Calendar
Astronomy Events in Northern California
AANC Calendar is now served by: AANC on Meetup and Night Sky Network (NSN) Calendar (in left column of the NSN calendar, change zip/location and change format from calendar to list)
Eastbay Astronomical Society Calendar (compiled by Kenneth Lum):
Monday, 07/01/24
07:30 PM - 09:00 PM
In-person
Benjamin Dean Astronomy Lectures
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Dr.
San Francisco, CA 94118
The Future Human Exploration of Mars
The first human mission to Mars will be humanity’s greatest adventure in space exploration this century. As with all expeditions, its success depends on planning. The first steps are already under way, as we build more efficient rockets, achieve longer space flights, plan our return to the Moon, and work in extreme environments on Earth viewed as Mars “analogs.”
Dr. Pascal Lee (SETI Institute and NASA Ames) will present the progress being made around the world, from the Arctic to Antarctica, from basement labs to the International Space Station and the Artemis Program, to achieve the first human voyage to Mars, examining in turn the what, why, how, where, when, and who of the first human mission to Mars.
Cost: $15 General, $12 Members & Seniors
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Friday, 07/05/24
06:00 PM - 10:00 PM
In-person
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd
Oakland, CA 94619
First Friday: Glow
Ready, set… GLOW! First Fridays are back at Chabot and we can’t wait to party with you! This month, join us under the stars for an electrifying evening of neon nebulae and glowing galaxies. Explore the mysteries of the universe as you immerse yourself in integrative exhibits, hands on activities and mesmerizing glow-in-the-dark displays. Discover the spectacular science behind why things glow, make your own glow-in-the-dark jewelry so you never forget that you light up every room, and, of course, don’t forget your dancing shoes!
Website: https://chabotspace.org/calendar/first-friday-glow/
Cost: $15 Adults, $10 Kids/Seniors, $5 Members
=============================
Friday, 07/05/24 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, 07/05/24
08:15 PM - 09:15 PM
In-person
San Jose Astronomical Association
Houge Park
3972 Twilight Drive
San Jose, CA 95124
Astro 101: Sights of the Cosmos, Intro to Astronomy
This event provides a different introduction to astronomy than our Intro to the Night Sky talks. During this hour, you'll gain an appreciation for the size and scale of the cosmos and our place within it. You'll see many examples of the beautiful objects visible in the night sky, learn something about how we see them through our telescopes and what we can deduce about them through the light they send us. And then you can make your own prediction of whether we're alone in the universe.
This talk is free of charge. Just come and enjoy the show. After the talk, you can check out telescopes that will be set up as part of our In-Town Star Party. (See In Town Star Partyevent on Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/300659120/)
The talk will be presented by Wolf Witt.
Website: https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/301805295/
Cost: Free
=============================
Friday, 07/05/24
09:30 PM - 11:30 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".
• SJAA as an all volunteer-nonprofit org depends on the City of San Jose to use facilities at Houge Park. To maintain this relationship, we must provide facility-use data to the city. Therefore, we ask you to sign in (no traceable personal data collected) when you arrive at the event.
Website: https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/300659120/
Cost: Free
=============================
Friday, 07/05/2024 9PM-11PM for night observing and Saturday 07/06/2024 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
ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
COVID vaccination and masks no longer required on the Foothill College campus.
Websites: https://foothill.edu/astronomy/observatory.html
=============================
Friday, 07/05/2024 and Saturday 07/06/2024
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.
==============================
Saturday, 07/06/24
12:00 PM - 03:00 PM
In-person
Nike Missle Site
Field Rd
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.
Cost: Free
==============================
Saturday, July 6, 2024
Sunset: 8:33 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/
==============================
Sunday, 07/07/24
10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
In-person
Lawrence Hall of Science
1 Centennial Drive
Berkeley, CA 94720
Five Dollar Day at The Lawrence Hall of Science
Visit The Lawrence and enjoy all the hands-on science we offer for just $5 per person. Put your engineering and design skills to the test, take control of the Planetarium dome, meet live reptiles and amphibians in our Animal Discovery Zone, and more! $5 Days are part of our efforts to increase access to our programs for all.
Admission Information
$20 ticket price has been reduced to $5 per person. 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/five-dollar-day-3/
Cost: $5
=============================
Friday, 07/12/24 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, 07/12/2024 9PM-11PM for night observing and Saturday 07/13/2024 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
=============================
Friday, 07/12/2024 and Saturday 07/13/2024
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.
==============================
Saturday, 07/13/24
08:30 PM - 10:30 PM
In-person
City Star Parties - Tunnel Tops Park
210 Lincoln Blvd
East Meadow
San Francisco, CA 94129
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.
SFAA members with telescopes are encouraged to attend and share their views of the stars with the general public.
Website: https://www.sfaa-astronomy.org/event-5619396
Cost: Free
==============================
Saturday, 07/13/24 8:30 PM
In-person
Lick Observatory
7299 Mt. Hamilton Rd
Mt. Hamilton, CA 95140
Galactic Archeology: Using Stars to Map the Structure and Evolution of the Milky Way
Each year Lick Observatory brings world-renown musicians and astronomers to the summit of Mount Hamilton for a musical night to remember.
The event activities include:
• Concert
• Astronomy talk by world-renowned scientists
• Viewing through the historic 36-inch Great Lick Refractor telescope
• Viewing through the 40-inch Nickel Reflector telescope
• Astronomy discussions with amateur astronomers and viewing through small telescopes
Dr. Christian Aganze earned his doctorate in physics from UC-San Diego in June 2023. Aganze is a galactic archaeologist. His research identifies brown dwarfs -cryptic celestial objects sometimes called “failed stars” because their temperatures and pressures did not become high enough to sustain hydrogen fusion and create stars. At Stanford, he hopes to identify brown dwarfs and low-mass stars (known as ultracool dwarfs) deep in the Milky Way using archival data from space-based missions and ground-based surveys (e.g., the James Webb Space Telescope and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory). Using this data, he will make predictions about the Milky Way’s structure and star formation history over time.
Speaker: Christian Aganze, Stanford University
Artist: Sambe Cruz
Website: https://www.lickobservatory.org/events/
Cost: $60 General, $99 Preferred, $129 Preferred+
==============================
Sunday, 07/14/24
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.
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.
Website: https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/301662822/
Cost: Free
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