{{short description|American astronomer}} right|thumb|Regas on NASA Night Sky Network webinar in 2019 '''Dean Regas''' is an American astronomer, public speaker, author, and television host. He is most widely known as the cohost of the syndicated television show ''Star Gazers'',<ref name="Star Gazers">{{cite web |title=Star Gazers |url=https://www.pbs.org/show/star-gazers/ |website=PBS |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> which airs daily on more than 100 PBS stations around the world. He was the Outreach Astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory from 2000 to 2023<ref name="cincy">{{cite web|url=https://www.wvxu.org/local-news/2023-08-04/astronomer-dean-regas-plans-cincinnati-observatory-looking-up|title=After departing the Cincinnati Observatory, astronomer Dean Regas plans to keep looking up|work=WVXU|date=August 4, 2023}}</ref> where he specialized in astronomy education and public speaking.<ref name="Cincinnati Observatory">{{cite web |title=Dean Regas: Your Astronomer |url=https://www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/deanregas |website=Cincinnati Observatory |access-date=30 April 2019 |archive-date=8 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408190625/https://www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/deanregas/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Regas is the author of three books ''Facts From Space!'',<ref name="Facts from Space">{{cite book |last1=Regas |first1=Dean |title=Facts from Space!: From Super-Secret Spacecraft to Volcanoes in Outer Space, Extraterrestrial Facts to Blow Your Mind! |date=2016 |publisher=Adams Media |location=Avos, MA |isbn=978-1440597015 |oclc=974133679 }}</ref> ''100 Things to See in the Night Sky'',<ref name="100 Things to See in the Night Sky">{{cite book |last1=Regas |first1=Dean |title=100 Things to See in the Night Sky: From Planets and Satellites to Meteors and Constellations, Your Guide to Stargazing |date=2018 |publisher=Adams Media |location=Holbrook, MAS |isbn=978-1507205051 |oclc=1016962715 }}</ref> and ''100 Things to See in the Southern Night Sky''.<ref name="100 Things to See in the Southern Sky">{{cite book |last1=Regas |first1=Dean |title=100 Things to See in the Southern Night Sky: From Planets and Satellites to Meteors and Constellations, Your Guide to Stargazing |date=2018 |publisher=Adams Media |location=Avon, MA |isbn=978-1507207802 |oclc=1043041975 }}</ref><ref name="Simon & Schuster">{{cite web |title=Dean Regas: About the Author |url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Dean-Regas/2137721229 |website=Simon & Schuster |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref>
He is a Contributing Editor to ''Sky & Telescope''<ref name="Sky & Telescope">{{cite web |last1=Regas |first1=Dean |title=The Not-Quite Closing of Yerkes Observatory |url=https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/not-quite-closing-yerkes-observatory/ |website=Sky & Telescope: The Essential Guide to Astronomy |date=16 March 2018 |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> magazine and a contributor to ''Astronomy'' magazine.<ref name="Astronomy Magazine">{{cite web |last1=Regas |first1=Dean |title=Cincinnati Observatory Center's 40 Galileos Starry Messenger Project |url=http://www.astronomy.com/news/2009/06/cincinnati-observatory-centers-40-galileos-starry-messenger-project |website=Astronomy |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> Regas is a frequent guest on nationally broadcast radio shows ''Science Friday''<ref name="Science Friday">{{cite web |title=Dean Regas |url=https://www.sciencefriday.com/person/dean-regas/ |website=Science Friday |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> and ''Here and Now''.<ref name="From the Milky Way">{{cite web |title=From the Milky Way to 'Oumuamua, 2018 Was A Busy Year In Space |url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/12/28/2018-year-in-space |website=Here & Now |date=28 December 2018 |publisher=WBUR |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref><ref name="Stargazing This Summer">{{cite web |title=Stargazing This Summer? Here's How To Point Out Planets And Constellations |url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/07/18/stargazing-guide-tips-summer |website=Here & Now |date=18 July 2018 |publisher=WBUR |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> In 2017 he created a podcast for popular astronomy called ''Looking Up'', which he co-hosts with Cincinnati Observatory Development Director Anna Hehman.<ref name="Looking Up">{{cite web |title=Podcast Directory: Looking Up |url=https://www.npr.org/podcasts/536627239/looking-up |website=NPR |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref>
==Early life==
Dean was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and both of his parents are Greek-Americans. He moved to Cincinnati in 1992 to attend Xavier University where he received a B.A. in history and an M.A. in secondary education.<ref name="About Dean Regas">{{cite web |title=About Dean Regas |url=http://www.tmflick.net/Dean/about.htm |website=Cincinnati Observatory |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref>
==Cincinnati Observatory==
Regas began his career at the Cincinnati Observatory as a volunteer in 1998. He was hired in 2000 as the Outreach Educator, tasked with bringing astronomy programs to schools around the area.<ref name="About Dean Regas"/> He has since become an expert in observational astronomy.<ref name="Solar System Ambassadors Program">{{cite web |title=Directory of Ambassadors: Dean Regas |url=https://solarsystem1.jpl.nasa.gov/ssa/biography.cfm?US_ID=217 |website=Solar System Ambassadors Program |publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration |access-date=30 April 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> Regas delivers about 150 astronomy talks per year around the region and across the country to audiences of all ages.<ref name="Cincinnati Observatory"/> He stopped working for the observatory in 2023.<ref name="cincy"/>
==''Star Gazers''==
''Star Gazers'' is a weekly television program, a 1-minute and a 5-minute version, that covers what people can observe in the night sky from their backyards. Regas guest-hosted Star Gazers in 2010.<ref name="Cincinnati Enquirer">{{cite web |last1=Kiesewetter |first1=John |title=Cincinnati astronomy fills in on 'Star Gazer' |url=http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20101113/ENT/11130326/Cincinnati-astronomer-fills-Star-Gazer- |publisher=The Cincinnati Enquirer |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> Along with astronomer James C. Albury, have co-hosted the show since 2011.<ref name="Gainesville Sun">{{cite web |last1=Alexander |first1=Jackie |title=Santa Fe planetarium director to co-host 'Star Gazer' |url=https://www.gainesville.com/news/20110615/santa-fe-planetarium-director-to-co-host-star-gazer |website=Gainesville.com |publisher=The Gainesville Sun |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> Regas and Albury are the main writers and presenters for 104 episodes per year that air for free on PBS stations around the world.<ref name="Star Gazers" />
==Author== In 2000 he began writing astronomy articles for ''The Cincinnati Enquirer''<ref name="Local Astronomer shares favorite space facts">{{cite web |last1=Regas |first1=Dean |title=Local astronomer shares favorite space facts |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2016/10/05/local-astronomer-shares-favorite-space-facts/90900440/ |website=Cincinnati.com |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> and has since written more than 120 pieces about observational astronomy. His articles have also appeared in Sky & Telescope Magazine, Astronomy Magazine, and ''USA Today'',<ref name="Lunar Secrets">{{cite web |last1=Regas |first1=Dean |title=Lunar secrets: Why doesn't the moon have a name? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/10/23/why-doesnt-moon-have-better-name/792695001/ |work=USA Today |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> and he blogged for ''The Huffington Post'' from 2013 to 2018.<ref name="Huffpost">{{cite web |title=Dean Regas, Astronomer, Author and Co-Host of Star Gazers |url=https://www.huffpost.com/author/dean-453 |website=Huffpost |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref>
=== Books === * ''Facts From Space!: From Super-Secret Spacecraft to Volcanoes in Outer Space, Extraterrestrial Facts to Blow Your Mind.'' (Adams Media, 2016). {{ISBN|9781440597015}} * ''100 Things to See in the Night Sky: From Planets and Satellites to Meteors and Constellations, Your Guide to Stargazing.'' (Adams Media, 2017; Expanded edition, 2020). {{ISBN|9781507205051}} * ''100 Things to See in the Southern Night Sky: From Planets and Satellites to Meteors and Constellations, Your Guide to Stargazing.'' (Adams Media, 2018). {{ISBN|9781507207802}} * ''How to Teach Grown-Ups About Pluto: The Cutting-Edge Space Science of the Solar System.'' (Britannica Books, 2022). {{ISBN|9781913750510}} * ''1,000 Facts About Space.'' (National Geographic Kids, 2022). {{ISBN|9781426373428}}.
==Awards and recognitions== * Winner of Astronomy Magazine's 2008 "Out-of-this-World" Award for astronomy education<ref name="Galileos">{{cite web |last1=Regas |first1=Dean |title=Award-Winning Cincinnati outreach program graduates first class of Galileos |url=http://astronomy.com/news-observing/news/2010/02/award-winning%20cincinnati%20outreach%20program%20graduates%20first%20class%20of%20galileos |website=Astronomy |access-date=30 April 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> * Recipient of a NASA ROSES grant (2010-2012) for Future Galileos, a project that awarded 100 quality telescopes to educators in the Cincinnati area<ref name="Astrophysics Missions">{{cite web |last1=Lubowich |first1=Donald |title=Astrophysics Missions, Grants, and Forum |url=https://smdepo.org/download/f5b2a3a48a325 |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref> * Asteroid 8815 Deanregas is named after him<ref name="IAU">{{cite web |title=(8815) Deanregas |url=http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=8815 |website=IAU: The International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center |access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Regas, Dean}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:American astronomers Category:Scientists from Ohio Category:Xavier University alumni Category:American people of Greek descent