About
Norm Sperling
Most of our ideas come from Norm Sperling, our Creator. He earned his master's degree
in History of Science from the University of California, Berkeley. He began selling
astronomical goods in 1973, focusing on back issues of Sky & Telescope.
Norm co-designed the popular Astroscan telescope for Edmund Scientific Company. He
produced "The Stars Above" bowl-shaped starfinder for Spherical concepts, Inc. He
created the Catalog of North American Planetaria (CATNAP) for the International
Planetarium Society, which later editors expanded into the world-wide Planetarium
Directory.
He named his own company "Everything in the Universe" in 1977, when he sold one-of-
a-kind copper printing plates. Those came from Sky & Telescope, where he was an editor
from 1976 to 1981. Management didn't want them sold under a staff-member's name.
Other editors made fun of his "Own a Piece of Sky & Telescope" ad, though it worked
quite well. When S&T's old clunky refrigerator died, Norm declined an opportunity to
sell it under the same headline.
At S&T, he wrote a series of articles that expanded "Astronomy Day" from a few
scattered sites to a coherent international program.
He bought the AstroMurals poster company (which was founded in 1945) in 1982, and
moved to California.
Norm edited and published two widely-appreciated books which are now permanently
sold out: David Levy's second book, The Universe for Children, and John Dobson's
How and Why to Make a User-Friendly Sidewalk Telescope.
Before opening this World Wide Web site, Norm issued several mail-order catalogs, and
set up sales booths at assorted meetings.
Norm has been science editor for AltaVista , and a planetarium director.
He lectured for many years at Morrison Planetarium in San Francisco.
He has published more than 100 articles. He provides \\cohe link\\ expert astronomical
testimony in court trials.
He teaches astronomy at the
University of California, Berkeley, Fall Freshman Program. He has taught astronomy,
physics, and history of science at Sonoma State University, and
Merritt College.
Sperling received the Western Amateur Astronomers' 1992 National Service Award, a
"Special" (combined professional, amateur, and company) Award from the
Astronomical Association of Northern
California in 1989, and was named a "Fellow" of the
International Planetarium Society in its first induction, 1986.
He is active in many organizations.
He is long-time vice chair of the Bay Area Skeptics .
He is host and co-founder of the Northern California
Historical Astronomy Luncheon and Discussion Association (NCHALADA),
appreciated both for the breadth and depth of points that participants bring up, and for
its general good humor.
He is historian of the Pacific
Planetarium Association.
He lives in San Mateo, California, with his boys Lumin and Mason. They all root for the
Oakland Athletics. The boys play baseball in the San Mateo
National Little League, and with MLB Showdown cards, and with the latest Backyard
Baseball CD.
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