Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Grauberger.
Hi Jason, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have lived in Florida for 15 years, originally from Colorado. If you live somewhere with cold and snowy winters, there is a point every year when depression can really set in. I had to escape that for my own sanity. Together with a friend, we bought a sailboat and lived on it for a year. The bohemian lifestyle was exciting for a time, but I moved on and lived in Naples for a while, got married, and eventually moved to Port Charlotte. Late one night, while driving uber, waiting on a flight, I was thinking of ways to earn extra income to make ends meet, about a month after Hurricane Ian hit. The town was pretty battered, our house included, and recovery just beginning. Speaking with some folks on an astronomy forum, I was inquiring about ways to offer telescope tours of the night sky as a business. One user mentioned a group in Hawaii that offered this stargazing tour. I researched this and the idea for Starry Night Florida was born.
I have been a lifelong astronomy enthusiast. Looking through our small telescope as a kid, I have fond memories of seeing the Moon, and some not-so-fond memories of trying to see other objects with it. Many beginner telescopes can be frustrating to operate with rickety mounts and substandard optics. I used to attend observatory night at Denver University, with a typically robust turnout. Seeing the night sky unfold can be an awe-inspiring experience for anyone the first time and for some of us the novelty never wears off.
Astronomy or telescope viewings can take many forms with observatory showings, astronomy club meets in parking lots, and planetarium shows. I have attended many of these over the years and aside from planetarium programs, many of them can be devoid of the really helpful information for folks to understand just what they are seeing. This is the root of what our program offers. We pair views through the telescope with accurate facts and info about the cosmos in easy to understand language that anyone can grasp. We also include interesting anecdotes and stories related to the constellations including the myths associated. I wanted everyone who takes a tour with us to see the universe as I myself see it, vast and full of mysteries and possibilities.
We are in our 3rd year now and our program is going strong. We’ve had tours with multiple groups, travelers, and locals alike. We’ve seen guests from as far as Miami, Orlando, and Palm Beach make the drive for a tour. Internationally, we’ve had visitors from Germany, UK, Chile, Brazil, China, India, Canada, and more.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like any small business, there have been challenges. Finding the right location was an initial hurdle with the solution made possible by through an agreement with Charlotte County Parks. Our biggest challenge has been the weather. Stargazing requires clear skies which Florida doesn’t always have. We do have to close for most of the Summer/Hurricane season due to the ever present evening rains and lightning. Winter of 23-24 was a challenge due to the El Nino which provided a not-so-happy cloud cover all winter. I had many cancelled tours that season. After it was totaled up, the weather service reported it was the cloudiest winter in 60years.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Starry Night Florida?
Starry Night Florida is a business providing Stargazing Tours of the night sky. Guests are treated to a laser-guided tour of the constellations as well as cosmological facts and stories of the myths. Interspersed throughout the tour are direct telescope viewings of certain objects with our 11″ Celestron telescope. Objects can include planets, stars, double-stars, nebulas, clusters, and sometimes galaxies. Refreshments are provided along the way as are comfortable chairs. At the time of this writing, we are the only guided stargazing tour in the state of Florida.
How do you define success?
I believe success can come in many different forms and guises. It is entirely dependent on an individuals personal preferences and goals. For myself, I see success as being able to awaken people to all the possibilities and the grandeur of the cosmos. I don’t see this as work because I love teaching others about space and really showing them up close. I have already succeeded.
Pricing:
- 59 Adult
- 49 Child 6-12
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.starrynightflorida.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/starrynightflorida
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/starrynightflorida
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=871rwumqn7w
