SJAA Calendar Hotline

WELCOME! to the San Jose Astronomical Association's Calendar Hot Line.

The SJAA hotline is available 24 hours/day at (408) 559-1221. This posting contains the current hotline message. See also the complete 2008 calendar.

For status of Houge Park observing sessions, please see http://www.sjaa.net

May 17 - Saturday - General Meeting.  Our speaker is Dr. Dana
  Backman of SETI, speaking on Nearby Stars and Debris Disks:
  A Ringside Seat to Planet Formation.
  In the hall at Houge Park, 8:00 pm.

May 30 - Friday - Our beginner's astronomy class. Paul Kohlmiller
  and Steve Nelson will talk about astrophotography.
  In the hall at Houge Park, 7:30 pm.

Also on May 30:

May 30 - Friday - Public observing session on the grounds at Houge
  Park, featuring Mars, Saturn, and the show objects of the spring
  sky. The moon is absent. Star party hours: 9:30 until midnight.

May 31 - Saturday - Dark-Sky weekend. Get away from the city lights,
  to enjoy the night sky.  Sunset at 8:22 pm, and an 8% moon rises
  at 3:43 am.  So it's a good long night.

June 7 - Saturday - dark-sky public star party at Coyote Lake
  County park northeast of Gilroy.  Sunset 8:26 pm, and
  the pretty 25% moon sets 12:13 am.

Jun.13 - Friday - Public observing session on the grounds at
  Houge Park, featuring the big 84% moon, Mars, Saturn,
  and the show objects of the spring sky.
  Star party hours: 9:30 until midnight.

Jun.21 - Saturday - General Meeting. Our speaker is Dr. Helen
  Quinn, on The Mystery of the Missing Antimatter
  In the hall at Houge Park, 8:00 pm.

Directions to above-mentioned sites.

NOTES:

 * The Fremont Peak Observatory is the contact point for SJAA activities at Fremont Peak State Park. Check in there to find out who and where to meet.

 * the Coe star parties are lightly attended, so there may be nobody there, even when the weather is favorable.

 * What are Dark-Sky weekends?

These are weekends when the moon's rise/set time provides a dark sky for the best observing of faint objects. Take this opportunity to get away from the city lights and enjoy the night sky. SJAA is noting these dates for your convenience. SJAA does not generally schedule events on these weekends. SJAA will explicitly list any event in the calendar.

The Astronomy Connection (TAC) is an email group that local astronomers use to coordinate their observing. Their Observing Intentions Calendar will give you and idea where other astronomers are going. Check the page and the mail list shortly before leaving home. Keep in mind that subscribers can change their minds without notice.

Plans and sites are discussed on TAC's mailing list. Anyone may subscribe, but it's rather busy, so it may be best to read it on their web site. Go to http://observers.org and click on "Mailing List Activity", near the top.

All this does not mean that you must go where TAC members decide. Coe and The Peak (south of San Juan Bautista) are open parks, and you may to to either one, regardless of where TAC or SJAA indicates.

Last updated: 2008 May 13, 2019 hours, pdt