For nearly five decades, Dennis Mammana has delivered the wonder and mystery of the cosmos to audiences around the world.DenniswasbornandraisedinEaston,PA,ahistoriccityattheconfluenceoftheLehighandDelawarerivers, andhisfascinationwiththeheavensbeganwiththelaunchingofthefirstEarth-orbitingsatellitesinthelate 1950s.Henowworksasanastronomywriter,lecturer,andskyphotographerundertheclear,darkskiesof Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert. WithadegreeinphysicsandastronomyfromOtterbeinCollege(nowOtterbeinUniversity),hewasoneofonly twoastronomygraduatestudentsadmittedtoVanderbiltUniversityin1973.Hisresearchthereincludeda year-longphotometricstudyofopticalvariabilityinthenucleiofthreedistantSeyfertgalaxiesusingthe24-inch (0.61-meter) telescope of the Arthur J. Dyer Observatory.AfterearninghisM.S.inastronomy,Denniswasselectedfromafieldof55applicantsfora covetedone-yearinternshipattheworld-famousStrasenburghPlanetariumandhassince heldpositionsattheSmithsonianInstitution'sNationalAir&SpaceMuseum,theUniversity of Arizona, and San Diego's Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater & Science Center. HisoriginalplanetariumprogramshavebeenenjoyedfromNewYorktoCalcuttatoBrisbane, andintheirproduction,hehasdirectedsuchluminariesasactorsBurgessMeredith,Patrick Stewart,NichelleNichols,KeyeLuke,sportscasterDickEnberg,andmanyothers,andhas collaboratedwithsciencefictioniconArthurC.Clarkeonaplanetariumadaptationof Clarke’s popular short story “Wind from the Sun.” AlongtimememberoftheNationalAssociationofScienceWriters,Dennisistheauthorofsixbookson popularastronomy―includingco-authoringthefirst-everbookaboutthesearchforextra-solarplanetary systems―aswellashundredsofpopularmagazinearticles,planetariumandvideoscripts,andblogs.For morethan30yearshewasaregularcontributortoGrolier(nowScholastic)Encyclopedia,andsince1992, hehaswrittenStargazers,theonlysyndicatedweeklynewspapercolumnaboutastronomy.InJanuary1986, hewasacandidateforNASA’sJournalistinSpaceprogram;justweekslatertheSpaceShuttleChallenger accident grounded the fleet and canceled the program. Asanaccomplishednightskyphotographer,hisstunningcelestialimageshave earnedhimaninvitedmembershipinTWAN(TheWorldatNight).Heisoneofonly sixAmericansonthiseliteinternationalteamofthemostexperiencedandhighly acclaimednightskyphotographersontheplanet.Hisworkhasappearedinbooks,videos,international magazines,andexhibitions,andhasbeenfeaturedninetimesasNASA’sAstronomyPictureoftheDayand dozensoftimesonthefrontpageofSpaceweather.April2018markedthe50thanniversaryofhisfirst published sky photo. A dynamic public speaker, Dennis has entertained, inspired, and informed audiences at resorts, museums, corporate events, and on cruise ships, including those of Radisson Seven Seas, Hurtigruten, Sitmar, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Carnival, Regent Seven Seas and others. In early 2021 he was scheduled to return for his 25th year as an invited enrichment lecturer with Crystal Cruises, the world’s most awarded cruise line, but the voyage was canceled because of COVID-19. He will be joining Crystal again in August of 2024, as well as making his debut appearances on Silversea in December of 2024 and Oceania in August/September of 2025.Since1986,Dennishasbeenafeaturedlectureronmanypublicobservingandskyphototourstomore than50countriesonsixcontinents.HehastraveledtotheArcticandsub-Arcticmorethan30timesover thepasttwodecadestoview,photographandlectureabouttheauroraborealis(thenorthernlights),and has witnessed and photographed 18 total solar eclipses. DennishashostedaweeklyastronomynewssegmentonSanDiego'sKUSI-TV,andco-hosted"Quarksto Quasars"onUCSD-TVaswellastheEmmyAward-winningdocumentary"SanDiegoNightSky"with KPBS-TV.HeisarecipientoftheRobertBurnhamJr., AwardforExceptionalServicein Astronomyfromthe AstronomicalLeagueandtheSpecial Achievement AwardfromOtterbeinCollege.In2009hisastronomical contributionstothecommunityofBorregoSprings(thefirstInternationalDarkSkyCommunityin California) were honored as he was named Grand Marshal of the 44th Annual Borrego Days Desert Festival. Whennotspendingtimewithhisheadinthestars,heenjoysbakingandcookinghome-styleItalianfoods,sports,weight-training, tendingtohisItalianherbgarden,exploringthedesertcanyonsinhisJeep4x4,watchingrerunsofGunsmoke,takingnaps,and relentlessly pursuing the perfect Philly cheesesteak sandwich―not necessarily in that order.Tolearnmoreabouthimandhiswork―andtoseehispubliclectureandtourschedule―pleasevisithiswebsite,"Like"and“Follow” himonFacebook,X(formerlyknownasTwitter),andsubscribetohisfreee-newsletterStarTrailssoyoudon'tmissanyofhisupcoming events!