Howard Hochhalter never anticipated becoming a self-taught man of science. As a young Marine proudly serving his country, he was more inclined to travel and see the world than ponder complex cosmological questions. However, years later a chance visit to a local planetarium ended up changing the course of his life. Inside that darkened theater Howard’s curiosity for astronomy was ignited. He marveled at the awe and majesty of the cosmos. That spark set alight a thirst for knowledge which motivated him into a nonstop pursuit of more... more knowledge, more science, more universe. His dedicated passion was eventually rewarded with a career working at the premier astronomy education facility on Florida's west coast. Never one to waste an opportunity to inspire, Howard quickly used the platform of the planetarium and engaged his audiences with informative introductions to every show. This created a de mand for deeper discussions and paved the way for daily live star talks, monthly children events, and in-depth evening lectures. Howard has become a community treasure and outreaches through schools, clubs and libraries, and appears on local news and radio programs. Howard’s engaging and entertaining style of teaching, coupled with his informative analogies and metaphors, peel away the intimidating veil of science and make astronomy accessible to all. Howard lives with his wife and children far from the city to better appreciate the dark night skies.