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 – WE’RE BACK AT CHABOT!!
(Note that this meeting will be hybrid, in-person and on zoom/facebook. Our speaker will join us IN PERSON in Classroom 3 & 4 / Kepler-Copernicus), as well as in our on-line meeting.
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.
We live in two worlds: the outer world, where we exist, interact with others, and deal with
everyday life, and the inner world, where we dream, think, and imagine. Our mental imagery
connects these worlds, and how we connect them shapes our reality. The way we see the world
governs this connection. Viewing the world through artistic and scientific perspectives is vital
for experiencing our reality fully.
The Conjunctive Theory of Mental Imagery examines how the interplay between our internal
and external worlds influences and shapes our perception of the world. Since mental images
serve as the foundation for artistic and scientific progress in society, it is important to approach
artworks and scientific theories with both artistic and scientific perspectives in order to fully
comprehend and appreciate them. This lecture supports these assertions.
About the Speaker
Mohsen Janatpour is a math, physics, and astronomy professor at the College of San Mateo. He
is also the coordinator of CSM’s Astronomy Program. He has taught at the college for 131
consecutive semesters. While at the College of San Mateo, he taught astronomy, aeronautics,
chemistry, drafting, mathematics, and physics courses. Before that, he worked as a quality
assurance engineer and mathematician at Coors and Varian Associates. During his employment
at Varian, he was involved with developing an interpolator for mapping the moon's surface from
the data gathered by Apollo 11.
As an artist and philosopher, Mohsen has lectured on the nature of mental imagery and human
perception from 1995 to the present. In 2023, he developed two courses: Physical Science 125,
Mental Imagery in the Arts and Sciences,” and Physical Science 126, “Mental Imagery in Art
and Science of Different Cultures,” based on his own theory of mental imagery, which was
published as a textbook by Cognella Textbook Publishing Company. Both courses meet the GE
requirements for AA and AS degrees.
He obtained his MS in mathematics from San Jose State University in 1969. Ten years later, he
returned to the same institution and earned a second MS in physics. He began his career at the
College of San Mateo in 1979 while a Ph.D. candidate in biophysics at the University of
California, Berkeley. This early start in academia set the stage for his subsequent 45-year career
in teaching, the development of his art, and the creation of his theory of mental imagery. (See
https://www.mohsensart.com for examples of his artwork.)
This talk will be available live and publicly at:
Telescope Makers’ Workshop
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.
Barcroft High Altitude Star Party
Reservations for the Eastbay Astronomical Society’s Barcroft High-Altitude Star Party are now open to members of the EAS, the Tri-Valley Stargazer’s, and the Mount Diablo Astronomical Society clubs. This year’s event will be held from Saturday August 31st through noon on Friday September 6th. That’s six nights. Registration is required and now open. Please read these instructions carefully.
Before sending payments for reservations ($90 per night, per person), even if you’ve been there before, please contact Don Saito FIRST (barcroft@eastbayastro.org) to ensure the dates you wish to attend are available. You will also be asked to read the Barcroft Writeup, as it provides the information you’ll need to have a safe, comfortable stay, and what is expected of guests to this University of California research facility.
You must also review and sign the White Mountains Research Center COVID Terms and Conditions and Liability Waiver. You can scan and email the signed copy to barcroft@eastbayastro.org. You may also mail the signed document to EAS, PO Box 18635, Oakland, CA, 94619-0635
So, four steps to apply:
1. Email photo evidence of Covid-19 vaccination/booster to barcroft@eastbayastro.org
2. Attest in writing/email that you read the current Barcroft Writeup and COVID Terms.
3. Email Don Saito at the above address to check reservation availability and make reservation.
4. Pay the number of days reserved via PayPal or check/snailmail.
Space at Barcroft is limited to a maximum of 12 people per day, so to ensure you get the days you want, make your reservations early.
Barcroft is one the premier amateur astronomy view sites in the world, and it’s slightly less than a day’s drive from the Bay Area to its location in the White Mountains.
Fall Calstar
Spring Calstar 2024 is scheduled for May 1 – May 5 at Lake San Antonio. For more information visit https://calstar.observers.org/
Event Calendar
Header photo by EAS member Alan Roche.