SMCAS Events
The San Mateo County Astronomical Society Star Parties, Speaker Series, and meetings are open to the public. Speaker Series and meetings happen in person at the College of San Mateo Planetarium. General meetings and socials start at 7:00 pm in Room 110 in the ISC Building (36), and Speaker presentations start at 8:00 pm in the Planetarium​ or a nearby lecture room.​
Speaker Series
Join the San Mateo County Astronomical Society for a thrilling Speaker Series featuring renowned experts from the realms of astronomy, physics, and related fields. Engage with thought leaders who bring the latest from the frontiers of scientific discovery right to our meetings. Our lineup includes luminaries from NASA-Ames, Stanford, SETI, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, and other prestigious institutions across the US, connecting us to the heart of scientific innovation. This is your chance to be at the forefront of groundbreaking research and developments in the cosmos!
February 7, 2025. Presentation rescheduled to September 5
March 7, 2025. 8:00 pm. Dr PascaL Lee, Planetary Scientist The Moon & Mars: Amazing Places for Humans to Soon Explore, Part 1: the Moon!
April 18, 2025, 7:30 pm. Mohsen Janatpour Art and Science Presentation in the CSM Theatre,
May 2, 2025 , 7:30 pm CSM Michael Chriss Scholarship Award Winners short presentations by: Belle Blevins-Kurt and Malia Smith —— followed at: 8:00 pm by Dr Pascal Lee, Planetary Scientist The Moon & Mars: Amazing Places for Humans to Soon Explore, Part 2: Mars!
September 5, 2025 8:00 pm Dr Bart De Pontieu, Solar Physicist Unraveling the Mysteries of the Sun’s Atmosphere
October 3, 2025. 8:00 pm. Katherine Laliotis, KIPAC Illuminating the Universe with Weak Gravitational Lensing
November 7, 2025. 8:00 pm. Professor Darryl Stanford, The Sky Tonight Planetarium show. Plus the full dome movie: Incoming!
December 5, 2025. 8:00 pm. Chanan Greenberg, Astrophotographer. Capturing Cosmic Magic Through Astrophotography
February 6, 2026 8:00 pm Dr Sofia Sheikh, SETI Research Scientist: Searching for Technological Life in the Universe
May 1, 2026. 8:00 pm Dr Brian Lantz, Stanford, Exploring the Gravitational Wave Universe
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Sun
Catch up on our Past speakers
SMCAS News Group
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Star Parties
Join us under the starry skies for our mesmerizing Star Parties, hosted by the San Mateo County Astronomical Society. Twice each month, we transform Crestview Park in San Carlos into a gateway to the stars. Come Discover the Universe with us.
Day - Sunset
2025 Dec 20 - 4:54 PM
2026 Jan 10 - 5:09 PM
2026 Jan 17 - 5:17 PM
2026 Feb 14 - 5:47 PM
2026 Feb 21 - 5:55 PM
2026 Mar 14 - 7:15 PM
2026 Mar 21 - 7:22 PM
2026 Apr 11 - 7:41 PM
2026 Apr 18 - 7:47 PM
2026 May 16 - 8:12 PM
2026 May 23 - 8:18 PM (Observe the Moon Night)
2026 Jun 13 - 8:31 PM
2026 Jun 20 - 8:33 PM
2026 Jul 11 - 8:31 PM
2026 Jul 18 - 8:28 PM
2026 Aug 8 - 8:09 PM
2026 Aug 15 - 8:01 PM
2026 Sep 5 - 7:32 PM (Observe the Moon Night)
2026 Sep 12 - 7:21 PM
2026 Oct 3 - 6:49 PM
2026 Oct 10 - 6:38 PM
2026 Nov 7 - 5:04 PM
2026 Nov 14 - 4:58 PM
2026 Dec 20 - 4:54 PM
2026 Dec 27 - 4:58 PM