Lectures on Tap - "The (Actual) Astronomy of Astrology"

Professors, experts, and storytellers giving thought-provoking lectures in NYC bars. 📍 Location: Exact address given in confirmation email 🧠 Lecture: "The (Actual) Astronomy of Astrology" 🎤 Speaker: Dr. Mark Popinchalk What’s really happening in the sky behind star signs, Saturn returns, and Mercury in retrograde? In this fascinating talk, astronomer Dr. Mark Popinchalk pulls back the curtain on the real celestial mechanics that underlie western astrology’s ancient claims. Grounded in the sky-mapping traditions of the Babylonians—who tracked planets and stars for over 800 years—this lecture explores how zodiac constellations and planetary motion were first recognized, and how those early observations still echo through our culture today. Using modern scientific understanding, Dr. Popinchalk will separate astronomical fact from astrological fiction (spoiler: don’t believe your horoscope) while revealing just how strange and wonderful our universe really is. Dr. Popinchalk is an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History, an adjunct professor at NYU, and host of the late-night comedy talk show Science Tonight! He studies how fast stars spin to figure out how old they are, presents in planetariums, plays ultimate frisbee, and bakes bread in his spare time. Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌 Agenda 6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key. 6:55 PM – Host introduction 7:00 PM – Lecture begins 7:45 PM – Audience Q&A 8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round 8:30 PM – Wrap up.