ASLI Event: Astronomy and Social Media with "GeorgeSpacesOut"

Title: Astrophotography and Social Media: An Evening with George Garcia of GeorgeSpacesOut! 

Event Info: 
We are thrilled to welcome George Garcia, the astrophotographer and social media sensation behind GeorgeSpacesOut! George's journey began like many of ours—a first attempt with a Celestron 5SE and a Canon Rebel T3 that left him intrigued and smittened. But, tt was during the COVID lockdowns that he seriously re-ignited his passion, transforming his backyard into a personal observatory. His pursuit of darker skies led him to relocate his rig to StarFront Observatories, unlocking a new world of broadband targets and dark nebulae.

But George's talent isn't just for capturing the cosmos; it's for sharing it. In a remarkable story of digital outreach, he taught himself a Mandarin introduction and joined the predominately Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu (Rednote) in early 2025, where he gained a staggering quarter-million followers in just two weeks. This viral explosion helped propel him to over half a million dedicated fans across all his platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Threads. Join us to hear how he blends technical skill with social media savvy to inspire a global audience!