Galileo, using a brand new, technological invention, made a series of startling discoveries in January 1610 that ushered in a scientific revolution that reverberates to this day. His reward? Sentenced to house arrest by the Pope. #OurIslandUniverse

Traveling at some 70,000 mph, spaceship Earth will make its closest approach to our star on January 4th. We will be nearly 3 and a half million miles closer to the Sun then we will be on July 4. Still think distance is the reason for the seasons?! #OurIslandUniverse

On December 25, a long time ago, a young boy was born that made an enormous contribution to our understanding of the world around us. His discoveries revolutionized how we view the heavens above and also here on Earth. #OurIslandUniverse

December 21 is the date of the winter’s solstice. For those of us located north of the equator, its the longest night of the year. Virtually every culture had celebrations at this time of the year as they celebrated the lighter days to come and dealt with the season of dormancy, darkness, and cold. #OurIslandUniverse

Adorned atop many a Christmas tree this year will be a star. What was the Star of Bethlehem that led wise men to a newborn baby in a manger? How do we even begin to figure it out?! #OurIslandUniverse

Many Americans will conclude their festive Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday with a slice of homemade pie. Maybe its a recipe that has been passed down the generations. But, if you really wanted to make a pie from scratch, you must first invent the Universe. #OurIslandUniverse

What’s Kentucky’s BIGGEST export? Maybe you think its horses or bourbon? Maybe coal or tobacco? Nope. It’s aerospace. And at $14 Billion per year and growing, there is only 1 other state in the US that does more than we do. #OurIslandUniverse

Science is not a collection of facts & formulae you memorize. It is a human endeavor driven by our innate curiosity to understand why the world is the way it is and not some other way. One of science's greatest ambassadors, and one of my scientific heroes, was Dr. Carl Sagan born on November 9, 1934. #OurIslandUniverse

How big is the Solar System? You can figure out the absolute size and scale using simple high school geometry. On the morning of Monday, November 11, 2019, tiny planet Mercury will cross the solar disk. Our predecessors figured out that by using the timing of the "transit of Mercury" you can deduce the Earth-Sun distance, and in turn, just how big our Solar System is. #OurIslandUniverse

October 31 is known as Halloween in much of the western world. Its roots, however, lie in astronomy. What is the connection between Halloween and the stars? #OurIslandUniverse