The San Mateo County Astronomical Society will forgo its usual general meeting and presentation for the month of April to support a special event at the College of San Mateo Friday, April 18. The event, “Art, Science & Visual Metaphors,” will be held at the CSM Theatre (Building 3) on the College of San Mateo’s […]
Author: Michelle Morales Torres
This White Elephant had Good Gifts!
The Society had a good turnout for their annual holiday celebration on January 18 at Crystal Springs United Methodist Church, our usual spot for soirees. The evening was filled with camaraderie for our shared love of astronomy. The celebration was a potluck with a variety and quality of the food ensured that there was something […]
Special Moon Viewing Star Party, 4/5
The Society invites all enthusiasts, families, and curious minds to our special Moon Viewing Star Party, Saturday, April 5, 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm. This event promises a night filled with wonder, education, and community spirit. The moon, our closest celestial body, has always captivated humanity’s imagination. From ancient myths to modern science, it has […]
Best Day for Activities
One of my favorites sources for astronomy information is www.almanac.com. It’s also an excellent source for gardening and farming. They say that the best farmers and gardeners plant everything based on the moon phase, not the sun as most would think. They even have an activity guide where they recommend the best days to do certain […]
My Favorite Astronomer: Claudius Ptolemy
As someone who used to write an astronomy column for the San Mateo Daily Journal and a huge astronomy fan, I know most of the ancient astronomers but of course, not all. There was a name that kept reappearing in my research that I wasn’t familiar with. I’m not sure if he’s my favorite astronomer, […]
Familiar Faces Return to Crestview for Comet Gazing
San Mateo County Fire Department employees from left to right are Firefighter Matt Hoffmann, Engineer John Hollander, Fire Capt. Jordan Motts and Fire Capt. Chris Schaefer. If you’ve been keeping up on our newsletter, you might recall we had an unusually exciting Star Party July 3. The San Mateo County Fire Department came out to Crestview […]
Make Sure to Catch the “Comet of the Century”!
Did you see the video of, what’s being dubbed as, the “Comet of the Century” over the Golden Gate bridge? I was pleasantly surprised to see the video but disappointed that I had no idea about it and figured, there might be others who haven’t heard about it either. The comet is called C/2023 A3 […]
SMCAS Annual Star-B-Q Party: Saturday, Aug. 3 ~ 6 p.m. at Crestview Park
All are invited to the SMCAS Annual Star-B-Q party on Saturday, August 3 at Crestview Park. This is a family friendly event so be sure to bring the kids. It starts at 6 p.m., but feel free to arrive and leave at your convenience since this will be followed by a Star Party. Our gathering […]
Exciting July 3 Star Party
If you haven’t heard yet, July 3’s Star Party was one of the most exciting we’ve had in a while. Besides being one of the most attended, there was a bit of both excitement and a bit of inconvenience when the sprinkler went off, not just once, but twice unusually early! The first time was […]
My Eclipse Journey by Michelle Morales
As many in the Society, I booked nonrefundable flights and lodging to Dallas for the April 8 total eclipse. When I heard and verified that it would be cloudy in Dallas, I started examining satellite shots and comparing weather forecasts for an area that had a chance of clear skies. I wasn’t going to travel […]