What we’re about
Our Cosmos is a science advocacy group whose purpose is to promote community engagement and interest in all aspects of the Cosmos and to foster intellectual curiosity. Activities include exploring the fields of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM), environmental science and medicine. Although originally oriented more toward the hard sciences, we now have expanded our focus to include science-related social issues such as public health, conservation, and the environment. Our Cosmos strives to bring attention to information, people, and organizations that will advance knowledge, benefit society and improve the way we live. It was inspired by the world renowned late astronomer and science popularizer, Dr. Carl Sagan.
The primary focus is through an edutainment (education and entertainment) platform; e.g. stage venues, lectures, hands-on exhibits, and tours of geological/archaeological/astronomical/other sites.
Most in-person activities are centered in the Orange County/Los Angeles greater metropolitan areas. This Meetup was designed to create a real, face-to-face community. Friends and family are always invited except for certain events due to space limitation. Our Platform involves meeting real people and doing real things in the real world.
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020 we have been presenting a wide array of webinars, talks, and other online events from all over the world. There is a rich and diverse range of offerings online and we will continue to present these to you.
Having said that, the focus of the group remains in-person events.
We encourage our members to contact us with ideas for events!
One Last Thing!
The goal is for each event to be interesting and memorable for everyone. Some events require reserving places for those who have RSVP'd or meeting at a specific place so that we all go as a group. If you are signed up and do not show up, you are a No-Show. If this is a habit, you may be blocked from signing up for some events or even removed from the group. Generally we only allow two or three No-Shows before doing this. We ask that you please be responsible and communicative so the rest of the group does not end up waiting for you when you aren't coming. No-Shows include last-minute cancellations for events with waiting lists.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- "FLASHES OF LIGHT" MUSICAL PLAY ABOUT NIKOLA TESLASierra Madre Playhouse, Sierra Madre, CA
Cross-posted with LA and OC Weirdo Music and Art Forum
New musical about Nikola Tesla, running through June 9. Tickets for 5/31 going fast!
Date: Saturday, May 31, 8:00 pm
Dinner before, 6:30 details TBD
Venue: Sierra Madre Playhouse
87 W Sierra Madre Blvd, Sierra Madre, CA 91024Tickets: $12-$45
https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?actions=12&p=1Event webpage: https://www.sierramadreplayhouse.org/event/fol2025
What if the most brilliant inventor of all time was secretly being assisted by a powerful goddess from another realm? On the night of his birth, Nikola Tesla is chosen by Electra as a channel for transmitting her knowledge to humanity.A new musical by Billy Larkin and Ron Boustead, set in late 1800s New York during the industrial revolution. The story follows inventor Nikola Tesla, guided by Electra, the powerful Goddess of the Storm Clouds, who sends him visions of groundbreaking inventions during lightning storms. Tesla’s rivalry with Thomas Edison in the “War of the Currents” intensifies as his connection with Electra deepens, blurring the lines between science and mythology. With a blend of jazz, pop, and rock, the music features haunting melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and soaring vocals, bringing this star-crossed love story across two realms to life.
Curious to hear more? Listen to the studio recording HERE!
Book, Music, & Lyrics by Billy Larkin & Ron Boustead
Directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera - HYBRID: OC ASTRONOMERS MONTHLY MEETING- A trip to the Center of our GalaxyLink visible for attendees
Orange County Astronomers Monthly General Meeting
Hybrid event by Orange County Astronomers
https://ocastronomers.org/Date: June 13 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm PDT
Venue: Irvine Lecture Hall of the Chapman University
336 N Center St, Orange, CA 92866Speaker
Anna Ciurlo
View Organizer WebsiteOther
"What's Up?"Michael Beckage from OCAJoin Zoom
This meeting’s speaker will present in person.A trip to the Center of our Galaxy
The heart of the Milky Way is home to Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole approximately four million times the mass of the Sun. Although it remains largely quiet today, it is surrounded by a turbulent sea of gas, dust, and exotic objects that could one day trigger dramatic outbursts. This presentation delves into this extreme environment, exploring the large-scale gas clouds and the closer-in structures that fuel the black hole. It examines how molecular hydrogen manages to survive intense ultraviolet radiation and introduces a newly identified class of enigmatic objects orbiting perilously close to Sagittarius A*. Observed over two decades with the Keck Observatory, these objects may represent the remnants of stellar collisions or merged binaries, offering valuable insights into how matter behaves under immense gravitational forces. Mapping this region helps to illuminate the intricate interplay of stars, gas, and gravity at the core of the galaxy.Anna Ciurlo’s research focuses on stars and gas around the supermassive black hole in the center of our Galaxy. Her work leverages high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy from large ground and space-based observatories like Keck and the JWST. She earned her PhD in astrophysics from the Sorbonne Paris Cité and pursued postdoctoral research at UCLA. She was an inaugural year Keck Visiting Scholar at Keck Observatory. Anna continues at UCLA as an assistant researcher and adjunct assistant professor in the Galactic Center Group.
This is a free and open to the public hybrid event, held both in-person and online. Due to the newly effective insurance requirements, we regret that we can not allow people under 18 on the Chapman Campus, they are welcome to attend online.
