Grant Tandy
Growing up in Central Oregon, I've been fortunate to experience some of the darkest skies in the country, fueling my lifelong fascination with astronomy. For the past decade, my professional focus and personal mission have been on public education, with a particular emphasis on astronomy. In 2014, I began as an Astronomical Interpreter at the Oregon Observatory, where I gained three years of invaluable experience. From 2017 to 2023, I served as observatory manager, overseeing educational programming at the Hopservatory, which reached over 15,000 people annually. Currently, I lead weekly sidewalk astronomy programs in Bend and contribute to the Asterisk Observatory near Smith Rock.
I am also a NASA-JPL Solar System Ambassador and have made contributions as a flagship member of DarkSky Oregon. These affiliations have provided me with valuable opportunities to expand my knowledge and share my expertise in astronomy and public education. Photography became another means for me to capture and convey the allure of nocturnal landscapes and the natural world, allowing me to share these moments in a tangible manner.
My goal is to demystify the complexities of astronomy, guiding all curious individuals through unwieldy concepts like scale, time, distance, and speed in our solar system and beyond. Through immersive experiences and engaging educational programs, I aim to nurture a deep understanding and appreciation for these principles.