• 25 Mar 2024 7:30 AM | Scott Miller (Administrator)

    Monday, 03/25/24
    03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
    Attend in person or via Zoom (see weblink)

    Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Colloquium Series
    2575 Sand Hill Road, Building 48
    Redwood Rooms C & D
    Menlo Park, CA 94025

    Zoom:  https://stanford.zoom.us/j/95023891262?pwd=ZUh0dFQwMGIyK3VrZTM2dnBvb0xmdz09#success


    Exploring the High-Redshift Universe with Millimeter-Wave Line Intensity Mapping

    Answering outstanding questions in cosmology - such as understanding the physics of inflation, dark energy, and reionization - requires observations of ever-increasing volumes of the universe. In this talk I will discuss a new technique for measuring large volumes at high redshift: line intensity mapping (LIM) of far-IR emission lines from galaxies. This technique is enabled by advances in millimeter-wave spectrometer technology. I will introduce SPT-SLIM, a pathfinder experiment at the South Pole Telescope which will demonstrate the use of superconducting on-chip spectrometers for LIM. SPT-SLIM targets galaxies from the peak of cosmic star formation, about 10 billion years ago. I will then discuss the future of mm-wave LIM and the technical advances needed to develop this technique into a next-generation cosmological observable.  

    Speaker: Dr. Kirit Karkare, SLAC

    Website: https://colloquium.slac.stanford.edu/events/2024-03-14-exploring-high-redshift-universe-millimeter-wave-line-intensity-mapping

    Cost:  Free

    =============================

    Tuesday, 3/26/2024
    7:00 PM-9:00PM
    In-person and recorded

    Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society
    Lindsay Wildlife Experience
    1931 First Avenue
    Walnut Creek, CA 94597


    Speaker: Professor Oscar Macias,  SFSU

    Title:  Gamma-ray emission from the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal galaxy due to millisecond pulsars

    Website:https://www.mdas.net  and
    https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/event-view.cfm?Event_ID=133831

    =============================


    Thursday, 03/28/24
    05:30 PM - 06:30 PM

    In-person only


    Commonwealth Club
    110 The Embarcadero
    San Francisco, CA 94105


    Perlmutter, Campbell and MacCoun on Third Millennium Thinking: Creating Sense in a World of Nonsense


    Join a Nobel Laureate physicist, a psychologist and a philosopher for a conversation about the tools and frameworks that scientists have developed to keep from fooling themselves, to chart a course through the profusion of possibilities, to better understand the world, and to make intelligent decisions. These trust-building techniques, which the authors call Third Millennium Thinking, can be used to tackle problems both big and small.

    Ironically, the deluge of information over the internet has made it even harder to distinguish the revelatory from the contradictory. How do we make health decisions in the face of conflicting medical advice? Does that article on GMOs even show what the authors claim? How should we navigate our next Thanksgiving discussion with our in-laws, who follow completely different experts on climate?

    Based on a popular UC Berkeley course, Third Millennium Thinking offers a novel approach for making sense of the nonsense by thinking critically, making sound decisions, and solving problems - individually and collectively - using scientists’ tricks of the trade.

    Panel:

    • John Campbell, UC Berkeley
    • Robert MacCoun, Stanford University
    • Saul Perlmutter, Nobel Laureate, UC Berkeley
    • George Hammond, Commonwealth Club, Moderator

    Website: https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2024-03-28/perlmutter-campbell-and-maccoun-third-millennium-thinking-creating-sense-world


    Cost:  $20 General / $10 Members


    =============================

    Thursday, 03/28/24
    07:00 PM - 08:30 PM

    Attend In Person or Online


    The talk is free of charge and open to the public at the Los Altos Public Library in Los Altos, California, and we'll also share it over Zoom.
    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86425532669?pwd=64qzXWCtV3PklYtdxKDd5xsmu5pq0r.1
    Meeting ID: 864 2553 2669
    Passcode: 3.14159265


    Peninsula Astronomical Society

    Los Altos Public Library
    13 S San Antonio Rd
    Los Altos, CA 94022


    Oumuamua: Watching the scientific process unfold


    Humanity's first discovered interstellar visitor, Oumuamua, was found in 2017 while it was already on its way out of our solar system. The sparse data astronomers could gather over the span of 2.5 months included a few surprises and mysteries. In this talk, Dr. Mathews will outline the observations, the potential explanations that have been raised, and, ultimately, what future observations will help us place this first known visitor in context.


    Speaker: Dr Geoff Mathews, Foothill College


    Website: https://www.meetup.com/peninsula-astronomical-society/events/299877707/


    Cost:  Free

    =============================

    Thursday, 03/28/24
    07:00 PM - 09:00 PM
    In-person and Livestream

    KQED, The Commons
    2601 Mariposa Street
    San Francisco, CA 94110


    Science Is a Piece of Cake: Astronomy Cake-off

    Do you know your astronomy? Learn about all the planets and stars in our (rare night of fog-free) Bay Area sky via ... cake! KQED's Check, Please! Bay Area producer Cecilia Phillips is hosting a cake bake-off, where celestial bodies serve as our visual inspiration. Enter in the competition as a beginner, intermediate, or advanced baker, or come be in the audience to learn about the stars overhead and eat delicious cake.

    Website: https://www.kqed.org/event/3960

    Cost:  In Person: $20 / Livestream: Free.

    =============================

    Friday, 03/29/24
    08:30 PM - 10:00 PM
    In-person

    Sonoma State University Public Astronomy
    Observatory
    1801 East Cotati Ave
    Rohnert Park, CA 94928


    Public Astronomy Viewing Nights

    Sonoma State University hosts astronomical viewing nights open to the public.  Events are weather dependent.  Check the weblink for cancelations prior to attending.

    Website: https://phys-astro.sonoma.edu/public-events/public-viewing-nights

    Cost:  Free

    ==============================

    Friday, 03/29/24
    08:45 PM - 10:45 PM
    In-person

    San Jose Astronomical Association
    Houge Park
    3972 Twilight Drive
    San Jose, CA 95124

    In Town Star Party

    Come join San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) for an evening of stargazing.

    Event details:

    • Events are held at the parking lot of our headquarters, Houge Park San Jose. The event duration is 2 hours. SJAA volunteers will share night sky views from their telescopes.
    • Please refrain from bringing your own telescopes (Binoculars are welcome). If you like to be a volunteer with or without a telescope please email at "itsp@sjaa.net".

    Register at weblink

    Website: https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/298247790/

    Cost:  Free

    ==============================

    Friday, 3/29/24  7PM
    In-person

    Telescope Makers Workshop
    Chabot Space and Science Center
    10000 Skyline Boulevard
    Oakland, CA 94619-245

    The Chabot Telescope Maker's workshop reopens! Chabot's TMW is one of only a handful of regularly scheduled telescope making workshops in the U.S., and probably the world; it meets every Friday evening throughout the year, except Memorial Day weekend. It has been in operation since December of 1930, founded by Franklin B. Wright, and is currently run by Eastbay Astronomical Society member Rich Ozer, with help from other EAS members, Dave Barosso, Barry Leska, and others. The price of admission is FREE. All you have to do is show up, buy a mirror blank and a "tool" (typically around $100 - $200 depending on the size of the mirror) and start "pushin' glass!" We supply you with instruction, the various grits you'll need to first grind, and then polish and figure your mirror, and all the testing equipment needed. With a small bit of luck, you could wind up with a telescope that costs 1/3 or 1/4 the cost of a store-bought telescope, that is yet optically superior! It does take time - depending on how much time you put in on it, and other factors, it could take a few months.. But, it's a fun project, great for kids, and at the end you get a great telescope!

    Enter from the main loading dock behind the main building.

    If you have a project, bring it with you so we can assess next steps.
    You can also bring any other equipment or literature you may have
    questions about.

    For more information call or email Richard Ozer at richozer1@... or phone (510) 406-1914.

    =============================

    Friday, 03/29/2024 9PM-11PM for night observing and Saturday 03/30/2024
    10AM-12 Noon for solar observing
    In-person

    Foothill Observatory
    12345 El Monte Road
    Los Altos Hills, CA 94022


    Foothill Observatory now Open EVERY clear Friday night and Saturday morning

    The Foothill College Astronomy Department and Peninsula Astronomical Society (PAS) have reopened public viewing programs at Foothill College Observatory on:

    ·       Every clear Friday night from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. for star gazing

    ·       Every clear Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon for solar viewing

    Since we are still dealing with COVID, we are adopting the following guidelines to enable safe operation of the Observatory for both our public visitors and our PAS operators.  We ask that visitors please agree to complying with these guidelines before visiting the Observatory, and to direct any questions to info@....

    ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
    COVID vaccination and masks no longer required on the Foothill College campus.

    Websites:  https://foothill.edu/astronomy/observatory.html

    and  https://pastro.org

    =============================

    Friday,  03/29/2024 and Saturday 3/30/2024
    07:30 PM - 10:00 PM
    In-person

    Chabot Space and Science Center
    10000 Skyline Blvd
    Oakland, CA 94619

    Free Telescope Viewings

    Join Chabot astronomers on the Observatory Deck for a free telescope viewing! Weather permitting, this is a chance to explore stars, planets and more through Chabot’s historic telescopes. Chabot’s three large historic telescopes offer a unique way to experience the awe and wonder of the Universe. Our observatory deck offers breathtaking views 1,500 feet above the Bay. Three observatory domes house the Center’s 8-inch (Leah, 1883) and 20-inch (Rachel, 1916) refracting telescopes, along with a 36-inch reflecting telescope (Nellie, 2003).

    Are the skies clear for viewing tonight? Viewing can be impacted by rain, clouds, humidity and other weather conditions. Conditions can be unique to Chabot because of its unique location in Joaquin Miller Park. Before your visit, check out the Weather Station to see the current conditions at Chabot.

    https://chabotspace.org/weather-station/

    Website: https://chabotspace.org/events/events-listing/

    =============================

    Saturday, 03/30/24
    10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
    In-person

    Lawrence Hall of Science
    1 Centennial Drive
    Berkeley, CA 94720

    Sunprint Kit Celebration at the Lawrence Hall of Science

    Celebrate Spring Break with solar science! We’ll have a printmaking station all week featuring our Sunprint® Kits paper in Forces That Shape the Bay. Use your creativity, a variety of fun materials, and the sun’s power to express yourself and create stunning art. On Sunday, April 7, come back from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. to see your Sunprints on display for all to see and vote on your favorites to win a prize! Every visitor gets a free Sunprint Kit when they spend $40 at The Discovery Store all week long!

    Website: https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/sunprint-kit-celebration/

    Cost:  Free with admission

    =============================

    Saturday, 03/30/24
    10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
    Other Dates For This Event:
    • Saturday, 03/30/24
    • Sunday, 03/31/24
    • Monday, 04/01/24
    • Tuesday, 04/02/24
    • Wednesday, 04/03/24
    In-person

    Lawrence Hall of Science
    1 Centennial Drive
    Berkeley, CA 94720

    Through the Looking Glass Pilot

    Help us test a new activity for your future scientists aged 6 and under. Explore nature with various optical tools that can focus far beyond what our eyes typically see. Zoom in and zoom out with microscopes, periscopes, binoculars, and lenses carrying different magnifying powers. Which tools will you choose to help find what’s hidden in nature? The first hour each day (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) is members only.

    Admission is free for UC Berkeley students & staff, Members, children 2 and under, Museums for All, and active-duty military.

    Website: https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/through-the-looking-glass-pilot/

    Cost:  Free with museum admission ($20 for guests 3+)

    =============================

    Saturday, 03/30/24
    6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

    San Francisco Amateur Astronomers
    Muir Woods Community Clubhouse on Mt.Tam
    40 Ridge Avenue
    Mill Valley, CA 94941

    A Night for Beginning Astronomers

    The SFAA is hosting a night dedicated to our members beginning in visual astronomy. Beginners will bring their optical instruments and experienced members will be present to provide assistance. Cosmic delights for the evening include: Jupiter with its Great Red Spot visible and its moon Io casting a shadow, an excellent opportunity to view Comet Pons-Brooks, the great Orion Nebula, and the home of Star Trek’s Vulcans.

    Join us for a BYOF picnic (cookies provided!) prior to the event at 6:00 PM. Sunset will be at 7:30 PM, therefore we suggest arriving no later than 7 PM to allow for setup.

    To register, either as a beginner seeking support or an experienced astronomer wanting to mentor, please click here.

    Website: https://www.sfaa-astronomy.org/event-5570880

    Cost:  Free

    =============================


    Saturday, 03/31/24
    10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
    Other Dates For This Event:
    • Sunday, 03/31/24
    • Monday, 04/01/24
    • Tuesday, 04/02/24
    • Wednesday, 04/03/24

    • Thursday, 04/04/24
    • Friday, 04/05/24
      Saturday, 04/06/24
      Sunday, 04/07/24
      In-person

      Lawrence Hall of Science
      1 Centennial Drive
      Berkeley, CA 94720

      Through the Looking Glass Pilot

      Help us test a new activity for your future scientists aged 6 and under. Explore naturewith various optical tools that can focus far beyond what our eyes typically see. Zoom inand zoom out with microscopes, periscopes, binoculars, and lenses carrying differentmagnifying powers. Which tools will you choose to help find what’s hidden in nature?The first hour each day (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) is members only.

      Admission is free for UC Berkeley students & staff, Members, children 2 and under,Museums for All, and active-duty military.

      Website:https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/through-the-looking-glass-pilot/

      Cost:Free with museum admission ($20 for guests 3+)

    ----------------------------------

    Sunday, 03/31/24

    01:30 PM - 03:30 PM

    In-person


    San Jose Astronomical Association
    Houge Park
    3972 Twilight Drive
    San Jose, CA 95124


    Solar Observing


    It’s there for us year round, lighting our days and providing energy for our lives, so maybe it’s time to give it a closer look. Join SJAA for amazing and detailed views of the Sun, and be assured that we’ll be using special telescopes that will keep your eyeballs perfectly safe.

    We’ll have white-light telescopes with dense solar filters that reveal sunspots. Further, we’ll show you hydrogen-alpha telescopes that isolate a very specific color of red that reveals prominences (often thought of as solar flares) and intricate texture within the Sun’s chromosphere (its atmosphere).

    We can also share with you a little about how the Sun works and how complex magnetic fields drive the number of sunspots and prominences that we’ll see on a given day.

    Around 1:45, we'll have a short, informal introductory talk, and at other times, you can enjoy the views and ask questions about the Sun, telescopes, or astronomy in general.

    We're also planning station for your get a better feel for a huge scale of our solar system! And you'll get a solar system you can fold up and carry in your pocket.

    You may bring your own telescope. If you have a properly filtered white light or H-alpha telescope and want to share views with others, please arrive at 1:30 or earlier, so you have time to set up before the event officially starts.

    Weather dependent.  Sign up at weblink

    Website: https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/298550228/


    Cost:  Free

    ==============================


  • 25 Mar 2024 7:00 AM | Scott Miller (Administrator)


    Monday, 04/01/24
    10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
    Other Dates For This Event:
    • Monday, 04/01/24
    • Tuesday, 04/02/24
    • Wednesday, 04/03/24

    • Thursday, 04/04/24

    • Friday, 04/05/24
    • Saturday, 04/06/24
    • Sunday, 04/07/24
    In-person

    Lawrence Hall of Science
    1 Centennial Drive
    Berkeley, CA 94720


    Through the Looking Glass Pilot

    Help us test a new activity for your future scientists aged 6 and under. Explore nature with various optical tools that can focus far beyond what our eyes typically see. Zoom in and zoom out with microscopes, periscopes, binoculars, and lenses carrying different magnifying powers. Which tools will you choose to help find what’s hidden in nature? The first hour each day (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) is members only.

    Admission is free for UC Berkeley students & staff, Members, children 2 and under, Museums for All, and active-duty military.

    Website: https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/through-the-looking-glass-pilot/

    Cost:  Free with museum admission ($20 for guests 3+)


    ==============================


    Monday, 04/01/24
    07:30 PM - 09:00 PM

    In-person


    Benjamin Dean Astronomy Lecture Series

    California Academy of Sciences
    55 Music Concourse Dr.
    San Francisco, CA 94118


    The Formation of New Worlds and the Building Blocks of Life


    Astronomers have recently discovered thousands of exoplanets in orbit around other stars. What are these different planets like? Are any hospitable to the development of life? Answering these questions leads us to delve into the rich chemistry that accompanies the formation of new solar systems. Powerful telescopes including JWST are now illuminating, in greater detail than ever before, the distinctive chemistry at play during planet formation. Complementing this, laboratory experiments that mimic the extreme conditions found in space can reveal how molecules behave in these exotic environments. The emerging view of planet formation chemistry is helping to explain the staggering diversity of planet types and compositions that can form - and to predict how newly formed planets can be seeded with the building blocks for life.

    Speaker: Jenny Bergner, UC Berkeley

    Website: https://www.calacademy.org/events/benjamin-dean-astronomy-lectures/the-formation-of-new-worlds-and-the-building-blocks-of-life


    Cost:  $15 General, $12 Members & Seniors


    ==============================


    Tuesday, 04/02/24
    10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
    Other Dates For This Event:
    • Tuesday, 04/02/24
    • Wednesday, 04/03/24

    • Thursday, 04/04/24

    • Friday, 04/05/24
    • Saturday, 04/06/24
    • Sunday, 04/07/24
    In-person

    Lawrence Hall of Science
    1 Centennial Drive
    Berkeley, CA 94720

    Through the Looking Glass Pilot

    Help us test a new activity for your future scientists aged 6 and under. Explore nature with various optical tools that can focus far beyond what our eyes typically see. Zoom in and zoom out with microscopes, periscopes, binoculars, and lenses carrying different magnifying powers. Which tools will you choose to help find what’s hidden in nature? The first hour each day (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) is members only.

    Admission is free for UC Berkeley students & staff, Members, children 2 and under, Museums for All, and active-duty military.

    Website: https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/through-the-looking-glass-pilot/

    Cost:  Free with museum admission ($20 for guests 3+)

    =============================


    Tuesday, 04/02/24
    04:00 PM - 05:00 PM

    In-person


    Latimer Hall
    UC Berkeley
    Room 120
    Berkeley, CA 94720


    Chemistry between the stars: from clouds to planets


    The space between the stars is not empty but filled with a very dilute gas. In spite of the extremely low temperatures and densities, these clouds contain a surprisingly rich chemistry, as evidenced by the detection of more than 300 different molecules, from simple to complex and from gas to solid-state ices. These clouds are also the birthplaces of new stars and planets. New powerful observatories such as the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) and the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) have found water and a surprisingly rich variety of organic materials near forming stars, including simple sugars, ethers and alcohols. How are these molecules formed in space? Which molecular processes play a role? How common are they and can they be delivered to new planets?

    Speaker: Ewine F. van Dishoeck, Universiteit Leiden

    Website: https://events.berkeley.edu/chem/event/230066-george-c-pimentel-memorial-lecture


    Cost:  Free


    =============================


    Tuesday, 04/02/24
    07:00 PM - 08:00 PM

    Attend in person, or register at weblink to attend online


    Hewlett Teaching Center
    370 Jane Stanford Way, Room 200
    Stanford University
    Stanford, CA 94305


    Black Holes & Spin-offs


    The popular notion of a black hole "sucking in everything" from its surroundings only happens very close to a black hole. Far away, the pull of the black hole is identical to that of anything else of the same mass. However, black holes do give rise to many remarkable phenomena such as extragalactic quasars and, in our own Galaxy, microquasars. This is because gravity is not the only law of physics that must be obeyed. Matter can be spun off from near black holes in the form of winds and jets that spread through their surroundings and thus cause black holes to have tremendous cosmic influence many light years beyond their event horizons. In this lecture, I will describe various approaches that I employ to investigate these phenomena, and their spin-offs.

    Speaker: Katherine Blundell, University of Oxford

    Website: https://kipac.stanford.edu/events/black-holes-spin-offs


    Cost:  Free


    =============================


    Wednesday, 04/03/24
    10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
    Other Dates For This Event:
    • Wednesday, 04/03/24

    • Thursday, 04/04/24

    • Friday, 04/05/24
    • Saturday, 04/06/24
    • Sunday, 04/07/24
    In-person

    Lawrence Hall of Science
    1 Centennial Drive
    Berkeley, CA 94720

    Through the Looking Glass Pilot

    Help us test a new activity for your future scientists aged 6 and under. Explore nature with various optical tools that can focus far beyond what our eyes typically see. Zoom in and zoom out with microscopes, periscopes, binoculars, and lenses carrying different magnifying powers. Which tools will you choose to help find what’s hidden in nature? The first hour each day (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) is members only.

    Admission is free for UC Berkeley students & staff, Members, children 2 and under, Museums for All, and active-duty military.

    Website: https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/through-the-looking-glass-pilot/

    Cost:  Free with museum admission ($20 for guests 3+)

    ==============================


    Wednesday, 04/03/24
    07:00 PM - 08:30 PM

    In-person only. No recording


    San Francisco Amateur Astronomers

    Randall Museum
    199 Museum Way
    San Francisco, CA 94114

    Myths of Astronomy

    Professor Thomas Targett, Sonoma State University


    Much of what we think we know about space comes from film and television, but Hollywood's job is more often to entertain than to educate. In this fun and informative presentation, Dr. Thomas Targett will sort fact from fiction, taking a tour through the worlds of Star Trek, Star Wars, and much more.

    Website: https://www.sfaa-astronomy.org/event-5529266


    Cost:  Free

    ==============================


    Thursday, 04/04/24
    10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
    Other Dates For This Event:
    • Thursday, 04/04/24

    • Friday, 04/05/24

    • Saturday, 04/06/24

    • Sunday, 04/07/24
    In-person

    Lawrence Hall of Science
    1 Centennial Drive
    Berkeley, CA 94720


    Through the Looking Glass Pilot

    Help us test a new activity for your future scientists aged 6 and under. Explore nature with various optical tools that can focus far beyond what our eyes typically see. Zoom in and zoom out with microscopes, periscopes, binoculars, and lenses carrying different magnifying powers. Which tools will you choose to help find what’s hidden in nature? The first hour each day (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) is members only.

    Admission is free for UC Berkeley students & staff, Members, children 2 and under, Museums for All, and active-duty military.

    Website: https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/through-the-looking-glass-pilot/

    Cost:  Free with museum admission ($20 for guests 3+)


    ==============================


    Friday, 04/05/24
    10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
    Other Dates For This Event:
    • Friday, 04/05/24
    • Saturday, 04/06/24
    • Sunday, 04/07/24
    In-person

    Lawrence Hall of Science
    1 Centennial Drive
    Berkeley, CA 94720


    Through the Looking Glass Pilot

    Help us test a new activity for your future scientists aged 6 and under. Explore nature with various optical tools that can focus far beyond what our eyes typically see. Zoom in and zoom out with microscopes, periscopes, binoculars, and lenses carrying different magnifying powers. Which tools will you choose to help find what’s hidden in nature? The first hour each day (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) is members only.

    Admission is free for UC Berkeley students & staff, Members, children 2 and under, Museums for All, and active-duty military.

    Website: https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/through-the-looking-glass-pilot/

    Cost:  Free with museum admission ($20 for guests 3+)

    ==============================

    Friday, 04/05/24  7PM
    In-person

    Telescope Makers Workshop
    Chabot Space and Science Center
    10000 Skyline Boulevard
    Oakland, CA 94619-245

    The Chabot Telescope Maker's workshop reopens! Chabot's TMW is one of only a handful of regularly scheduled telescope making workshops in the U.S., and probably the world; it meets every Friday evening throughout the year, except Memorial Day weekend. It has been in operation since December of 1930, founded by Franklin B. Wright, and is currently run by Eastbay Astronomical Society member Rich Ozer, with help from other EAS members, Dave Barosso, Barry Leska, and others. The price of admission is FREE. All you have to do is show up, buy a mirror blank and a "tool" (typically around $100 - $200 depending on the size of the mirror) and start "pushin' glass!" We supply you with instruction, the various grits you'll need to first grind, and then polish and figure your mirror, and all the testing equipment needed. With a small bit of luck, you could wind up with a telescope that costs 1/3 or 1/4 the cost of a store-bought telescope, that is yet optically superior! It does take time - depending on how much time you put in on it, and other factors, it could take a few months.. But, it's a fun project, great for kids, and at the end you get a great telescope!

    Enter from the main loading dock behind the main building.

    If you have a project, bring it with you so we can assess next steps.
    You can also bring any other equipment or literature you may have
    questions about.

    For more information call or email Richard Ozer at richozer1@... or phone (510) 406-1914.

    =============================

    Friday, 04/05/2024 9PM-11PM for night observing and Saturday 04/06/2024
    10AM-12 Noon for solar observing
    In-person

    Foothill Observatory
    12345 El Monte Road
    Los Altos Hills, CA 94022


    Foothill Observatory now Open EVERY clear Friday night and Saturday morning

    The Foothill College Astronomy Department and Peninsula Astronomical Society (PAS) have reopened public viewing programs at Foothill College Observatory on:

    ·       Every clear Friday night from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. for star gazing

    ·       Every clear Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon for solar viewing

    Since we are still dealing with COVID, we are adopting the following guidelines to enable safe operation of the Observatory for both our public visitors and our PAS operators.  We ask that visitors please agree to complying with these guidelines before visiting the Observatory, and to direct any questions to info@....

    ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
    COVID vaccination and masks no longer required on the Foothill College campus.

    Websites:  https://foothill.edu/astronomy/observatory.html

    and  https://pastro.org

    =============================

    Friday,  04/05/2024 and Saturday 4/06/2024
    07:30 PM - 10:00 PM
    In-person

    Chabot Space and Science Center
    10000 Skyline Blvd
    Oakland, CA 94619

    Free Telescope Viewings

    Join Chabot astronomers on the Observatory Deck for a free telescope viewing! Weather permitting, this is a chance to explore stars, planets and more through Chabot’s historic telescopes. Chabot’s three large historic telescopes offer a unique way to experience the awe and wonder of the Universe. Our observatory deck offers breathtaking views 1,500 feet above the Bay. Three observatory domes house the Center’s 8-inch (Leah, 1883) and 20-inch (Rachel, 1916) refracting telescopes, along with a 36-inch reflecting telescope (Nellie, 2003).

    Are the skies clear for viewing tonight? Viewing can be impacted by rain, clouds, humidity and other weather conditions. Conditions can be unique to Chabot because of its unique location in Joaquin Miller Park. Before your visit, check out the Weather Station to see the current conditions at Chabot.

    https://chabotspace.org/weather-station/

    Website: https://chabotspace.org/events/events-listing/

    =============================


    Friday, 04/06/24
    10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
    Other Dates For This Event:
    • Saturday, 04/06/24
    • Sunday, 04/07/24
    In-person

    Lawrence Hall of Science
    1 Centennial Drive
    Berkeley, CA 94720

    Through the Looking Glass Pilot

    Help us test a new activity for your future scientists aged 6 and under. Explore nature with various optical tools that can focus far beyond what our eyes typically see. Zoom in and zoom out with microscopes, periscopes, binoculars, and lenses carrying different magnifying powers. Which tools will you choose to help find what’s hidden in nature? The first hour each day (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) is members only.

    Admission is free for UC Berkeley students & staff, Members, children 2 and under, Museums for All, and active-duty military.

    Website: https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/through-the-looking-glass-pilot/

    Cost:  Free with museum admission ($20 for guests 3+)

    ==============================


    Saturday, April 06, 2024
    Sunset: 6:11 PM
    In-person

    San Mateo Co. Astronomical Society
    Crestview Park
    1000 Crestview Drive 
    San Carlos, CA

    Public Star Parties at Crestview Park in San Carlos

    SMCAS and the City of San Carlos Parks Department host a public star party at Crestview Park in San Carlos twice a month when there is a new moon.  Members set up telescopes and let the public view and share their knowledge of the night sky all for Free.  All ages are welcome.  If you have kids interested in space or science, bring them here for a real time view of planets, nebula, star clusters, and galaxies.

    If you are a Non-member and own a telescope, bring it to share!  Experts are available if you need assistance or have questions about buying a telescope.

    Telescope setup begins at sunset and observing starts one hour after sunset.  In the event of inclement weather (rain, clouds, fog, or high winds) the star party will be cancelled.  Because each astronomer makes his or her own decision about bringing their telescope, there is no official cancellation notice. 

    Crestview Park is located at 1000 Crestview Drive in San Carlos

    =============================

    Sunday, 04/07/24
    10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
    Other Dates For This Event:
    • Sunday, 04/07/24
    In-person

    Lawrence Hall of Science
    1 Centennial Drive
    Berkeley, CA 94720

    Through the Looking Glass Pilot

    Help us test a new activity for your future scientists aged 6 and under. Explore nature with various optical tools that can focus far beyond what our eyes typically see. Zoom in and zoom out with microscopes, periscopes, binoculars, and lenses carrying different magnifying powers. Which tools will you choose to help find what’s hidden in nature? The first hour each day (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) is members only.

    Admission is free for UC Berkeley students & staff, Members, children 2 and under, Museums for All, and active-duty military.

    Website: https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/through-the-looking-glass-pilot/

    Cost:  Free with museum admission ($20 for guests 3+)

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