Presentation on September 5, 8:00pm PST in the CSM Planetarium Speaker: Dr. Bart De Pontieu, Solar Physicist Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center Unraveling the Mysteries of the Sun’s Atmosphere Free and open to the public. Free Parking in nearby lots. The Sun, our nearest star, is more than just a blazing […]
Category: Newsletter
Venus in the Teapot, Jupiter’s Brilliance, and Shooting Stars
Greetings to the Society, Venus in the Teapot of Sagittarius As we approach the end of the year, there’s a celestial treat worth observing: Venus is shining brightly in the “Teapot” of Sagittarius. While the Teapot isn’t an official constellation, this distinctive asterism of bright stars within Sagittarius is hard to miss once pointed out. […]
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 […]
Exciting July 3 Star Party
If you haven’t heard yet, July 3’s Star Party was one of the most exciting we’ve had in a while. Besides being one of the most attended, there was a bit of both excitement and a bit of inconvenience when the sprinkler went off, not just once, but twice unusually early! The first time was […]