Author John A. Reda sitting at an outdoor table near a marina, holding a glass, with sailboats and a clear blue sky in the background.

Learn To Stargaze is hosted by John A. Read, a writer, astronomer, and YouTuber on all things Space.

John Read’s journey into astronomy began with a small and rickety telescope purchased at his local pharmacy when he was about 27 years old. He found it fascinating to observe the Moon and Saturn using such meagre equipment. After two years volunteering with his local astronomy club in California, he decided to share his newfound knowledge with others by writing his first book, 50 Things to See with a Small Telescope.

Since then, he has written several other books including 50 Things to See on the Moon (with David M. F. Chapman), 50 Animals That Have Been to Space (which he co-wrote with his wife Jennifer Read), and 50 Space Missions That Changed the World. In 2021, he released 110 Things to See with a Telescope (with Chris Vaughan). John recently founded a private stargazing park, called Stargaze Nova Scotia, and is in the process of resurrecting the Abbey Ridge Observatory. On the side, he hosts the Learn To Stargaze channel on YouTube and is a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University studying Space Systems Engineering.

LearnToStargaze is proud to partner with…

Passage (Science to South America)

Passage is an organization that takes telescopes to schools in South America. LearntoStargaze is partnering with them to send Spanish translations of John A. Read’s books along with the telescopes. If you want to support this endeavor, please consider donating to Passage. The future is looking up and we can all make it a little brighter!

Donate
Donate

Deep Sky Eye

LearnToStargaze partners with Deep Sky Eye Observatory in Quinan, Nova Scotia in many of its outreach efforts. Our goal is to provide educational content to Nova Scotia schools, as well as advocate for light pollution awareness, and light-trespass bylaws, as well as the creation of Dark Sky Preserves. Deep Sky Eye is home to the "Blind Astronomer," Tim Doucette. Tim had cataracts as an infant, and his eyes never fully developed. His vision is hypersensitive to UV light, and he wears dark glasses all day, but because of this, he also experiences unparalleled views of the night sky!

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Visit

In the Community

Author John A. Read and two journalists, are looking through telescopes at the Discovery Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The table in front of them holds models of planets, a laptop, a telescope, and science-related items.

Discovery Centre and beyond

John’s passion isn’t just space; it is sharing that love and wonder with others. Events at places like The Discovery Centre, libraries, schools, or parks are all places that John brings telescopes and his enthusiasm for the stars.

People at a bookstore, Author and Astronomer John A. Read showing a telescope to two children. The table has books, a MacBook, and promotional materials. Bookshelves with children's books (written by John Read) are in the background.

Book Signings

Who doesn’t love having their book signed by the author? When doing book signings, John always makes sure to bring a telescope so that he can demonstrate how to use it and what kind of scope is good for beginners. If you’re interested in hosting a book signing event, contact us!

John also signs any copies of his book that he sees at a bookstore or gift shop; so open that book, it just might be signed.

Child reading a book titled '50 Things to See with a Small Telescope' outdoors, with other astronomy books and a grassy area in the background.

Little Free Libraries

John and his helper deliver books to little free libraries from time to time. Everyone should have access to books and space!

In the Media

Author and astronomer John A. Read standing next to a large telescope inside the Burke Gaffney observatory, holding two of his books about telescopes.

The Chronicle Herald

Author and astronomer John Read sitting at a table in front of a laptop with a galaxy design, smiling, with a green plant wall background at Saint Mary's University.

SMU.ca

Author and astronomer John Read, holding multiple copies of his book titled '50 Things to See With a Telescope' against a plain white background.

Huddle.Today

A journalist in a gray suit and author and astronomer John Read in a studio, with a telescope between them, used for a television interview on Global News.

Global News: 50 Things to See with a Telescope

Three smiling people with telescopes at an educational display, with planets and scientific models on the table, in front of a colorful wall with hexagon-shaped diagrams and labels.

CTV News Atlantic: Discovery Days

Author and astronomer John Read chats with a Global News journalist in a television studio. A telescope and a magazine are also on display.
In a TV interview. Author Jennifer Read on the left has curly hair, while author and astronomer John Read, glasses is holding a coffee mug. There is a book titled "50 Animals That Have Been to Space" on the table.

Global News: 50 Animals that have been to Space

Global News: Meteor Shower

Author and astronomer John Read is standing next to a control panel with a red and a yellow button, in front of a blue wall, in a room with a large telescope and monitor overhead.
Two men in a television studio discussing astronomy. One man is dressed in a suit with hands clasped, and the other is in a casual shirt holding a picture of the moon. A telescope is on display between them, with a green potted plant and a large screen showing a cityscape in the background.

Global News: The Moon

CTV News Atlantic