From gazing at the night sky while sleeping on her family’s rooftop in Palestine, to buying her first telescope on eBay in seventh grade (for the sky-high bid of $100), to earning her degree in astrophysics and becoming a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, Abuisnaineh has spent much of her life looking up. During the partial solar eclipse in October 2023, Abuisnaineh brought together her community with what may very well be a first-of-its-kind event in the country: a viewing party that also included the Islamic solar eclipse prayer: salat al-kusuf.

Atlas Obscura spoke with Abuisnaineh about the power of stargazing as a community, the shock of an old man witnessing an eclipse for the first time, and how her religion inspires her to never stop reveling in the majesty of the universe.