Resume

John Mosley

EDUCATION

B.S. in Astronomy and Geology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1970

WORK EXPERIENCE

Program Supervisor, 1977 - 2006
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, California
Responsible for the educational activities of the observatory including writing and production of public and school planetarium shows; design and development of museum exhibits; providing astronomy information to the public and news media; operating Observatory telescopes; maintaining World Wide Web site; etc. Was heavily involved in planning for the complete renovation of the Griffith Observatory including the planetarium theater and equipment and exhibits. 

Staff Astronomer, Hansen Planetarium, Salt Lake City, 1970-1977. 

Lecturer, University of Michigan Exhibit Museum Planetarium, 1967-1969 

Student Research Assistant, Yerkes Observatory of the University of Chicago, 1966

PUBLICATIONS

The Christmas Star, 1987

Ultimate Guide to the Sky, children’s constellation book, 1997

Stargazing for Beginners, night sky observing book, 1997

Stargazing with Binoculars and Telescopes, observing guide 1998
(these two "Stargazing" books were combined into one and reissued by Barnes & Noble in 2000)

Starry Night Companion: Your Guide to Understanding the Night Sky with Starry Night, 2000

more than 100 astronomy software reviews in Sky & Telescope, MacWorld, Byte, Griffith Observer, CD-ROM Today, Mercury, etc.

wrote and produced 50+ planetarium shows, 1977-2001

dozens of published articles on the Star of Bethlehem, astrology, Nostradamus, computer software, planetary alignments, eclipses, etc.

monthly “Sky Calendar” for Griffith Observer, 1983-2004

bi-weekly “Star Tours” for Los Angeles Times, 1996-2002

weekly "Sky Report" for Griffith Observatory, 1980 - 2006.

LECTURING, SPEAKING, TEACHING, TOURS

Astronomy 101 semester course, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, 1976

Sky Interpretation, National Parks workshops in Zion and Yellowstone, 1975-77

U.C.L.A. Extension weekend astronomy for families at Palomar Mountain, 1981-87

Adult Astronomy, California State University at Northridge (1980-2)

Azure Seas, Halley’s Comet shipboard lecturer, 1986

Halley’s Comet Expedition to Brazil and Peru, 1986

Teachers’ Recertification Astronomy Workshop, Chapman College, 1988

University of California San Bernardino weekend astronomy, 1988-92

Solar Eclipse Expedition to Peru, 1994

Viking Serenade (two trips), astronomy lecturer, 1995

Club Med Sonora Bay, week-long sky interpretation and observing, July 1996

Solar Eclipse Lecturer aboard Royal Caribbean Monarch of the Seas, Feb. 1998

Dozens of talks on many subjects to civic and educational groups at UCLA, CalTech, National Forest Service, several National Parks, Young Presidents Organization, Los Angeles Board of Education, Boy Scouts of America, civic groups, etc.

MEDIA APPEARANCES

More than 100 radio and television interviews including: CNN Headline News, Tom Snyder Show, Good Morning America, AM Los Angeles, Dan Rather Evening News, Today Show, Jim Lehrer News Hour, etc.

Appeared in more than two dozen TV documentaries for Discovery Channel, Learning Channel, History Channel, and PBS: The Birth of Christ (Discovery Channel, 1991) and The Christmas Star, (York Films, 1993), The Science of Christmas (1999), Miracle of the First Christmas (2000), In Search of Christmas (2001), National Geographic (2005), The Star of Bethlehem (History Channel, 2014), etc.

ASSOCIATIONS & AWARDS

Fellow of the International Planetarium Society

Executive Editor, Planetarian, the journal of the International Planetarium Society, 1987 - 2006

Past President of the Pacific Planetarium Association

Associate Editor, Sky & Telescope magazine, 1987 - 1999

“Planetarian of the Year,” International Planetarium Society, 1988

“Distinguished Service Award,” International Planetarium Society’s highest honor, 1994

Production Editor, Griffith Observer monthly magazine, 1995 - 1998

“Gardner Award for Best Investigative Journalism,” Skeptics Society, 1997

THE PRESENT

John and his wife Barbara have a home in St. George, Utah, where they spend the spring and fall. They winter in Borrego Springs, California, and spend the summers near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He presents nighttime astronomy talks to a variety of audiences through Star­gazing Adventures (www.StargazingAdventures.org). He is an active member of the International Dark Sky Association and in 2014 he founded the St. George Astronomy Group to bring public astronomy to southern Utah.