Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 12 hours ago
No one becomes an astrophysicist overnight. For most professionals, it requires years of study, research, mentorship, and self-discipline. Luckily, there is a whole field of research dedicated to finding the best and most effective way to teach astronomy to students, whether they are looking to make it a career or just want an interesting way to fulfill a transcript requirement. Our guest this week gives us an inside look at what it’s like to teach astronomy, how education has evolved as a science, and how new generations of teachers and students are making astronomy more exciting and accessible than ever.
Dr. Seth Hornstein is a senior instructor at CU Boulder and the Observatory and Education Director at Sommers-Bausch Observatory. He serves as lead mentor for undergraduate astronomy majors with career interests in teaching and is the department coordinator for the Learning Assistant program (a university-wide program to recruit and prepare talented science majors for careers in teaching). Since 2008 he has been working with the Center for Astronomy Education's Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) team and the STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) program. In addition to his research in astronomy education, he has also worked on infrared observations of the supermassive black hole at the Galactic Center.
Fiske is one of the largest planetariums in the US, having served CU Boulder & the local community since 1975. We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, live talks, laser and liquid sky shows, as well as public gatherings for astronomical and NASA-related events.
Follow Fiske Planetarium:
Website | https://www.colorado.edu/fiske
Instagram | instagram.com/fiskeplanet
Facebook | facebook.com/teamfiske
No one becomes an astrophysicist overnight. For most professionals, it requires years of study, research, mentorship, and self-discipline. Luckily, there is a whole field of research dedicated to finding the best and most effective way to teach astronomy to students, whether they are looking to make it a career or just want an interesting way to fulfill a transcript requirement. Our guest this week gives us an inside look at what it’s like to teach astronomy, how education has evolved as a science, and how new generations of teachers and students are making astronomy more exciting and accessible than ever.
Dr. Seth Hornstein is a senior instructor at CU Boulder and the Observatory and Education Director at Sommers-Bausch Observatory. He serves as lead mentor for undergraduate astronomy majors with career interests in teaching and is the department coordinator for the Learning Assistant program (a university-wide program to recruit and prepare talented science majors for careers in teaching). Since 2008 he has been working with the Center for Astronomy Education's Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) team and the STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) program. In addition to his research in astronomy education, he has also worked on infrared observations of the supermassive black hole at the Galactic Center.
Fiske is one of the largest planetariums in the US, having served CU Boulder & the local community since 1975. We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, live talks, laser and liquid sky shows, as well as public gatherings for astronomical and NASA-related events.
Follow Fiske Planetarium:
Website | https://www.colorado.edu/fiske
Instagram | instagram.com/fiskeplanet
Facebook | facebook.com/teamfiske
