(r8) 2026 < Main

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---+ Past Events from 2026

For photos of all past events, see [[https://www.flickr.com/photos/143414768@N07/albums][our Flickr Page]].  
For lecture recordings, see [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpslw1KdoUvnCKi0swsb23w/videos][our YouTube Page]].<br>

To learn more about each event this year (including abstracts, titles, etc.), click on the event links below.

---++++ Monday, January 12, 7:30-9:30PM

[[20260112][Astronomy on Tap @ Dog Haus]]<br />
*[[AoTCaptain][MC]]*: Cameron Hummels<br />
*[[AoTSpeaker][Speakers]] (2)*: Jesse Han, Allison Matthews<br />
*[[AoTVolunteer][Volunteer]] (3+)*: Maggie Li, Delaney White, Advait Mehla, Ipek Kerkeser, Jake Summers, Tim Proudkii, Sasha Mintz<br>
*Attendees*: 250<br>
Great turnout for a winter event.  Weather was clear and not too cold.  Telescope views of Orion Nebula and Pleiades in eVscope.<br>
We also tried a new activity by having the GR VR headsets present on a table and staffed by Jake and Ipek, which appeared to be<br>
a success.  Each of the talks were solid, and Allison's talk about Grote Reber was a real winner.  The audience was enthusiastic as<br>
always.  No live music.  

---++++ Friday, January 16, 7:30-9:30PM

Fire & Ice Festival Astro Trivia in Ely, NV<br />
*[[AoTCaptain][MC]]*: Cameron Hummels<br />
*[[AoTVolunteer][Volunteer]] (3+)*: Katie Jameson<br>
*Attendees*: 80<br>
This event was for the Fire and Ice Festival in Ely, NV to support DSA education efforts there.  As part of the festival, there was a<br>
musical act playing at the convention center in town.  We were asked to perform astro-themed trivia in the break between sets.<br>
Cameron assembled a pub trivia similar to those at Astronomy on Tap, although a bit easier than usual.  A good amount of enthusiasm<br>
from the crowd considering they weren't specifically attending the event to learn about astronomy.  Several requests for us to host<br>
more events in town.  Cameron also operated a telescope for the hour after the program ended and provided views of Jupiter and the moon.<br>

---++++ Saturday, January 17, 7:00-9:00PM

Fire & Ice Festival Guided Stargazing in Ely, NV<br />
*[[AoTCaptain][MC]]*: Cameron Hummels<br />
*[[AoTVolunteer][Volunteer]] (3+)*: Katie Jameson<br>
*Attendees*: 100<br>
The Fire & Ice Festival in Ely, NV featured fireworks being set off the Nevada Northern Railway as it drove into the countryside.  Directly<br>
following the fireworks display, there was a large bonfire ignited at the railway station with a couple hundred attendees.  We set up <br>
a Caltech Astro table and telescopes at the event, providing views of the heavens to attendees.  Despite the cold weather, there was a lot<br>
of interest.  We had the eVscope pointing towards the Orion Nebula and the 6" dobsonian pointed alternately between the Saturn and Jupiter.<Br>
We also handed out some DSA and outreach literature and NASA swag.<Br>

---++++ Sunday, January 18, 11:00AM-3:00PM

Fire & Ice Festival Solar Observing in Ely, NV<br />
*[[AoTCaptain][MC]]*: Cameron Hummels<br />
*[[AoTVolunteer][Volunteer]] (3+)*: Katie Jameson<br>
*Attendees*: 50<br>
The final day of the Fire & Ice Festival featured a snowman content in Broadbent Park.  We arrived an operated solar telescopes over the course<br>
of the day, providing people views of the solar surface.  We had two dobsonians with solar filters and the SeeStar with a solar filter.  Lots of sunspot<br>
activity and chances to describe solar convection, sunspots, and the solar winds' interaction with the earth's magnetosphere, and aurorae.<br>

---++++ Friday, January 23, 8-10PM

[[20260123][Stargazing Lecture - Simulating Galaxies, Stars, Planets, and Giant Black Holes on a Computer]]<br />
*[[Lecturer]]*: Phil Hopkins<br />
*[[LectureCaptain][Lecture Captain]]*: Cameron Hummels<br />
*[[LectureVolunteer][Lecture Volunteers]] (2+)*: Harshda Saxena, Isabel Sands<br />
*[[TelescopeCaptain][Telescope Captain]]*: Maggie Li<br />
*[[TelescopeVolunteer][Telescope Volunteers]] (3+)*: Tirth Surti, Laura Fredericks, Yabo Ogunduyile, Ai-Dan Le, Sasha Mintz, Tim Proudkii<br>
*Attendees*: 160<br>
120 in-person + 40 online = 160 attendees. Hazy evening, but we were still able to view first quarter moon, Jupiter, and Orion Nebula.  <br>
Phil's talk was solid, and lots of good questions from the audience afterwards.  Some challenges with the A/V, since the sound system <br>
in Hameetman was recently upgraded, but I had no prior knowledge, so I could not connect the sound for the livestream directly<br>
to the house speaker system.  I relied on the shot mic on the video camera to record, which worked, but the sound is super echoey <br>
and pretty hard to understand.  I'll try to fix this up for next time.  Tim Proudkii saved the day when Maggie Li bailed as Telescope Captain<br>
with <3 hours prior to the event.<br>

---++++ Friday - Sunday, February 6 - 8

[[20260206][Death Valley NP Dark Sky Festival]]<br />
*Organizer*: Cameron Hummels<br />
*Volunteers*: <br>
*Attendees*:<br>

---++++ Monday, February 9, 7:30-9:30PM

[[20260209][Astronomy on Tap @ Dog Haus]]<br />
*[[AoTCaptain][MC]]*: Cameron Hummels<br />
*[[AoTSpeaker][Speakers]] (2)*: Jack Kiraly, Tom Greene<br />
*[[AoTVolunteer][Volunteer]] (3+)*: Ai-Dan Le, Randy Muñoz, Bruno Bitencourt, Maggie Li, Delaney White<br>
*Attendees*: 180<br>
Busy night after the Death Valley Dark Sky Festival over the weekend.  Good turnout for a winter event with ~180 in attendance.<br>
Large contingent from astronomical community to see both Tom and Jack speak (with a lot of Planetary Society employees turning out).<br>
Weather conditions were partly cloudy, but we were still able to make out Jupiter in the haze with the 6" dob.  Great talks by Jack and Tom<br>
with a lot of enthusiam for both.  Dog Haus installed an additional outlet for us on the roof so we could plug in the 3rd TV without running a<br>
long extension cable to the alley, but unfortunately there wasn't enough power on the circuit and it caused the overhead lights to flash when<br>
we plugged it in.  So no go this time, and we just used the old method with the long extension cord.  Lots of new volunteers this time, but <br>
Delaney and Maggie were helpful in getting everyone up to speed.  No real A/V problems, which is good.<br>

---++++ Monday, February 23, 6:30PM - 9:30PM

DSA Science Fiction vs Fact Film Series in Ely, NV<br />
*Organizer: Cameron Hummels<br />
*Volunteer*: Katie Jameson<br>
*Attendees*: 100<br>

---++++ Tuesday, February 24, 9:00AM - 11:30AM

White Pine County Schools Film and Science Lesson<br />
*Organizer: Cameron Hummels<br />
*Volunteer*: Katie Jameson<br>
*Attendees*: 80<br>

---++++ Friday, February 27, 8-10PM

[[20260227][Stargazing Lecture - Revealing the Primordial Universe Through Its Oldest Light]]<br />
*[[Lecturer]]*: W.L. Kimmy Wu<br />
*[[LectureCaptain][Lecture Captain]]*: Cameron Hummels<br />
*[[LectureVolunteer][Lecture Volunteers]] (2+)*: Dee Dunne, Isaac Cheng<br />
*[[TelescopeCaptain][Telescope Captain]]*: Delina Levine<br />
*[[TelescopeVolunteer][Telescope Volunteers]] (3+)*: Julia Johnston, Yabo Ogunduyile, Carl Crum, Randy Muñoz, Luke Handley, Ethan Potter<br>
*Attendees*: 210<br>
170 in-person + 40 online = 210 attendees.  Great presentation on the CMB by Kimmy Wu with very good content.  Clear weather all night.<br>
We were able to view Jupiter, Crab Nebula, and first quarter moon.  A solid turnout of volunteers from CalState LA to join us.  Challenging<br>
questions all night for the Q&A panel.  Still some challenges with the new A/V system.  Cameron spent over an hour beforehand working with<br>
James to get the sound/video working OK so there were no feedback loops and so the sound would broadcast through HDMI to the house <br>
speaker system.  In general, many reboots of the computing infrastructure in the lectern are required, even though this is a brand new $50k<br>
system.  But we were able to mostly make it work. Happy attendees.<br>

Link back to [[https://sites.astro.caltech.edu/twiki_outreach/bin/view/Main/WebHome][home page]].
Topic revision: r8 - 2026-03-07 - OutreachAdmin
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