronomy has been in use since ancient times. It has practical uses such as timekeeping, and predicting the future, for example, how we could predict solar eclipses. There is special equipment to deal with astronomy, and their accuracy is amazing. Our Solar System, for example, is a large cloud of dust and gas, with the Sun in its center.

Why this?
To many, Astronomy is an interesting career, and although it can make you good money, it will also allow you to see the marvelous matters in our universe. Not only is Astronomy one of the few scientific fields that interact directly with society, but it also transcends borders and actively promotes collaborations around the world. Astronomy makes unexpectedly large contributions to formal and informal science education, given the small number of research astronomers. Technology transfer and spin-offs from astronomy have important applications in medicine, industry, defense, environmental monitoring, and consumer products.

Thoughts
Overall, I am especially interested in Astronomy, because of the realization of all these wonderful matters in the universe, and because it has connections with aerospace and aviation. I would be over the moon to be accepted into such a prestigious ASM program this summer.

First and foremost, astronomy allows us to explore the mysteries of the universe. It's incredible to think that there are billions of stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects scattered throughout the vast expanse of space. Each one has its own unique story and characteristics, waiting to be discovered and understood. Whether it's learning about the life cycle of stars, the formation of galaxies, or the possibility of extraterrestrial life, astronomy offers endless opportunities for exploration and discovery.

Another reason I love astronomy is its ability to inspire wonder and awe. When I look up at the night sky and see the twinkling stars and distant planets, I can't help but feel a sense of wonderment at the sheer vastness and beauty of the cosmos. It's a humbling experience that reminds me of how small we are in comparison to the universe, yet how connected we are to everything around us.
I would like to join the astro club because I would like to learn more about astronomy and how other things in space affect us. I would like to learn something new about astronomy. Finally I would like to use the high tech equipment that is probably there to learn more about Astronomy.

Milo B

I have always enjoyed looking up at the night sky and have always seen an unknowable and unfathomable depth in the endless darkness. One night, at camp, it was the clearest sky I had ever seen, and I couldn’t peel my eyes away from it. I stayed up late that night, just thinking about the incredible beauty I had seen, and the feeling of infinity one feels when they see the endless splattering of stars. I first took a step towards learning more through a summer camp at Roycemore School, delving into the basics of astronomy and astrophysics, yet it lacked the depth I hope to find in this program. By participating in this program, I hope to learn more about Multi-Universe theory, the possibility of life off of this planet, the layout of stars in the night sky to find constellations, the properties of our Solar System’s planets, and to have the opportunity to use telescopes, and apply all of these skills. In short, I am excited for the opportunity to learn everything this program has to offer.

Isaac F

I’m Gavin Patrick, and even when I was a young kid, I always loved astronomy. I loved learning about stars and planets, and when I was 4 my parents proudly showed people videos of me reciting planet names. Since then, my interest in astronomy has just grown. When I was 8, my dad took me on a day trip to the Kennedy space center when we were on vacation in Florida, and I was amazed at the stuff there. Seeing the scale of the Saturn V rocket was amazing, and seeing the actual launch pads inspired me. I kept learning, reading books, watching videos, and going to museums all about astronomy.


I think I like astronomy because I like understanding the big picture, and astronomy is like the big picture view of everything. It’s cool to understand how the planets and stars work, both now, how they were in the past, and how they’ll be in the far future. It’s also amazing to hear the human ingenuity that has gone into exploring space. The Gemini and Apollo missions, rovers on the moon and mars, and the probes like voyager carrying traces of humanity into the far reaches of space, and future plans of mars exploration and human colonies on the moon, all of these are fascinating to me.


However, the reason I’m interested in this program is that recently, I have lost touch with space a bit. Because of school and other responsibilities, I haven’t had as much time to learn about astronomy as I had, and haven’t done much with it for a while. So, I want to use this program as an opportunity to reconnect with the subject, and know about it like I did when I was younger, and maybe make it a life-long thing this time.


Thank you for reading this.

Gavin P

My name is Joseph Mendieta J. I am a Junior. And an astronomy enthusiast.

Here is my short essay.

I remember that since I was very young I observed the sky with my own eyes, I remember that I always asked questions to my parents, sometimes I got answers and sometimes I didn't, but I never stopped my curiosity about space. For me space is an enigma, that since the beginning of civilization has always been there, that several people of the time tried to solve, people who asked themselves questions that no one else asked, they were curious, they had a great hunger for knowledge, and discovery. For them it was incredible to venture into the wide and vast universe, as it is for me. I want to feel what it feels like to contribute to a cause that is bigger than oneself, I want to unravel the mysteries that space hides. I have always been amazed by the sky, I look at it all the time but what is beyond the clouds, other planets, stars bigger than the sun, planets that implode and explode, how does it work, is my question, why does it happen? I don't know, I don't understand it yet, but I want to learn. Because I am curious to understand something I do not understand, I want to understand the incomprehensible, to know what I face and conquer it, because it is my dream to discover and understand what is beyond the earth.

Thank you for considering me as an applicant for your program.

Joseph M

Since I was young, sports has been my whole world. I didn't think that there was anything outside of baseball and soccer that existed. That was until the pandemic. Everything was shut down and I was forced to notice life outside of sports. I started to notice things I had ignored before, from the way the wind feels at different times of the day and the way the clouds swim across the sky, to how the stars seem so close but so far at the same time. Before I knew it I was researching more about space.

I had started learning how to edit videos and developing interest in photography. As I went down many rabbit holes on editing, photography, video games editing and space, I came across videos by a couple astrophotographers and I fell in love. I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Ever since, Ive been searching for opportunities to learn more about astronomy and planetary science. In school, I have only had a small interaction with this field. I'm really glad I found this opportunity to learn more about space to help me continue toward my goal of majoring in astronomy or astrophysics in college, and perhaps having a lifetime career involving space.

Owen J

Dear Mr. Guzman,
I sent this directly to you the first time and I haven't heard back. Hopefully this reaches you.
I hope you have been doing well since the last time I saw you.

My name is Colin, I participated in your summer program last year, and I hope to join again this year. I am very big on engineering and everything space related. I have been interested in these things for a very long time, since 7th grade I have been fascinated with space related things, and only recently have I gotten into the engineering behind some of these systems. My science teacher really helped me spark my passion, and has only been helped by my current mentors. I am always striving to find a new way to learn about astronomy and engineering. With this program I hope to expand my knowledge on astronomy related things while also getting to know like minded individuals. I also do aerospace engineering at Whitney, which as you know, is very closely tied to the space stage. I really hope to be working on rockets and aircraft in the future helping us reach the stars. I hope to continue to learn about these kinds of things and even pursue a career in aerospace.
Thank you,
Colin A

Hey Joe, it’s me again, Andrew from Whitney Young. I’m going to become a senior next even though it feels like I started highschool yesterday. Recently, I started to binge watch this one youtube channel called PBS Spacetime. Their channel breaks down complex astrophysics topics and explains them in a way that highschoolers can understand. I found their channel during the start of our previous astronomy program as I wandered around on youtube looking for channels that talked about astronomy. Each day I look forward to going home and watching their videos about the theories of our universe.
I have been a part of your virual lessons but I’ve never been a part of your in-person program. There are many topics that I want to learn about that we just don’t have enough time to talk about in virtual lessons. I can’t wait to discuss the 7 ways you can die in space. I also can’t wait to interact with the astro crew in person as there are very limited interactions virtually. I can’t wait to do the showcase at the end and create something tangible to show the wonders of our universe.
I think I’ve mention this before, but, in a perfect world where I don’t have worry about money, my dream job would be a physicist. A job where you spend the whole thing discovering new things about the universe sounds too good to be true. As they say “Find a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. However, when I think about the time investment, the amount of debt, and the fact that most of the time physicist are paid that well… I start to have second thoughts.
Technically I’m at the center of the universe(the center ofmy observable universe that is)

Andrew L

Hello Mr. Guzman!
This is my short essay on why I love space:
Astronomy enthralls me with its ability to unveil the mysteries of the universe, sparking both wonder and curiosity. Peering through a telescope, I'm captivated by the vastness of space, filled with stars, galaxies, and nebulae, reminding me of our place in the cosmos. Joining an Astro crew would fulfill my passion for exploration and contribute to scientific discovery, allowing me to collaborate with like-minded individuals on research projects and share my enthusiasm for astronomy with others through outreach and education. In essence, my love for astronomy and desire to join an Astro crew stem from a deep-seated passion for exploration, discovery, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Thanks for the opportunity,
Saul M

Firstly, space is just mind-blowingly beautiful. The sight of twinkling stars, colorful nebulas, and distant galaxies can leave you in awe. It's like a cosmic art show that never ends. And when you think about the sheer size of the universe, it's humbling and makes you realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things. Secondly, space is full of wonders and discoveries waiting to be made. From exoplanets to black holes, there is so much we still don't know about the universe. The possibility of finding extraterrestrial life or unraveling the mysteries of dark matter keeps our sense of wonder alive and fuels our desire to explore. Moreover, space exploration has led to incredible technological advancements that benefit us here on Earth. From satellite communication to GPS, the discoveries made in space have practical applications in our daily lives. And who knows what other breakthroughs await us in the future?

Lastly, space represents the ultimate frontier of human exploration. It symbolizes our innate desire to push boundaries, to go where no one has gone before. The bravery and dedication of astronauts inspire us to dream big and strive for greatness. Space exploration unites us as a species, reminding us of our shared humanity and the importance of working together for a common goal. In conclusion, the love for space stems from its awe-inspiring beauty, the potential for new discoveries, the technological advancements it brings, and the spirit of exploration it embodies. It's a passion that fuels our imagination, encourages scientific progress, and reminds us of our place in the vastness of the universe. So, if you find yourself captivated by the wonders of space, embrace that love and let it inspire you to reach for the stars!

Timara G

The main reason why I love space and astronomy is because it is literally out of this world. Even though I have never been out of the country, and the farthest I have been is Texas, I have always been interested in space. One of the main reasons I loved Texas so much was because I could see the stars, and there were no city lights to block out the view. I want to get back in touch with my love of the stars even though I cannot see them anymore because of the light pollution in Chicago.

Space is something that is not human, something that we have never been able to truly understand. People like to mention that only 5% of the ocean has been explored, but there is not even a percentage we can apply to space exploration. I think back to history and how sailors would use the night stars to navigate the seas, or how Nicholas Copernicus revolutionized how we think about our universe when he formulated that planets revolve around the Sun, or Galileo Galilei building on Copernicus’s view and using a telescope to track his observations about space. Studying space helps us to study ourselves and our place in the universe.

I want to join the Space and Astronomy program to learn everything I can about space, the way it works, and how it affects our daily lives. I feel like people just overlook the fact that the moon can actually control our tides, that the moon blocking the sun can cause total darkness in some parts of the world as we saw recently, and how an explosion on the sun can cause beautiful northern lights. Space has a lot more power over us than is usually mentioned, and I'm not talking about zodiac signs. I want a career in aerospace engineering. I want to build machines to roam the universe, and this program will teach me about the places my machines may some day explore.

Niya

Dear Mr. Guzman,


Here’s my essay:

One thing that I’m certain I share with nearly all of humanity, both present and past, is the feeling of looking up at the night sky and wondering what was really out there. Since ancient times we have tried to unravel the mystery of the stars, but only recently have we become able to actually see them for ourselves, and I would love to be able to as well. I have always wanted to be able to learn how to use a telescope and learn all about astronomy as a whole, but I’ve never had the chance. In AP Physics C I loved learned about gravitational pull between large objects in space, but I never got to apply that to actual situations, something that I very much hope to do in this class. Thank you so much for your time, and I very much hope that you accept me for this program.



Thank you,

Rowan H

Sounds good!

I wish to return because as always there’s always more to do and more to share, I would like to maybe add something’s or talk about something’s with the other students. My return is mainly because you’re program is the only real program I’m interested in.

Charles

David
5/17/24



Astronomy and what it means to me

I've been obsessed with what's beyond the sky ever since my dad bought me a telescope when I was 5 years old. The stars are just so captivating over the last year I've built and launched model rockets. I put some pieces together from the remains I had left over from the last few years. I ran out of engines and didn't want to buy more. Also my parachutes keep failing. I have no idea why I think it was just the brand I used because most of them worked fine . I watched the eclipse this year and have been reading up on solar sails because they are one of my interests . This is my third time interviewing to be in this astronomy program and I would love the opportunity to learn about space in this environment. I was the kid with the black tee shirt with space shuttles and the moon on it if u remember my last interview I understand it was along time ago I just wrapped up senior year and I would love for this to be the last internship i have with after school matters before college thank-you and have a good day.

David Z

Astronomy has always been a subject that fascinated me from a young age. Unlike others, I didn’t have direct access to STEM-related opportunities and programs because of my immigrant family’s low-income. Instead, my interest was sparked through YouTube videos that I watched since I was in elementary school. Although I have never been to any space centers or was able to afford a telescope, I was fascinated by the technology, science, and stories about space and its infinite possibilities. What would it be like to discover extraterrestrial life? What kind of planet would they inhabit? Would they look like us? What’s going to happen to the Earth long after we die out as a species? My curiosity festered for an extended period of my life, but for a long time, they only remained as dreams and interesting subjects to ponder .

Then, at the beginning of my freshman year of high school, I tried out for the science olympiad team to get the opportunity to participate in astronomy, among a multitude of other events. This year, the topic was pertaining to exoplanet characteristics, detection, and star formation. I would say that studying for this event is what got me into more serious studies of astronomy.
I recall over winter break this year, I studied for hours on various topics and deep space objects, never missing a single day of research in order to perfect my binder. I scraped every resource on the internet for whatever information I could find about things such as doppler spectroscopy, the pre-main sequence of stars, and studying specific objects such as the TRAPPIST-1 system. Otherwise, I’d be doing practice calculation problems I found online.
Once, a few weeks after winter break, I stumbled upon an astronomy textbook someone left behind in my game design club, presumably for the astronomy class we have here at school. I was so overcome with curiosity that I spent the next two hours at the club flipping through the pages to scourge for any information I could pull from or look for better explanations for phenomena I was confused about. The astronomy binder that day saw the addition of descriptions of different telescopes’ imaging technology and the electromagnetic spectrum.

While my competitive nature explains part of my extreme drive for astronomy, I would say that my desire to just know more about space motivated me to spend all those days obsessing over astronomy. The science olympiad competitions were just an excuse to do so. This hard work ended up paying off for the team, as I was able to place for my event in regionals and was right behind our varsity team in the collective rankings just in my first year of competing, helping Walter Payton win first place in the JV category for the first time in a while. And, I was able to prove my skill and get invited to the varsity team for the state competition.
In the end, one of the most important things I got out of this science olympiad experience was a rejuvenated curiosity in space and physics. This was the first sign that my dreams were starting to become reality. Without astronomy, I would never have bonded with my teammates and varsity-counterparts as we frantically scrolled through numerous practice tests preparing for regionals. They have become some of my most valued friends and have created a space in which we can discuss all things space-related.
The next step in my astronomy journey came a few months later, two days before spring break when I was invited last-minute to join the rocketry team in the middle of the competition season. This was the second year of this club’s existence and the first time that they’ve competed in TARC, which is a model rocket competition hosted by NASA. The captain was eager to get my help for such a small team. I saw this as an opportunity to delve deeper into aerospace and eagerly went to the 7 hour launch on Saturday. One launch became three more and soon enough I became a major contributor to the team in just two weeks and oversaw our last qualifying flights. We didn’t expect to make nationals this year, but our qualifying flights ended up being extremely close to the cutoff and they were more successful than we could have ever imagined. Now, as newly appointed leadership, I’ve opened my eyes to new, ambitious goals for the team. Not only are we going to make TARC nationals next year, but I’m planning to get us more involved in high-powered rocketry and maybe even qualify for NASA’s rocket research program, SLI.

In regards to short-term goals, SLI is one of the opportunities that I’m most excited about. It bridges the gap between simple rocket physics and astronomical concepts and allows me to contribute to actual research for missions like Artemis and many other NASA missions. I believe participating in this program will help me obtain some of the knowledge I need to achieve this. It will provide me with more hands-on activity with astronomy, and although I was heavily involved already due to the science olympiad, I am aware that I have much more to learn. Additionally, the science olympiad is lacking in many areas in regards to astronomy, since it is merely a paper test. I want to try and apply my knowledge in practical situations. Throughout my whole life, I’ve never experienced what it’s like looking through a telescope and witnessing space objects with my own eyes, and that’s probably what I’m most excited for.
While learning more is a major reason as to why I’m interested, I’m also looking forward to making new connections and friends through this program. Just like in my many other clubs, communities like these where we can engage in a group and work together is a special experience in which I can build life-lasting bonds through our shared curiosity. Not just with my peers who are just as eager to learn as I am, but also with our mentors and instructors who will be providing us with professional knowledge and an optimal space to ask questions and get insights into the career field.

If I am accepted into this camp, I can guarantee that I’ll be just as eager to learn as I have been during my previous endeavors. This opportunity is special to me, not only because I’ll be able to achieve many things as a result, but also because I am going to be doing something I never thought I would do since I was younger.
Thank you for taking your time to read this!
Angelina H

Dear Joe:

I am applying for your Summer 2024 Space and Astronomy program. The last few programs I attended at ASM were all art driven so I was nervous to take your Spring 2024 program. I am really glad I signed up for it. I enjoyed the program a lot because every meeting we learned something new about the space. I looked forward to the program because you are a very passionate teacher and that passion helped me and the other kids enjoy learning new things about the world around us. The class was fun and I even enjoyed our field trip which you made relevant to space and astronomy. You helped me and my fellow classmates become one group, become friends and to help one another while learning. The topics we covered were interesting to me and the experiments we did were also different to any other experiment I have done at school. Before taking your program, I was interested in Astronomy but now I truly want to learn as much as I can about it to the point that I wonder if this can be a career path for me later in life along with my art. If chosen for the Summer program I hope to once again learn much more from you and my classmates. I hope to try new experiments and continue to question what, where and how about space. I also hope that we get to go on additional field trips to learn more about space or how space and astronomy can be in our everyday lives. Thanks for the opportunity Joe and I hope I get to be in your Summer program.

Yuri T

Hello! I am Aidan, a soon to be freshman at UIC and a current senior at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School.
As cliche as it sounds, my love for astronomy related topics began when I was young. In my room my parents had put in little stars resembling the night sky which had included a few major constellations. The subtle, but consistent part of my life has branched out as I have gotten older. I have an immense love for mythology, especially Greek, which has a very strong connection with constellations. Beyond just constellations, I have also been very interested in various other topics, namely: stars, galaxies, black holes, and supernovas. I have always been beyond fascinated with the unimaginable size of both. The sheer monstrous size and complexity of black holes has always had me captivated. Throughout the years of being in school, we have gone on field trips and personal trips to the Museum of Science and Industry and the Adler Planetarium which have only gone to further my love for astronomy.
During the summer I am extremely excited to meet like-minded people to discuss with and to learn more about the vastness of space.


Aiden A

Astronomy Essay
Why Should I be selected for this program?
I should be selected for this program because I’m interested in learning more about the stars and
the planets and how they actually work and how they can move and what is actually up there
above the earth's surface. I would like to know more about the solar system and learn interesting
things about it like how many bodies does our solar system have, What are the stars made out of.
Not too long ago I did a research paper about our solar system and found so many facts about our
system, but something that got my attention about our solar system is the effects that our solar
system has, and the effects of the sun.

Something that I found out about the sun doing my
research for this paper is that the sun is losing its mass every single second of the day due to
thermonuclear fusion. I feel like being a part of this program would help me understand more
things, and know what is happening and how we can help.

Bethany M

Hello Mr. Guzman,

I would like to join this astronomy class because I’ve always loved space. Ever since I was a child, I’ve had a strong relationship with it. In first grade I would argue with my classmates to prove that mars had water on it because of the snow. Whether that was true or not, I always enjoyed having debates about it. Astronomy is one of the subjects that I can dive deep into and not get bored. One thing I like about space is the magical feeling it evokes. There is so much that we don't know about it and so many things to be discovered. I think this class will not only increase my knowledge of astronomy, but it will also answer questions I’ve had for years about the universe.



Respectfully,



Malik C

I want to join an astronomy program because I love learning about space. Looking up at the stars makes me curious about what's out there. I want to discover new things like planets and stars. It also involves using math and science to understand how things in space work. I think it's exciting to learn about space and share that excitement with others. Joining an astronomy program will let me learn more about the universe and inspire other kids to love science too.

Damarion M

I am interested in astronomy because I think that the stars and the universe beyond our planet are where humanity is destined to go. Astronomy is really interesting to me because the universe is massive and it’s so big that all of its scale can’t be captured by Earth and even if it is captured by Earth the distance is so massive that it takes light years to reach Earth. The universe is what can be seen as a sandbox for humanity, as well as a constant reminder of how small and insignificant we are. It makes you think anything is possible and makes you wonder about what is out there, and in my experience, it makes you more curious about things on Earth. Scientists, mathematicians, and physicists throughout the world find themselves using the universe as an example or a tool to discover new things about the reality we live in and how we can manipulate and play a role in it. But one of the very significant things about astronomy is how you can feel like you're witnessing something so big, but at the same time it makes you feel incredibly small, and this feeling is always lingering when thinking about what goes beyond our atmosphere no matter what feelings are had about it whether you appreciate it as a way of humbling yourself, whether it scares you and makes you depressed to think about, or if it drives you into being as significant as possible in this seemingly endless void. What is there not to be interested in, people who are interested in Earth and all that it has to offer are unknowingly interested in a very small part of this huge universe we live in, and what astronomy does basically at least for me is it opens me up to an even bigger picture and dimension to be interested in beyond earth and humanity, while also still being able to better appreciate and understand more about the corner of the universe that is earth that I live in.

I would like to be part of the Astro club because it would be a unique experience to physically dive into and learn more about our universe logically in a way that can be understood and passed on to others. I have watched videos and seen different famous physicists like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Stephen Hawking, discover new things about our reality and what goes past it through the example and inspiration of space. In the modern age understanding our reality is key and much of what advancements and inventions that will come to us in the future stem from our basic understanding of reality, and that can all start by looking past our own and into the bigger picture that is space. The Astro club and the opportunity to learn and understand is an important first step into this journey that is astronomy.

Sincerely, Quinn F

Astronomy Essay


Hello! My name is Jane’t McCriston, and I'm reapplying for ASM! I joined for the spring because I already had a love for all things astronomical, and wanted to learn more about it. Needless to say, I really enjoyed myself! I learned things I never knew before, learned more about things I already knew about, and all the while had a lot of fun. I've always wanted a job as an astronomer, and this program amplified my ambition to achieve that dream, and I'd love to spend my summer learning more.


Jane't M

I want to join the asm program because I want to potentially pursue a career in stars. When I tried to figure out what type of job I wanted to do astronomy came to my mind. I know that this program could help get to learn about astronomy which could help me out for when I go to college.

I also wanted to do this because I’ve always been fond of the stars since it’s helped me calmed down through a lot of things. I haven’t seen the stars a lot since there’s a lot of lights where I live currently so I wanted to use this job as an opportunity to see them again.

I wanted this since I would be paid to do something that I would actually enjoy doing instead of just having a drab and boring summer job like I always did.

Mikayla B

Dear Mr.Guzman,

I have worked long and hard on my essay so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! I'm looking forward to hearing from you about attending this program.

I saw “astronomy in action” twice when there were solar eclipses in 2017 and 2024. The first time I was only seven years old and I knew that the moon was blocking the sun but I didn’t know why. The second time was just this past April and I understood more about how the Moon, Earth, and Sun have to line up to make a solar eclipse occur. I also felt amazed, because of the way the environment changed for a brief period during and after the eclipse. Before the eclipse, it was sunny and warm; during the eclipse, the temperature dropped and it became dark and cool; after the eclipse, it was exactly like before. To see this solar marvel was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I heard most people say that it looked like the world was ending!


When my mom and I were looking through the programs that ASM offered I jumped for joy when I saw that astronomy was available. Since I got to experience two solar eclipses, one of my hopes has always been to learn more about black holes and their properties. It’s not something that you can learn in elementary school. I know I can’t see a black hole the way I can see a solar eclipse, but I would like to understand them. Some things that interest me in black holes are: if I could survive in a black hole, why are black holes so dark, how are black holes even created, and what their purpose is in the universe.


I am eagerly anticipating attending this astronomy program because of my interest in black holes, celestial bodies, and other aspects of space. I feel confident in my ability to understand why astronomy is important in our everyday life. I also hope to get to know my fellow campers who share my interests in astronomy. It would also be a great way to kick off my summer.


Sincerely,
Lenny P

Celestine S


I want to join this program because astronomy and space are subjects that I have been fascinated with since the first grade. Having the chance to look out into space with telescopes to view planets or other celestial bodies like asteroids or comets has been on my list ever since I've seen a lunar eclipse as a child. But besides my love for the subjects I also want to use this program as a chance to start my journey into the science field as a young black woman, I know that jobs surrounded astronomy and astrophysic are mostly dominated by men with the percentage of women astronomers at 20 and an even lower percentage for African American women.

Diversity is something I want to help bring to the field of space studies as I go through my journey. I feel like the astronomy field would have a big benefit by having a larger group of women entering and other ethnicities joining. Space is a beautiful thing that everyone should be able to enjoy without being treated differently just because of their gender or ethnic background. These changes can be made now since kids my age have so many opportunities like this program to get a taste of what jobs are like in the astronomy field and if this is something they would want to do as a career in the future.

Hopefully this program will give me the chance to make changes in the science field and will allow me to be ahead of the game in college when it comes to the steps of entering my career.

I want to be able to turn my love for astronomy into a job that I will enjoy for years to come with a salary that I will be able to live with.

Dear Mr.Guzman,
My name is Abdurrahman Patel but I go by Abu. I am 18 years old and I’m a senior at Von Steuben. Last year when the time came to choose classes for my senior year, Von Steuben was introduced to an astronomy class for the first time. I was really excited when I heard about that from my teacher and had intended to take it if I could. As a kid I’d often look up into the night sky and always had been stunned by the beautiful sight of the stars and how beautiful the moon was even though it didn't have its own light. Sadly because of light pollution you are hardly able to see those stars now from the city. It is only darkness with the lonely presence of the moon.

I have always been amazed by how vast and mysterious space is. To think that this world we live in is in truth so small compared to the rest of the universe and even that isn’t the greatest thing there is out there never fails to amaze me every single time I think about it or see a video about it. Like, I get introduced to something and I think it is big just to find out it isn't even half the size of something else. And in some pictures you think what you’re looking at is small but when looked closely it is absolutely massive. At the same time I have kind of feared space too, black holes, cosmic radiation, asteroids etc. but I’ve always been very intrigued to learn about it all. I saw that astronomy class as an opportunity to learn, however in an attempt to seek as many AP/DC classes as possible and taking classes I needed to graduate I couldn’t get my hands on that class.

To add a religious side to this topic, my religion also had interested me about space. I am a Muslim and for example in a video I learned that previously it was believed that the Earth was the center of the solar system/universe. And all the planets as well as the moon and the sun revolved around the Earth (geocentrism). Until the heliocentric theory was proposed saying the Sun was the center of the planets revolving around the sun. Then Kepler in 1609 said that not only do the planets revolve around the sun but they also rotate on their axis. Until recently it was believed that the sun however didn’t rotate in its own axis. However 1400 years ago in the Quran it was already mentioned in chapter 21 verse 33 “It is Allah who has created the night and the day, the sun and the moon, each one traveling in orbit with its own motion.” And now we know that even the sun rotates on its axis. And this absolutely shocked me. (VIDEO) Not only that but the Quran has some other verses which have intrigued me about space as well like how iron was sent down to Earth and it isn't a material from Earth (extraterrestrial metal). That it is material for war and many benefits for human beings. (57:25)

I see this program as an opportunity for me to have a great time learning about astronomy, increasing my knowledge about space and satisfying some of that passion and mystery.

Sincerely, Abdurrahman P

Hello Mr. Guzman,

Hope you're doing well, I'm reaching out to you because I'm very interested in joining your program and learning more about astronomy. It would be a great opportunity to become more educated in the works of outer space, the technology used to explore it, and the science behind how things in space form and function. Hope to learn so much from you and your program.

Thank you for your time,
Jordan S

Good afternoon Mr.Guzman, hope all is well,

I am extremely sorry for the late response to the application, it had completely passed my mind during the end of my school year with all the piled up exams. I would like to use my extended opportunity to explain my interest in the program and my interest in astronomy overall.

Passions often ignite from the most unexpected sources. For me, the spark came not from a classroom or a documentary, but from a series of video games. My journey into astronomy began with the immersive worlds of "Destiny 2," "Halo," and "No Man's Sky," each of which fueled my curiosity and led me to explore the universe beyond the screen.
"Destiny 2" was my gateway. Set in a richly detailed universe, the game’s depiction of celestial bodies and cosmic phenomena captivated me. The breathtaking visuals of distant planets, star systems, and interstellar travel piqued my interest in the real science behind these virtual worlds. This led me to explore popular science books and documentaries to understand the astronomical concepts that made the game's universe so fascinating.

Similarly, "Halo" played a significant role. Its story, deeply intertwined with space exploration and futuristic technology, introduced me to ideas of planetary science and the vastness of the galaxy. The intricate lore and the depiction of advanced civilizations battling across different planets made me wonder about the possibilities of life beyond Earth and the mechanics of interstellar travel.

"No Man's Sky" further deepened my interest. Its procedurally generated universe, with billions of planets to discover, offered a sense of boundless exploration. The game’s realistic approach to planetary formation, resource management, and survival in different atmospheres made me keenly interested in the actual science of how planets form and sustain life. I found myself researching orbital mechanics, star formation, and the conditions necessary for life, trying to bridge the gap between the game’s fiction and real-world astronomy.

These games did more than just entertain; they challenged me to think critically and solve complex problems, skills essential in astronomy. Inspired by the games, I began exploring coding and computer simulations to recreate the fascinating astronomical phenomena I encountered in the games. My growing passion for astronomy led me to pursue a degree in computer science as I begin my college journey. I am eager to delve into rigorous coursework and engage in projects that will allow me to use technology to further understand the universe. Today, as I prepare to enter college and embark on this academic path, I look back at my unconventional journey with gratitude. "Destiny 2," "Halo," and "No Man's Sky" not only sparked my interest but also equipped me with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They taught me that curiosity and imagination are powerful motivators, capable of transforming a pastime into a lifelong passion. In conclusion, the worlds of "Destiny 2," "Halo," and "No Man's Sky" were more than just virtual playgrounds; they were the catalysts that set me on an extraordinary path to explore the real universe. As I begin my college education in computer science and aim to contribute to the field of astronomy through technology, I carry with me the lessons and inspirations drawn from these games, forever grateful for the spark they provided.

-Thank you for your time,
Dylan W M

I think what started my love for space was the show Doctor Who. I started watching it when I was around 5 years old and have continued watching it to this day. I loved watching each episode and seeing all the different alien worlds that they travelled to. I became so entranced with the idea of other worlds that I started looking up at the night sky, hoping to see that blue box and travel with the Doctor to galaxies and planets far far away. When I realized that that would never happen, I started looking up at the other things in the night sky, like the moon and any stars I could make out. Throughout my life, especially recently, I’ve been confused about what I want to do with the rest of my life in terms of a career, but the thing that has remained constant is my love for space. I believe curiosity is one of mankind’s greatest traits and it is curiosity that drives me to learn more about the stars and planets both within and out of our reach.

I like astronomy because I find the idea of discovering new planets, stars, and galaxies very interesting. I’m always so astounded as to how humanity has progressed in terms of science and math, from the ancient Egyptians simply observing the stars in the night sky to the Apollo 11 mission and the landing of the first human on the moon. I believe that what we learn from other planets and solar systems can be applied to our own, whether that be the geology and formation of other planets, or even evidence of life and what that may mean in terms of the possibility of one day discovering other lifeforms. It’s the fact that there is a never ending amount of things you can learn about and discover is what makes astronomy one of my favorite things.

I would like to join the Astro Crew this summer because I would really like to learn more about astronomy with others who are also interested in it. I believe learning with others who have similar passions makes the learning environment much more fun and interesting, as people can bring their own personal perspectives and experiences into the things we learn. I haven’t had an opportunity such as this one before because I have only really gotten serious about astronomy recently, but I truly believe that this program would catapult me into gaining a better understanding of astronomy. After looking through the website, I’m really excited to possibly get the opportunity to work with other brilliant people.

Bianca M

Hello my name is Alijah C, I’m 15 years old and the reason why i would like to join the Astronomy is due to my interest in astronomy that i’ve always had as a young child so this is really something i would be interested in learning more about. I enjoy astronomy because of how complex this universe we leave in and everytime i learn something new that’s related to my islamic beliefs im more in awe of how beautifully and strategically made this universe is.

My name is Morgan; I am interested in astronomy because I’ve always liked
planets and the depths of the night sky. Seeing stars fascinates me and makes me
curious as to why they work the way they do, and I feel like getting involved in this
program would help me understand the sky and stars better. I think it’s so fantastic and
strange how space, in general, functions, and getting the opportunity to study it would be
even better. I am excited about applying for this program because I am getting the
opportunity to learn something new and intriguing.

I am 17 years old

I am interested in astronomy because I wonder what goes on in space . What are the deep dark secrets of the universe. The whole topic is mind blowing for me I love hearing about the planets and the sun because where did it all come from ? What even is the sun ? a big star ? What even is the moon . Like it’s soo many questions to be answered I like hearing about the topic because it gives me a insight on what space actually is

Brianna M

Hello! I was not able to get an interview because of scheduling conflicts, but I am still interested in joining the Astro crew and learning more about the universe.

I have some experience in astronomy from doing a Science Olympiad event in middle school that was all about stars: their life cycle, the different types, and where they form. That event also had some other astronomy topics, such as galaxies and space telescopes. All of this impressed me, but my favorite part of astronomy will always be the things we haven't discovered yet, and are only theories for now. Such as: is the universe finite? Are strange quarks really out there--and if so, are we safe from them? Can wormholes exist--and if they can, how could we use them to time-travel and teleport? I ask myself questions like that all the time, and I hope one day, I'll be able to answer some of them. This is the perfect place to get started.

Steph S

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Prep for the 2024 Summer Astronomy Program at ASM

We leave our old classroom that we shared with Astro teens for the past six years. It served us well, but was getting much too cramped and crowded with 20 Teens.  Looks lonely without our astro stuff.

We were assigned a much bigger classroom, cavernous and with enough space to stretch out, display our class projects and conduct astro activities and experiments in a better suited environment. I spend several days moving all the items collected over the six years from the 2nd fl down to the first and into the new space, making it our own. It will take some time to tweak everything, but it will be great.

Tables for example, were lined up to the chalkboard and the back was detached from the instructor, leading to non-participation and the sneaking of cell phone use in the rear of the classroom.  It did not flow right, very un Feng-shui.  Concentrating the focus to mid-room was a better solution and no backs toward me.  The chalk board area will be used for the projector screen.

 

We are almost ready to welcome our Astro Teens on Thursday, 20 June 2024 and start to get to know each other.

Onward.

Astro Joe 

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

First day of ASM Summer Astronomy classes 2024

On our first day of class at every term, we spend time getting to know each other by stating our names, school, age and why the teens applied to this popular program. Also their likes and if they would go into space etc...

[img src="

i.ibb.co/Nt74pb0/IMG-0004a.jpg" style="max-width:100%;" src="https://i.ibb.co/55Fs6Hw/IMG-0032.jpg"]

I observe for various traits such as enthusiasm, out going personalities and leadership...but also for those who are shy and reserved and require extra time and space to develop and build a astro family.  One of the activities is to build towers, competing with other tables on who can engineer the highest....

    

Looking out for the personalities, those who are leaders....reluctant or shy and bring all up to level.

[

Solid 1st day...onward.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

1st week of Summer Astronomy at ASM

Our first couple of weeks is the time to build trust and work on the cooperation of the teens. One of the activities is building words out of letters, but they have to be space oriented. And without telling them, figuring out on their own to barter and trade letters...works very well in friendly competition




As prelude to basic physics, I have started to incorporate a "Eulers Disk"....properties of inertia, angular motion and gravity.




Before viewing "The Martian", I like to have the astro teens collaborate in developing their own Martian Colonies: infrastructure, politics, economy, justice etc.... Better to understand the hardships on establishing a Mars presence...



When ready, the teams present to the class their concepts of the habitats...



The presentations were quite involved and lasted two days.





With such a large room, the projector screen that I constructed in my previous room, was much too small here and I was planning to construction something else for our learning enjoyment. I was presented with the option of this huge screen that another program was not using...and I grabbed it. With the assistance of my crew, we had it up in no time.



Already, we have viewed "The Martian" & "Apollo 13", analyzing and pausing the films often to discuss certain highlights and science.

But before viewing "Apollo 13", I take the opportunity to go thru the mechanics of the Saturn V rocket and the issue that caused the explosion...





We have also started our Plasma ball/sound experiments....












Onward to week #2 of exploring the cosmos....

Astro Joe

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

ASM Astronomy Student plays my Violin

02 July 2024

One of my top Astro teens, Issac, I learned... plays the violin and I brought in my very cheapo violin for him to adjust and play...and he did so well. He played several pieces, including the "Civil War" theme from Ken Burns. Too cool and I hope he fiddles some more.

 

I have several Astro students who are musicians and always pleased to hear them play.

Here is a link to a short vid:


Excelsior!

Astro Joe

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Third week of ASM Space & Astronomy

08 - 10 July 2024

We are getting to know each other and comfortable working in teams. I start this week with the measure of our Solar System via Register tapes with my younger AM class. The gas giants are quite spaced apart and a long way from the Sun at the start of the tape....but the inner planets, are quite bunched together and practically no space to write them all in. The goal was to realize that the pictorial pics that are taught in schools, are just aesthetic and not a true representation of the scale of of Solar System.

We then ease into Exo-Biology and the creatures that may inhabit exoplanets - with considerations of environment conditions. Researching via their cells, they start the process of collecting data and visualizing a life form...

My older teens in the PM class also start their own projects on Exo-Biology...

With the research exhausted it was time to draw their creatures and present the finding to the classes...

While my teens are finishing up, I practice and experiment with a possible laser activity in light mechanics/reflection/refraction & diffraction. Still working it out....



A lot of shared questions and laughs as the teams explain their exo-creatures....

Before the teams were ready to present, we get a nice drop-in from a ASM staffer and was welcomed and engaged our visitor in explaining their concepts...

A favorite of mine is the Vacuum experiments to demonstrate the effects of a bad day in space...

Pressure differentials does a number on objects...or astronauts.

I like to use these water bottles as a demo on the power of the air pressure around us and it always makes a great impression....



We have two more days of exploration this week which will include Telescope basics and the start in using the instruments to catch the Moon next week.

Astro Joe 

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Lenny and the Movie
12 July 2024

Enthusiastic Astro student Lenny, had to take a day off for his Freshman Connection activities and disappointed that he would miss the ending of "Contact", the story of communication with an alien lifeform via radio astronomy. He contributes a great deal to our class and I decided to wait for him to return and finish the movie with him present.

In all our movie viewings, we analyze the film by pausing often, ask questions, share observations and comments. After my teens complete their Spacecraft model projects, we will start the long film "Interstellar".



Astro Joe

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Fourth week of ASM Space &* Astronomy

15 July 2024

We start this week with telescope training and lessons...always an anticipated activity in my classes and we start with my younger Teens in our morning class.

Some history and mechanics on the telescope before hands-on operation up on our terrace....with the mantra of "Never point a telescope at the Sun!"



My older PM Astro Teen crew also get equal attention on telescope prep...








We examine the properties of light and different mirrors that telescopes utilize in examining the cosmos. Supervised lasers make a great hands-on demonstration on the light path.

We then, with a better understanding of telescopes, head to the outside to start telescope training with the 8" Dob reflector....



We switch and bring up two 4.5" reflectors on a alt-az and EQ mounts for some more training. My telescope master, Damarion jumped on in and took control in setting the scopes up...






Although there were no celestial objects to target, the astro teens practiced on buildings and other structures, learning to focus, compare eyepiece magnifications and aligning the finder scopes/red dots. This is good practice and I observe the behavior of the crew, which was solid....




After a break, we unbox out the individual table top scopes after I was satisfied with the abilities of the teens in operating the bigger scopes with care and learning new abilities, with each teen responsible for their own scope...



With direction earlier with the bigger scopes, the Astro teens were free to experiment with the table tops as they pleased...







With our session concluded for the day, our Telescope master supervises the return of all scopes to our astro classroom....



As my morning teen crew leaves, I prep my older teens for a session on the terrace for some scope time as our different Scope master Jared assigns the instruments after each teen de-packs the table top scopes....



Our scope master Jared makes sure all eyepieces are accounted for...















With another successful telescope session we pack up and our scope master coordinates the return to our astro classroom....

Soon, we will conduct a all solar session with proper filtered scopes for both my Summer Astronomy classes, bringing views never before observed by my teens. They are excited about it.

Astro Joe

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

ASM Astronomy Students gear up for the Summer Showcase

17/18 July 2024

At the end of each ASM term, students are required to share their new gained knowledge from the past weeks we spent together exploring the cosmos. For this term, my astro teens are building scale models of the great Space craft probes of New Horizons & Voyager. Both machines pushing the limits of the outer reaches of the solar system and beyond.

My AM younger teens are building the New Horizons craft, sweating out the details down to the centimeter and using a CAD program to lay out the dimensions and constructing prototypes before the actual final build...



Always time for a lesson...we discuss the properties of gyroscopes and angular momentum in space travel....



My astro teens feel the strength of torque, fighting the resistance of change...

My older PM teens are building the incredible Voyager Space Craft, heading out into interstellar space with a recording of Earth sounds for whom ever finds it someday. Using similar techniques, they build rough prototypes and correcting their measurements on the white board as they go along....






[img src="

i.ibb.co/fCzBpKP/IMG-0023.jpg" style="max-width:100%;" src="https://i.ibb.co/k8ZjwzZ/IMG-0018.jpg"]

Also utilizing a CAD program, their prototypes are coming together nicely. We will spent the next few classes working on these builds, with a diversion from time to time on a lesson or a movie segment...Interstellar in this case...

Astro Joe

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

The Space Craft Build continues...

19 July 2024

My AM class dives right into the build of their "New Horizons" scale model after a few preliminary program items at the beginning of our class at 8:30 am, gathering data and learning about the on-board instrumentations...



Communication dish and Instrument body are coming nicely...soon ready for the actual build with sturdier materials.

After a short break, my PM crew come in at 1:00 pm and also eager to commence their project...



The Voyager is a much more complicated machine, as it has many assorted instruments on it's boom, but after each is build and displayed for our Showcase on the 30th of July, I will have these scale models for my future astro classes and proudly displayed in my classroom.

Astro Joe

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Refining the Voyager and New Horizons Scale Models

22 July 2024

Each day brings us closer to the final build as my astro teens tighten up their measurements and start the final builds, using their prototypes to change this and alter that....




PM is taking a bit longer to measure out all the components and dry fittings, but will be ready....



Not only are they Astro students, but Astro-Engineers...quite proud of all of them.

I take some time away from the builds in both classes to get some teaching in, as we discuss the International Space Station and it's eventual decommission fate, (with a scale model a past astro class built and in permanent display in my classroom).....



Astro Joe

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Deep Space Probes taking solid shape

23 July 2024

The New Horizons Body is coming together nicely and the instruments will be ready for attachment tomorrow. Both crews are creating an artistic background display to be placed behind the models to augment to the explanations of the crafts...



PM crew is at a slower pace, getting those dimensions accurate and in proportion to the body of the Voyager...



Each table with a specific task and responsible for a certain part of the machine...much like an assembly line and doing great....



I squeeze in a lesson on the Shuttle and Apollo Disasters...

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Space Craft Production Line

24 & 25 July 2024

The ongoing projects for both my AM & PM Astro class are going solidly. The New Horizons space probe to Pluto and beyond has been completed and remarkable in it's beauty. Each table responsible for a certain aspect of the machine model....





We take a break and my Jewish teen shows me the Shofar and allows me to play it...



I did pretty well...!

I brought my Trumpet the next day and two of my teens did pretty well...



We go back to the space craft build....



While the crew builds, our New Horizon experts take copious talking notes to explain the probe to our visitors in a few days.



Every one has a job to do and I guide & direct from time to time...material conservation and proper technique is vital and a learning experience. The tense moment of the final piece - The Communications Dish is ready to be installed...



A robust loud applause and cheers as my astro teens hoist the New Horizons probe above in proud victor of accomplishment...



And...it also lights up!



Our background artist admires her work of the Silhouetted Pluto orb and will be displayed along with their New Horizons scale model...




I show my PM class the model my morning crew had finished, explaining the components and they like it, as I do...





With that, my PM crew gets to working on their Voyager craft, more complicated and taking more time to design & build, with intricate trusses and instrumentation...

Serious and stressful, they measure and measure again to get the dimensions just right and secure them to the craft...

More to do for the next day.....

---

Thursday 25 July....

My AM crew now makes the hinged base for the New Horizons craft, displaying it a rakish and smart angle of 45 degrees....



The rest of the crew puts on the finishing touches...

We also decide to include the asteroid formerly known as  "Ultima Thule" Now "Arrokoth" that New Horizons visited on it's ongoing mission. Here, we "rough it up".



And, the stand works great...



We evaluate at the end of each day, with all stations giving their status report and progress...



My PM dives right in, as there is quite a lot to do before the end of the week....

During a class break, one of my former students Seth came by to visit and shares his accomplishments in aerospace class training and to say hi.  He intends to return to my program in the Fall and I will gladly accept him...




Components coming together and structural members assembling....classes of engineers...

Some horse play...



The Instrument array completed and ready for installations....



Sometimes, experience comes in to the rescue and rectifies a trouble spot...

Friday...the masts, generators, instrument boom, and Communications Dish will be installed...YAY!

I have two great Astro teen crews.

Astro Joe

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Scale Model Build Complete and Telescope Training

26 July 2024

We have one week left in our ASM Space & Astronomy class and time get some more telescope time in for both classes and finishing the Voyager model for my PM class.

We discuss the upcoming Showcase presentations with my AM teens and assign jobs, (Vacuum, Plasa New Horizons etc...) More practice on Monday, but they are prepping and feel confident...

I also show what my PM class has accomplished with their Voyager model...



They like it and also proud of their own New Horizons model...



Weather was perfect for some telescope use and although the Moon was not out for us, my students could lean more on how to use the scopes and get some solar viewing in on the 4.5" reflector. We set-up in Millennium park and a favorite ledge I have utilized in the past...

We were lucky as a performers were practicing for tonight's concert in the park while we were getting scope time in...

The second part of out session, was to examine solar features via a larger reflecting scope with a Baader Full Aperture solar filter. Our Telescope master sets up for viewing...

Our scope master installs various color filters during our solar session...

With that our AM class scope master breaks down our observation session and we head back to our astro classroom...

---

PM Astro Class....

Before my older teen PM class heads out for their telescope time, they must complete their scale model build of the Voyager Space Craft. Behind schedule, but granted, it is a much more of a complicated model to build. With great anticipation, the engineering crew eases the Communication Dish onto the body with great cheer....



Then it was a matter of tweaking and re-enforcing areas of the model and it looks great - light's up too!

With a victory fanfare, I blow the "Horn of Success" announcing the completion of a long build...



One of my astro teens also plays the trumpet and entertained us with a great fanfare....

Big applause.....



I will now have two more great spacecrafts to add to our collection of educational tools for future astro classes and an inspiration.


With that, we were now free to address other lessons and finally take that trip to the park with telescopes...

PM Class also conducts a solar observation session with some nice sunspot activity to enjoy...

Our telescope master pops in the colored filters for more dramatic views of the Sun...

Our Telescope master was doing a great job in explaining the mechanics of telescopes and viewing the Sun to the crew...

With that, we wrap up another successful and fun time with telescopes and head back to our Astro Class...

Onward to our last week of class, finishing viewing "Interstellar" and the End of Term Show case...

Astro Joe