Caltech Astro
caltechastro.bsky.social
Caltech Astro
@caltechastro.bsky.social
Follow me to keep up to date on Caltech Astronomy Outreach events!
http://outreach.astro.caltech.edu
Join us this Sunday (rain or shine!) for the City of Astronomy Science Festival, featuring fun science demos and public-level science presentations on black holes, galaxies, and exoplanets! Free and open to the public, only stay for as long as you want. We hope to see you there!
Join us to learn why Pasadena is the "City of Astronomy" for a free afternoon of science demonstrations, solar telescopes, and public-level presentations on black holes, exoplanets, galaxies, space weather, and AI!
Sunday, November 16 Noon-4PM

www.cityofastronomy.org
November 13, 2025 at 8:16 PM
What will we discover with the world's most powerful radio telescope? Last week, Professor Gregg Hallinan taught us all about the DSA, a new telescope being built in remote Nevada and what it will mean for the future of astronomy! Now on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cnN...
November 10, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Join us to learn why Pasadena is the "City of Astronomy" for a free afternoon of science demonstrations, solar telescopes, and public-level presentations on black holes, exoplanets, galaxies, space weather, and AI!
Sunday, November 16 Noon-4PM

www.cityofastronomy.org
November 7, 2025 at 6:49 PM
How can we build a star here on Earth? How does the fourth state of matter, plasma, behave? This week, we are hosting two Astronomy on Tap events all about plasma physics: Monday, November 17th and Thursday, November 20th at 7:30PM
outreach.astro.caltech.edu
November 4, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Join us this Friday to hear all about what the sky looks like in radio waves, and what we'll be able to reveal with the world's most powerful telescope!
What does the sky look like in radio light? What will we learn about stars, galaxies, and black holes using the DSA-2000, a revolutionary new radio telescope being built in the remote Nevada desert? Join us at our next Stargazing Lecture, Friday Nov 7!
outreach.astro.caltech.edu
November 2, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Rockstars Jason Achilles and Forrest Mitchell came out to our Astronomy on Tap this week in costume as Han Solo and Chewbacca. Many thanks to these legends for performing at so many of our events throughout the year! Happy Halloween, everyone!
October 31, 2025 at 8:46 PM
How are scientists working to find worlds possibly hosting life, like Pandora from the movie Avatar? Caltech scientist Katelyn Horstman explains these efforts and more at our recent Astronomy on Tap! Her presentation is now up on our YouTube channel:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-X-...
October 31, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Happening tonight @ 7:30PM! Halloween costumes welcome!
What do we know about planets outside of our solar system? Are there really planets orbiting the nearest star system to ours, Alpha Centauri? Join us Monday, October 27th at 7:30PM for to learn more at Astronomy on Tap!

outreach.astro.caltech.edu/aot
October 27, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Last weekend, we joined the California Dark Sky Festival near Death Valley NP. We helped operate telescopes, did science demonstrations, hosted an Astrophysicist Q&A Panel, and gave lectures on "Black Holes", "Space Exploration", and "The Formation of the Solar System".
October 23, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Images of Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) shot from Panamint Valley over the weekend at the California Dark Sky Festival by Caltech Astro PhD student Advait Mehla.
October 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Join us next Monday, October 27, to hear all about the search for planets around other stars, including attempts to photograph these strange new worlds! Telescopes, live music, and astronomy-themed pub trivia to accompany these presentations. Event is free and open to all!
What do we know about planets outside of our solar system? Are there really planets orbiting the nearest star system to ours, Alpha Centauri? Join us Monday, October 27th at 7:30PM for to learn more at Astronomy on Tap!

outreach.astro.caltech.edu/aot
October 20, 2025 at 10:05 PM
What does the sky look like in radio light? What will we learn about stars, galaxies, and black holes using the DSA-2000, a revolutionary new radio telescope being built in the remote Nevada desert? Join us at our next Stargazing Lecture, Friday Nov 7!
outreach.astro.caltech.edu
October 10, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Our very own Professor Kareem El-Badry was just awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship (“genius grant”) for “expanding our knowledge of binary star systems, black holes, and other wonders of the universe.” Congratulations, Kareem!

www.macfound.org/fellows/clas...
Kareem El-Badry
Expanding our knowledge of binary star systems, black holes, and other wonders of the universe.
www.macfound.org
October 8, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Last Friday, we learned all about asteroids and what threats they pose to humanity at our Stargazing Lecture by Dr. Joe Masiero. His excellent presentation is now up on our YouTube channel here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=35_d...
October 6, 2025 at 6:05 PM
TONIGHT!
How frequently do comets and asteroids pass near the Earth? How do we detect these objects and ensure they do not pose a threat to us? Join us for a 30-minute lecture followed by guided stargazing with telescopes:
outreach.astro.caltech.edu
October 3, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Recently, we hosted two special Astronomy on Tap nights at the Great Basin Astronomy Festival in Eastern Nevada. Great Basin has the darkest skies of any national park in the contiguous USA, so the stargazing was incredible and the telescopes were out!
September 30, 2025 at 10:47 PM
What do we know about planets outside of our solar system? Are there really planets orbiting the nearest star system to ours, Alpha Centauri? Join us Monday, October 27th at 7:30PM for to learn more at Astronomy on Tap!

outreach.astro.caltech.edu/aot
September 29, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Join us next week for a Stargazing Lecture on Near-Earth Asteroids and what insights and dangers they pose!
How frequently do comets and asteroids pass near the Earth? How do we detect these objects and ensure they do not pose a threat to us? Join us for a 30-minute lecture followed by guided stargazing with telescopes:
outreach.astro.caltech.edu
September 26, 2025 at 9:19 PM
This summer, Caltech Astro partnered with the Nevada Northern Railway and DSA-2000 to assist with "Star Train", a series of evening railway journeys into the dark skies of the Nevada desert featuring astronomy education, stargazing and telescopes. nnry.com/train-rides/
September 23, 2025 at 10:39 PM
There is a proposed rule to allow the government to build roads through much of our national forest lands. TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY for us to comment on this government proposal and to oppose it.

The Sierra Club provides an easy form to achieve this:
act.sierraclub.org/actions/Nati...
Keep Our National Forests Wild
Nearly 45 million acres of America's national forests are at risk of being opened up to roads, logging, and destruction. Once they're gone, we can't get these untouched forests back. Add your voice no...
act.sierraclub.org
September 19, 2025 at 6:35 PM
"People who think about living on Mars, haven't thought enough about living on Mars." Dr. Adam Steltzner, Chief Engineer of the NASA Mars Perseverance Rover program just gave a wonderful presentation on Mars at Astro on Tap which is now on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3Ch...
September 19, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Last weekend, we helped out at the Sequoia Dark Sky Festival in Sequoia National Park. Our group gave some public science presentations, operated telescopes at the star party, and hosted an Astrophysicists Q&A Panel to attendees at the festival. We hope to be back next year.
September 18, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Join us this weekend at the Great Basin Astronomy Festival in Eastern Nevada. The festival will feature public science presentations, Astronomy on Tap events, and stargazing in very dark skies! Free and open to all.
www.nps.gov/grba/planyou...
September 16, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Happening Tonight!
What are the prospects of people actually living on Mars? How do astronomers use high-altitude balloons to put telescopes nearly into space? Join our next Astronomy on Tap, featuring the NASA JPL Chief Engineer of the Mars Perseverance Rover:
outreach.astro.caltech.edu/aot
September 15, 2025 at 3:34 PM
NASA is sending a helicopter to Saturn's moon Titan to fly through its atmosphere and search for signs of life. We recently hosted NASA JPL scientist Dr. Morgan Cable to tell us all about it at Astronomy on Tap, and her talk is now up on YouTube here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeEL...
September 12, 2025 at 9:38 PM