SJ Astronomy

This event is one of several introductions to astronomy offered by SJAA. During this hour, we'll regale you with a combo Spring & Summer Chapter of a 4-part expedition across the seasons. We'll share stories told about the stars in the night sky, journeying from ancestral tales to the rituals that shaped civilization.

We’ll walk in the footsteps of the pioneers, legends, rebels, and geniuses who paved the way for modern astronomy. You’ll discover how Eratosthenes and Aryabhata, 750 years apart and at different ends of the world, measured the Earth’s circumference with remarkable accuracy, why Noon and the Sun’s highest point were not always the same, and why modern space probes are intentionally placed at unstable Lagrange points.
These stories reveal the awe, ingenuity, and surprising connections behind the modern science we know today.

We'll take the first 15 minutes to give a short tour of the night sky using the planetarium software Stellarium. The talk will start at 7:15pm.

Celestial Tales will be presented by Rashi Girdhar, a seasoned backyard astronomer and longtime SJAA member with a deep fascination for outer space, both science and history. Join us as we reclaim the lessons of the past to better understand our place in the cosmos. Through this seasonal series and our other SJAA sessions, you will truly become a Celestial Explorer. Bring your curiosity; we’ll provide the universe!

Many of SJAA’s events, like this one, are public and free to attend, but if you’re enjoying what SJAA has to offer, consider becoming a paid member for only $20 per year: https://www.sjaa.net/membership/benefits-of-membership-2/

This event is an on-line Zoom event, complementing our in-person events in Houge Park.

(Title image generated via AI by Rashi Girdhar for Celestial Tales)

It’s there for us year round, lighting our days and providing energy for our lives, so maybe it’s time to give it a closer look. Join SJAA for amazing and detailed views of the Sun, and be assured that we’ll be using special telescopes that will keep your eyeballs perfectly safe.

We’ll have white-light telescopes with dense solar filters that reveal sunspots. Further, we’ll show you hydrogen-alpha telescopes that isolate a very specific color of red that reveals prominences (colloquially often thought of as solar flares; see video below) and intricate texture within the Sun’s chromosphere (its atmosphere).

We can also share with you a little about how the Sun works and how complex magnetic fields drive the number of sunspots and prominences that we’ll see on a given day.

A few minutes after 1:30, we'll have a short, informal introductory talk, and at other times, you can enjoy the views and ask questions about the Sun, telescopes, or astronomy in general.

Often we also have a station where you can get a better feel for the huge scale of our solar system! And you'll get a solar system you can fold up and carry in your pocket.

You may bring your own telescope. If you have a properly filtered white light or H-alpha telescope and want to share views with others, please arrive at 1:00 or earlier, so you have time to set up before the event officially starts.

Since we'll be out in the Sun, consider coming prepared with a hat, sunscreen and water. Conditions may be hot!

And with this video you could prepare yourself with a better understanding of solar flares (and how they're different from prominences): https://youtu.be/EgKTeVQegbk

Many of SJAA’s events, like this one, are public and free to attend, but if you’re enjoying what SJAA has to offer, consider becoming a contributing member for only $20 per year: https://www.sjaa.net/membership/benefits-of-membership-2/

For more info on this public solar observing event, visit: https://www.sjaa.net/events/solar-observing/

[Photo: Sun image (at 304A) from NASA SDO (https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/) 2022-10-08]