Today In Space
Today In Space
Alex G. Orphanos, Science Communicator
There's Something Human About Stargazing | Bortle 1 Skies & Perspective | EP418
11 minutes Posted Aug 24, 2026 at 2:05 pm.
Welcome — the close of summer, and Maine 00:44 There's something human about stargazing 01:19 The Bortle scale: Bortle 1 in Maine, Bortle 5 at HQ 01:37 Cherry Springs next, with the Space Talkers 01:53 The night sky as humanity's first story map 02:37 How many satellites you can actually see up there 03:01 Mosaic mode: filtering satellite and plane streaks out 03:43 One year since the layoff 05:03 chat3DP — where the build is right now 05:44 The more AI I do, the more human things I want 06:51 The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing 07:22 I still don't identify as an author 08:00 A dock in Maine, and skies astronomers chase 08:42 How did anyone sleep before cities? 09:10 Greek ancestry, the mythologies, the Odyssey 10:03 What stargazing does to a conversation 10:46 Find the 20 minutes. Look up. 11:03 Clear skies THE BOOK The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing is out now in hardcover and on Kindle:  https://ag3dlabs.com/book MORE TODAY IN SPACE  https://todayinspace.net We just updated the site! Check it out I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your favorite mad scientist, wishing you clear skies and great conversations with great people as we build a fantastic future for all of us. Be well, stay safe, and stay curious. SPREAD LOVE, SPREAD SCIENCE, AND STAY CURIOUS. What's the darkest sky you've ever stood under? Tell me in the comments. #stargazing #astrophotography #bortlescale #lightpollution #spacepodcast #vaonisvespera #darksky #milkyway #3dprinting #todayinspace   Youtube ID vTAoT8x5mfo
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There's something human about stargazing. You don't even need to know what you're looking at. I just got back from Maine and about the most perfect dark skies you could ask for — a Bortle 1 or 2, against the Bortle 6 or 7 we get at Today In Space HQ outside Boston. Dark, clear skies like that makes you wonder what the night sky was to the early humans like the ancient Greeks & their Mythologies. These deep moments allow for some deep perspective. like what it's like a year since I was laid-off aka "terminated" and why the more AI work I do, the more I want to go do human things. Great summer nights with a dark sky and great company. Who could ask for a better end to the Summer? My advice? Grab 20 minutes and a patch of sky. Even the patch above you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome — the close of summer, and Maine 00:44 There's something human about stargazing 01:19 The Bortle scale: Bortle 1 in Maine, Bortle 5 at HQ 01:37 Cherry Springs next, with the Space Talkers 01:53 The night sky as humanity's first story map 02:37 How many satellites you can actually see up there 03:01 Mosaic mode: filtering satellite and plane streaks out 03:43 One year since the layoff 05:03 chat3DP — where the build is right now 05:44 The more AI I do, the more human things I want 06:51 The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing 07:22 I still don't identify as an author 08:00 A dock in Maine, and skies astronomers chase 08:42 How did anyone sleep before cities? 09:10 Greek ancestry, the mythologies, the Odyssey 10:03 What stargazing does to a conversation 10:46 Find the 20 minutes. Look up. 11:03 Clear skies THE BOOK The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing is out now in hardcover and on Kindle:  https://ag3dlabs.com/book MORE TODAY IN SPACE  https://todayinspace.net We just updated the site! Check it out I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your favorite mad scientist, wishing you clear skies and great conversations with great people as we build a fantastic future for all of us. Be well, stay safe, and stay curious. SPREAD LOVE, SPREAD SCIENCE, AND STAY CURIOUS. What's the darkest sky you've ever stood under? Tell me in the comments. #stargazing #astrophotography #bortlescale #lightpollution #spacepodcast #vaonisvespera #darksky #milkyway #3dprinting #todayinspace   Youtube ID vTAoT8x5mfo