Upcoming Events
Events are open to all members and the general public. Sign up for email event updates by registering with Night Sky Network.
Most of our events happen at the Chabot Space and Science Center. Get directions here.
Next General Meeting
Meetings are held in Virtual Space
On April 19, 2021, for the first time, humanity flew an aircraft on another planet. The vehicle was the Ingenuity helicopter. This 1.8 kg drone lifted up 3 m above the surface of Mars and flew for 39 seconds. Since then, it has flown 29 more times, flying for as long as 169 1/2 seconds, as far as 704 m, and as high up as 12 m at a maximum ground speed of 5.5 m/s or about 12 mph.
How was this remarkable accomplishment achieved? How difficult is it to fly a drone in an atmosphere that is 1/100 as thick as that at the earth surface? What were the unforeseen technical difficulties that were overcome? And last, but certainly not least, what sort of opportunities does this technology raise for the exploration of Mars?
To find the answers to these questions and to hear the remarkable story of how this drone was developed and to what use it and it’s future brethren will be put to, Eastbay Astronomical Society invites you to hear Theodore Tzanetos, Ingenuity‘s team lead.
About the Speaker
Teddy Tzanetos first became interested in space exploration from watching The Apollo and Shuttle missions. He graduated from MIT with a BS in computer science and electrical engineering in 2012, and a masters of engineering in 2013 in the same fields. After working in the private sector, he joined JPL in 2017. In a few short years he has gone from starting work on ground support equipment to becoming the team leader of Ingenuity!
This talk will be available live and publicly at:
Telescope Makers’ Workship
The Telescope Maker’s Workshop is one of few regularly scheduled such workshops in the world! Every Friday from 7 to 10 PM, amateur telescope makers from the bay area meet at the Chabot Space & Science Center and learn how to grind, shape, polish, and figure mirrors for reflecting telescopes, under the guidance of EAS volunteers. The workshop is free; participants pay only for the mirror blanks and grinding tools, which generally cost between $100-$300, depending on the size of the mirror. All the instruction, grinding grit, testing equipment, and camaraderie is free of charge! For more information, email Richard Ozer at pres@eastbayastro.org, or come by the workshop any Friday to see what it’s all about.
Outreach
In person events are more limited because of COVID, but are being scheduled for schools and other community institutions. Contact us also for possible virtual events, or visit http://www.chabotspace.org for scheduled public virtual telescope viewing events]
EAS sends volunteers to schools, libraries, and anywhere curious aspiring astronomers gather. EAS volunteers bring their own equipment or borrow telescopes. Students, parents, and teachers are always thrilled to look through the telescopes and ask questions. You’ll meet all sorts of interesting people and provide a unique and inspiring experience to kids and parents who may have never looked through a telescope before. Find our next event on the calendar above.
Inquire about and request visits by e-mailing EAS Outreach Coordinator Raymond Howard at outreach@eastbayastro.org. Visit our outreach page to find out about upcoming events.
Members Only Viewing Nights (MOVN)
[In person events are more limited than in the past because of COVID, visit http://www.chabotspace.org for virtual telescope viewing events]
Once a quarter, we schedule a Members Only Viewing Night at the Chabot Telescope Deck for both EAS and Chabot members. This is our opportunity to look through Chabot’s historic instruments and research telescope, as well as bring our own equipment to share in a more quiet venue. The schedule for MOVN will appear in the event calendar below.
Fall Calstar
Spring Calstar is schedule for September 22 – September 25 at Lake San Antonio. For more information visit https://calstar.observers.org/
Event Calendar
Header photo by EAS member Alan Roche.