Greetings to the Society, As spring gives way to summer, the rhythm of observing begins to shift. The nights get shorter, the evenings stay brighter longer, and many of the best celestial sights start happening either very late—or very early. (Astronomy, as always, rewards flexibility … or a strong relationship with coffee.) Remembering Darryl Stanford […]
Author: Michael Cooke
The Universe Has a Busy Spring Schedule
Greetings to the Society, A Blood Moon to Start the Season As we move into March and April, the sky is giving us plenty of reasons to step outside and look up—preferably with a telescope, a few friends, and perhaps a warm drink while the night air still reminds us that winter isn’t quite finished. […]
A New Year Under the Winter Sky
Greetings to the Society, Happy New Year, everyone! 🌟 I hope you all made it through the holidays with minimal cloud cover, functional eyepieces, and only a reasonable number of telescope accessories added to your wish list. January and February are often thought of as the “quiet” months for astronomy — cold nights, early sunsets, […]
Goodbyes, Geminids, and Gratitude
Greetings to the Society, Remembering Friends It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of our longtime member and past president, Ed Pieret, who left us peacefully on October 30 with his wife by his side. Ed served SMCAS in many roles over the years — President, Vice President, mentor, and friend — […]
Pumpkin Spice and Cosmic Delights
Greetings to the Society, Back to Pizza and the Planetarium As summer winds down and pumpkin-flavored everything creeps back onto shelves, our society is gearing up for a lively fall season. Our general meetings return on September 5 — always a chance to reconnect, swap stories about what we’ve seen in the night sky, share […]
Stars, Stories, & BBQ: Summer with SMCAS
Greetings to the Society, In Memory It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of two major transitions in our community. In May, we lost longtime club and board member Ken Lum. Ken’s kindness, friendship, and ever-present smile left a lasting impact on our group. His warmth, dedication, and laughter will be […]
Gearing Up for a Stellar Summer
Greetings to the Society, Summer Ho! As spring winds down and summer begins, let’s hope for more clear skies than cloudy ones! Warmer weather brings more opportunities for stargazing—and for getting involved with the club. It’s also time to start thinking about elections for a new Board of Directors. Have you considered becoming more active […]
Astro-Photo: Bubble Nebula
Object: Bubble Nebula or NGC 7635 Photographer: Michael Cooke Camera: eVscope v1 Location: San Mateo, CA
Astro-Photo: NGC 6520 & Barnard 86
Object: NGC 6520 (an open cluster of stars) & Barnard 86 (Dark Nebula) Photographer: Michael Cooke Camera: eVscope v1 Location: Crestview Park, San Carlos, CA.
Astro-Photo: Cocoon Nebula
Object: Cocoon Nebula or IC 5146 Photographer: Michael Cooke Camera: eVscope v1 Location: Crestview Park, San Carlos, CA.