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 deeply missed at every meeting and Star Party.
We also said farewell to Frank Seminaro, a former presenter, lecturer, and enthusiastic astrophotographer, who recently moved away. Frank’s patient guidance helped many of us get started with astrophotography. His wisdom and generosity of spirit will not be forgotten. With a little luck, perhaps we can persuade him to host a future Star Party at his new farm near Tahoe!
These changes leave us with more vacancies on the SMCAS board than expected. Nominations closed July 2. Voting will begin soon and will remain open until our annual Star-B-Que on July 19, where in-person ballots can also be cast.
Star-B-Que is a family-friendly event—bring the kids, and feel free to arrive and leave at your convenience. It’s a potluck BBQ, the board will provide main dishes, bring your favorite side or drink. This is one of our most beloved gatherings, blending good food, good company, and good skies. Please see the invitation sent to the SMCASnews group for more details. I hope to see many of you there!
News from the Cosmos
Some of you may remember our past field trip to SLAC, where we got a firsthand look at components for the then-under-construction LSST—now known as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Excitingly, its 3,200-megapixel camera has begun capturing images, and the first public glimpses are already stunning. This marks a new era in deep-sky survey astronomy, and we can expect even more breathtaking views as it comes online.
The ALMA array recently revealed that Comet C/2014 UN271, a visitor from the distant Oort Cloud, is a truly massive object—spanning nearly 85 miles across, making it over ten times larger than most known comets. Active jets of carbon monoxide gas have been observed as it nears the Sun, offering rare insight into the primitive materials that shaped our solar system.
Using a coronagraph, the James Webb Space Telescope has directly imaged TWA 7 b, a planet roughly the mass of Saturn orbiting a young star surrounded by a debris disk. This marks the lightest exoplanet ever imaged directly, a significant milestone in our growing ability to detect and study other worlds.
Upcoming Celestial Events
🌌 July 6 – Saturn and Neptune’s Close Encounter
Set your alarms and grab your cameras! Just before dawn on July 6, Saturn and Neptune will appear incredibly close in the sky—less than 1° apart. It’s a beautiful and rare alignment, perfect for wide-field astrophotography or simply enjoying with binoculars. Moments like this don’t come often, so early birds, don’t sleep on it!
⏱ July 9, July 22 & August 5 – Earth’s Quick Spin Days
Here’s a fun twist—our planet will be spinning just a little faster on these dates, making them some of the shortest days of the year. It’s all due to subtle wobbles and shifts deep within Earth’s core. You won’t feel it, but it’s a cool reminder that even our seemingly steady home planet is in constant motion.
Enjoy the warmer nights
We’ve finally been enjoying clear skies again, and our recent Crestview Park Star Parties have been some of the best-attended in a long time. If you joined us for one, we’d love to hear from you!
Tell us what you enjoyed, what you learned, and why you think these events matter. Whether it’s a quick note or a short video (Reels welcome!), your stories help us share the value of our work with the San Carlos City Council, who graciously allow us to host events at the park. Your voice could help ensure future gatherings continue to thrive.
Here’s to the height of summer—warm nights, dark skies, and discoveries both cosmic and personal.
Clear skies and happy viewing!
Michael Cooke
President, San Mateo County Astronomical Society