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 […]
Category: Newsletter
Milestone: LSST Camera Installed Early March!
In early March, the LSST camera was installed in the Vera Rubin Observatory on a Chilean mountaintop! SMCAS has been following the development of the LSST for many years in our monthly presentations, field trips, news updates, Event Horizon articles, and even our YouTube channel! “The world’s largest digital camera made in the Bay […]
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 […]
Speaker: Dr Pascal Lee
Presentation on May 2, 7:40 pm PDT in the CSM Planetarium Speaker: Dr. Pascal Lee, Planetary Scientist SETI Institute, Mars Institute, and NASA Ames Research Center The Moon & Mars: Amazing Places for Humans to Soon Explore, Part 2: Mars! Free and open to the public. In the College of San Mateo Planetarium. Free parking […]
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 […]
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, […]
Speaker: Dr Pascal Lee
Presentation on March 7, 8:00pm PST in the CSM Planetarium Speaker: Dr. Pascal Lee, Planetary Scientist SETI Institute, Mars Institute, and NASA Ames Research Center The Moon & Mars: Amazing Places for Humans to Soon Explore, Part 1: the Moon! Free and open to the public. At the College of San Mateo Planetarium. Free Parking […]
Stellarium Crestview Park Custom Landscape
Most astronomers know about Stellarium; it is a fantastic tool for exploringwhat the night skies will be like. It is also a really good planning tool forastrophotography. During one of the star parties at Crestview Park last summer, I wanted to takesome photos of the North America Nebula. After at least an hour of setting […]
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 […]