About us
The Peninsula Astronomical Society (PAS) is an SF Bay Area astronomy club of enthusiasts of all ages, backgrounds, and experience. One thing that we all have in common is an interest in the night sky!
The PAS frequently hosts astronomy talks and events, and also runs the public Friday night and Saturday morning observing programs at Foothill Observatory on the Foothill College campus in Los Altos, California. Learn more about us, our programs, and public observatory openings at pastro.org.
Joining this Meetup group will keep you posted on public talks and events that are free of charge and do not require being a member. However, if you're interested in astronomy, we encourage you to become an official PAS member! Get the details on our PAS Membership page. Membership is only $25 per year, has many benefits, and directly supports public events.
Featured event
Teaching Machines to Learn the Universe: Galaxy Science in the Rubin Era
The PAS is delighted to welcome our May speaker: Michelle Park, Master's student at Stanford University in Computational and Mathematics Engineering!
In-person attendance requires registration with the Los Altos Library at Teaching Machines to Learn the Universe: Galaxy Science in the Rubin Era. More info below in "Meeting Logistics"
About this Talk
Only a decade ago, projects like Galaxy Zoo relied on global human effort to classify millions of galaxies by eye. With the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s first light now underway, these approaches no longer scale. Its Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will image tens of billions of galaxies, repeatedly mapping the sky over the next decade. Astrophysics has entered the big-data regime: deep learning algorithms are now required to not just process data but also identify the most scientifically meaningful signals. In this talk, we’ll explore how deep learning is reshaping galaxy science in the Rubin era. We’ll see how our models can help find unexpected objects, extract distances and physical properties from images alone, and uncover subtle structural patterns across cosmic time through accurate galaxy classification. Finally, we’ll look ahead to astronomy’s multi-modal future, where AI algorithms can integrate Rubin data with diverse surveys and data types to build a unified, data-driven picture of galaxy evolution.
About the Speaker
Michelle Park is a master’s student at Stanford University in Computational and Mathematical Engineering, with a bachelor’s in Engineering Physics. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she developed a passion for astrophysics at age 11 after reading about Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet. In her research, she studies simulated galaxies to understand the physics of their formation and evolution. She is interested in the intersection of physics, computation, and engineering by working toward building next-generation cosmological simulations.
Meeting Logistics
This is a hybrid meeting, at the Los Altos Library and on Zoom.
- In-person attendance requires registration with the Los Altos Library on this page: Teaching Machines to Learn the Universe: Galaxy Science in the Rubin Era
- Online attendance does not require registration and will be available over Zoom, with link visible to those who RSVP here.
Our Partners
We'd like to thank the Los Altos Library in Los Altos, California, and our partners at Stanford University's Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) for their support and commitment to bringing great astronomy talks and speakers to PAS members and the wider community.
Upcoming events
59
Friday Night Stargazing @ Foothill Observatory
Foothill College Observatory, 4100 Perimeter Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA, USFoothill Observatory is open for public observing on CLEAR Friday evenings from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. You don't have to RSVP here to attend; just come by!
Visitors can view the wonders of the universe through the observatory's computer-controlled 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, operated by the Peninsula Astronomical Society (PAS). Views of objects in our solar system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the moons and cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, and much more!
The choice of targets for any evening’s viewing depends on the weather, the season, and what objects are currently in the sky. On clear, dark, moonless nights, the telescope gives visitors views into the deeper reaches of space. Star clusters, nebulae, and distant galaxies provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of the cosmos.
Read more about PAS and Foothill Observatory at pastro.org. If you like these events and are interested in astronomy, we welcome to you join our club! Membership is just $25 per year and has many benefits.
IN CASE OF POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS
If weather conditions are not suitable for observing (clouds, rain, etc.), the observatory may not open at all -- or may close early. In such cases, this Meetup event status is not updated. Check the observatory webcam at 9 p.m. to verify that it's open, or just come by if conditions look good!1 attendee
Saturday Morning Solar Observing @ Foothill
Foothill College Observatory, 4100 Perimeter Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA, USFoothill Observatory is open for public solar observing on CLEAR Saturday mornings from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
NOTE: You need not RSVP here to attend; just come by!
Visitors to these daytime programs can view details of the sun through our special and safe solar filters, and dedicated solar telescope. We are able to provide spectacular views through both white-light and hydrogen-alpha (0.6 Angstrom) filters.
Visitors can inspect two different layers of the sun –– the photosphere and the chromosphere. Depending on solar activity, guests may see sunspots (giant cooler areas on the sun’s surface), solar prominences (huge flame-like eruptions), and solar flares (titanic explosions).
Read more about PAS and Foothill Observatory events at pastro.org
IN CASE OF POOR WEATHER
If weather conditions are not suitable for observing (clouds, rain, etc.), the observatory may not open at all -- or may close early. In such cases, this Meetup event status is not updated, so check the weather before coming by.
1 attendeeTeaching Machines to Learn the Universe: Galaxy Science in the Rubin Era
·OnlineOnlineThe PAS is delighted to welcome our May speaker: Michelle Park, Master's student at Stanford University in Computational and Mathematics Engineering!
In-person attendance requires registration with the Los Altos Library at Teaching Machines to Learn the Universe: Galaxy Science in the Rubin Era. More info below in "Meeting Logistics"
About this Talk
Only a decade ago, projects like Galaxy Zoo relied on global human effort to classify millions of galaxies by eye. With the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s first light now underway, these approaches no longer scale. Its Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will image tens of billions of galaxies, repeatedly mapping the sky over the next decade. Astrophysics has entered the big-data regime: deep learning algorithms are now required to not just process data but also identify the most scientifically meaningful signals. In this talk, we’ll explore how deep learning is reshaping galaxy science in the Rubin era. We’ll see how our models can help find unexpected objects, extract distances and physical properties from images alone, and uncover subtle structural patterns across cosmic time through accurate galaxy classification. Finally, we’ll look ahead to astronomy’s multi-modal future, where AI algorithms can integrate Rubin data with diverse surveys and data types to build a unified, data-driven picture of galaxy evolution.About the Speaker
Michelle Park is a master’s student at Stanford University in Computational and Mathematical Engineering, with a bachelor’s in Engineering Physics. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she developed a passion for astrophysics at age 11 after reading about Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet. In her research, she studies simulated galaxies to understand the physics of their formation and evolution. She is interested in the intersection of physics, computation, and engineering by working toward building next-generation cosmological simulations.Meeting Logistics
This is a hybrid meeting, at the Los Altos Library and on Zoom.- In-person attendance requires registration with the Los Altos Library on this page: Teaching Machines to Learn the Universe: Galaxy Science in the Rubin Era
- Online attendance does not require registration and will be available over Zoom, with link visible to those who RSVP here.
Our Partners
We'd like to thank the Los Altos Library in Los Altos, California, and our partners at Stanford University's Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) for their support and commitment to bringing great astronomy talks and speakers to PAS members and the wider community.13 attendeesFriday Night Stargazing @ Foothill Observatory
Foothill College Observatory, 4100 Perimeter Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA, USFoothill Observatory is open for public observing on CLEAR Friday evenings from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. You don't have to RSVP here to attend; just come by!
Visitors can view the wonders of the universe through the observatory's computer-controlled 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, operated by the Peninsula Astronomical Society (PAS). Views of objects in our solar system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the moons and cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, and much more!
The choice of targets for any evening’s viewing depends on the weather, the season, and what objects are currently in the sky. On clear, dark, moonless nights, the telescope gives visitors views into the deeper reaches of space. Star clusters, nebulae, and distant galaxies provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of the cosmos.
Read more about PAS and Foothill Observatory at pastro.org. If you like these events and are interested in astronomy, we welcome to you join our club! Membership is just $25 per year and has many benefits.
IN CASE OF POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS
If weather conditions are not suitable for observing (clouds, rain, etc.), the observatory may not open at all -- or may close early. In such cases, this Meetup event status is not updated. Check the observatory webcam at 9 p.m. to verify that it's open, or just come by if conditions look good!2 attendees
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