Calendar

Astronomy Events in Northern California

What was the AANC Calendar may be replaced by: Night Sky Network (NSN) Calendar and AANC on Meetup

Eastbay Astronomical Society Calendar below (compiled by Kenneth Lum):

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Monday, 03/31/25 12:10 PM

In-person

Theoretical Astrophysics Center Seminars

Campbell Hall, Rm 131

UC Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 94720

Website: https://tac.berkeley.edu/monday-tac-seminar/

Cost: Free

Here is a version of this talk from YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoAXnY1Y6I4

Investigating the Hidden Origins of Fast Radio Bursts and Other Radio Transients

Speaker: Tarraneh Eftekhari, Northwestern University

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Tuesday, 04/01/25 7:00 PM

In-person

Long Now Foundation

99 Marina Blvd

Cowell Theater

San Francisco, CA 94123

Website: https://longnow.org/ideas/informational-theory-life/

Cost: From $28.52 for Public incl. $3.52 Fee, Patron Ticket $108.55 incl. $8.55 Fee

Sales end on Apr 1, 2025

There are many iterations of the topics in this talk on YouTube, some long, some short. Just search

Dr. Walker's name. Here is one with Neil deGrasse Tyson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7JaF-UWHzw

An Informational Theory of Life

Sara Imari Walker leads one of the largest international theory groups in origins of life and

astrobiology. Walker and her team's key areas of research are in developing new approaches to the

problem of understanding universal features of life; those that might allow a general theory for

solving the matter to life transition, detecting alien life and designing synthetic life. Applying

assembly theory, a physics framework based on molecular complexity that Walker and her team

have expanded, opens a new path to identify where the threshold lies where life arises from non-life,

and to detect and understand the evolution of life on our planet and in the universe.

Speaker: Sara Imari Walker, Arizona State University

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Thursday, 04/03/25

12:00 PM - 01:00 PM

Attend in person, or watch online (see weblink).

Room 350/372

Mitchell Earth Sciences Building (04-560)

397 Panama Mall

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305

Website: https://events.stanford.edu/event/copy-of-postponed-april-3-geophysics-seminar-kevin-

trinh-the-long-term-evolution-of-icy-moons#about_stream

Zoom: https://stanford.zoom.us/j/97974309671?pwd=N3llN0k4MjFRNXRlcWtQaUJqakdzQT09#suc

cess

Cost: Free

The Long-Term Evolution of Icy Moons

Our solar system hosts ~300 moons whose diversity challenges our understanding of planetary

formation and evolution. Despite decades of research, many studies on the interior evolution and

present-day conditions of Europa and Ganymede still assume that these moons formed hot with a

metal-sulfide core, like Earth. In contrast, numerous formation models suggest that these moons

accreted cold (a few hundred K), calling for a reevaluation of their long-term evolution. My

presentation has three parts. First, I will introduce the “cold accretion” paradigm, where icy moons

could form as cold mud balls and evolve slowly afterwards. Second, I will tour several of my

collaborations motivated by Trinh et al. (2023). Topics include an ancient water ocean at Io,

dynamos at the Galilean satellites, an ongoing dynamo at Triton, and dynamic habitability in

Europa’s ocean. Third, I will discuss future projects for the next few years, as well as preparation for

the upcoming fleet of spacecraft missions to icy moons in the coming decades.

Speaker: Kevin Trinh, Stanford University

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

Thursday, 04/03/25

02:30 PM - 03:00 PM

Livestream

SETI Institute

Website: https://www.seti.org/event/seti-live-why-mars-red

READ THE PAPER! https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56970-z

WATCH ON FACEBOOK! https://www.facebook.com/events/1848185562650155/

WATCH ON YOUTUBE! https://www.youtube.com/live/rZWRA1asJ-c

Cost: Free

SETI LIVE: Why is Mars Red? - Livestream

New Research Suggests Ferrihydrite is the Key

In a recent study, Dr. Janice Bishop of the SETI Institute, along with postdoctoral researcher

Adomas Valantinas from Brown University, propose that Mars' characteristic red hue is primarily due

to ferrihydrite??"a water-rich iron oxide mineral??"rather than the previously assumed hematite.

Analyses of data collected by Martian orbiters, rovers, and laboratory experiments showed that

ferrihydrite closely matches the composition of the dust covering Mars' surface.

Ferrihydrite typically forms in environments abundant in cool water, suggesting Mars once had

significant liquid water on its surface. The research implies that Mars transitioned from a wet to a dry

environment billions of years ago. Confirming these findings would require returning samples from

Mars to Earth for comprehensive analysis.

Join planetary scientist Beth Johnson for a chat with Dr. Bishop about the evidence for ferrihydrite

and what it could have meant for life on Mars.

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Thursday, 04/03/25 4:00 PM

Livestream

Skeptical Inquirer

Website: https://skepticalinquirer.org/video/science-under-siege-michael-mann/

Cost: Free

Science under Siege - Livestream

From pandemics to the climate crisis, humanity faces tougher challenges than ever before. But our

efforts to effectively address these existential crises are frequently hampered by a common threat:

politically and ideologically motivated opposition to science.

Join us for a Skeptical Inquirer Presents live stream with Michael Mann. He’ll discuss his

collaboration with public health scientist Peter Hotez that examines the five main forces behind the

modern-day anti-science movement: plutocrats, pros, petrostates, phonies, and the press. Mann has

spent decades on the frontlines of the battle to convey accurate, reliable, and trustworthy information

about science in the face of determined and nihilistic opposition. His presentation is both a call to

arms and a roadmap for dismantling the forces of anti-science, empowering ourselves to promote

scientific truth and, ultimately, averting disaster.

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Thursday, 04/03/25

06:00 PM - 10:00 PM

In-person

ExplOratorium

Pier 15 (Embarcadero at Green Street)

San Francisco, CA 94111

Website: https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/after-dark-our-place-space

Cost: $22.95 General, Members free

After Dark: Our Place in Space

Design your own spacecraft, learn about NASA’s lunar missions, and wrap your hands (and brain)

around the scale of our Solar System! Join us for an evening of thrilling adventure in outer space,

including huge views of the Martian terrain and an immersive eclipse exhibit. Grab some friends, sip

a cocktail, and experience a Thursday night that’s truly out of this world.

Ages 18+

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Friday, 04/04/25

06:00 PM - 10:00 PM

In-person

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd

Oakland, CA 94619

Website: https://chabotspace.org/calendar/first-friday-art-x-science/

Cost: $10 General, $5 Kids & Seniors

First Friday: Art X Science

Discover the incredible fusion of creativity and discovery at First Friday: ART X SCIENCE! Bring

your poetry & songs for a space & science-inspired open mic, craft cosmic zines using imagery from

real space telescopes, explore a pop-up gallery of astronomical art, and take a glimpse behind the

curtain with the filmmakers behind Dear Moon, a short film told from the perspective of Earth’s

closest galactic companion, the Moon.

Celebrate the innovative spirit that connects these two worlds in an engaging, interactive evening the

whole family will enjoy!

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Friday, 04/04/2025 7PM

In-person

Telescope Makers Workshop

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Boulevard

Oakland, CA 94619-245

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

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.

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

Friday, 04/04/25 9PM-11PM for night observing and Saturday 04/05/25 10AM-12 Noon for solar

observing

In-person

Foothill Observatory

12345 El Monte Road

Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

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

and https://pastro.org

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

The COVID and masking policy for visiting Foothill Observatory is the same as that of Foothill

College per their Health & Safety information:

1) Vaccinations are required

2) masking is strongly encouraged.

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Friday, 04/04/25 and Saturday 04/05/25

07:30 PM - 10:00 PM

In-person

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd

Oakland, CA 94619

Website: https://chabotspace.org/events/free-telescope-viewings/

Before your visit:

• Check humidity on our Weather Station: https://chabotspace.org/weather-station/

• Check cloud cover using the live view webcam of the Center: https://ops.alertcalifornia.org/cam-

console/2578

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.

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Saturday, 04/05/25 10:00 AM

In-person

Computer History Museum

1401 N Shoreline Blvd

Mountain View, CA 94043

Website: https://computerhistory.org/events/techfest-5/

Cost: Free with admission

TechFest

Save the date for CHM’s all-day TechFest, a family-friendly celebration blending the wonders of

science fiction and real-world tech. Experience hands-on activities, interactive demos, the Museum’s

latest exhibits, and more.

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Saturday, 04/05/24

Sunset: 7:36 PM

In-person

San Mateo Co. Astronomical Society

Crestview Park

1000 Crestview Drive

San Carlos, CA

Website: https://smcas.net/events/star-parties/crestview-park/

Public Star Parties at Crestview Park in San Carlos and View the Moon Night.

This event is held during the First Quarter Moon with an emphasis on observing the Moon at a time

when it is available to be observed. But other available objects will be observed as well.

SMCAS and the City of San Carlos Parks Department host a public star party at Crestview Park in

San Carlos twice a month. 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

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Saturday, 04/05/25

07:30 PM - 11:00 PM

In-person

City Star Parties - Tunnel Tops Park

210 Lincoln Blvd

East Meadow

San Francisco, CA 94129

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

5999185?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=4/23/2025

Cost: Free

City Public Star Party

Come join the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers for free public stargazing of the Moon, planets,

globular clusters and more!

The event will take place in Tunnel Tops National Park, parking is located adjacent to Picnic Place

(210 Lincoln Blvd for GPS) with the telescopes setup in the East Meadow.

Dress warmly as conditions can be windy or cold in the Presidio. Rain, heavy fog or overcast skies

cancel the event. Check the SFAA website for a cancellation notice before leaving for the star party.

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

Saturday, April 5th, 2025

Our meeting begins promptly at 7:30 P.M.

In-person and online

East Bay Astronomical Society

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd

Oakland, CA 94619

This talk will be available live and publicly at:

https://www.facebook.com/EastbayAstroSociety/videos/

Meeting will be held at the Chabot Space and Science Center Classroom 4 (the Room formerly

known as Copernicus). Please enter through the side gate along the back road of the facility.

Cost: Free

Our guest speaker for the evening is Dr. Milo Buitrago-Casas, UC Berkeley

TITLE: NASA FOXSI5 sounding rocket experiment.

In this talk, Milo will delve into the groundbreaking FOXSI mission, which represents a new era

in solar flare observations. FOXSI utilizes high-energy X-ray imaging to capture the dynamic

behavior of solar flares, providing unprecedented insights into the physics driving these powerful

eruptions. The discussion will cover the mission’s latest achievements and its role in advancing

our understanding of solar phenomena.

Milo will also highlight the newly enhanced solar flare campaign capabilities developed

by NASA LCAS. These capabilities are designed to integrate multi-wavelength observations

and coordinated data analysis, offering a more comprehensive view of solar flare dynamics.

This segment of the talk will illustrate how these advancements are paving the way formore accurate forecasting and improved space weather predictions.

Additionally, Milo will present the PADRE CubeSat, an exciting project set to launch

aboard SpaceX in June. The PADRE mission is focused on measuring the polarization and

directivity of X-rays emitted during large solar flares, which could dramatically improve

our understanding of particle acceleration during these eruptive events.

The talk will also describe current ideas for the NASA Habitable Worlds Observatory

(HWO) that is expected to launch in the 2040s. HWO will also study the Universe in

ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light with far more sensitivity and detail than Hubble,

answering questions about how galaxies grow and how stars impact their neighborhoods and

ultimately die. The presentation will conclude by explaining how HWO will observe temperate

Earth-sized planets around Sun-like stars to search for signs of life to address the question “Are

we alone?”

About the Speaker

Dr. Buitrago-Casas is the Principal Investigator of the NASA FOXSI5 sounding

rocket experiment.

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

Saturday, 04/05/25 8:00PM

In-person

San Jose Astronomical Association

Houge Park

3972 Twilight Drive

San Jose, CA 95124

Website: https://www.meetup.com/sj-

astronomy/events/306955990/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events

Tital: Chasing Asteroid Occultations for Adventure and Science

Abstract: Asteroids are a rapidly emerging field of importance in Astronomy. With the release now of

the GAIA Mission high precision astrometry of both stars and asteroids, it is now possible for citizen

astronomers to get data that permits more accurate astrometry than the most powerful telescopes.

Asteroids’ slow orbital motion, and our ability to GPS time stamp high speed video frames, we can

pin down not only their centroid position, but the detailed shape and presence of possible moons of

these objects. Kepler’s 3rd Law then permits measuring directly their bulk density, putting tight

constraints on their composition. What are they made of? Surface reflection only gives clues of

surface composition, not their bulk characteristics. What is their formation history? Collisional? Slow

accretion? Astronomer Richard Nolthenius is one of the most prolific and long time gatherers of

the raw data for these questions, and with equipment easily accessible to dedicated

amateur astronomers, thanks to the volunteer efforts of members of the International

Occultation Timing Association. He will share his experiences, the gear needed, and highlights of

the asteroid adventures he’s organized for his growing team of fellow ‘roid chasers in Santa Cruz.

Speaker: Richard Nolthenius

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Sunday, 04/06/25

02:00 PM - 04:00 PM

In-person

San Jose Astronomical Association

Houge Park

3972 Twilight Drive

San Jose, CA 95124

Website: https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/306903495/

Cost: Free

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.F

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

Monday, 04/07/25 12:10 PM

In-person

Theoretical Astrophysics Center Seminars

Campbell Hall, Rm 131

UC Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 94720

Website: https://tac.berkeley.edu/monday-tac-seminar/

Cost: Free

Black Hole Jets: The Whole Story

Speaker: Rob Fender, Oxford University

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

Monday, 04/07/25 4:00 PM

In-person

Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do

1801 E. Cotati Ave.

Darwin Hall, Room 103

Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Website: https://phys-astro.sonoma.edu/lecture-series/two-eyes-are-better-one-jwst-and-alma-look-

star-formation

Cost: Free

Two Eyes are Better than One: JWST and ALMA Look at Star Formation

Stars and their planetary systems form in cold interstellar gas and dust clouds impermeable to the

optical light our eyes can see. By contrast, light at much longer wavelengths is able to penetrate

these regions allowing us to directly observe stars that are currently forming. The Mid-InfraRed

Instrument (MIRI) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is sensitive to ices, warm dust

and hot gasses emanating from these objects, whereas the ground-based Atacama Large

Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) is capable of resolving the cold gas and dust environments of

protostars. After detailing the capabilities of each of these observatories and outlining the currently

known phases of the star-formation process, I will demonstrate how the synergy of combined JWST

and ALMA observations has advanced the field, with a specific example of a young, multiple system

whose twin jets and aligned twin disks could only be revealed by the combined data from both

instruments.

Speaker: Mary Barsony, SETI Institute

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

Tuesday, 04/08/25 3:30 PM

In-person

Hewlett Teaching Center

370 Jane Stanford Way, Room 201

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305

Website: https://physics.stanford.edu/events/applied-physicsphysics-colloquium-naoko-kurahashi-

neilson-present-and-future-high-energy

Cost: Free

The Present and Future of High-Energy Neutrino Astronomy

In the past decade, neutrino astronomy went from dream to reality with the IceCube collaboration

producing observations of the very first neutrino sources in the sky. Last year, the diffuse emission of

the Galactic Plane was observed in high-energy neutrinos, making it the first non-electromagnetic

view of our own galaxy. Fundamentally, the IceCube detector is a particle physics detector, and

astronomical observations are only possible by teasing out an astronomical signal hidden in

dominating background rates that are many orders of magnitude higher. The successes of neutrino

astronomy in the past decade opened a new field, and the current state of neutrino astronomy is

evolving. With more future neutrino telescopes planned, the field is poised to make more

discoveries.

Speaker: Naoko Kurahashi Neilson is a Professor in the Department of Physics at Drexel University.

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

Wednesday, 04/09/25

07:00 PM - 08:30 PM

In-person and recorded

Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series

Smithwick Theater

Foothill College

12345 El Monte Rd

Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Website: https://www.seti.org/event/new-worlds-analyzing-atmospheres-exoplanets-james-webb-

space-telescope

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/svastronomylectures

Cost: Free

New Worlds: Analyzing the Atmospheres of Exoplanets with the James Webb Space Telescope

On Wednesday, Apr. 9, 2025 at 7 pm (PST), Prof. Jonathan Fortney (U. of California, Santa Cruz)

will give a free, illustrated, non-technical lecture entitled:

Over 6000 planets have now been found around other stars, but we only have information about

what their atmospheres are like for a few dozen. NASA's powerful James Webb Space Telescope

(JWST), which features a 20-foot mirror in space, is currently being used to understand

atmospheres. We can look for atmospheres around rocky planets the size of the Earth, and we can

measure the abundances of molecules like water, methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide, in larger

planets, of sizes similar to Neptune and Jupiter. In this talk Professor Fortney will describe the latest

exoplanet results from JWST as we seek to understand these new worlds.

Speaker: Jonathan Fortney is the Department Chair of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University

of California, Santa Cruz.

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

Thursday, 04/10/25

02:30 PM - 03:00 PM

Livestream

SETI Institute

WATCH ON FACEBOOK! https://www.facebook.com/events/1600399073964606/

WATCH ON YOUTUBE! https://www.youtube.com/live/GR_3ctH_iH8

Website: https://www.seti.org/event/chasing-martian-microbes

Cost: Free

SETI Live: Chasing Martian Microbes - A New Technique for Finding Microbial Fossils in Minerals

– Livestream

A road trip to a gypsum quarry in Algeria led Youcef Sellam on a journey of scientific discovery.

From the road trip to an internship in Italy, he and his colleagues later discovered microbial fossils -

marking a first for Algerian gypsum. As a Ph.D. student at the University of Bern, Sellam and his

team took this research further. They used a special instrument to detect the chemical signatures of

these ancient microbes, demonstrating a method that could one day help search for traces of life on

Mars.

Their findings, published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, highlight how chemical

analysis can reveal biological traces in minerals. Join planetary scientist Beth Johnson and Youcef

for a discussion of how this research brings us one step closer to understanding how we might

detect past life on the Red Planet.

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Thursday, 04/10/25

06:00 PM - 10:00 PM

In-person

ExplOratorium

Pier 15 (Embarcadero at Green Street

San Francisco, CA 94111

Website: https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/after-dark-see-yourself-4

Cost: $22.95 General, Members free

After Dark: See for Yourself

Let a live DJ set the vibe and explore the universe through a brand-new lens! From lunar craters to

solar eclipses, immerse yourself in the stunning natural phenomena in outer space with our spring

experience Look Up. Then reconnect with your inner child through 700+ interactive exhibits, and test

your STEM knowledge at Science Trivia.

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Friday, 04/11/2025 7PM