A Stellar Month: Thank You for Your 5-Star Support!

As the chill of autumn has settled in, the cold hasn't chilled out our 5-star reviews! This past month, we’ve been blown away by the incredible feedback from guests who braved the colder nights to join us under the stars. Whether it was a crisp October evening or the beginning of November, your enthusiasm for exploring the cosmos has truly warmed our hearts.

Here’s what some of our amazing guests have had to say:

• Margot: “Wonderful experience. It's a treat to have knowledgeable guides to point things out that otherwise you wouldn't notice or understand. We'll probably try to do another one of these in the mountains next summer. Thank you!”

• Diego: “Had a great time with the host learning so much about our space and galaxy!”

• Jordan: “Great astronomy guides!”

• Ayse: “This was a great experience, seeing different planets and stars has been a cool experience.”

• Dmitri: “Aislynn was great at talking about the different celestial objects and constellations, very knowledgeable and friendly! The location of the tour was great as well. Super accessible for anybody and a nice location with great views of the stars from every direction.”

• Dan: “We had a ‘stellar’ time! Reese was knowledgeable and engaging. I would definitely do this again.”

• Stephanie: “Seeing Saturn was amazing!”

Each of these reviews reminds us why we do what we do. From the thrill of showing someone Saturn’s rings for the first time to helping guests uncover the hidden beauty of the constellations, your excitement fuels our passion.

To everyone who has joined us this past month, thank you for your support and for bundling up to make memories with us under the night sky. It’s not always easy to venture out into the cold, but your adventurous spirits make it all worthwhile.

As winter approaches, we’re looking forward to even more unforgettable evenings, cozy jackets, and thermoses of hot cocoa while exploring the cosmos together. If you’ve been waiting to book a tour, now’s the perfect time to experience the crisp, clear skies of the season.

Here’s to more 5-star nights ahead!

Clear skies,

Luke and the AstroTours Team

Vacuum Decay - The Universe's Ultimate Curtain Call

Every now and then, physicists devise a new way to wipe out the Universe. Sounds like a plot from a sci-fi thriller, right? But in the realm of cosmic catastrophes, vacuum decay holds a special place. It's like the universe's own version of a magic trick – except the disappearing act is real, and it involves everything.

House on fire - like this cliff dwelling we too could be living on the edge of potential catastrophic disaster.

The Invisible Menace: The Higgs Field

To grasp vacuum decay, imagine the Higgs field - an invisible energy field, like a cosmic blanket, enveloping our universe. It's not just lying there idly; it's bustling with potential. Think of this potential like a landscape of valleys and hills. In this landscape, our universe could either be resting comfortably at the lowest point of a valley (true vacuum) or perched precariously on a hillside (false vacuum).

Living on the Edge: The Metastable Universe

Right now, we might be chilling in what's known as a metastable state. It's like being nestled in a nook on the hillside, not quite rolling down, but not firmly stable either. This false vacuum is a bit like sitting on a time bomb, without knowing if or when it will go off.

The Bubble of Doom

Here's where it gets a bit more "Hollywood": if, by some cosmic fluke or high-energy event, a tiny patch of our universe gets nudged from this false vacuum into a true vacuum, it would trigger a catastrophic chain reaction. Picture a bubble forming at this point, then racing outwards at the speed of light, reshaping reality as it goes.

The Ultimate Change

The scary part? This bubble's walls would be lethal. Envision being erased by an unstoppable, invisible force, where the very laws of physics as we know them are rewritten on the fly. This isn't just your regular apocalypse; it's a fundamental reboot of the universe.

The Grim Forecast by Coleman and De Luccia

Back in 1980, physicists Sidney Coleman and Frank De Luccia gave us the first real shivers about this scenario. They pointed out that a true vacuum bubble would not just rewrite the universe's rulebook – it would trigger a total gravitational collapse. It's the kind of news that really puts a damper on your day: not only does life as we know it cease to exist, but the very chemistry that forms the basis of matter is no more.

A Glimmer of Hope?

Now, before you start looking over your shoulder for a cosmic bubble, there's a silver lining. The current thinking is that the universe's false vacuum, if it is indeed false, is pretty stable. It's lasted 13.8 billion years, so it's probably not flipping to true vacuum anytime soon.

The Unanswered Questions

To truly understand what lies inside a true vacuum bubble, we need a complete theory of the multiverse – something that's still on the physicists' to-do list. But, one thing's for certain: if vacuum decay ever happens, it would be the ultimate showstopper. Luckily, for now, it seems we can enjoy our cosmic perch without imminent fear of slipping off the edge.

AstroTour's Newest Astronomer Reese!

We are thrilled to introduce the newest member of the AstroTours.org team, Reese! With a deep-rooted passion for astronomy and an impressive background in astrophysics and education, Reese brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to our stargazing experiences.

Reese is a fresh graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder's Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences department, with a major in Astrophysics and a minor in Creative Writing. His journey into the cosmos began early, with countless trips to the mountains that sparked a lifelong fascination with dark skies and the mysteries of space. Never one for skiing Reese instead stayed up late into cold nights admiring his brief time with the milky way. Did you know that the word galaxy comes from the greek galaxias meaning milky vault?

His love for teaching is evident through his diverse experiences. As a learning assistant at CU Boulder, Reese has helped students navigate the wonders of astronomy, guiding them through labs and lectures with patience and passion. His role as a Dark Sky Astronomy in Rocky Mountain National Park further honed his skills, where he collaborated with park rangers and the Northern Colorado Astronomical Society to host public observing nights and interpretive programs for hundreds of park guests.

Reese is really looking forward to spinning a yarn about the sky that will make you reconsider your place barreling through the universe. 

We are incredibly excited to have Reese on board and can’t wait for you to meet him on one of our tours. His blend of scientific expertise and storytelling will undoubtedly make your stargazing experience with AstroTours.org unforgettable.

Join us in welcoming Reese to the team! We look forward to exploring the cosmos together with him.

For more details about our team and upcoming events, visit AstroTours.org.

Clear skies!