Published: August 4, 2025
Ms. Bonham writes:
I’ve been meaning to reach out and share some updates with you. This past May, I published my first book, Starry Wonders: Exploring the 25 Brightest Stars. Varoujan suggested I let you know about it, as this project has been a long time in the making.
I actually began working on the book before my time in NITARP, but once I was accepted into the program, my publisher allowed me to pause writing so I could focus on completing NITARP. That experience ended up shaping the book in meaningful ways. I learned so much about astronomy concepts and research tools, and my exposure to Caltech and JPL left a lasting impression—particularly the way both institutions value art alongside science. Since then, I’ve incorporated more art into my own lessons, even collaborating with an art teacher at my school to create the book’s illustrations. She did a beautiful job bringing the star systems I wrote about to life.
This book is aimed at a beginner audience, similar to the community I’ve built on my YouTube channel, Learn the Sky. Speaking of which, I recently reached a major milestone there—100,000 subscribers! I’ve applied for verification with YouTube and hope to have that finalized soon. It’s been nearly a decade of work to reach this point, so this milestone feels especially rewarding.
I wanted to share what I’ve been working on since NITARP. The program truly expanded my knowledge and opportunities, and I hope it continues to inspire and support educators like me.
I’ve attached one of the images from the book—helping to shape artwork for the book was one of my favorite parts of the process.
Thank you again for the role NITARP has played in shaping my journey.
