By Mira Krishnan When discussing the giants of space science, names like Galileo or Isaac Newton usually dominate the conversation. However, if you look closer at the history of astronomy, I believe the most compelling story belongs to the 17th-century German astronomer Johannes Kepler. Facing severe physical disabilities, family chaos, and a scientific community that […]
By Alexander Jaeger My favorite astronomer is Johannes Kepler. Ever since I took an introductory course in astrophysics, I have been fascinated by Kepler because of his laws of planetary motion. It seemed so amazing to me that such a complex topic could be described by laws that appeared so simple. I think that his […]
By Mira Krishnan When I was just a little girl, I would look up at the night sky with awe, surprised that such beauty existed. It wasn’t until I discovered Neil DeGrasse Tyson that I started to understand what really happened in the vast vacuum that is our universe. Tyson was born in New York […]
By Timothy Milligan On September 14, I observed the launch of the NG-23 Cygnus Resupply Mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40. The launch vehicle was a SpaceX Falcon 9, carrying the Cygnus XL spacecraft. The mission delivered over approximately 10,828 pounds of scientific investigations, research materials and cargo to the […]
The SMCAS Board invites you and your family to our annual Star-B-Que, Saturday, July 19 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at our usual meeting spot, Crestview Park, 1000 Crestview Dr, San Carlos. This is a family friendly event, bring the kids. Feel free to arrive and leave at your convenience. Our party will be a […]
Ladies and Gentlemen, I have known Ken for more than thirty-three years. I have benefited from his knowledge, wisdom, and kindness. He was instrumental in our choices of speakers for Family Science Day, year after year. His solar observations engaged the public and students, enriching our program. The bridge to the Science Building will feel […]
Vikas Kapur and others have gone sailing with Ken before. Here’s a link to one of their adventures. And here’s some pics from another outing.
By Chanan Greenberg Building upon Mike’s earlier post about Ken, I had the honor and pleasure of knowing Ken for 22 years. From our first interactions, I was in awe of his extensive knowledge and the caliber of his astronomy equipment — far beyond my reach at the time. I quickly discovered that Ken was […]
I’m Mike Ryan, a member of the San Mateo County Astronomical Society since 1963 (the only one remaining from the ’60’s). I just returned from a week visiting my 83-year-old invalid sister and her family and was shocked and saddened to learn this morning that our blessed friend Ken Lum had passed away on May […]
By: Loki Ingalls My favorite astronomer is Charles Messier. I love the story of the Messier objects; it’s really funny to me how seemingly random objects that he numbered are now incredibly popular objects for many astronomers to view and astrophotographers to capture. It’s really crazy how one person can make such a big impact! […]
