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.
Author: Michael Cooke
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, […]
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 […]
Orion/Meade Telescopes Auction
A heads up from Ed Ching For those who have been following the saga of the Optronic Techonologies, Inc., business, parent of both Orion Telescopes and Meade Instruments, the offices and storefront in Watsonville, California were shut down in July 2024. On July 31, the Orion website went offline. Apparently the assets of […]
A New Year of Stargazing Adventures
Greetings to the Society, Here’s to a New Year and New Adventures! 2024 was an incredible year for astronomical events. Many members experienced the awe-inspiring total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, with some traveling to witness this rare celestial phenomenon firsthand. Closer to home, parts of the Bay Area were treated to a dazzling […]
SMCAS Annual Holiday Party!
Mark your calendars for an evening of fun, food, and fellowship at the San Mateo County Astronomical Society’s annual holiday party! 📅 Date: Thursday, January 18, 2018 ⏰ Time: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 📍 Location: Crystal Springs United Methodist Church 2145 Bunker Hill Dr, San Mateo, CA 94402 This year’s celebration is a potluck! […]
JWST shows that dark matter doesn’t exist!
OK now that I got you attention with that over the top headline like newspapers print, lets talk about the facts. The cosmos has always been a wellspring of surprises, and our understanding of its early days remains incomplete. For decades, we were constrained by our technological limits—telescopes couldn’t peer far enough to capture light […]
Venus in the Teapot, Jupiter’s Brilliance, and Shooting Stars
Greetings to the Society, Venus in the Teapot of Sagittarius As we approach the end of the year, there’s a celestial treat worth observing: Venus is shining brightly in the “Teapot” of Sagittarius. While the Teapot isn’t an official constellation, this distinctive asterism of bright stars within Sagittarius is hard to miss once pointed out. […]
The Europa Clipper Mission: Unveiling the Mysteries of Jupiter’s Moon
Back in September my family when to an exhibit and talk at the Academy of Science in San Francisco by NASA on their mission to Europa. This mission is set to launch no later than 12:06 p.m. EDT, Monday, Oct. 14th. Where might we find life beyond Earth within our solar system? While Mars and […]
Celestial Events on the Horizon: Fall 2024
Greetings to the Society, A rare astronomical phenomenon is on the verge of unfolding—the nova nova T Coronae Borealis, which erupts approximately every 80 years, appears to be running behind schedule. When it does, it is predicted to be the brightest nova seen from Earth since 1975, and we are expecting this awe-inspiring event to […]