John Sheff has explored some remote parts of our planet on adventure travel journeys and mountaineering expeditions. His background as an amateur astronomer and space buff has him just as excited about the exploration of other planets. He enjoys participating in star parties, particularly inner-city ones, organized by his local club - the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston (ATMoB). He also loves to share views of the sky through the observatory telescope he operates during Public Nights at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge. In his day job he's had a career as a Network Admin and an IT Manager, and now does consulting in web development and science education. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.