About Dennis Mammana

Dennis Mammana

Dennis Mammana

For more than three decades, Dennis Mammana has shared the wonder and mystery of the cosmos with audiences around the world. With a B.A. in physics from Otterbein College and an M.S. in astronomy from Vanderbilt University, Mammana has held positions at the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum, the University of Arizona, and San Diego's Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. He now works as an astronomy writer, lecturer and photographer from under the clear dark skies of Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert. Mammana is the author of six books on astronomy, hundreds of popular magazine and encyclopedia articles and, since 1992, has written "Stargazers," the only nationally syndicated weekly newspaper column on astronomy.

As an accomplished night-sky photographer, his stunning images have appeared in a variety of media and international exhibitions, and can be enjoyed at his website, www.dennismammana.com. He is an invited member of TWAN — The World At Night — an international team of the world's most highly acclaimed sky photographers.

A dynamic public speaker, Mammana has entertained and informed audiences on six continents at resorts, on cruise ships and as an after-dinner speaker, and leads public tours to view and photograph such celestial displays as the aurora borealis and total solar eclipses. He makes frequent appearances on both radio and television.

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Early Stars of Summer May 05, 2026

Week of May 10-16, 2026 Skywatchers of ancient times recognized the night sky as a way to measure time. Not only does it seem to revolve around the Earth every night, but it also appears to change gradually over the seasons. The stars and constellat... Read More

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See Halley's Comet (Well, Sort of ...) Apr 28, 2026

Week of May 3-9, 2026 If you're old enough, do you remember seeing Halley's Comet — the most famous of all celestial nomads — when it swung past our neck of the cosmic woods in 1986? I did, and I wasn't terribly impressed. It was arguably... Read More

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Farewell, Winter Sky! Apr 21, 2026

Week of April 26 - May 2, 2026 Fresh from its historic visit by four intrepid astronauts from Earth, the moon will shine brilliantly in our evening sky this week. It will reach its full phase on the evening of April 30, when it rises in the east just... Read More

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We Can See for Miles and Miles and Miles ... Apr 14, 2026

Week of April 19-25, 2026 During my long career working in planetariums, I had a great advantage. Not only could I move the sun, moon and planets around the sky, I could also make the stars appear in the daytime and even make clouds disappear at will... Read More