Irene Pease

In addition to “astronomizing” around Brooklyn, she currently teaches physics at York College, CUNY, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Amateur Astronomers Association of NY. Pease is a frequent presenter and co-host of Astronomy on Tap NYC, a presenter for the Hayden Planetarium Astronomy Live series, and producer of Hayden Planetarium’s video blog, Skylight. 

Irene Pease first began observing and sharing astronomy with the public as a student at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She facilitated public viewing nights at Steward Observatory’s 21-inch telescope, and then presented at the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium. For several years, Pease led observing sessions at the Vega-Bray Observatory of SkyWatcher’s Inn (later renamed Astronomer’s Inn) in Benson, Arizona. During that time, she built the telescope that she named “Brooklyn’s Prettiest Telescope” and observed with it at many a star party.

Pease collaborated with the Education Department to create the Family Studio: Science projects in conjunction with the special exhibition Wondrous Devices: Astronomical Instruments and Teaching Tools of the Victorian Era and trained the Junior Docents to facilitate them. Participants created handheld spectroscopes or pocket-sized telescopes to take home. In addition, Pease gave a public lecture, entitled The Past, Present, and Future of the Night, on the history of light pollution. The talk was offered during Sky and Earth Weekend, the Museum’s annual celebration of Earth Day.