About us
Welcome to our CDARC Meetup (pronounced see dark)! Our group is perfect for anyone interested in astronomy and experiencing the world at night. Join us for astrophotography and astronomy workshops and outings, as we explore the world at night together. Whether you're a seasoned astrophotographer, space enthusiast or nature lover, our community invites you to discover the beauty of the night sky together and meet others with similar passions.
We love to:
- Travel to dark sky locations to experience the night sky in its natural brilliance - full of stars, planets, and the Milky Way.
- Engage various forms of astrophotography, including deep sky, wide angle, and planetary photography.
- Stargaze from urban locations, and photograph celestial objects from our backyards.
- Look through telescopes and share tips on the best gear.
- Go on night hikes to experience the world at night.
- Learn about space science and contribute to the field of astronomy as amateur astronomers.
- Advocate and educate for dark sky preservation and community engagement on the effects of light pollution.
- Contemplate what it means to look up at night, and create art inspired by our experiences.
- Attend workshops to further our shared knowledge around amateur astronomy and dark sky preservation.
We are:
- Inclusive. LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC are warmly welcomed to our group. We understand that traveling to and or camping in dark sky locations may involve disproportionate risk to people of marginalized identities and strive to create gatherings which feel safe for everyone.
- Diverse in our approach to amateur astronomy. Some of us appreciate being in nature in a dark sky location, stargazing with just the naked eye, while others enjoy sharing tips and tricks on owning and operating highly technical astrophotography equipment.
- A growing community: CDARC was founded by Paolo Nicosia, Mason Hall, and Sam Cardoza with the goal of fostering a community of anyone interested in exploring and preserving the night sky and the world at night.
- different from astronomy clubs as we don’t offer regular meetings or dues and focus more on experiencing the world at night through community educational engagement and preservation advocacy.
We offer:
- Workshops in amateur astronomy, astrophotography and light pollution advocacy .
- Group outings to dark sky locations at established campgrounds and observatories.
- Connections to other organizations which share our passion for astronomy and night sky preservation.
- An opportunity to make lifelong friends with a shared love for the night sky!
Upcoming events
3
Astronomy Night out
10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, Ca, USAfter dinner, a planetarium presentation will immerse you in the world of astronomy, what can be seen in the night sky, and how to find these objects yourself. You will then work in groups to get hands on training with different types of telescopes and learn how to get started taking your own photos of the night sky.
Come be a part of Chabot’s community and experience the awe and wonder of our universe while learning how to navigate the night sky and take astrophotography images yourself. Get your astronomy and astrophotography questions answered by Chabot Staff while meeting others with similar passions. Whether you are new to astronomy or an experienced astrophotographer, all are welcome to this Astronomy Night Out!
purchase tickets at Chabotspace.org
3 attendees
Astro 101 Workshop: Introduction to Milky Way Astrophotography
10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, Ca, USWant to learn how to take pictures of the Milky Way? Ever wanted to learn how amazing starry night landscape images are made? Whether you have specific questions about your own astrophotography process, or you are completely new to night photography, this workshop will provide one-on-one training to help you on your journey in taking your own night sky photography.
In this workshop, we will focus specifically on Milky Way photography using a dslr (or mirrorless) camera. Using equipment provided by Chabot, we will walk you through different techniques of capturing the night sky outside on our observation deck and work with specific software to process a finished photo. Feel free to bring your own equipment or images to process.
to attend visit Chabotspace.org to purchase tickets
This workshop is part of a 3-part series of introductory astrophotography 101 workshops that can be taken together or independently. Workshops will have a combination of classroom time and time outside taking pictures of the night sky. All equipment and laptops are provided.
5 attendees
Astro 101: Introduction to Astrophotography with a Tracker
10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, Ca, USWant to learn to start taking pictures of the Milky Way or even a faint nebula in the night sky? Ever wanted to learn how the amazing images from James Webb or Hubble telescopes are made? Whether you have specific questions about your own astrophotography process or are completely new to night photography – this workshop will provide one-on-one training to help you in your night sky photography journey!
In this workshop, we will focus specifically on using a sky tracker to capture a variety of night sky photos. A sky tracker is a specialty device astrophotographers use to keep the night sky in focus while taking long exposure photos. It is a lower cost item in comparison to larger astronomy mounts and a perfect place to start your astrophotography journey, (especially if you already own a camera with an interchangeable lens). With different types of sky trackers provided, we will walk you through different techniques of capturing the night sky outside on our Observation Deck. Then we will work with specific software to process a finished photo. Feel free to bring your own equipment or images to process.
To attend visit Chabotspace.org to purchase tickets.
2 attendees
Past events
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