Welcome to Nightside!
My name is Megan and my mission with this blog is to break down space news in a way that’s accessible to everyone. Nightside Notes is my independent science communication project, combining accurate reporting on spaceflight and planetary science with an original fictional framework. Inspired by deep space exploration, Aphelion and Project: Endurance provide a thematic lens through which I explore humanity’s journey beyond Earth. This project serves as both a place to share space science with a broader audience and a portfolio of my work in science communication.
So, here’s how I see space, and why I’m writing about it.
I remember the first time I saw Saturn through the lens of my telescope in the dark skies over Utah. I was a teenager, just starting to pursue a lifelong interest in astronomy and had brought my telescope along with me to a family trip out west. Stargazing was my favorite hobby; at home I’d take my telescope out front and sit and watch the sky for hours, listening to my dedicated stargazing playlist and journaling down what I saw.
Fun fact: I told NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly I was going to be an astronaut.
I attended Penn State University, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations. I’m now a graduate student working toward my Master’s degree in Planetary Science, while balancing a full-time career in marketing and a career as a professional athlete.
My interest for space never went away, however. It’s only shifted. Now, I’m exploring space in a different way, by learning how to communicate it, translate it, and share it in a way that’s accessible to the public. My goal is to bring space to more people, connected to that same dream and passion that drew me to it in the first place.
I created this space (pun intended) as a place to explore and break down topics in space news and share them with the public.
Whatever brought you here to Nightside, I’m so happy you’ve found your way to this little corner of the internet. I hope to inspire you to never stop learning, stay curious about what inspires you, and never ever give up on your dreams.
“Follow your passions, live the life you’ve imagined, and do what scares you.” – Christina Koch
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