John Crilly is an Ohio attorney since 1997 with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Akron. He is also an experienced amateur astronomer, amateur radio operator, and homebrewer who enjoys sharing his knowledge and enjoyment of these topics. He has been an FCC licensed amateur radio operator (also known as ham radio) since 1969 and holds Amateur Extra Class W8TD. In 2003 he completed construction of a home observatory and since then his primary astronomical interest has shifted to capturing deep sky images using a wide variety of equipment. He designed and constructed a brewing system that produces 5 to10 gallon batches of various beers that have done quite well in competitions. He has been a presenter for various astronomy clubs and, since 2003, on Royal Caribbean, Princess, MSC, Carnival, and NCL cruise ships. He has written on various astronomical topics as well as reviewing equipment for the premier amateur astronomy website, Cloudy Nights. He also dedicates much of his time to offering technical support and advice to new members of that site as well as on websites dedicated to amateur radio and to homebrewing.

Stargazing: What's up tonight?
An amateur stargazer will do a daytime presentation showing charts of the skies to be expected at the location of the ship, pointing out constellations and other items of interest. Weather permitting, he will also conduct one or more guided stargazing sessions in a darkened area on deck. Binoculars are recommended.

Aurora Borealis – the Northern Lights
I will discuss what the Aurora is and what causes it. I will show images of some of the ways it may appear.

What do amateur astronomers see?
I will discuss the various kinds of deep sky (galaxies, nebulae) and solar system objects (planets, Moon, asteroids) visible from the Earth, and how they formed. I display some of my images of examples of each.

The circumpolar constellations
I describe the constellations that immediately surround the North celestial pole and are best observed from northern latitudes, such as on this voyage. I'll show charts of them and explain how to locate and recognize them.

Choosing your first astronomical telescope
I will describe the primary telescope and mount designs used by amateur astronomers and help people to determine which types of instruments best suit their individual interests and conditions. The prepared materials are fairly short; a substantial portion of the time will be interactive.

Observing our star
I will describe and discuss what features on the sun can be observed by terrestrial telescopes, and what kinds of instruments can be safely used for this purpose. We will talk about sunspots, prominences, flares, and eclipses.

Introduction to astrophotography
An experienced astronomical imager will discuss relevant equipment and techniques, and will show some examples from his work of the kind of images that can be achieved by hobbyists.

Astronomical images as Art
Astronomical images from Wadsworth Observatory. Wadsworth Observatory is a private home observatory operated by an amateur astronomer. Images captured here of a wide variety of types of celestial objects will be displayed and discussed.

Homebrewing 101
Homebrewing beer has been legal in the US since 1978 and is legal in most other countries as well. Even the White House kitchens were put to the task under President Obama. An experienced homebrewer will discuss the primary forms of brewing used by homebrewers, including showing photographs of some of the systems he has built for his own home brewery.

Introduction to amateur radio
Amateur radio (very frequently referred to as "ham radio") is a worldwide hobby; nearly every nation offers licenses to its citizens to participate after passing examinations on technology, radio theory, and the relevant rules and regulations - and hams from every such nation are free to communicate with hams of every other such nation. It has been suggested that it was the very first form of social media. An experienced US ham (licensed over 50 years) will describe what this hobby has to offer anyone, and will describe the process of setting up and operating an amateur radio station.

Mr. Crilly would be pleased to offer a stargazing session on a clear night during the cruise.

I have been a guest enrichment lecturer for NCL, Princess, MSC, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival (including paid positions with Carnival) since 2003, doing from one to 6 voyages every year. I offer guided on-deck observing sessions as well as a variety of astronomy-related lectures during the day.