Caltech Astronomy

06/01/2026

How can we photograph black holes and dark matter? Professor Katie Bouman joined us last week for an outstanding presentation explaining how scientists are utilizing AI to help take images of exotic astrophysical phenomena. Her presentation is now up on our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZIeAVJLYTw

05/20/2026

Interested in learning more about the NASA Artemis II mission that recently visited the Moon? We recently hosted Sarah Elizabeth McCandless, one of the NASA navigation engineers for the Artemis II mission, who joined our Astronomy on Tap to discuss the mission and what it was like behind the scenes. You can check out her presentation now on our YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWDc7E59Ve0

Photos by Robb Rosenfeld.

05/19/2026

Want to stargaze from a train, far away from city lights? For the last two years, Caltech Astro Outreach and the DSA Radio Telescope have collaborated with the Nevada Northern Railway to produce the Great Basin Star Train, a train that travels into the Nevada desert to provide visitors with wonderful views of the night sky. Last week, the New York Times had an article about this effort and Caltech's involvement to provide scientists as guides and staffers for the train, teaching visitors about the cosmos and providing astounding telescope views of the heavens. It was a fun experience, and we were pleased to discuss astronomy with so many visitors!

On nighttime excursions in dark-sky hot spots like Norway, New Zealand and Nevada, all you have to do is relax and look up. The stars will do the rest.

05/05/2026

Why did a lunar lander payload put a hole in the Moon? We hosted Roshan Misra from Honeybee Robotics last week to discuss his team's instrument LISTER that put a hole in the Moon. It was a great Astronomy on Tap presentation about lunar science and aerospace, and it's now up on our YouTube channel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dddBvVEBhlk

Photos by Robb Rosenfeld.

04/17/2026

Caltech Astro scientists recently contributed to the Night of Ideas at the Wende Museum, featuring solar telescopes, solar s'mores, and a presentation by Dr. Joanna Piotrowska on black holes. Thanks for hosting us, Villa Albertine!
Photo Credit: Tag Christof

04/10/2026

After 10 days in space, the NASA Artemis II mission will return to Earth today, with an expected splashdown time at 5:07PM PM PT off the coast of San Diego. Welcome back, Artemis!

You can watch the whole thing live on NASA's YouTube channel:

This feed will provide continuous coverage of Artemis II mission activities with live commentary, beginning with tanking of the SLS (Space Launch System) roc...

04/10/2026

Last month, we participated in the Great Orion Dark Sky Festival near Death Valley NP. We hosted solar demos and solar telescopes, astrophysicist Q&A panels, and astronomy presentations by Dr. Cameron Hummels on black holes, galaxies, and the formation of the solar system. Even the local burros turned out for it. Great skies and fun times.