'I love the science of the night sky'
Edmonton author shares aurora stories with Yellowknife students
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Friday, May 12, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
An Edmonton author whose children's astronomy books are endorsed by Canadian astronauts, a NASA scientist and even Bob McDonald of CBC's Quirks & Quarks was in Yellowknife on May 5.
Joan Marie Galat read to students at Range Lake North and St. Joseph School from her latest book, Dot to Dot in the Sky: Stories of the Aurora.
"I collect stories from around the world about the night sky," she said. "I love the science of the night sky and the books are a partnership of science and stories."
With a six-book series about the night sky under her belt, including a number of other titles, Galat said writing about the aurora was the next logical step.
"They're fascinating," she said. "Everybody loves to look up and see them. And it's great to look up and know the science about them, but also to imagine what it was like thousands of years ago."
Stories of the Aurora explores what makes the Northern lights so appealing and contains tips on how to spot the phenomena.
She said science writing is something she's been doing since she was young. She became a columnist at age 12, writing about the birds that frequented her backyard.
Craig Edwards, acting head librarian with the Hay River Centennial Library, said Galat's visit is part of an author tour organized each year by the public library. The tours are funded by a Canada Council for the Arts grant.
"The goal is to bring noteworthy authors to the territory," he explained. "We chose (Galat) for her books and because she has great experience presenting to students in school."
The guest authors visit schools in Yellowknife, Hay River, the Hay River Reserve, Fort Resolution and Fort Smith.
