Alonso Méndez is a Tzeltal Maya cultural astronomer based in Taos, New Mexico. Born in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, he spent over twenty years researching Pre-Columbian astronomical knowledge. He worked as a project artist and researcher on archaeological excavations at Palenque beginning in 1997, documenting discoveries and producing reconstructive drawings. His investigations identified astronomical alignments in major temples and contributed new interpretations of hieroglyphic texts. Méndez has published findings on Maya astronomy and participated in educational programs through NASA and the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. He served as co-scriptwriter for a planetarium production on Maya astronomy and advisor to museum exhibits. He continues work as a research associate with the Solstice Project in Santa Fe and the Maya Exploration Center in Austin.