Monday, 09/25/23
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Livestream
SETI Institute
How to Avoid Obliteration: Disability as a Model for First Contact - Livestream
Because humanity is a young (and presumably vulnerable) technological species, many of the models we use for first contact are decidedly grim. Our most prevalent examples of conflict between civilizations with different military/economic/technological force are the horribly destructive historical encounters between the 'old' and 'new' worlds. Drawing from these examples, it is easy to imagine how humanity will dwindle (if not completely cease to exist) under even the theoretically most benevolent advanced interstellar civilization. There is, however, an existing Earth example for sustained contact between a powerful and a less powerful community on Earth today.
Disabled people are more vulnerable, more divided, and have dramatically less economic and social power than our abled fellows, and although we have experienced intermittent attempts at obliteration, we persist. This is not because we are stronger or more resilient. It is also not because abled people are either kind or empathic. The key to our survival lies in the models of disability that implicitly guide the interactions between the two groups.
This presentation explores these models, how they harm and how they could uplift disabled and abled people, and what might befall humanity if a potential ET decides to adopt one or more of them in a first contact scenario.
Host: Sheri Wells Jensen
Register at weblink
Website: https://www.seti.org/event/how-avoid-obliteration-disability-model-first-contact
Cost: Free
=============================
Monday, 09/25/23
04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
In-person
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do
1801 E. Cotati Ave.
Darwin Hall, Room 103
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Black Holes and Quantum Theory
Speaker: Dr. Edgar Shaghoulian, UC Santa Cruz
Website: https://phys-astro.sonoma.edu/public-events/what-physicists-do/2023-fall/black-holes-and-quantum-theory
Cost: Free
=============================
Tuesday, 9/26/2023
Time: 7:15 PM - 9:00 PM Pacific
In-person
Mount Diablo Astronomical Society
General Meeting
Location: Lindsay Wildlife Experience
1931 First Avenue
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Speaker: Dr. Boryana Hadzhiyska, UCB
Title: "The fascinating journey of photons from the Big Bang to us"
Website: https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/event-view.cfm?Event_ID=125703
=============================
Friday, 09/29/23 12:00 PM
In-person
Earth and Marine Sciences Building
UC Santa Cruz
Room A340
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Cooling cracks and the origin of Enceladus' tiger stripes
Speaker: Max Rudolph, UC Santa Cruz
Website: https://eps.ucsc.edu/news-events/igpp-seminar/fall-2023.html
Cost: Free
=============================
Friday, 09/29/23 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.
Please be prepared with proof of vaccination and a mask. These are
Chabot Rules, which we always must adhere to.
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, 09/29/2023 9PM-11PM for night observing and Saturday 09/30/2023
10AM-12 Noon for solar observing
In-person
Foothill Observatory is open again!
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
1. Full vaccination against COVID-19 is required to visit the Foothill College campus — This is a College requirement detailed on the Foothill College COVID-19 Behavioral Expectations page. So bring your vaccination certificate if possible.
2. Mask usage is required anytime visiting the Foothill College campus — This includes the Observatory, per the same college policy linked above in item 1.
3. The number of visitors allowed inside the Observatory is reduced — To avoid overcrowding within the limited space, please wait outside the observatory until a PAS telescope operator lets you and your group inside. Once your group is done viewing through the telescope, you will exit the Observatory so that a new group may enter.
Websites: https://foothill.edu/astronomy/observatory.html
and https://pastro.org
=============================
Friday, 09/29/23 and Saturday, 09/30/23
07:30 PM - 10:00 PM--Free telescope viewings are back!
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, 09/30/23
01:00 AM - 11:00 PM
In-person
College of San Mateo
1700 W Hillsdale Blvd
San Mateo, CA 94402
CSM's Family Science & Astronomy Festival + Makerspace
CSM's Family Science & Astronomy Festival + Makerspace (formerly Family Science Day) brings the wonders of science to our community! Future scientists-in-the-making are welcomed to campus to participate in fun makerspace activities, watch Chef Ed make comets, visit fascinating biology, chemistry, geology, and math stations for hands-on demos hosted by CSM instructors and staff, attend our live keynote speaker presentation, stargaze with astronomy faculty, and more!
Keynote Lecture:
“Forward to the Moon” Greg Schmidt, Director of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) at NASA Ames Research Center, discusses NASA’s historical journeys to the Moon, from Apollo to upcoming Artemis missions, emphasizing global collaboration and the broader impact on science, technology, and economy.7:30 pm • CSM Theatre (Building 3)
Reception:
8:30 pm • Theatre Lobby (Building 3)
Jazz Under the Stars/Telescopic Observation
9:15 pm • CSM Rooftop Observatory (Building 36) Makerspace Activities (see listings) Family Science Day Activities (see listings) MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ON CSM CAMPUSScience Building 36, Library Building 9, and Theatre Building 3
Website: https://collegeofsanmateo.edu/familyscienceday/
Cost: check website
=============================
Saturday, September 30th, 2023 7:30 PM
In-person and Livestream
East Bay Astronomical Society
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd
Oakland, CA 94619
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.
Our guest speaker for the evening is Dr. Robert Jedicke, University of Hawaii institute of Astronomy
Dr. Jedicke will be speaking in person!
TITLE: The Peril and Profit of Near-Earth Objects; Is Asteroid Mining Possible and Practical?
Near-Earth objects present both an existential threat to human civilization and an extraordinary opportunity to propel our exploration and expansion across the solar system. While the risk of a sudden, civilization-altering collision with an asteroid or comet has markedly diminished in recent decades due to diligent astronomical surveys, a significant level of danger persists. Concurrently, remarkable strides have been made in advancing technologies that pave the way for a transformative vision of space exploration.
This vision entails missions and outposts within the inner solar system fueled by resources extracted from asteroids, starting with the most accessible near-Earth objects. These objects provide a cost-effective approach because they contain exploitable extraterrestrial resources delivered to the inner solar system by gravitational perturbations from the planets, they have been naturally preprocessed into objects the ideal size for industrial operations, and they contain critical materials for cost-effective self-sustaining activities in space.
Website: https://eastbayastro.org/events/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EastbayAstroSociety/videos/
EAS Members will get a private Zoom invitation by Email
=============================
Saturday, 09/30/23
07:30 PM - 09:00 PM
In-person
San Jose Astronomical Association
Houge Park
3972 Twilight Drive
San Jose, CA 95124
How to Photograph an Eclipse
This talk will focus on how to take pictures of the eclipse while still allowing you to enjoy the experience. It is based on a series of talks I gave in 2016-17 prior to the last US eclipse and has been updated for the latest information. Taking photos of eclipses is harder than you think. It discusses equipment, photographic techniques, and weather prospects. For those that cannot attend the talk a more complete version is available on https://fpoa.net/eclipse/
Speaker: Rob Hawley, astronomer
Website: https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/296287741/
Cost: Free
