What we’re about
Welcome to SJ Astronomy Meetup. We are an active group with a lot of events organized by the San Jose Astronomical Association. All events posted to this Meetup are open to the public but please note that joining this meetup does not automatically make you a member of SJAA. Becoming a formal member of SJAA provides members-only benefits, so we do encourage you to join. Please check out the membership benefits at https://www.sjaa.net/membership/benefits-of-membership-2/ to learn more and to join the club.
Also, please note that we need a profile picture for security reasons to join this group. Please consider uploading one before you send a request to join the group. Looking forward to sharing this cool hobby with all of you!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Stargazing at the East Pinnacles National ParkPinnacles National Park - East Side Parking, Paicines, CA
** RSVP opens Friday, Sep 12, 2025 9:00 AM **
San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) and the Pinnacles National Park are proud to jointly sponsor a Stargazing with Telescopes and Binoculars event to be held at the East Entrance of the Pinnacles National Park.
Spend the day at Pinnacles National Park, where the possibilities for discovery are limitless! Climbing and hiking among the breathtaking spires and rock formations that gave Pinnacles its name, is only the beginning of what the park has to offer. Come seek out the California Condor in the high peaks.
When it begins to get dark, come look at the night sky from this truly dark site. The Summer Milky Way would be blazing overhead as the event commences. Observe deep sky objects such as The ET Cluster, The Dumbbell Nebula, The Andromeda Galaxy and planets such as Saturn and its moons, using the telescopes and Binoculars that will be setup by our docents. It's a truly amazing experience that you will not soon forget!
If you own binoculars, please do bring them and we will teach you how to spot a few objects by yourselves, but PLEASE DO NOT BRING TELESCOPES as the spaces are already filled by our docents who are hosting the star party.
The Pinnacles National Park fee is $30 per car and must be purchased online at the following Link. The Visitor Station closes at 5pm, but you can arrive later. When you arrive, park your car and there should be staff and signs to guide you to the amphitheater where the program will start. The program will start promptly at 7:30 PM. Please do not be late.
As the weather is always changing, please check back here on the day of the event for more info, in case bad weather causes us to cancel it.
Dos
------- This is a family friendly event, and although younger children are welcome, this activity is best suited for children aged 5 years and older.
- Please plan to arrive no later than 30 mins before the start of the event. Give yourself extra time to get down there. The weekends can have more traffic through the Gilroy to Hollister part of the trip.
- It can get cool in the evenings so bring extra layers to keep you warm just in case
- Do bring binoculars if you have them.
- Leave no trash, stay on designated paths, and protect the natural environment.
- Ask a lot of questions. We Astronomers love to share !
Don'ts
----------- Do not bring your own telescope (binoculars are welcome).
- Please do not bring bright lights or white flashlights. They will ruin your night vision and everyone's ability to see the night sky objects.
- Please do not touch the telescopes or eyepieces without checking with the Astronomers.
- Do not shine any light (white or red) on the telescopes
- No smoking and no pets.
- No flash photography.
- Astro 101: Exploring Galaxies -- ON LINELink visible for attendees
This event is one of several different introductions to astronomy offered by SJAA. This talk focuses on galaxies! We live in one, the Milky Way with its billions of stars, and we see countless galaxies in deep space. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and follow their own fascinating life cycles.
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 7:15.
The talk will be presented by Carl Svensson. Carl is not a professional astronomer, but an avid star-gazer and astrophotographer. He joined SJAA in 2017 after receiving his first telescope (a Celestron NexStar 8SE) as a birthday gift from his wife. Since then, he's been involved with various volunteer astronomy events with SJAA, including Starry Nights and solar observing. You can see some of his astrophotos here: https://www.astrobin.com/users/csvensson/. He currently serves as the Ephemeris Editor and Vice-President as well.
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.
Event photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy#/media/File:Hubble-Space-Telescope-Galaxy-Collection.jpg
