Ben Burress

Ben Burress

Benjamin Burress has been a staff astronomer at Chabot Space & Science Center since July 1999. He graduated from Sonoma State University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in physics (and minor in astronomy), after which he signed on for a two-year stint in the Peace Corps, where he taught physics and mathematics in the African nation of Cameroon. From 1989-96 he served on the crew of NASA’s Kuiper Airborne Observatory at Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. From 1996-99, he was Head Observer at the Naval Prototype Optical Interferometer program at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ. Read his previous contributions to QUEST, a project dedicated to exploring the Science of Sustainability.

By Ben Burress
The white sun shines in the distance behind blue Earth.

Leap Year 2024: Why Do We Get an Extra Day?

White meteor streaks shoot across a purple-gray night sky.

Geminids Meteor Shower to Light Up Bay Area Sky With 120 Meteors Per Hour

Meteors flash as white lights on a black background in the sky.

Where to Watch the Leonid Meteor Shower in the Bay Area​

How to View the Annular Solar Eclipse: A Complete Guide

A meteor streaks across a clear, nighttime sky.

Your Guide to Viewing the Perseids and Delta Aquariids Meteor Showers

A yellow line across a black, dark night.

The Lyrids Meteor Shower Adds Its Own Fiery Blossoms to April Skies

A helicopter-like machine landing on the red barren soil of Mars.

Of Ancient Rivers and Rusting Robots: The Unceasing Search for Life on Mars

A bright green comet with a long white tail.

That Bright Green Comet Looked Exactly as Cool as You'd Think

The Geminids Meteor Shower Will Peak Early Wednesday Morning

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