Music of the Spheres – July 12, 2025

Music of the Spheres – July 12th, 2025 8:30pm

Performer: Adrea Castiano

Lecture: Creatures from Outer Space: “Spider Pulsars”

Astronomer: Dr. Jorge Cortes

Program Information

7:30 pm	Doors Open
8:30pm	Concert in Visitor Center
	Lecture Hall	36-inch Great Refractor Dome
9:30 pm	Science Talk	Telescope Viewings
10:30 pm	Science Talk (repeated)	Telescope Viewings
1:00 am	Doors Close

Observing passes are handed out when you check in at the door so please plan to arrive early!

Observing only ends when everyone has had a chance to look through the telescope.

Gift shop is open from 7:00pm until 11:00pm.

Weather may restrict telescope viewings, but all other activities will still take place.

Adrea Castiano

Adrea Castiano is an award-winning singer-songwriter with a soulful, airy-smooth sound blending indie pop shimmer, vintage country, and ‘90s alt-rock into a style all her own! Her songs and musical style span genres, pairing clever hooks with raw, soul-baring lyrics that linger long after the music fades. Based in Nashville, TN with placements on major streaming networks Hulu, Peacock, and in commercials worldwide, as well as high-profile collaborations with visionary producers, Adrea is quickly becoming a voice in music you can’t ignore.

More information about Adrea Castiano at https://adreacastiano.com/

Science Lecture

Creatures from Outer Space: “Spider Pulsars”

In the depths of space, strange stellar beasts lurk – spider pulsars, neutron stars spinning at incredible speeds, slowly erasing their nearby companions with highly energetic winds. What are these cosmic predators, and what secrets do they hold about the universe’s most extreme environments?

Dr. Jorge Cortes – UC Santa Cruz

Dr. Jorge Cortés is an NSF MPS-Ascend Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Santa Cruz, where he uses computational simulations to explore the phenomena associated with high-energy astrophysical systems. He received a Ph.D. in astronomy & astrophysics from Columbia University, specializing in the violent interactions of exotic stellar binaries known as spider pulsars. Born and raised in the Bay Area with roots in Michoacán, México, Jorge is driven by both curiosity and community – committed to making science more inclusive.

Telescope Targets

Tonight’s guests will have the chance to observe:

Great 36″ Refractor
Objects chosen each evening

Nickel 40″ Reflector
Epsilon Lyra – the Double Double

Outside Telescopes
More telescopes will be available outside looking at galaxies, star clusters, and more!

Epsilon Lyra / the Double Double – Image Credit: Nikolay NIkolov

Featured Observatory Volunteers & Staff

Hosts

Dr. Lauren Corlies

TBD

Nickel Reflector Control Room

TBD

Great Refractor Operators

TBD

Nickel Reflector Operator

TBD

Thanks to all of our volunteers for making this evening possible!

Tips and Additional Information

Refreshments

Snacks and beverages are available at the refreshment table in the main foyer. All proceeds help support the public programs. In the past, we have used proceeds to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), additional wooden benches in the main building, new speakers and amplifiers for the main building hallway, and partial funding of two spotting telescopes by the flag pole.

Dark Adjustment

Your experience at the telescopes will be better if your eyes have had an opportunity to adjust to the dark. For this reason, we try to keep the light levels low in both wings of the main hall.

Lights

Please refrain from use of flash photography or white light flashlights in the domes or adjoining hallway.

Assistance

We strive to make your visit as complete and meaningful as possible. Please let us know if you will need special assistance (for example, if you will have difficulty climbing stairs) by emailing tickets@ucolick.org, so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Our Volunteers

All of Lick Observatory’s public programs are greatly enhanced by the valuable participation of our many dedicated volunteers.

Interested in volunteering? Learn more here!