My name is Carolyn Collins Petersen, and I call myself TheSpacewriter online.
You’ll find lots to explore on these pages. My blog is a daily, or semi-daily record of thoughts and impressions about astronomy and space science, primarily, although I’m not limited to those two. I also write about other aspects of science, particularly as various disciplines relate to politics, education, critical thinking, and other cultural aspects.
I first began the blog in early 2002 as a way to keep my writing chops fresh and share astronomy news that didn’t always make the front page of the papers. It is an outgrowth of my web page, TheSpacewriter.com, which has been around since 1992 and was originally called “The Henrietta Leavitt Flat Screen Space Theater.”
Other pages include my voice-over demos under the name C. C. Petersen, so if you’re looking for a science narrator, give me a try. You can also see a selected listing of my many publications, scripts, and other projects at The Spacewriter’s Cool Projects link.
My Background
I’m a science writer and editor. I work with clients in the observatory and planetarium community, as well as my own book, web, planetarium, software, and other projects. Over the years I’ve written several books, edited several others; written many articles, created more than 30 science (astronomy) documentary scripts, and exhibit projects, including the following:
* the complete astronomy exhibition at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles (take an online tour here);
* a climate change exhibition for the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, and:
* a space weather exhibit for the Children’s Discovery Museum in Acton, MA.
Currently I’m working on a software project for a iOS-based app (read more at Star-map.fr), two scripts for European projects, and keeping track of business for Loch Ness Productions.
Can I do all this for you? Need a writer/editor? If so, please visit my SERVICES page for my projects and availability.
I also invite you to visit the folks whose pages link to mine. There’s an amazing array of like-minded people who read me (and I read them). (NOTE: I try to check on these links occasionally to make sure that they’re still appropriate. However, as usual, I urge you to use caution in your surfing. My linking to these folks does NOT imply that I approve specific or general posts, or that I am aware of changes they’ve made in their blogs since the last time I visited. If you find something objectionable on any of these links (prOn, violence, pseudo-science, harangues, etc.) please let me know so I can change my blogrolls.
Hello Carolyn,
It is a pleasure to “meet” you and view your blog. I would love to follow your posts and learn from you what I can! You appear to have some wonderful experience and credentials. I look forward to your future posts. I am a stargazer and astronomy enthusiast in Los Angeles, and just started a blog of my own. It’s brand new and still in the making, but I am enjoying it thus far. My hope is to help spread enthusiasm of astronomy to even the non-scientists. Feel free to join my blog and provide any of your suggestions.
Your fellow LA astronomy friend,
Bonnie Hardman
Thank you! I will check out your blog soon!
Happy viewing!
Hello C.C.,
I just discovered your blog, and I am really enjoying it! Thank you so much for making astronomy so accessible.
I recently created a cool space project of my own, a to-scale (not distances) model of the solar system for my three-year-old daughter. Below is a link to the website I made for it, which has lots of pictures and some descriptions of the little games she and I play. It has been great re-igniting my childhood passion for astronomy with her, and even better to finally have an excuse to pretend to climb Olympus Mons as an adult. Enjoy!
http://mydaughterssolarsystem.tumblr.com/
That’s very cool! Hope others enjoy reading about your journey, too!
Hi there,
With New Horizons heading closer and closer to Pluto everyday, I wanted to relive the story of Pluto…through song. I think your readers (and you!) would really enjoy this 15 minute comedy-musical I put together that is based off Mike Brown’s Why I Killed Pluto.
I hope the team (and readers) at The Space Writer like it!
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKnTpx46YSU
I hope you enjoy it and I’d love to hear some feedback. The good news: Pluto Killer himself Mike Brown enjoyed it.
Thanks,
Esteban Gast
I can’t believe I’m just finding this site now. I particularly appreciate that a female authority has claimed the monicker of “Space Writer!”
I have been spotlighting the women of science fiction and fact in 1960 over at http://galacticjourney.org. If you have suggestions on folks I should cover, I’m all ears.
Thanks for keeping this effort up for 23 years!
Gideon
Hello Carolyn,
My name is Maria and I live in Montreal. I’m 16 and am currently doing a project for history class on what I aspire to be one day. The goal of this project is to get me more involved in the career that I would like to go into and I would love to study astronomy later when I graduate. If you could answer some of my questions that would be great!
Why did you choose to study astronomy?
Do you have any role models or did you used to?
Could you possibly help me by linking good articles?
Thank you for your time 🙂
Hi Maria,
I have always been interested in astronomy, since I was a child. My parents encouraged me to look at the sky, particularly my dad. My mom wanted me to read more, which I did. In college I studied astronomy and have never looked back. As for articles — I think you can find useful materials at any of the space agencies (NASA, ESA, etc) and of course I have a number of good ones here on this site. Good luck with your studies and keep looking up!
Hello!
I found your link through Love the Night Sky. Adam and I have been corresponding about astronomy topics and sharing links. Would you be so kind as to add a link to your page to my website? I have included thespacewriter.com in my listing of sites I like!
You can find my blog at https://starinastar.com where I write about observational astronomy with a unique approach called physical astronomy.
Best, Daniel
Hi, I am revising my links pages in the new year and will keep yours in mind.