Wine Tasting + Star Gazing = Peak Volunteer Chaos

I volunteered at an astronomy night... at a winery. Because obviously nothing says “responsible adult” like combining high-powered telescopes and fermented grapes.

There were stars. There was wine. There were questions like “is Saturn supposed to be blurry or am I tipsy?”

I may have taught people things. I definitely pointed at the wrong star once. Worth it. 🍷🔭🌌

#AstronomyNight #WineryVibes #TelescopeTime #StarParty #BalgownieEstate #VolunteeringGoneWild #AstroNerd #SpaceAndWine #ChaosUnderTheStars #ScienceWithStyle

https://youtu.be/aQPxg5xjkUs

Stargazing in the Bush Because Life Was Too Loud

Life got loud. Like… too loud. So I packed up a telescope, drove into the bush, and spent a night under the stars — no emails, no noise, no phone signal (accidentally).

It wasn’t about the perfect shot or the clearest sky. I just needed to sit in the dark and remember I’m a tiny speck in a massive universe… and somehow that made everything feel okay.

One night. Just me, the cosmos, and a very judgmental kookaburra. 🌌🛸🌿

#MentalHealth #Astronomy #Stargazing #NatureEscape #SoloTrip #BushCamping #Australia #Astrophotography #StarryNight #SpaceVibes #LifeReset #BurnoutRecovery #DigitalDetox #OffTheGrid #TelescopeTime #SpaceIsCool #MindfulMoments #NightSky #SlowLiving

https://youtu.be/Orx531timAE

How Did I End Up Hosting Science Talks on a Tropical Island??

So… I somehow ended up helping host a science festival on a remote tropical island… and yeah, it was as wild as it sounds. 🌴

Welcome to Lord Howe Island Dark Skies Festival — where I ran nightscape photography courses, helped host the pub science talks (yes, actual science… in a pub), led the kids’ "Blast Off!" space class, explored the glowing light walk, visited the Lord Howe Island Distillery (because science needs gin), and spent every night imaging under some of the darkest skies on Earth.

Between the stargazing, science chaos, and way too many camera batteries, this was one of the most unexpectedly amazing trips I’ve been on.

Seriously… how did I end up here?

🔭✨🧪🍸

https://youtu.be/p784nyhK-hc

#ScienceFestival #DarkSkies #Astrophotography #LordHoweIsland #NightscapePhotography #SpaceLovers #AstronomyLife #StargazingNights #TelescopeTime #AstroAdventure #ExploreAustralia #ScienceForEveryone #PhotographyTrip #TravelWithPurpose #BackyardAstronomy #AstroVibes #EducationalFun #IslandLife #SpaceEducation #OutreachMatters