Mike Simonsen

Mike Simonsen is one of the world's leading variable star observers. He works for the American Association of Variable Star Observers as Membership Director and heads the organization's Cataclysmic Variable Section, Chart Team, Mentor Program, Speakers Bureau and Writers Bureau. He writes the astronomy and variable star blog, Simostronomy and is a cast member of the Slacker Astronomy podcast. An animated and enthusiastic speaker, Mike has given dozens of talks on stellar astronomy and variable star science for astronomy clubs, star parties, planetariums and university groups throughout the United States. He is author or co-author of dozens peer-reviewed papers on cataclysmic variable stars. Mike's observatory houses two 12" LX200 telescopes, one for visual use and one for CCD observations, or as Mike likes to joke, "One for each eye!" He is now amassing both visual and CCD observations from home and robotic telescopes.