The recent deep-space light shows provided by the comet Neowise and Perseid meteor showers exposed many – for the first time – to the wonders of our mind-blowing universe.

For Edmonds resident Nathaniel Paust, the light shows are like a life partner.

Paust is an associate professor of astronomy at Whitman College in Walla Walla, where he seeks to continually improve undergraduate astronomy education. His research focuses on the evolution of old stellar populations and how that evolution is influenced by and influences the galaxy as a whole.

In addition to statistical analysis and high p...