A tribute to American astronomers in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The stars figure prominently in our early American identity—from the first flags of 1777 to the star charts in Ben Franklin’s popular almanacs. We’ll explore how the science of astronomy developed from the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the present day. We’ll also show you where to look in the sky to see a star whose light began its journey to Earth 250 years ago and is only now arriving in 2026.
Joe Rao is an astronomer, author, and former broadcast meteorologist with more than 40 years of experience. He serves as an associate and guest lecturer at New York’s Hayden Planetarium and writes about astronomy for Space.com, Natural History, Sky & Telescope, and other publications. In recognition of his contributions to astronomy education, the International Astronomical Union named Asteroid 20009 Joerao in his honor in 2023.
Hosted on Zoom. Free and open to all. Register HERE.
This program is offered in partnership with: The Bedford Hills Free Library, The Warner Public Library, The North Castle Public Library & The Eastchester Public Library.
Registration will be handled by the Bedford Hills Free Library.
Warner Library 