Category: Newsletter

The Europa Clipper Mission: Unveiling the Mysteries of Jupiter’s Moon

Back in September my family when to an exhibit and talk at the Academy of Science in San Francisco by NASA on their mission to Europa. This mission is set to launch no later than 12:06 p.m. EDT, Monday, Oct. 14th. Where might we find life beyond Earth within our solar system? While Mars and […]

Celestial Events on the Horizon: Fall 2024

Greetings to the Society,  A rare astronomical phenomenon is on the verge of unfolding—the nova nova T Coronae Borealis, which erupts approximately every 80 years, appears to be running behind schedule. When it does, it is predicted to be the brightest nova seen from Earth since 1975, and we are expecting this awe-inspiring event to […]

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 […]

Speaker: Brian Coltin

Presentation on October 4, 8:00pm PST in the CSM Planetarium Speaker: Dr. Brian Coltin, Roboticist NASA Ames Intelligent Robotics Group Astrobee! The ISS Robotic Free Flyer Free and open to the public. Free Parking in nearby lots. The Astrobees are free-flying robots that operate inside the International Space Station (ISS) and were launched to the […]

The Dawn of a New Era in Astronomy: The Vera Rubin Observatory

The Vera Rubin Observatory, after 13 years of construction, is set to achieve “first light” in August 2024, marking a new era in astronomy. Originally known as the LSST, this observatory will capture the cosmos with an 8.4-meter-wide mirror and the most advanced camera ever built, revolutionizing our understanding of the universe.

Galaxy Zoo Reopens with New Data from ESA’s Euclid Space Telescope!

The Galaxy Zoo is back with an exciting new project. For the first time, the public can explore data from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid space telescope. Every image in this dataset is likely one that no one has seen before, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to scientific discovery. Euclid scientists need your […]

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 […]

Celestial Events and Society Updates: An Exciting End to Summer

Greetings to the Society,  We are still eagerly awaiting the once-in-a-lifetime event of nova T Coronae Borealis, which erupts spectacularly every 80 years. Astronomers currently predict about a 70% chance that T Corona Borealis will go nova by September and a 95% chance that it will occur by the end of the year. This nova […]

Celestial Wonders and Society Updates: A Stellar Summer for SMCAS

Greetings to the Society,  The hits keep coming this year, with the excitement of the aurora borealis being visible in the San Francisco Bay Area on May 11 and 12, 2024, due to a rare solar storm. This spectacular display of natural beauty was a rare treat for our region, delighting both seasoned astronomers and […]