|
Ken L's Bay Astro Event List,
Most recent at the top
Mon. 1/25 4:15PM
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
2575 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Investigating WIMPs with the Fermi Large Area Telescope
Date: 1/25/2010
Simona Murgia
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Time: 4:15 pm
Location: Panofsky Auditorium. Event is open to the public.
The Fermi Large Area Telescope, or LAT, was successfully launched
from Cape Canaveral on June 11, 2008. It is exploring the gamma ray
sky in the energy range from 20 MeV to more than 300 GeV with
unprecedented sensitivity. One of the most exciting science
questions
that the Fermi LAT will address is the nature of dark matter.
Several
theoretical models have been proposed that predict the existence of
Weakly Interacting Massive Particles--WIMPs--that are excellent dark
matter candidates. The Fermi LAT investigates the existence of WIMPs
indirectly, primarily through their annihilation or decay into
photons and into electrons and positrons. Murgia will present recent
results on these searches.
===================
Mon. 1/25 4:30PM
Lawrence Hall of Science, UCB
LaserFest: Celebrating 50 Years of Laser Innovation: The Past,
Present and Future of Lasers - 01/25/2010 04:30 PM
Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the laser, Nobel Laureate and
UCB
Professor Charles Townes, UCB Professor Roger Falcone, and Stanford
Professor Bob Byer will be discussing the past, present and future
of
lasers. In addition, there is a hands-on exhibit of lasers at the
Lawrence Hall of Science from January, 23 to January, 25. For
addition information on LaserFest, please see their website at
http://
laserfest.org/.
============
Tues. 1/26 7:30P
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
2575 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
January 26, 2010 at 7:30 PM,
Panofsky Auditorium (overflow seating available in Kavli Auditorium)
Molecules in the Spotlight
James Cryan, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Abstract:
SLAC has just unveiled the world's first X-ray laser,
the LCLS.
This machine produces pulses of X-rays that are ten billion times
brighter than those from conventional sources. One of the goals of
this machine is to make movies of chemical reactions, including
reactions necessary for life and reactions that might power new
energy technologies. This public lecture will show the first results
from the LCLS. As a first target, we have chosen nitrogen gas, the
main component of the air we breathe. Using the unprecedented power
of the LCLS X-rays as a blasting torch, we have created new forms of
this molecule and with unique electronic arrangements. Please share
with us the first insights from this new technology.
=====================
Tues. 1/26-Much room for debate. Don't think this is about Big Foot
and UFO sightings, however.
Hewlett Teaching Center, Room 200
370 Serra Mall
Stanford, CA 94305
Can Science Explain Everything?
In this talk, Dr. Ard Louis challenges the viewpoint that the
scientific method is sufficient to answer all questions about our
world and our place in it. Louis will discuss the foundations of
this
viewpoint and some of the questions for which the scientific method
has no answer.
===================
Wed. 1/27 Noon
SETI Institute Colloquium Series
515 N. Whisman Road, Mountain View
When: Wednesday, Jan. 27, 12:00 noon
Where: The SETI Institute, Arecibo Rm.
ESAS and the Augustine Commission: The Way Forward on US Manned
Spaceflight
Daniel Rasky, Director for the NASA Ames Space Portal, NASA Ames
Research Center
This talk will review the back drop and key findings for the
Exploration Systems Architecture Study, pursued under former NASA
Administrator Mike Griffin, and the recent Review of US Human
Spaceflight Plans Committee headed by Norm Augustine. These two key
studies have had, and will continue to have, significant impact on
the course of the US space program. Possible directions for US
manned
spaceflight will be discussed as related to these studies and other
important developments, such as the emergence of significant new
commercial space companies and capabilities.
========================
Thurs. 1/28 12:30PM
NASA Ames 70th Anniversary: Turn Back the Clock Day - 01/28/2010
12:30 PM
NASA Ames Conference Center, Mountain View
In celebration of NASA Ames Research Centers 70th anniversary, the
public is invited to 'Turn Back the Clock Day' on Jan. 28, 2010.
It's
an opportunity to step back in time and relive history by dressing
in
vintage attire and viewing a classic car parade. The parade starts
at
12:30 p.m. followed by a one-man play about NASA, Forged in the
Stars. Those participating in the classic car parade are asked
to
assemble in front of the NASA Ames Conference Center by noon. Pre-
registration and NASA badging is required to attend. For more
information, email Terence Pagaduan.
===================
Fri. 1/29
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear Friday
evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the
wonders
of the universe through the observatory's new computer-controlled
16-
inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Views of objects in our solar
system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the moons and
cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, etc. The choice of
targets for any evening's viewing depends on the season and what
objects are currently in the sky.
On clear, dark, moonless nights, the telescopes give visitors views
into the deeper reaches of space. Star clusters, nebulae, and
distant
galaxies provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of the
cosmos.
The public viewing programs at Foothill are free of charge and are
open to guests of all ages. Please note that the observatory is
closed when the weather is cloudy. Also note that visitor parking
permits are available from the machines in the parking lots for
$2.00.
Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our
Universe!
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the
parking lots for $2.00.
==========================
Sat. 1/30 10AM-12PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill College Observatory 10AM-12PM if it is clear
Solar observing with a Hydrogen alpha solar telescope every clear
Saturday morning. This allows spectacular views of solar prominences
and unusual surface features on the Sun not otherwise visible with
regular white light telescopes. Admission is free.
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the
parking lots for $2.00.
===============================
Fri.1/29 and Sat. 1/30
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKIES AT THE CHABOT OBSERVATORIES
for more information:
http://www.chabotspace.org/
Free Telescope Viewing
Regular hours are every Friday & Saturday evening, weather
permitting:
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Come for spectacular night sky viewing the best kept secret in the
Bay Area and see the magnificence of our telescopes in action!
DAytime Telescope Viewing
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons come view the sun, moon, or Venus
through Chabot's telescopes. Free with General Admission.
(weather permitting)
12pm - 5pm: Observatories Open
=====================
Fri.1/29 and Sat. 1/30-Don't miss the new Tales of the Maya Skie!
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
Dinner, a Movie, and the Universe at Chabot Space Center
06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland
Join us for Chabot's unique evening social rendezvous.
Start your night off with dinner and drinks, then cozy up in the
planetarium as you're whisked to the edge of the universe and cap
off
the evening with telescope viewing featuring breathtaking views of
the cosmos. Dinner: Buy advance tickets to ensure your dinner
reservation. Purchase dinner separately at the cafe ($15).
ADVANCED TICKETS
A Movie and the Universe: Admission to Chabot includes all access to
our interactive exhibitions, a film in the MegaDome theater AND a
show in the Digital Planetarium. Purchase your advanced tickets
online or call the Box Office at (510) 336-7373.
======================
Sat. 1/30 8PM-San Jose Astronomical Assoc. mtg.
January 30, 2010
General Meeting
8 pm in the hall at
Houge Park
San Jose
Dr. Peter Jenniskins
"Catch a Fallen Star"
His recovery of pieces of
a freshly-fallen meteor.
========================
Mon. 2/1 7:30PM
Califronia Academy of Sciences, Morrison Planetarium
55 Music Concourse Dr.
San Francisco, CA 94118 USA
Adults $12, Seniors $10, Academy members $6
Dean Lecture - Cosmic Dawn: The First Star in the Universe
Supercomputer calculations reveal a universe unseen by our biggest
and best telescopes-including the first luminous objects in the
Universe! These ultra-massive stars shone one million times as
brightly as our sun, dying quickly and seeding the cosmos with the
elements necessary for life. Join Dr. Abel on a fascinating
journey
that uses the latest computer animations of early star formation,
supernovae explosions, and the evolution of the first galaxies.
Speaker: Dr. Tom Abel, Stanford University
=======================
Wed. 2/3 Noon
SETI Institute Colloquium Series
515 N. Whisman Road, Mountain View
When: Wednesday, Feb. 3, 12:00 noon
Where: The SETI Institute, Arecibo Rm.
Primordial Ice Reservoirs of the Solar System
We now know that ice in the solar system resides in at least three
distinct reservoirs, known as the Oort cloud, the Kuiper belt and
the
main-belt comets. Dr. Jewitt will discuss the nature, distribution
and significance of the ice, highlighting its connection to the
formation epoch, in a style intended to be sweeping and broadly
accessible.
David Jewitt, Department of Earth & Space Sciences and Inst.
Geophys.
and Planetary Physics, UCLA
========================
Wed. 2/3 7:30PM
Stanford University
Cubberley Auditorium
485 Lasuen Mall
Stanford, CA 94305
Stanford Pioneers in Science: Nobel Laureate Douglas Osheroff
Douglas Osheroff began tinkering with the world of physics as a boy
in the basement of his home in Aberdeen, Washington. At six, he
disassembled his toys to get at their electric motors, later he blew
a hole in two walls with a muzzle-loading rifle he built, and nearly
blinded himself when a makeshift miner's lamp exploded. But by the
time he was a senior in high school, he had constructed a 110 keV
Xray machine, and everybody knew there was no stopping him. Osheroff
went to CalTech as an undergraduate (where he enrolled in Richard
Feynman's legendary two-year course on physics) and to Cornell as a
graduate student, where in 1971 he and his colleagues discovered the
superfluidity in helium-3. It was for this breakthrough that
Osheroff
shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1996.
Fascinated by the wonders of the low-temperature world, Osheroff
decided to stay in solid state physics after receiving his PhD in
1973, and took a research position at Bell Labs during what he calls
its "golden era." Osheroff says, "I was drawn to
low-temperature work
because it was so counterintuitive. Who would ever expect a liquid
to
flow up and out of the top of a beaker?" During his fifteen
years at
Bell, Osheroff continued to probe the mysteries of the cold world,
was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 1981, and was courted by
numerous universities, finally accepting Stanford's offer to join
the
Physics department in 1987.
Osheroff is the recipient of numerous national and international
awards, and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a
Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences.
Doug Osheroff's work will be introduced by his distinguished
colleague, Alexander Fetter, Professor of Physics, Emeritus, and
former Director of both the Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory
and the Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials.
Speaker: Douglas Osheroff, J.G. Jackson and C.J. Wood Professor of
Physics; Gerhard Casper University Fellow in Undergraduate Education
About Stanford Pioneers in Science:
Please join us this Winter as we continue the Stanford Pioneers in
Science series. These events offer the public an opportunity to
learn
about the scientific contributions and lives of Stanford faculty
members who have been awarded Nobel Prizes, National Medals of
Science or Technology, and MacArthur Fellowships.
Each event consists of a presentation about the professional
accomplishments of the featured scientist, an interview with the
scientist, and QA with the audience.
This series is your chance to engage with some of the most
consequential thinkers of our day-people who have helped to shape
the
scientific, technological, and economic fabric of our modern world.
The Stanford Pioneers in Science Series for the 2009-2010 year is
sponsored by Stanford's Continuing Studies Program and by the
Stanford Historical Society.
===================
Fri. 2/5 San Mateo Co. Astronomical Soc. mtg.
College of San Mateo
1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd.
San Mateo, CA 94402
near Hwy 92 and West Hillsdale Blvd.
The Planetarium is attached to Building 36, immediately adjacent to
parking lot 7. The ISC (Integrated Science Center), room 36-110, is
just across the breezeway from the Planetarium main entrance.
Here is a URL to a map:
http://www.smcas.com/events/directions/activities_at_csm/
SPEAKER: Chris Ford
Business Director - RenderMan, Pixar
Animation Sudios
,
TOPIC: CG
Astronomical Visualization: From Hollywood, NASA,
and Beyond
TIME:
7:30pm Friday, February 5th
WHERE: The CSM Planetarium Free
and open to the public
Witness the birth of the Moon, navigate through Saturn's rings, and
take a trip on the Mars rover!
Join us for this visually-rich multimedia exploration through the
universe as Chris Ford discusses the little realized but strong
interplay between astronomical visualization and the evolution of
computer graphics in feature film special effects.
The same technology used to create alien landscapes in Star Wars or
Star Trek can just as easily be used to interpret real scientific
data in a manner that both explains and entertains.
Today it is now
possible to create astronomical simulations that are so photo-
realistic that it is possible to believe that you are "really
there". The same technology is also increasingly
accessible to the
interested amatuer astronomer, and to show this Chris will apply CG
visualization techniques to create 3D stereoscopic astro-
photography. His talk will be illustrated with state of
the art
example animations and visualizations from various documentaries,
planetaria, IMAX, and his own work.
Speaker Biography:
Chris Ford is currently RenderMan Business Director at Pixar
Animation Studios with over 20 years experience in computer graphics
(CG) software development, media production technology, product
management and business development.
Prior to Pixar, Chris was Director of Product Management at Autodesk
for all 3D entertainment software products between 2002 and 2005,
and
Senior Maya Product Manager at Alias (Silicon Graphics) between 1997
and 2002 during which Maya was introduced to market, and through
subsequent releases became established as the dominant 3D software
product in digital media content creation.
Chris has managed most of the primary photo-realistic CG modeling,
animation, and rendering software tools used in contemporary feature
film special effects, animation, broadcast, and scientific
visualization including the former Alias and Wavefront product
families, Maya, 3ds max, and currently Pixar's RenderMan.
===============================
Fri. 2/5
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear Friday
evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the
wonders
of the universe through the observatory's new computer-controlled
16-
inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Views of objects in our solar
system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the moons and
cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, etc. The choice of
targets for any evening's viewing depends on the season and what
objects are currently in the sky.
On clear, dark, moonless nights, the telescopes give visitors views
into the deeper reaches of space. Star clusters, nebulae, and
distant
galaxies provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of the
cosmos.
The public viewing programs at Foothill are free of charge and are
open to guests of all ages. Please note that the observatory is
closed when the weather is cloudy. Also note that visitor parking
permits are available from the machines in the parking lots for
$2.00.
Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our
Universe!
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the
parking lots for $2.00.
==========================
Sat. 2/6 10AM-12PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill College Observatory 10AM-12PM if it is clear
Solar observing with a Hydrogen alpha solar telescope every clear
Saturday morning. This allows spectacular views of solar prominences
and unusual surface features on the Sun not otherwise visible with
regular white light telescopes. Admission is free.
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the
parking lots for $2.00.
===============================
Fri.2/5 and Sat. 2/6
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKIES AT THE CHABOT OBSERVATORIES
for more information:
http://www.chabotspace.org/
Free Telescope Viewing
Regular hours are every Friday & Saturday evening, weather
permitting:
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Come for spectacular night sky viewing the best kept secret in the
Bay Area and see the magnificence of our telescopes in action!
DAytime Telescope Viewing
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons come view the sun, moon, or Venus
through Chabot's telescopes. Free with General Admission.
(weather permitting)
12pm - 5pm: Observatories Open
=====================
Fri. 2/5 and Sat. 2/6
Chabot Space and Science Center-Don't miss the new Tales of the Maya
Skie!
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
Dinner, a Movie, and the Universe at Chabot Space Center
06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland
Join us for Chabot's unique evening social rendezvous.
Start your night off with dinner and drinks, then cozy up in the
planetarium as you're whisked to the edge of the universe and cap
off
the evening with telescope viewing featuring breathtaking views of
the cosmos. Dinner: Buy advance tickets to ensure your dinner
reservation. Purchase dinner separately at the cafe ($15).
ADVANCED TICKETS
A Movie and the Universe: Admission to Chabot includes all access to
our interactive exhibitions, a film in the MegaDome theater AND a
show in the Digital Planetarium. Purchase your advanced tickets
online or call the Box Office at (510) 336-7373.
|
Am searching the UC Berkeley site and starting to find some
great
treasures.
Ken L.
============
=======
Thurs. 1/21 UC Berkelely
Origin of Super Earths
Colloquium: Astronomy Colloquia | January 21 | 4:10-5 p.m. | 1
LeConte Hall
Speaker/Performer: Doug Lin, UCSC
Sponsor: Astronomy, Department of
A rich population of super-Earths are being discovered by both
radial
velocity surveys and transit searches. Based on a sequential
accretion scenario, we construct population synthesis models
for
these exo-planets. Some important theoretical issues include:
1) what
physical processes determine their mass-period and size-period
distribution? 2) how does dynamical architecture emerge around
any
host star? 3) why is there no super-Earth in the solar system?
Based
on these models we extrapolate predictions which may soon be
tested
and calibrated by ongoing observations.
Event Contact: steph@astro.
berkeley.
edu
|
Mon. 1/11 7:30PM
California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, SF
Dean Lecture - Comparative Exoplanetary Science
Dr. Ben Oppenheimer, American Museum of Natural History
Monday, January 11th at 7:30 pm
Profound questions arise from the study of planets orbiting
other
stars—questions that span astronomy, geology, atmospheric
physics,
and perhaps eventually biology. Several centers around the
world are
working towards the highest contrast images ever made in any
field of
inquiry, looking to transcend the limits on our ability to
study
these “exoplanets.” Dr. Oppenheimer will discuss research
efforts
in exoplanet imaging and spectroscopy, while highlighting two
of
AMNH’s main projects: an active, ongoing search at Palomar,
called
Project 1640, and construction of the starlight suppression
system
for the Gemini Planet Imager.
Reservations: Adults $12, Seniors $10, Academy members $6.
Seating is
limited. To purchase tickets in advance, go online or call
800-794-7576.
============
=========
====
Wed. 1/13 Noon
SETI Institute Colloquium Series
515 N. Whisman Road, Mountain View
When: Wednesday, Jan. 13, 12:00 noon
Where: The SETI Institute, Arecibo Rm.
01/13/2010
Impact Modeling: from LCROSS to Super-Earths
Erik Asphaug, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, UC
Santa Cruz
Impact modeling gets easier the bigger you go. The most
complex
impact modeling scenario Dr. Asphaug has ever examined is the
hollow
Centaur upper stage rocket colliding with porous, ice-bearing
dusty
lunar regolith, at meso-velocity, for the LCROSS experiment,
which
identified water and other volatiles in the ejecta plume from
the
resultant ~20 m crater. The simplest modeling scenario Dr.
Asphaug
has examined is giant impact, where you can ignore strength
and
assume planets are big liquid blobs and that the impact
velocities
are always hypervelocity. Dr. Asphaug shall present results
from
both, but since the LCROSS analysis is ongoing he shall spend
most of
his talk on recent research into similar-sized collisions
during
planet formation and the implications for oddballs like
Mercury and
Quaoar.
============
===
Wed. 1/13 5:30PM
Moscone West
747 Howard Street
Moscone West's Room 3022 (third flr.)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Mathmatical Institutes Open House - 01/13/2010 05:30 PM
Moscone West, San Francisco
You are warmly invited to the Mathematical Institutes Open
House
reception at the 2010 Joint Mathematics meetings. A
presentation will
take place on Climate Change and Sustainability activities
happening
at the institutes and feature invited speakers. In addition,
representatives of the sponsoring institutes will be on hand
to tell
you about some of their exciting upcoming plans for their
mathematics
programs. Come and check out the opportunities for you to
participate
in research at these 14 institutes located throughout North
America.
Please be our guest! This Open House reception precedes the
AMS
Josiah Willard Gibbs Lecture by Peter W. Shor at 8:30 p.m.
============
=======
Thurs. 1/14
Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Center
Lockheed Martin ATC Auditorium in Building 202
3251 Hanover Street, Palo Alto,
CA 94304
Jan 14: RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN LAND, SEA, AIR AND SPACE
SYSTEMS:
THE SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY FIELD ROBOTICS PROGRAM
Dr. Chris Kitts, Santa Clara University
The Santa Clara University (SCU) Robotic Systems Laboratory
conducts
an aggressive field robotics program in which students design
and
operate robotic systems ranging from underwater robots to
small
spacecraft. These activities provide outstanding design
experiences
for undergraduate students, and they afford real-world field
verification and validation opportunities for graduate-level
research.
The lab (see http://rsl.engr.
scu.edu/) conducts missions for sponsors
and collaborators that include the National Aeronautics and
Space
Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, National Science Foundation, United States
Geological
Survey (USGS), U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Navy. Dr. Kitts will
review
the SCU robotics program, highlight a few recent missions, and
discuss his students’ current research.
Dr. Kitts is the director of the SCU Robotic Systems
Laboratory and
the NASA Ames mission operations director for the small
satellite
program. He also holds a research appointment at the Monterey
Bay
Aquarium Research Institute and teaches space systems courses
for the
Lockheed Martin Engineering Leadership Development Program (ELDP).
His research interests include model-based anomaly management
and
multi-robot systems. Dr. Kitts has a BSE from Princeton
University,
an MPA from the University of Colorado, and an MS and a PhD
from
Stanford University.
============
=========
====
Fri 1/15 9PM-11PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear
Friday
evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the
wonders
of the universe through the observatory'
s new computer-controlled 16-
inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Views of objects in our
solar
system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the
moons and
cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, etc. The choice
of
targets for any evening's viewing depends on the season and
what
objects are currently in the sky.
On clear, dark, moonless nights, the telescopes give visitors
views
into the deeper reaches of space. Star clusters, nebulae, and
distant
galaxies provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of
the cosmos.
The public viewing programs at Foothill are free of charge and
are
open to guests of all ages. Please note that the observatory
is
closed when the weather is cloudy. Also note that visitor
parking
permits are available from the machines in the parking lots
for $2.00.
Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of
our
Universe!
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill
College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit.
The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines
in the
parking lots for $2.00.
============
=========
=====
Sat. 1/15 10AM-12PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill College Observatory 10AM-12PM if it is clear
Solar observing with a Hydrogen alpha solar telescope every
clear
Saturday morning. This allows spectacular views of solar
prominences
and unusual surface features on the Sun not otherwise visible
with
regular white light telescopes. Admission is free.
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill
College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit.
The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines
in the
parking lots for $2.00.
============
=========
=========
=
Fri.1/15 and Sat. 1/16
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKIES AT THE CHABOT OBSERVATORIES
for more information:
http://www.chabotsp
ace.org/
Free Telescope Viewing
Regular hours are every Friday & Saturday evening, weather
permitting:
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Come for spectacular night sky viewing the best kept secret in
the
Bay Area and see the magnificence of our telescopes in action!
DAytime Telescope Viewing
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons come view the sun, moon, or
Venus
through Chabot's telescopes. Free with General Admission.
(weather permitting)
12pm - 5pm: Observatories Open
============
=========
Fri.1/15 and Sat. 1/16
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
Dinner, a Movie, and the Universe at Chabot Space Center
06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland
Join us for Chabot's unique evening social rendezvous.
Start your night off with dinner and drinks, then cozy up in
the
planetarium as you're whisked to the edge of the universe and
cap off
the evening with telescope viewing featuring breathtaking
views of
the cosmos. Dinner: Buy advance tickets to ensure your dinner
reservation. Purchase dinner separately at the cafe ($15).
ADVANCED TICKETS
A Movie and the Universe: Admission to Chabot includes all
access to
our interactive exhibitions, a film in the MegaDome theater
AND a
show in the Digital Planetarium. Purchase your advanced
tickets
online or call the Box Office at (510) 336-7373.
============
=========
Sat. 1/16-San Mateo Co. Astr. Soc. Star Party
Sat. 1/16-Star Parties At Crestview Park, San Carlos
Sunset 5:16 PM
Star Parties At Crestview Park
Come out and bring the kids for a mind expanding look at the
universe
The City of San Carlos Parks and Recreation Department and the
San
Mateo County Astronomical Society has open Star Parties twice
a
month. These events are held in Crestview Park, San Carlos
California.
Sunset at 4:51PM Note that inclement weather
(clouds, excessive wind and showers) will cause the event to
be
canceled without notice.
For more information call Bob Black, (650)592-2166, or send an
email
to SMCAS@live.com or call
Ed Pieret at (650)862-9602.
Reasons to Attend
If you have kids interested in space or planets bring them
here for a
real life view of planets, nebula, star clusters and galaxies.
If you are thinking of buying a telescope or want help using a
telescope you own, come here to talk with experienced users.
If you think you might have an interest in astronomy come and
talk to
experienced amateur astronomers.
Cautions
Dress warmly and wear a hat.
Visitors should park on the street and walk into the park so
your
headlights don't affect the observer's dark adaptation.
Only park in the parking lot if you are arriving before dark
and plan
to stay until the end of the event.
You shouldn't need lights but if you feel you do, only bring a
small
flashlight with the lens covered using red cellophane or red
balloon.
Please respect the telescopes and ask permission from the
owner if
you wish to touch.
Parents, please watch your children.
The park is residential, and adjacent to homes and backyards,
please
keep noise to a minimum.
Schedule
Time
Astronomers arrive to set up at around sunset. Observing
starts at
about one hour after sunset and continues for two to three
hours.
============
=========
=========
Wed. 1/20 Noon
SETI Institute Colloquium Series
515 N. Whisman Road, Mountain View
When: Wednesday, Jan. 20, 12:00 noon
Where: The SETI Institute, Arecibo Rm.
The EvoGrid: Building an Origin of Life Simulator & Its
Implications
for Life, the Universe and Everything
Bruce Damer, DigitalSpace and Biota.org
Bruce Damer will present the current state of the EvoGrid, a
worldwide, multi-disciplinary project to simulate the chemical
origin
of life on Earth or as it might have occurred elsewhere in
ours or
other universes. When operational in 2010 the prototype
EvoGrid will
employ a central grid of computers to generate "digital
primordial
soups" and then, inspired by SETI, an even larger set of
observer
computers operating as @Home screen savers will be employed to
look
for signs of emergent complexity within the soups. While we
are not
expecting bona fide alien forms of digital life to emerge from
the
EvoGrid any time soon, the experiment will present long term
profound
implications for science, religion, and perceptions of our
place in
the universe.
============
=======
Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 7 pm:
The Search for Intelligent Life Among the Stars:
New Strategies
Dr. Seth Shostak, SETI Institute
part of the 11th Annual Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures
in the Smithwick Theater, Foothill College,
El Monte Road and Freeway 280,
in Los Altos Hills, California.
Free and open to the public.
Parking on campus costs $2 and
you should leave some time to get a parking sticker.
Call the series hot-line at 650-949-7888 for
more information and driving directions.
------------
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
-
A half-century ago, astronomers began trying to
"eavesdrop" for radio
messages from nearby star systems. This was the start of the
scientific SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence)
program,
looking for other civilizations in the universe. The discovery
of
over 400 planets around other stars (including a number
super-Earths)
has provided a new foundation for this search. However, today,
SETI
researchers continue to point their telescopes at individual
stars,
on the assumption that technically advanced societies will
inhabit a
watery world like our own. Seth Shostak will describe these
searches, but then ask a controversial question: Are these
familiar
-- and nearby -- star systems the only (or even the best)
places to
look for signals? He will go on to discuss some novel ideas
for how
we might pursue the hunt for "cosmic company" and
why its possible
that we might find evidence of sophisticated intelligence out
there
within only a few decades.
Seth Shostak is Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute, in
Mountain
View, California and one of the best public lecturers in
astronomy
today. If you have never heard one of his energetic and
humorous
talks, you are in for a treat. He appears regularly on
national
radio and television programs, hosts his own syndicated radio
show
called "Are We Alone?" (broadcast locally on KALW
each week), and has
written hundreds of popular magazine and web articles. He has
an
undergraduate degree in physics from Princeton University, and
a
doctorate in astronomy from the California Institute of
Technology.
He lectures on astronomy and other subjects at Stanford and
other
venues in the Bay Area, and for the last six years, has been a
Distinguished Speaker for the American Institute of
Aeronautics and
Astronautics. His most recent book is "Confessions of an
Alien
Hunter: A Scientist's Search for Extraterrestrial
Intelligence" (National Geographic).
No background in science will be required for
this talk. Seating is first come, first served.
------------
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
-
The lectures are co-sponsored by:
* NASA Ames Research Center
* The Foothill College Astronomy Program
* The Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
* The SETI Institute
------------
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
-
------------
--
Past Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures are now available
in MP3 format at:
http://www.astrosoc
iety.org/
education/
podcast/index.
html
============
=========
=
Thurs. 1/21
Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Center
Lockheed Martin ATC Auditorium in Building 202
3251 Hanover Street, Palo Alto,
CA 94304
Understanding RF Breakdown in Satellite Components
RF breakdown, such as multipactor and/or ionization discharge,
can
severely limit and damage high power rf and microwave systems
used
for satellite communication and navigation. With increasing
available
power on future payloads, rf breakdown risk is also
increasing, and
proper design and testing is critical for mission success.
This
presentation will provide an overview of the underlying
principles
and manifestations of these breakdown phenomena, current
design and
test strategies, and new research results from The Aerospace
Corporation. New research areas discussed with include
contamination
effects such as transient-mode multipactor (TMM) and
multipactor
conditioning effects with dynamic changes in secondary
electron
emission. Current Position: Manager of Electric Propulsion and
Plasma
Science Section, Physical Sciences Laboratories, The Aerospace
Corporation. Specialization and current research interests in
plasma
physics, multipactor discharge, plasma and material surface
interactions, plasma thrusters. Education: B.S. Chemical
Engineering,
Texas A&M University, Ph.D. Applied Plasma Physics, MIT.
Speaker: Dr. Timothy Graves, Aerospace Corporation
============
========
Thurs. 1/21 7:30PM-Stanford University
When Mathematics Changed Us
At four distinct stages in the development of modern society,
a
mathematical development changed — in a fundamental,
dramatic, and
revolutionary way — how people understand the world and live
their
lives. Those advances occurred around 5000 bce, in the 13th
century,
the 16th century, and the 17th century. In this talk, Keith
Devlin
will look at how human life and cognition changed on each of
these
four occasions.
Keith Devlin is known to many as “The Math Guy” on
National Public
Radio, and is one of the most entertaining explainers of
mathematics
for nonprofessional audiences speaking today. He is the author
of
more than twenty-eight books and travels all over the world
talking
about what he loves best: the beauty and complex simplicity of
mathematics.
KEITH DEVLIN, Executive Director, H-STAR Institute
Keith Devlin is co-founder of the Stanford Media X Research
Network.
He is also a World Economic Forum Fellow and a Fellow of the
American
Association for the Advancement of Science. His current
research
focuses on the use of various media to teach and communicate
mathematics to diverse audiences. Some of his other research
interests include theory of information, models of reasoning,
applications of mathematical techniques in the study of
communication, and mathematical cognition. He has received the
Pythagoras Prize, the Peano Prize, the Carl Sagan Award, and
the
Joint Policy Board for Mathematics Communications Award.
Thursday, January 21
7:30 pm
Cubberley Auditorium, School of Education
FREE; no registration required
Open to the public
============
=========
========
Fri. 1/22
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear
Friday
evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the
wonders
of the universe through the observatory'
s new computer-controlled 16-
inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Views of objects in our
solar
system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the
moons and
cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, etc. The choice
of
targets for any evening's viewing depends on the season and
what
objects are currently in the sky.
On clear, dark, moonless nights, the telescopes give visitors
views
into the deeper reaches of space. Star clusters, nebulae, and
distant
galaxies provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of
the cosmos.
The public viewing programs at Foothill are free of charge and
are
open to guests of all ages. Please note that the observatory
is
closed when the weather is cloudy. Also note that visitor
parking
permits are available from the machines in the parking lots
for $2.00.
Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of
our
Universe!
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill
College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit.
The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines
in the
parking lots for $2.00.
============
=========
=====
Sat. 1/23 10AM-12PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill College Observatory 10AM-12PM if it is clear
Solar observing with a Hydrogen alpha solar telescope every
clear
Saturday morning. This allows spectacular views of solar
prominences
and unusual surface features on the Sun not otherwise visible
with
regular white light telescopes. Admission is free.
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill
College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit.
The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines
in the
parking lots for $2.00.
============
=========
=========
=
Fri.1/22 and Sat. 1/23
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKIES AT THE CHABOT OBSERVATORIES
for more information:
http://www.chabotsp
ace.org/
Free Telescope Viewing
Regular hours are every Friday & Saturday evening, weather
permitting:
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Come for spectacular night sky viewing the best kept secret in
the
Bay Area and see the magnificence of our telescopes in action!
DAytime Telescope Viewing
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons come view the sun, moon, or
Venus
through Chabot's telescopes. Free with General Admission.
(weather permitting)
12pm - 5pm: Observatories Open
============
=========
Fri.1/22 and Sat. 1/23
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
Dinner, a Movie, and the Universe at Chabot Space Center
06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland
Join us for Chabot's unique evening social rendezvous.
Start your night off with dinner and drinks, then cozy up in
the
planetarium as you're whisked to the edge of the universe and
cap off
the evening with telescope viewing featuring breathtaking
views of
the cosmos. Dinner: Buy advance tickets to ensure your dinner
reservation. Purchase dinner separately at the cafe ($15).
ADVANCED TICKETS
A Movie and the Universe: Admission to Chabot includes all
access to
our interactive exhibitions, a film in the MegaDome theater
AND a
show in the Digital Planetarium. Purchase your advanced
tickets
online or call the Box Office at (510) 336-7373.
============
=========
Sat. 1/23
College of San Mateo
1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd
Planetarium
San Mateo, CA 94402 USA
Jazz Under the Stars
Astronomy and jazz radio, on Saturday nights near 1st quarter
moon.
Arrive any time during scheduled hours 7PM-10PM, and dress
warmly.
CSM observatory is located on 4th floor, Science Bldg. 36.
Park
free in lots 7a & 7b.
Children are welcome and need to be attended at all times. NO
food or
drinks in the observatory.
Supported by:
'Community Sky Search' • KCSM Jazz 91.1 FM • San Mateo
County
Astronomical Society
============
=======
Wed. 1/27 Noon
SETI Institute Colloquium Series
515 N. Whisman Road, Mountain View
When: Wednesday, Jan. 27, 12:00 noon
Where: The SETI Institute, Arecibo Rm.
ESAS and the Augustine Commission: The Way Forward on US
Manned
Spaceflight
Daniel Rasky, Director for the NASA Ames Space Portal, NASA
Ames
Research Center
This talk will review the back drop and key findings for the
Exploration Systems Architecture Study, pursued under former
NASA
Administrator Mike Griffin, and the recent Review of US Human
Spaceflight Plans Committee headed by Norm Augustine. These
two key
studies have had, and will continue to have, significant
impact on
the course of the US space program. Possible directions for US
manned
spaceflight will be discussed as related to these studies and
other
important developments, such as the emergence of significant
new
commercial space companies and capabilities.
|
Happy New Years and welcome to the resumption of special public
events on Astronomy and Physics in the Bay Area! I hope you will
find
these new postings as interesting as the ones from last year.
============
=========
=
Wed. 1/6 12 Noon
SETI Institute Colloquium Series
515 N. Whisman Road, Mountain View
When: Wednesday, Jan. 6, 12:00 noon
Where: The SETI Institute, Arecibo Rm.
01/06/2010
Icy Bodies of the Outer Solar System: What Does The Spectroscopy
Tell
Us?
Dale Cruikshank, Space Science and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames
Spectroscopy, particularly in the near-infrared, continues to be the
most effective means for determining the compositions of the
surfaces
of planetary bodies. Planetary spectroscopy has moved beyond the
mere
identification of species to the quantitative interpretation of
mixtures of several materials and the physical states in which they
occur. Dr. Cruikshank will show how spectra of Triton and Pluto show
that methane is dissolved in solid nitrogen covering much of their
surfaces, and wavelength shifts in carbon dioxide bands on Saturn's
satellites show evidence of clathrate trapping of CO2 molecules in
H2O ice cages.
============
===
Fri. 1/8 7:30P-Peninsula Astronomical Society meeting
Foothill Community College
Peninsula Astronomical Society Meeting 7:30PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Rm 8402, Bldg. 8400 next to Parking Lot#8 near the entrance to the
College
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
by Ken Lum
Happy New Years and welcome to another year of outstanding lectures
and presentations on astronomy! Our next PAS General Meeting will be
this Friday, January 8 at 7:30PM in our usual venue at Foothill
Community College in Los Altos Hills in Rm 8402, Bldg. 8400 next to
Parking Lot#8 near the entrance to the College. Our speaker will be
Dr. Robert P. Johnson of the Physics Dept. at UC Santa Cruz and
Associate Director at the Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics.
His topic will be "The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope".
The Fermi Gamma‐ray Space Telescope(also known as GLAST for
Gamma
Ray Large Area Space Telescope) is a NASA mission in low‐Earth
orbit
to observe high‐energy gamma rays from the cosmos. The
telescope far
surpasses previous generations in its ability to detect and localize
faint gamma‐ray sources, as well as its ability to see 20% of
the
sky at any instant and scan the entire sky every few hours. Since
its
launch one and a half years ago on 11 June 2008, Fermi has opened a
new and exciting window on a variety of exotic astrophysical
objects, including pulsars, black holes, active galactic nuclei, and
gamma‐ray bursts, and it will enable new research on such
topics as
the origin and circulation of cosmic rays and searches for
hypothetical new phenomena such as annihilation of supersymmetric
dark matter. In addition to presenting early science results, this
talk includes an introduction to astronomy with gamma rays,
descriptions of the instruments and their fabrication, and
descriptions of the mission operations.
Dr. Robert Johnson is the Associate Director of the Santa Cruz
Institute for Particle Physics. His research interests include the
Fermi Gamma‐ray Space Telescope for which he led the
conceptual
design and prototyping efforts for the Large‐Area Telescope
silicon‐strip tracker and managed the engineering and
fabrication of
the tracker subsystem, the primary system for detecting and tracking
gamma rays, that is now functioning very well in orbit. He is
presently engaged in analysis of Fermi science data including
detection of radio‐quiet gamma‐ray pulsars and searches
for dark‐
matter annihilation. He was also involved in the BaBar experiment at
the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center which investigated the
asymmetries of matter and antimatter interactions and the ALEPH
experiment at CERN, the European Center for Nuclear Research in
Switzerland which is part of the complex search for the Higgs Boson,
a particle thought to be necessary for the existence of mass in
matter
This will be a very nice update on one of the most important
astronomical satellites now in operation-and a local project as
well!
I will let everyone know if there will be dinner with the speaker at
Chef Chu's Chinese restaurant in Los Altos at the corner of El
Camino
and San Antonio Rd. via the various forums at www.pastro.org, and
the
Yahoo pastro and bayastro groups. If we have dinner, it will start
at
6PM. Please bring spare change for parking at Foothill where it is
$2.00!
============
=========
========
Fri 1/8 9PM-11PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear Friday
evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the
wonders
of the universe through the observatory'
s new computer-controlled 16-
inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Views of objects in our solar
system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the moons and
cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, etc. The choice of
targets for any evening's viewing depends on the season and what
objects are currently in the sky.
On clear, dark, moonless nights, the telescopes give visitors views
into the deeper reaches of space. Star clusters, nebulae, and
distant
galaxies provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of the
cosmos.
The public viewing programs at Foothill are free of charge and are
open to guests of all ages. Please note that the observatory is
closed when the weather is cloudy. Also note that visitor parking
permits are available from the machines in the parking lots for
$2.00.
Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our
Universe!
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the
parking lots for $2.00.
============
=========
=====
Sat. 1/9 10AM-12PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill College Observatory 10AM-12PM if it is clear
Solar observing with a Hydrogen alpha solar telescope every clear
Saturday morning. This allows spectacular views of solar prominences
and unusual surface features on the Sun not otherwise visible with
regular white light telescopes. Admission is free.
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the
parking lots for $2.00.
============
=========
=====
Fri.1/9 and Sat. 1/10
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKIES AT THE CHABOT OBSERVATORIES
for more information:
http://www.chabotsp
ace.org/
Free Telescope Viewing
Regular hours are every Friday & Saturday evening, weather
permitting:
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Come for spectacular night sky viewing the best kept secret in the
Bay Area and see the magnificence of our telescopes in action!
DAytime Telescope Viewing
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons come view the sun, moon, or Venus
through Chabot's telescopes. Free with General Admission.
(weather permitting)
12pm - 5pm: Observatories Open
============
=========
Fri.1/9 and Sat. 1/10
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
Dinner, a Movie, and the Universe at Chabot Space Center
06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland
Join us for Chabot's unique evening social rendezvous.
Start your night off with dinner and drinks, then cozy up in the
planetarium as you're whisked to the edge of the universe and cap
off
the evening with telescope viewing featuring breathtaking views of
the cosmos. Dinner: Buy advance tickets to ensure your dinner
reservation. Purchase dinner separately at the cafe ($15).
ADVANCED TICKETS
A Movie and the Universe: Admission to Chabot includes all access to
our interactive exhibitions, a film in the MegaDome theater AND a
show in the Digital Planetarium. Purchase your advanced tickets
online or call the Box Office at (510) 336-7373.
============
=========
Sat. 1/9-San Mateo Co. Astr. Soc. Star Party
Sat. 1/9-Star Parties At Crestview Park, San Carlos
Sunset 5:09 PM
Star Parties At Crestview Park
Come out and bring the kids for a mind expanding look at the
universe
The City of San Carlos Parks and Recreation Department and the San
Mateo County Astronomical Society has open Star Parties twice a
month. These events are held in Crestview Park, San Carlos
California.
Sunset at 4:51PM Note that inclement weather
(clouds, excessive wind and showers) will cause the event to be
canceled without notice.
For more information call Bob Black, (650)592-2166, or send an email
to SMCAS@live.com or call Ed
Pieret at (650)862-9602.
Reasons to Attend
If you have kids interested in space or planets bring them here for
a
real life view of planets, nebula, star clusters and galaxies.
If you are thinking of buying a telescope or want help using a
telescope you own, come here to talk with experienced users.
If you think you might have an interest in astronomy come and talk
to
experienced amateur astronomers.
Cautions
Dress warmly and wear a hat.
Visitors should park on the street and walk into the park so your
headlights don't affect the observer's dark adaptation.
Only park in the parking lot if you are arriving before dark and
plan
to stay until the end of the event.
You shouldn't need lights but if you feel you do, only bring a small
flashlight with the lens covered using red cellophane or red
balloon.
Please respect the telescopes and ask permission from the owner if
you wish to touch.
Parents, please watch your children.
The park is residential, and adjacent to homes and backyards, please
keep noise to a minimum.
Schedule
Time
Astronomers arrive to set up at around sunset. Observing starts at
about one hour after sunset and continues for two to three hours.
============
========
Mon. 1/11 7:30PM
California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, SF
Dean Lecture - Comparative Exoplanetary Science
Dr. Ben Oppenheimer, American Museum of Natural History
Monday, January 11th at 7:30 pm
Profound questions arise from the study of planets orbiting other
stars—questions that span astronomy, geology, atmospheric physics,
and perhaps eventually biology. Several centers around the world are
working towards the highest contrast images ever made in any field
of
inquiry, looking to transcend the limits on our ability to study
these “exoplanets.” Dr. Oppenheimer will discuss research
efforts
in exoplanet imaging and spectroscopy, while highlighting two of
AMNH’s main projects: an active, ongoing search at Palomar, called
Project 1640, and construction of the starlight suppression system
for the Gemini Planet Imager.
Reservations: Adults $12, Seniors $10, Academy members $6. Seating
is
limited. To purchase tickets in advance, go online or call
800-794-7576.
============
=========
====
Wed. 1/13 Noon
SETI Institute Colloquium Series
515 N. Whisman Road, Mountain View
When: Wednesday, Jan. 13, 12:00 noon
Where: The SETI Institute, Arecibo Rm.
01/13/2010
Impact Modeling: from LCROSS to Super-Earths
Erik Asphaug, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, UC Santa
Cruz
Impact modeling gets easier the bigger you go. The most complex
impact modeling scenario Dr. Asphaug has ever examined is the hollow
Centaur upper stage rocket colliding with porous, ice-bearing dusty
lunar regolith, at meso-velocity, for the LCROSS experiment, which
identified water and other volatiles in the ejecta plume from the
resultant ~20 m crater. The simplest modeling scenario Dr. Asphaug
has examined is giant impact, where you can ignore strength and
assume planets are big liquid blobs and that the impact velocities
are always hypervelocity. Dr. Asphaug shall present results from
both, but since the LCROSS analysis is ongoing he shall spend most
of
his talk on recent research into similar-sized collisions during
planet formation and the implications for oddballs like Mercury and
Quaoar.
============
===
Fri 1/15 9PM-11PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear Friday
evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the
wonders
of the universe through the observatory'
s new computer-controlled 16-
inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Views of objects in our solar
system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the moons and
cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, etc. The choice of
targets for any evening's viewing depends on the season and what
objects are currently in the sky.
On clear, dark, moonless nights, the telescopes give visitors views
into the deeper reaches of space. Star clusters, nebulae, and
distant
galaxies provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of the
cosmos.
The public viewing programs at Foothill are free of charge and are
open to guests of all ages. Please note that the observatory is
closed when the weather is cloudy. Also note that visitor parking
permits are available from the machines in the parking lots for
$2.00.
Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our
Universe!
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the
parking lots for $2.00.
============
=========
=====
Sat. 1/15 10AM-12PM
Foothill Community College
12345 Moody Rd.
Los Altos Hills
Foothill College Observatory 10AM-12PM if it is clear
Solar observing with a Hydrogen alpha solar telescope every clear
Saturday morning. This allows spectacular views of solar prominences
and unusual surface features on the Sun not otherwise visible with
regular white light telescopes. Admission is free.
Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in
Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The
observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college
requires
visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the
parking lots for $2.00.
============
=========
=========
=
Fri.1/15 and Sat. 1/16
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKIES AT THE CHABOT OBSERVATORIES
for more information:
http://www.chabotsp
ace.org/
Free Telescope Viewing
Regular hours are every Friday & Saturday evening, weather
permitting:
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Come for spectacular night sky viewing the best kept secret in the
Bay Area and see the magnificence of our telescopes in action!
DAytime Telescope Viewing
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons come view the sun, moon, or Venus
through Chabot's telescopes. Free with General Admission.
(weather permitting)
12pm - 5pm: Observatories Open
============
=========
Fri.1/15 and Sat. 1/16
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619-2450
(510) 336-7300
Dinner, a Movie, and the Universe at Chabot Space Center
06:00 PM
Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland
Join us for Chabot's unique evening social rendezvous.
Start your night off with dinner and drinks, then cozy up in the
planetarium as you're whisked to the edge of the universe and cap
off
the evening with telescope viewing featuring breathtaking views of
the cosmos. Dinner: Buy advance tickets to ensure your dinner
reservation. Purchase dinner separately at the cafe ($15).
ADVANCED TICKETS
A Movie and the Universe: Admission to Chabot includes all access to
our interactive exhibitions, a film in the MegaDome theater AND a
show in the Digital Planetarium. Purchase your advanced tickets
online or call the Box Office at (510) 336-7373.
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Sat. 1/16-San Mateo Co. Astr. Soc. Star Party
Sat. 1/16-Star Parties At Crestview Park, San Carlos
Sunset 5:16 PM
Star Parties At Crestview Park
Come out and bring the kids for a mind expanding look at the
universe
The City of San Carlos Parks and Recreation Department and the San
Mateo County Astronomical Society has open Star Parties twice a
month. These events are held in Crestview Park, San Carlos
California.
Sunset at 4:51PM Note that inclement weather
(clouds, excessive wind and showers) will cause the event to be
canceled without notice.
For more information call Bob Black, (650)592-2166, or send an email
to SMCAS@live.com or call Ed
Pieret at (650)862-9602.
Reasons to Attend
If you have kids interested in space or planets bring them here for
a
real life view of planets, nebula, star clusters and galaxies.
If you are thinking of buying a telescope or want help using a
telescope you own, come here to talk with experienced users.
If you think you might have an interest in astronomy come and talk
to
experienced amateur astronomers.
Cautions
Dress warmly and wear a hat.
Visitors should park on the street and walk into the park so your
headlights don't affect the observer's dark adaptation.
Only park in the parking lot if you are arriving before dark and
plan
to stay until the end of the event.
You shouldn't need lights but if you feel you do, only bring a small
flashlight with the lens covered using red cellophane or red
balloon.
Please respect the telescopes and ask permission from the owner if
you wish to touch.
Parents, please watch your children.
The park is residential, and adjacent to homes and backyards, please
keep noise to a minimum.
Schedule
Time
Astronomers arrive to set up at around sunset. Observing starts at
about one hour after sunset and continues for two to three hours.
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Wed. 1/20 Noon
SETI Institute Colloquium Series
515 N. Whisman Road, Mountain View
When: Wednesday, Jan. 20, 12:00 noon
Where: The SETI Institute, Arecibo Rm.
The EvoGrid: Building an Origin of Life Simulator & Its
Implications
for Life, the Universe and Everything
Bruce Damer, DigitalSpace and Biota.org
Bruce Damer will present the current state of the EvoGrid, a
worldwide, multi-disciplinary project to simulate the chemical
origin
of life on Earth or as it might have occurred elsewhere in ours or
other universes. When operational in 2010 the prototype EvoGrid will
employ a central grid of computers to generate "digital
primordial
soups" and then, inspired by SETI, an even larger set of
observer
computers operating as @Home screen savers will be employed to look
for signs of emergent complexity within the soups. While we are not
expecting bona fide alien forms of digital life to emerge from the
EvoGrid any time soon, the experiment will present long term
profound
implications for science, religion, and perceptions of our place in
the universe.
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Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 7 pm:
The Search for Intelligent Life Among the Stars:
New Strategies
Dr. Seth Shostak, SETI Institute
part of the 11th Annual Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures
in the Smithwick Theater, Foothill College,
El Monte Road and Freeway 280,
in Los Altos Hills, California.
Free and open to the public.
Parking on campus costs $2 and
you should leave some time to get a parking sticker.
Call the series hot-line at 650-949-7888 for
more information and driving directions.
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A half-century ago, astronomers began trying to
"eavesdrop" for radio
messages from nearby star systems. This was the start of the
scientific SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) program,
looking for other civilizations in the universe. The discovery of
over 400 planets around other stars (including a number
super-Earths)
has provided a new foundation for this search. However, today, SETI
researchers continue to point their telescopes at individual stars,
on the assumption that technically advanced societies will inhabit a
watery world like our own. Seth Shostak will describe these
searches, but then ask a controversial question: Are these familiar
-- and nearby -- star systems the only (or even the best) places to
look for signals? He will go on to discuss some novel ideas for how
we might pursue the hunt for "cosmic company" and why its
possible
that we might find evidence of sophisticated intelligence out there
within only a few decades.
Seth Shostak is Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute, in Mountain
View, California and one of the best public lecturers in astronomy
today. If you have never heard one of his energetic and humorous
talks, you are in for a treat. He appears regularly on national
radio and television programs, hosts his own syndicated radio show
called "Are We Alone?" (broadcast locally on KALW each
week), and has
written hundreds of popular magazine and web articles. He has an
undergraduate degree in physics from Princeton University, and a
doctorate in astronomy from the California Institute of Technology.
He lectures on astronomy and other subjects at Stanford and other
venues in the Bay Area, and for the last six years, has been a
Distinguished Speaker for the American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics. His most recent book is "Confessions of an Alien
Hunter: A Scientist's Search for Extraterrestrial
Intelligence" (National Geographic).
No background in science will be required for
this talk. Seating is first come, first served.
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The lectures are co-sponsored by:
* NASA Ames Research Center
* The Foothill College Astronomy Program
* The Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
* The SETI Institute
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Past Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures are now available
in MP3 format at:
http://www.astrosoc
iety.org/
education/
podcast/index.
html
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Thurs. 1/21 7:30PM-Stanford University
When Mathematics Changed Us
At four distinct stages in the development of modern society, a
mathematical development changed — in a fundamental, dramatic, and
revolutionary way — how people understand the world and live their
lives. Those advances occurred around 5000 bce, in the 13th century,
the 16th century, and the 17th century. In this talk, Keith Devlin
will look at how human life and cognition changed on each of these
four occasions.
Keith Devlin is known to many as “The Math Guy” on National
Public
Radio, and is one of the most entertaining explainers of mathematics
for nonprofessional audiences speaking today. He is the author of
more than twenty-eight books and travels all over the world talking
about what he loves best: the beauty and complex simplicity of
mathematics.
KEITH DEVLIN, Executive Director, H-STAR Institute
Keith Devlin is co-founder of the Stanford Media X Research Network.
He is also a World Economic Forum Fellow and a Fellow of the
American
Association for the Advancement of Science. His current research
focuses on the use of various media to teach and communicate
mathematics to diverse audiences. Some of his other research
interests include theory of information, models of reasoning,
applications of mathematical techniques in the study of
communication, and mathematical cognition. He has received the
Pythagoras Prize, the Peano Prize, the Carl Sagan Award, and the
Joint Policy Board for Mathematics Communications Award.
Thursday, January 21
7:30 pm
Cubberley Auditorium, School of Education
FREE; no registration required
Open to the public
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