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 — […]
Author: Michael Cooke
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.
Astro-Photo: Sculptor Galaxy
Object: Sculptor Galaxy or NGC 253 Photographer: Michael Cooke Camera: eVscope V1 Location: San Mateo, CA The galaxy was discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783.
Celestial Highlights of Spring
Greetings to the Society, Springtime Skies As we venture into March and April 2025, the cosmos offers a plethora of captivating events and milestones for astronomy enthusiasts and space aficionados. From celestial phenomena gracing our night skies to groundbreaking space missions, here’s what to anticipate in the coming months. March Right off the bat planets […]
My Favorite Astronomer: William Herschel – A Symphony of Stars
Actually, I have lots of astronomers I admire but I’m going to talk about one who interests truly mirror my own, Sir William Herschel. Born Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel on November 15, 1738, in Hanover, Germany, Herschel was immersed in music from an early age. His father, Isaak Herschel, an oboist in the Hanover Military Band, […]