Exploring the moon is João Costa’s passion, albeit through his telescope. It is a passion he likes to share with others through his ‘AstroFaro’ astronomical observation events. His recent events include the Forum Family Garden event at Forum Algarve in Faro, where over 200 adults and children peeked through his telescope for a glimpse of the lunar landscape and the chance to take a souvenir picture of the lunar beauty.
João’s passion for the skies goes as far back as he can remember. As a child, he was fascinated by the universe, other planets and galaxies; he has always been curious about what exists beyond planet Earth. At the time, there was limited access to information, and it was not until the internet became accessible and more TV channels dedicated to science – such as the Discovery Channel – that he was able to satisfy his curiosity and deepen his knowledge.
A friend who knew of João’s passion was the catalyst for his future achievements. He happened to see mini telescopes for sale at Lidl and bought one for João. At first, João used it with some enthusiasm to observe the moon but, because its view was very limited, after a few attempts, it became part of the pile of “objects” left in the trunk or boot of his car and forgotten about.
Then came the pandemic. During the first confinement, João remembered his mini telescope in the back of the car, but when he went to use it, he found it had a broken lens. While João was researching for a replacement lens online, he discovered telescopes were not that expensive. His focus then turned to purchasing a better one. He knew very little about telescopes at the time (such as aperture, eyepiece and magnification) so, with pen and paper in hand, he took lots of notes to fulfil his determination to find the best telescope he could afford.
His first real telescope was a disappointment. It was not user-friendly and, as João tried to work the telescope, one of the parts got slightly damaged. His next task was to find someone who might be able to help fix it. As luck would have it, he was referred to the astronomer at the Centro Ciência Viva do Algarve in Faro, Filipe Dias. Filipe was not only helpful, but he also invited João to join their Astro Club in the summer of 2020. When Filipe observed João’s enthusiasm and willingness to learn and help out, he asked João to join as an assistant with the observation events at the CCVA.
João was thrilled. He sold his telescope and, with the knowledge gained thanks to his mentor and the CCVA, he bought a reflector telescope with a Dobson base that allows for stability, and ease of use and transport. He does not have to manually adjust the telescope; instead, he uses a command that is ideal for observation when surrounded by a keen public, especially children.
His friends encouraged João to expand his talent and passion by organising his own celestial observations and presentations. A previous colleague put him in contact with the events team at Vale de Lobo resort where, to his delight, he found out they had been looking for an astronomer for some time. João started his monthly observations at Vale de Lobo resort in 2022 and continues to do these monthly. The observations are scheduled at the time of the month when the moon is visible and take place on the resort itself.
Some of the hotel guests who attended subsequently invited him to host observations at private events and João has also been invited to participate in local festivals and events organised by the Municipality of Faro. This summer, he was involved in a stargazing presentation along with the CCVA at the unique Faro rooftop festival O Açoteia in July, the Forum Family Garden in August, and Faro’s Festival F in September.
I asked João to recall the most amazing celestial object he had ever seen. He told me that on 18 May of this year, he
conducted an observation event for the Scouts near Faro Airport. While packing up the telescope, he looked up at the sky and saw a meteor pass overhead. He said it was the most incredible sight. It happened so fast that he did not have a chance to capture it on his phone camera.
When asked to provide a quote or statement that reflects his inspiration, João did not hesitate to quote Carl Sagan from his book and film Contact: “The universe is a pretty big place. If it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space.” He thinks of the expanse of the universe and how small we are in comparison, making it impossible for the infinite magnificence of the universe to be ours only.
Follow AstroFaro on Facebook or Instagram for upcoming events, or contact João Costa directly to schedule a sky gazing observation:
+351 917 870 807 or astrofaro@gmail.com
