Wednesday, 05/01/24
06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
In-person
Memorial Church
450 Jane Stanford Way
Building 500
Stanford, CA 94305
'The Gift'
The Gift is an immersive installation that animates contemporary astrophysics research to open up metaphorical space for grief, care, and renewal.
In this rolling-entry experience, participants gather in a music-filled reading room, where they encounter an all-ages illustrated book - based on the astrophysics research of Dr. Natalie Gosnell - that invites responses both tactile and emotional. This book tells the story of two stars that are so close to one another yet so far from us that they appear as a single point of light in the sky. Their fates are intertwined; one star, at the end of its life, transfers its material to the companion, allowing the companion to burn brighter and to appear - for a moment - younger, brighter, bluer. This tender story and playful experience heeds the call of anthropologist Emily Martin, to “wake the sleeping metaphors of science.”
Website:
https://events.stanford.edu/event/the-gift
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Thursday, 05/02/24
06:30 PM - 09:00 PM
Hacker Dojo
855 Maude Avenue
Mountain View, CA 94043
Tech Talk: Psyche
Psyche: Adapting a Comm Spacecraft to Explore a Metal-Rich Asteroid
The Psyche spacecraft, built by Maxar in partnership with NASA JPL, is flying to 16-Psyche, an all-metal asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. Humanity has never before explored a world like it. But terrestrial planets like Earth are presumed to have metallic cores beneath their crusts. Psyche will hopefully help us learn more about planet cores: how planets are formed or how they get ripped apart. If it could be mined, 16-Psyche could be worth $10,000 quadrillion (that’s 19 zeros).
The program was first proposed in 2011, NASA put out the initial proposal in 2014, and JPL and Maxar were awarded the contract in 2017. It was launched on October (Friday the) 13th, 2023, and left the Earth on a Falcon Heavy faster than any other human-made object. At 5 months into the mission, the spacecraft is healthy. It is expected to reach 16-Psyche in August 2029.
Psyche is adapted from the Maxar 1300 series bus, which was designed as a geostationary (GEO) communications and remote sensing platform. It has 4 highly efficient electric propulsion thrusters and 12 “simple” cold gas thrusters. The electric propulsion produces about as much force as getting hit in the head with a piece of paper. With no atmospheric drag can accelerate objects to incredibly high speeds, but also be used to get into orbit around the asteroid and spiral down to low altitudes. Between the thrusters and a Mars flyby, it will reach 124,000mph relative to Earth before orbiting the asteroid. For comparison, the Lucy mission (launched in 2021) with a chemical propulsion system will visit multiple asteroids via short duration flybys.
In addition to the primary asteroid mission, Psyche also hosts the laser-based DSOC (Deep Space Optical Communications) technology demonstration, which is breaking records on how much data can be transferred from deep space.
Speaker: Ian Johnson, Maxar Space Systems
Website:
https://aiaa-sf.org/event/tech-talk-psyche/
Advance registration required! Tickets will not be sold at the event. Refreshments (pizza, sandwiches, drinks) will be served at the presentation for paid attendees only.
https://aiaa-sf.org/registration/
Cost: Free
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Thursday, 05/02/24 7:30 PM
In-person
Bankhead Theater
2400 First Street
Livermore, CA 94551
Life On Other Planets
Aomawa Shields is a woman of “contradictions.” An astronomer and astrobiologist, she searches for exoplanets where life might exist by using computer models to calculate the kind of atmosphere they’d need to support it. And she’s also a classically trained actor who - through her organization Rising Stargirls - teaches astronomy to middle school girls of color using theater, writing, and visual art to spark their imaginations. We invite you to be a part of this stunning and inspiring talk.
Website:
https://bankhead.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0FHp00000vBXG5MAO
Cost: $30 - $60
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Friday, 05/03/24
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
In-person
Earth and Marine Sciences Building
UC Santa Cruz
Room A340
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics Seminar
Title: The Origin of Magnetic Fields in Terrestrial Planets
Speaker: Bruce Buffett, UC Santa Cruz
Website:
https://eps.ucsc.edu/news-events/igpp-seminar/spring-2024.html
Cost: Free
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Friday, 05/03/24 7:00PM
In-person
San Mateo Co.Astronomical Society
Room: Planetarium
College of San Mateo Bldg 36
1700 W Hillsdale Rd
San Mateo, CA 94402
Pizza in Rm.110 ISC Bldg. 36
A Cosmic Shadow Theater: How Galaxy Silhouettes Reveal Their Dark Side
Using the Cosmic Microwave Background to reveal the invisible components of galaxies to shed light on the nature of Dark Matter, Dark Energy and the formation of galaxies.
Free and open to the public.
About 13.8 billion years ago, our universe ballooned outward at an incredible speed. Everything we observe today, which had been packed tightly together, expanded in a roiling mass of light and particles. It took 380,000 years for this hot, dense soup to thin and cool enough to allow light to travel through it. This first light, dating back to the formation of early atoms, is called the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and reflects the initial conditions of the universe. This afterglow from the Big Bang, the CMB, also acts as the backlight in a shadow theater where galaxies are the protagonists. The resulting galaxy shadows contain unique information about the invisible components of galaxies, such as their cold gas and dark matter, which hold clues to the nature of dark matter, dark energy, and the formation of galaxies. I will present some of the scientific efforts to reveal these galaxy silhouettes, using unprecedented cosmic microwave background experiments and galaxy surveys.
Dr Emmanuel Schaan is a staff scientist at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. As a cosmologist, he studies the origin and evolution of the universe by analyzing data from large telescopes in the U.S., Chile and space. His work focuses on the cosmic microwave background, the earliest light visible after the Big Bang, and on the large-scale distribution of galaxies. Schaan grew up in Paris, France. After studying at Ecole Normale Supérieure, he moved to Princeton, where he received his PhD. in 2017, and then worked as a Chamberlain Fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory before joining SLAC in 2022. He loves astrophotography, tinkering, electronics and DIY
Website:
https://smcas.net/events/speakers/emmanuel-schaan/
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Friday, 05/03/24 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.
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Friday, 05/03/2024 9PM-11PM for night observing and Saturday 05/04/2024
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
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
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Friday, 05/03/2024 and Saturday 5/04/2024
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/
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Saturday, 05/04/24
12:00 PM - 03:00 PM
In-person
Nike Missle Site
Field Rd
Marin Headlands
Point Bonita
Mill Valley, CA 94941
Nike Missile Site Veteran Open House
Veterans of the Nike program come to the site to share their stories with visitors and give guided tours of SF88 between the hours of 12pm - 3pm
The SF-88 Nike Missile Site is the most fully restored Nike missile site in the country. During the tense years of the Cold War, from 1953 to 1979, the United States Army built and operated close to 300 Nike missile sites in the United States. These sites were designed to be the last line of defense against H-Bomb carrying Soviet bombers that had eluded the Air Force’s interceptor jet aircrafts. SF-88 in the Marin Headlands was one such site. Today, Golden Gate National Recreation Area works together with a dedicated group of volunteers to preserve the site as it was during operations to remind visitors of the physical and psychological effects of the Cold War on the American landscape.
Website:
https://www.parksconservancy.org/events/marin-headlands-point-bonita/nike-missile-site-veteran-open-house
Cost: Free
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Saturday, May 04, 2024
Sunset: 8:02 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
Website:
https://smcas.net/events/star-parties/crestview-park/
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Saturday, 05/04/24
09:15 PM - 11:15 PM
In-person
San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA)
Tilton Ranch Reserve
1000 San Bruno Ave
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Starry Nights Star Party
The San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA), working with the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA), is glad to co-host a public star party at Rancho Canada del Oro (RCDO) Open Space Preserve. This site, just 30 minutes south of downtown San Jose, features dark skies. It's dark enough to see the band of our Milky Way galaxy in the summer.
Do not bring your own telescope (binoculars are welcome, but please no tripods). SJAA club members will set up their telescopes to help star party guests get the most knowledge and enjoyment out of the dark night sky.
Editor's Note: The location has changed to Tilton Ranch Reserve.
Website:
https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/298952671/
Cost: Free
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Sunday, 05/05/24
02:00 PM - 04:00 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 2:15, 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.
Website:
https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/298550642/
Cost: Free
