Jack Horkheimer's Dark Final Days

Known as "The Star Gazer," local astronomer and TV host Jack Horkheimer convinced millions of Americans every week to "keep looking up" at the night sky. As director of the Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium, he wowed generation after generation with his surreal laser light shows.But this...

By Michael E. Miller

January 10, 2011

We’re $300 away from our summer campaign goal,
with just 2 days left!

We’re ready to deliver—but we need the resources to do it right. If Miami New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today to help us expand our current events coverage when it’s needed most.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal

$6,000

$5,700

Audio By Carbonatix

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
            "component": "22004575",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "STN Player - Float - Mobile Only ",
            "component": "22595215",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "Editor Picks",
            "component": "17482312",
            "insertPoint": "4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18711090",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - 2x Rectangles Desktop, Tower on Mobile - Labeled",
            "component": "23181625",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18711090",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
            "component": "17720761",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          }
        ]

Known as "The Star Gazer," local astronomer and TV host Jack Horkheimer convinced millions of Americans every week to "keep looking up" at the night sky. As director of the Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium, he wowed generation after generation with his surreal laser light shows.

But this week's metro story paints a much different picture of Horkheimer. A New Times investigation reveals that the Star Gazer's final months were dark, even hellish.

As Horkheimer's health failed last summer, lawyers tracked him from one hospital to

the next trying to serve him with a scandalous lawsuit. Even his

multi-million dollar will is now being bitterly contested.

Read

more about Horkheimer's death and the legal trouble that threatens to

eclipse his lifetime of star gazing in tomorrow's online metro edition.

Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.

Michael E. Miller was a staff writer at Miami New Times for five years. His work for New Times won many national awards, including back-to-back-to-back Sigma Delta Chi medallions. He now covers local enterprise for the Washington Post.

A message from News Editor Natasha Yee: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of essential stories and to investigate issues that matter.

Support Today