About us
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
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A Short Course on Aliens in Science and Science Fiction
·OnlineOnlineThe Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State Presents:
A non-technical 6-week class with Professor Andrew Fraknoi
Aliens in Science and Science Fiction:
Where Do We Stand in our Search for Intelligent Life Out There?
Wednesdays from 3 to 5 pm (Sep. 30 – Nov. 4, 2026)
Either via Zoom or in Person in the Humanities Building at SF State
Space is Limited: Register Early
Few areas of astronomy excite our imaginations as much as the search for alien life, out among the stars. It is a staple of science fiction stories and films, but recently it has also become a legitimate branch of scientific inquiry. In this non-technical class, we will take a look at why astronomers are more optimistic than ever that there must be life beyond the Earth, what intriguing experiments we are undertaking around the world to find or communicate with such life, and what we propose to do if we do find “them.” We’ll also look at some of the most imaginative science and science-fiction ideas about what such aliens will be like, why, despite recent media flurries, UFO stories have nothing to offer us, and what some legal and diplomatic concerns are about getting in touch with aliens. (No background in science will be required or assumed.)Three easy steps to register:
- Sign in or create a free account at: https://www.campusce.net/sfsu/account/signin.aspx
- Register for the in-person class at:
https://www.campusce.net/sfsu/course/course.aspx?C=1379&pc=138&mc=0&sc=0
or for the Zoom class at:
https://www.campusce.net/sfsu/course/course.aspx?C=1380&pc=138&mc=0&sc=0- If you do not yet have an Annual Membership (a modest fee) you will need to add one to your cart when you select the class. The Annual Membership is one of the choices in the catalog at the bottom, or at this link:
https://www.campusce.net/sfsu/course/course.aspx?catId=14
Andrew Fraknoi retired as Chair of the Astronomy Department at Foothill College in 2017. He was chosen the California Professor of the Year in 2007 by the Carnegie Endowment and has won several national prizes for his teaching. He is the lead author of OpenStax Astronomy, a free, electronic textbook, which is now the number one astronomy textbook in North America. Recently, he has been writing science fiction stories with good astronomy in them; 13 of his tales have been published so far, many of them about getting in touch with aliens. He appears regularly on local & national radio, explaining astronomical ideas in terms everyone can understand. The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 Asteroid Fraknoi to recognize his contributions to the public appreciation of science. See: http://fraknoi.com for more information about his work.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State is a community of inquiring adults, age 50+, offering non-credit courses, lectures, and interest groups. Many are held remotely, so you don’t need to reside in San Francisco to participate. You must become a member of the Institute to take the class, but the cost is quite reasonable19 attendees
Free Public Talk on Earth 2.0 Oct. 7
Location not specified yetOn Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 7 pm (PST), Dr. Jessie Christiansen (CalTech) will give a free, illustrated, non-technical lecture entitled:
"The Search for Earth 2.0:
Why We Think It Exists, and How We’re Going to Find it "
in the Smithwick Theater at Foothill College, in Los Altos (see directions below)
The talk is part of the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series, now in its 28th year.
For thousands of years, we’ve wondered if the Earth is unique, or if there are other Earths out there to find. In just the last 30 years, we’ve progressed from merely wondering if planets exist around other stars to knowing that almost every star we see has planets. Ambitious planet searches have been probing further and further, finding planetary systems of an incredible – and incredibly surprising! – variety. However, we have yet to discover another planet that might be like Earth – a rocky planet orbiting just the right distance from a Sun-like star to have liquid water on its surface. NASA has a audacious new plan for a next-generation flagship telescope that will directly image Earth-like planets around nearby stars, but it will take all of our ingenuity and technical prowess to achieve this feat. Dr Christiansen will walk you through the past, present, and future of our hunt for Earth 2.0.
Dr. Jessie Christiansen (CalTech/IPAC) is the Chief Scientist of the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute and a TED fellow. She has worked on NASA's Kepler, K2, and TESS missions, searching the sky for exoplanets, and is helping plan for NASA’s next big flagship missions - the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and the Habitable Worlds Observatory. Dr. Christiansen’s research is in the detection and characterization of exoplanets - planets around other stars - and studies of exoplanet populations. She is married to fellow astronomer, Philip Hopkins, and also wrangles eleven-year-old twins, two cats, and a dog in their house in the foothills of Los Angeles.
Foothill College is just off the El Monte Road exit from Freeway 280 in Los Altos.
For directions and parking information, see: https://foothill.edu/parking/
For a campus map, to find the Smithwick Theater (Bldg. 1000), see:
https://foothill.edu/map/
Parking lot 1 is closest, with access to the theater by a long set of stairs. Parking lot 5 provides access from the same elevation as the theater. Elevator access: Lot 8 (via building 8100 and then building 8400 elevators.)
IMPORTANT NOTE: As of the Fall of 2026, the college will again charge for parking in its parking lots. Please read and follow the instructions on the signs, or feel free to pre-pay the $3 fee by registering here (check out the more detailed instructions).
The lecture is co-sponsored by:
* The Foothill College Science, Tech, Engineering & Math Division
* The SETI Institute and
* The Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Past lectures in the series can be found on YouTube at: http://youtube.com/svastronomylectures
and as audio podcasts at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/180559521 attendees
Past events
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