Explore the universe with KQED Science! Dive into the latest astronomy news, discover celestial events, and unravel the mysteries of outer space.
Meteor Showers, Massive Moons and More: Winter Astronomy Events to Look Up for
A New Eye on Earth's Edge: UC Berkeley-Guided Space Telescope Has Liftoff
How to See the Perseid Meteor Shower in the Bay Area
How to Hike 'Above the Clouds' in the Bay Area (Plus, the Science of a Marine Inversion)
A New Camera, Built in the Bay Area, Brings the Mysteries of the Universe Into Focus
When Is the Summer Solstice? Plus, Science Events to Celebrate
This South Bay Observatory Has Been Watching the Stars for Over a Century
When and Where to Watch the Blood Moon in the Bay Area
Skywatching Guide: Catching a Comet Over the Bay Area
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"title": "Meteor Showers, Massive Moons and More: Winter Astronomy Events to Look Up for",
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"content": "\u003cp>A bright full moon. One of the year’s best meteor showers. Even a chance to see \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/jupiter\">Jupiter\u003c/a> at its most striking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winter 2025–26 will bring a range of exciting space events for skygazers to enjoy, starting this week. Keep reading for what to mark on your calendar as the nights grow long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A full moon at its closest point to Earth\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Thursday\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>December opens this week with a full moon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2025/11/29/full-moon-december-2025-exactly-when-to-see-a-cold-supermoon-rise/\">dubbed the “Cold Moon,” \u003c/a>that also happens to be near perigee: the point in the moon’s elliptical orbit when it’s closest to Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That proximity on Dec. 4 makes the moon appear slightly larger and brighter. But should we be \u003ca href=\"https://www.popsci.com/science/stargazing-guide-december-2025/\">calling it a “supermoon” too\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1978806\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1978806\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Day to night timelapse timeslice San Franciso panorama with full moon\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Day-to-night time-lapse panorama of downtown San Francisco with full moon. \u003ccite>(iStock)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That’s a very misleading term,” said Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute — one of the astronomers who rolls their eyes at this particular label.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is because the average stargazer “cannot tell the difference between full moons that are regular or super: a complaint people sometimes have about cheap burger places, too,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, whatever you want to call this event, this week brings a good excuse to appreciate our nearest celestial neighbor.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Geminids meteor shower, with a moon-free show\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Dec. 13–14\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Geminids meteor shower is considered one of the most reliable meteor displays of the year — and sometimes, it’s the most spectacular, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This winter, conditions are nearly perfect to view the Geminids, since the shower peaks overnight around midnight on Dec. 13 and 14, but the moon won’t rise until around 2 a.m., according to the American Meteor Society. That means the skies will be wonderfully dark during the evening and just past midnight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1951367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1951367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Long exposure of the sky taken during a past Geminids meteor shower. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Asim Patel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Geminids are fragments shed from an asteroid-like object called 3200 Phaeton, which often produces bright, colorful meteors. And with the peak happening on a weekend this year, families can bundle up, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997977/how-to-see-the-perseid-meteor-shower-in-the-bay-area\">find a dark spot away from city lights\u003c/a> and look up without worrying about school the next morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another reason to stay up for the Geminids: The next major meteor shower, the Quandratids on Jan 3–4, are predicted to be largely washed out by a full moon.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The winter solstice\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Dec. 21\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This one may be less something to “see,” but the solstice is still a momentous milestone for winter: marking the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995310\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2120px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995310\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2120\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899.jpg 2120w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2120px) 100vw, 2120px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A teenage girl uses the astronomy telescope to observe the stars on a cold winter night. \u003ccite>(Imgorthand/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Astronomers believe that billions of years ago, Earth collided with a mini planet called Theia, which caused our planet to tilt by 23 degrees — giving our globe its seasons. “The Earth was in a traffic accident and has never been able to straighten out,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After Dec. 21, daylight slowly begins its long climb back toward summer — good news for anyone who doesn’t enjoy the deep, dark nights of winter.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Earth at perihelion\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Jan. 3\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Day 3 of 2026, at around 9:15 a.m. PST, our planet will be at “perihelion” — that is, at its closest to the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To many who aren’t on the lookout, the sun may just look the same as any other day. But it will actually appear slightly larger than any other day in the year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A fun fact: At perihelion, the Earth receives 7% more solar energy than when the planet is at its furthest from the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Jupiter at opposition\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Throughout January 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just after the New Year holidays, Jupiter reaches opposition — the moment when the giant planet sits directly opposite the sun in our sky. As the sun sets, Jupiter rises and stays visible all night long, making the planet exceptionally bright in January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995309\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995309\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">NASA’s Juno mission captured this view of Jupiter’s southern hemisphere during the spacecraft’s 39th close flyby of the planet on Jan. 12, 2022. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Since Jupiter reflects sunlight well, “it will be a brilliant point in the sky, easy to find with the naked eye,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And with a small telescope, you can even try to spot Jupiter’s moons. “Galileo’s first small telescope revealed four big moons orbiting Jupiter, forever destroying the notion that everything has to go around the Earth,” Fraknoi said. And this winter, these moons will be widely spaced and easy for you to see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "As the night grows long and the winter solstice approaches, there’s a host of astronomical events to watch out for, including a particularly striking meteor shower. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A bright full moon. One of the year’s best meteor showers. Even a chance to see \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/jupiter\">Jupiter\u003c/a> at its most striking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winter 2025–26 will bring a range of exciting space events for skygazers to enjoy, starting this week. Keep reading for what to mark on your calendar as the nights grow long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A full moon at its closest point to Earth\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Thursday\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>December opens this week with a full moon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2025/11/29/full-moon-december-2025-exactly-when-to-see-a-cold-supermoon-rise/\">dubbed the “Cold Moon,” \u003c/a>that also happens to be near perigee: the point in the moon’s elliptical orbit when it’s closest to Earth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That proximity on Dec. 4 makes the moon appear slightly larger and brighter. But should we be \u003ca href=\"https://www.popsci.com/science/stargazing-guide-december-2025/\">calling it a “supermoon” too\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1978806\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1978806\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Day to night timelapse timeslice San Franciso panorama with full moon\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/RS54464_iStock-685789992-qut-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Day-to-night time-lapse panorama of downtown San Francisco with full moon. \u003ccite>(iStock)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That’s a very misleading term,” said Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute — one of the astronomers who rolls their eyes at this particular label.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is because the average stargazer “cannot tell the difference between full moons that are regular or super: a complaint people sometimes have about cheap burger places, too,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, whatever you want to call this event, this week brings a good excuse to appreciate our nearest celestial neighbor.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Geminids meteor shower, with a moon-free show\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Dec. 13–14\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Geminids meteor shower is considered one of the most reliable meteor displays of the year — and sometimes, it’s the most spectacular, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This winter, conditions are nearly perfect to view the Geminids, since the shower peaks overnight around midnight on Dec. 13 and 14, but the moon won’t rise until around 2 a.m., according to the American Meteor Society. That means the skies will be wonderfully dark during the evening and just past midnight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1951367\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1951367\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/12/AsimPatel-Geminids-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Long exposure of the sky taken during a past Geminids meteor shower. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Asim Patel)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Geminids are fragments shed from an asteroid-like object called 3200 Phaeton, which often produces bright, colorful meteors. And with the peak happening on a weekend this year, families can bundle up, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997977/how-to-see-the-perseid-meteor-shower-in-the-bay-area\">find a dark spot away from city lights\u003c/a> and look up without worrying about school the next morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another reason to stay up for the Geminids: The next major meteor shower, the Quandratids on Jan 3–4, are predicted to be largely washed out by a full moon.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The winter solstice\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Dec. 21\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This one may be less something to “see,” but the solstice is still a momentous milestone for winter: marking the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995310\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2120px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995310\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2120\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899.jpg 2120w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/GettyImages-1356507899-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2120px) 100vw, 2120px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A teenage girl uses the astronomy telescope to observe the stars on a cold winter night. \u003ccite>(Imgorthand/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Astronomers believe that billions of years ago, Earth collided with a mini planet called Theia, which caused our planet to tilt by 23 degrees — giving our globe its seasons. “The Earth was in a traffic accident and has never been able to straighten out,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After Dec. 21, daylight slowly begins its long climb back toward summer — good news for anyone who doesn’t enjoy the deep, dark nights of winter.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Earth at perihelion\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Jan. 3\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Day 3 of 2026, at around 9:15 a.m. PST, our planet will be at “perihelion” — that is, at its closest to the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To many who aren’t on the lookout, the sun may just look the same as any other day. But it will actually appear slightly larger than any other day in the year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A fun fact: At perihelion, the Earth receives 7% more solar energy than when the planet is at its furthest from the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Jupiter at opposition\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When to see: Throughout January 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just after the New Year holidays, Jupiter reaches opposition — the moment when the giant planet sits directly opposite the sun in our sky. As the sun sets, Jupiter rises and stays visible all night long, making the planet exceptionally bright in January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995309\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995309\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/jpegPIA25014-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">NASA’s Juno mission captured this view of Jupiter’s southern hemisphere during the spacecraft’s 39th close flyby of the planet on Jan. 12, 2022. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Since Jupiter reflects sunlight well, “it will be a brilliant point in the sky, easy to find with the naked eye,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And with a small telescope, you can even try to spot Jupiter’s moons. “Galileo’s first small telescope revealed four big moons orbiting Jupiter, forever destroying the notion that everything has to go around the Earth,” Fraknoi said. And this winter, these moons will be widely spaced and easy for you to see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "A New Eye on Earth's Edge: UC Berkeley-Guided Space Telescope Has Liftoff",
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"content": "\u003cp>This week, a rocket lifted off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12057720/nasa-mission-with-help-from-uc-berkeley-to-explore-earths-exosphere\">carrying a new space telescope\u003c/a> to its parking spot about 1 million miles from Earth, guided by mission operators at the Space Sciences Laboratory at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/uc-berkeley\">UC Berkeley\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once it reaches its permanent home, the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory will turn its eyes back to Earth to study the exosphere — the outermost layer of our atmosphere, where satellites orbit. Researchers hope that by better understanding how this region interacts with space weather from the Sun, they’ll be able to improve protections for satellites, which can be knocked offline by solar activity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The telescope got a ride into space along with equipment for two other missions, each designed to study a different aspect of the Sun’s influence on our solar system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a visit to the Berkeley lab’s mission control room on Thursday, everything appeared calm and smooth as operators and technicians worked to bring the Carruthers systems online in a process known as “commissioning” the spacecraft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On large display screens, boxes of colors, text and graphs indicated the status of systems on the spacecraft with lots of green. That means all is well, said Abhi Tripathi, director of mission operations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1998642\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1998642\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Engineers work in the Mission Operations Center at the Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley on Sept. 25, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“All the displays have been designed to get your attention the moment something is off,” he said of the graphical user interfaces, or GUIs (pronounced “gooeys”). “If something flashes red, we have to quickly diagnose what is the issue and then figure out what we want to do to get it back within limits.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Operators were in the middle of a “pass,” a window of time during which NASA’s Deep Space Network allows for communication with the spacecraft. Mission operators send commands and receive data, images and navigation updates with the global network. On average, they get about two passes per day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier that day, Tripathi said, the room buzzed with activity when the spacecraft communicated in a slightly unexpected way. Fortunately, the team quickly resolved the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, the biggest excitement of the week was the launch early Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The entire team in here came as early as 1:30 in the morning to watch the 4:30 a.m. launch,” Tripathi said. “The energy was high. I don’t think anyone had coffee. Everyone was working off of adrenaline.”[aside postID=news_12036237 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/JupiterGetty-1020x673.jpg']About an hour and a half after the launch, the spacecraft cleanly separated from the rocket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And we gave a big round of applause, of course,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 30 minutes later, the team achieved what they call first contact — a nerve-wracking moment in any mission when they establish communication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Will the spacecraft respond? Is it still alive?” Tripathi said. “And it was. So we all finally exhaled. After that, we got down to business.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Operating a mission like Carruthers is a source of pride for the Berkeley lab, which has been home to four Nobel Prize winners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are maybe two universities in the country that can run a mission like this,” said Lindy Elkins-Tanton, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ssl.berkeley.edu/planetary-scientist-lindy-elkins-tanton-to-head-space-sciences-laboratory/\">newly installed director\u003c/a> of the lab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our big strength over time has been space weather. What does the sun do to space?” she said. “What kind of radiation does it put out? How does it affect our Earth’s atmosphere? How does it interact with the magnetic field? Things that surprisingly we don’t understand even though they affect us every single day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Carruthers mission will continue the lab’s legacy in space weather research, but with a focus on a part of Earth’s atmosphere we haven’t seen clearly since Apollo 16. That mission, the fifth and one of the last to land on the Moon, carried a camera designed by NASA scientist George Carruthers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1998660\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 985px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1998660\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"985\" height=\"985\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope.jpg 985w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">April 1972, Apollo 16 astronaut John Young on the surface of the Moon with George Carruthers’ gold-plated Far Ultraviolet Camera/Spectrograph, the first Moon-based observatory. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The camera, capable of capturing ultraviolet light, was placed in the shadow of the lunar module to block scattered light. From there, astronauts pointed it back toward Earth and captured the first — and so far only — images of the geocorona: a faint glow around Earth caused by the outermost reaches of the atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That imager was remarkable; it worked amazingly well,” said Thomas Immel, project scientist for the Carruthers observatory mission. “But it was just a snapshot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This new mission will be able to capture what is going on, in incredible detail, over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The upper atmosphere is composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. These gases help shield Earth from solar storms, but scientists aren’t sure if they’re gradually being stripped away by the solar wind. It’s also unclear how this region interacts with ions and particles from the Sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2022, for instance, a solar storm destroyed about \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/09/science/spacex-satellites-storm.html\">40 SpaceX satellites in orbit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To prevent such losses in the future, scientists need a clearer picture of this barely understood region of space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that’s exactly what we’re going to be looking at,” Elkins-Tanton said. “It’s really a blank spot in human knowledge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Carruthers team hopes to unveil the mission’s first images at the American Geophysical Union conference this winter in New Orleans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>This week, a rocket lifted off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12057720/nasa-mission-with-help-from-uc-berkeley-to-explore-earths-exosphere\">carrying a new space telescope\u003c/a> to its parking spot about 1 million miles from Earth, guided by mission operators at the Space Sciences Laboratory at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/uc-berkeley\">UC Berkeley\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once it reaches its permanent home, the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory will turn its eyes back to Earth to study the exosphere — the outermost layer of our atmosphere, where satellites orbit. Researchers hope that by better understanding how this region interacts with space weather from the Sun, they’ll be able to improve protections for satellites, which can be knocked offline by solar activity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The telescope got a ride into space along with equipment for two other missions, each designed to study a different aspect of the Sun’s influence on our solar system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a visit to the Berkeley lab’s mission control room on Thursday, everything appeared calm and smooth as operators and technicians worked to bring the Carruthers systems online in a process known as “commissioning” the spacecraft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On large display screens, boxes of colors, text and graphs indicated the status of systems on the spacecraft with lots of green. That means all is well, said Abhi Tripathi, director of mission operations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1998642\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1998642\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/20250925_MARSSATELLITE_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Engineers work in the Mission Operations Center at the Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley on Sept. 25, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“All the displays have been designed to get your attention the moment something is off,” he said of the graphical user interfaces, or GUIs (pronounced “gooeys”). “If something flashes red, we have to quickly diagnose what is the issue and then figure out what we want to do to get it back within limits.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Operators were in the middle of a “pass,” a window of time during which NASA’s Deep Space Network allows for communication with the spacecraft. Mission operators send commands and receive data, images and navigation updates with the global network. On average, they get about two passes per day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier that day, Tripathi said, the room buzzed with activity when the spacecraft communicated in a slightly unexpected way. Fortunately, the team quickly resolved the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, the biggest excitement of the week was the launch early Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The entire team in here came as early as 1:30 in the morning to watch the 4:30 a.m. launch,” Tripathi said. “The energy was high. I don’t think anyone had coffee. Everyone was working off of adrenaline.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>About an hour and a half after the launch, the spacecraft cleanly separated from the rocket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And we gave a big round of applause, of course,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 30 minutes later, the team achieved what they call first contact — a nerve-wracking moment in any mission when they establish communication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Will the spacecraft respond? Is it still alive?” Tripathi said. “And it was. So we all finally exhaled. After that, we got down to business.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Operating a mission like Carruthers is a source of pride for the Berkeley lab, which has been home to four Nobel Prize winners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are maybe two universities in the country that can run a mission like this,” said Lindy Elkins-Tanton, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ssl.berkeley.edu/planetary-scientist-lindy-elkins-tanton-to-head-space-sciences-laboratory/\">newly installed director\u003c/a> of the lab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our big strength over time has been space weather. What does the sun do to space?” she said. “What kind of radiation does it put out? How does it affect our Earth’s atmosphere? How does it interact with the magnetic field? Things that surprisingly we don’t understand even though they affect us every single day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Carruthers mission will continue the lab’s legacy in space weather research, but with a focus on a part of Earth’s atmosphere we haven’t seen clearly since Apollo 16. That mission, the fifth and one of the last to land on the Moon, carried a camera designed by NASA scientist George Carruthers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1998660\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 985px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1998660\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"985\" height=\"985\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope.jpg 985w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/09/moon-based-telescope-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">April 1972, Apollo 16 astronaut John Young on the surface of the Moon with George Carruthers’ gold-plated Far Ultraviolet Camera/Spectrograph, the first Moon-based observatory. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of NASA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The camera, capable of capturing ultraviolet light, was placed in the shadow of the lunar module to block scattered light. From there, astronauts pointed it back toward Earth and captured the first — and so far only — images of the geocorona: a faint glow around Earth caused by the outermost reaches of the atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That imager was remarkable; it worked amazingly well,” said Thomas Immel, project scientist for the Carruthers observatory mission. “But it was just a snapshot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This new mission will be able to capture what is going on, in incredible detail, over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The upper atmosphere is composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. These gases help shield Earth from solar storms, but scientists aren’t sure if they’re gradually being stripped away by the solar wind. It’s also unclear how this region interacts with ions and particles from the Sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2022, for instance, a solar storm destroyed about \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/09/science/spacex-satellites-storm.html\">40 SpaceX satellites in orbit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To prevent such losses in the future, scientists need a clearer picture of this barely understood region of space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that’s exactly what we’re going to be looking at,” Elkins-Tanton said. “It’s really a blank spot in human knowledge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Carruthers team hopes to unveil the mission’s first images at the American Geophysical Union conference this winter in New Orleans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/perseids\">Perseids\u003c/a>, one of the most dazzling and reliable meteor showers of the year, are streaking across the Bay Area night sky, and this summer, Venus and Jupiter will join the cosmic show in a rare pre-dawn pairing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The meteor shower is active from now until the end of August, and will be at its brightest, producing up to 100 meteors per hour, from Aug. 11 until Aug. 13.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the shower peaks between August 11 and 13, a bright, nearly full moon will make meteors more challenging to spot; technically, it will be a waning gibbous moon, a lunar phase that follows a full moon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The darkest skies will arrive between when the sun sets around 8:15 p.m. and the moon rises a couple of hours later, but meteor activity is relatively low during that window, according to Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Your best bet? Aim for the pre-dawn hours after moonset, when the sky begins to darken again, especially between midnight and 5:00 a.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997984\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997984\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Perseid meteor shower on Aug. 12, 2013. The event occurs every year in August when the Earth passes through the debris and dust of the Swift-Tuttle comet. \u003ccite>(Ye Aung Thu/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It will be a tough year for stargazers,” Fraknoi said. “But even with a bright moon, you might catch a few brilliant meteors, especially after midnight, when activity picks up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the luminous full moon will limit viewing of the meteors during their peak, Fraknoi said it’s still worth trying to observe them. “It’s still possible to see an occasional meteor during the maximum time,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a cosmic bonus, Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets in the sky, will appear close together just before dawn on Aug. 12. Look to the eastern sky between 5 and 6 a.m. to catch the planets rise side by side near the horizon, which is called a conjunction.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to watch the Perseid meteor shower in the Bay Area\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For meteor spotting, you want to choose a dark location away from city lights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are a few popular dark locations for watching meteor showers in the Bay Area:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Henry Coe State Park, South Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Tilden Park, East Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Sunol Regional Wilderness, East Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Mount Diablo, East Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Skyline Boulevard, Peninsula\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Montara Beach, Peninsula\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Pescadero, Peninsula\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Point Reyes National Seashore, North Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Bodega Bay, North Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In the North Bay, you can find miles of darkened skies from the rural coast eastward. But note that fog in coastal areas might disrupt your views of the night sky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State parks, national forests, and rural areas are also ideal for night sky watching. And if you’re looking to go beyond the Bay Area, popular spots in California include Pinnacles National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, and the Sierra Nevada mountains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11953853/how-to-find-a-camping-spot-in-california-when-they-always-seem-to-be-fully-booked#walkincampsites\">Read our tips for finding a last-minute camping reservation near the Bay Area.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to look in the sky to see the Perseid meteor shower\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re heading out to see the meteor shower, be prepared to be outdoors for at least a few hours. Bring a reclining chair or a blanket to lie on for comfort.[aside postID=science_1997579 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1267735347-2000x1125.jpg']Dress warmly as temperatures can drop at night, even in summer. Make sure to check the weather forecast — clear skies are essential for optimal viewing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once you’re situated, allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for about 20–30 minutes and avoid looking at your phone or any other bright lights, as this can reduce night vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Look toward the northeast horizon, where the constellation Perseus will be rising, and enjoy the show.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What is a meteor shower?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by a comet or, in some cases, an asteroid. As Earth moves through the debris, these particles enter our atmosphere at high speeds and burn up, creating striking streaks of light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus, the point from which the meteors appear to radiate, and are fragments of the comet Swift-Tuttle. This comet last passed near Earth in 1992 and won’t return until 2126.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/perseids\">Perseids\u003c/a>, one of the most dazzling and reliable meteor showers of the year, are streaking across the Bay Area night sky, and this summer, Venus and Jupiter will join the cosmic show in a rare pre-dawn pairing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The meteor shower is active from now until the end of August, and will be at its brightest, producing up to 100 meteors per hour, from Aug. 11 until Aug. 13.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the shower peaks between August 11 and 13, a bright, nearly full moon will make meteors more challenging to spot; technically, it will be a waning gibbous moon, a lunar phase that follows a full moon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The darkest skies will arrive between when the sun sets around 8:15 p.m. and the moon rises a couple of hours later, but meteor activity is relatively low during that window, according to Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Your best bet? Aim for the pre-dawn hours after moonset, when the sky begins to darken again, especially between midnight and 5:00 a.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997984\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997984\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Perseids2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Perseid meteor shower on Aug. 12, 2013. The event occurs every year in August when the Earth passes through the debris and dust of the Swift-Tuttle comet. \u003ccite>(Ye Aung Thu/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It will be a tough year for stargazers,” Fraknoi said. “But even with a bright moon, you might catch a few brilliant meteors, especially after midnight, when activity picks up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the luminous full moon will limit viewing of the meteors during their peak, Fraknoi said it’s still worth trying to observe them. “It’s still possible to see an occasional meteor during the maximum time,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a cosmic bonus, Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets in the sky, will appear close together just before dawn on Aug. 12. Look to the eastern sky between 5 and 6 a.m. to catch the planets rise side by side near the horizon, which is called a conjunction.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to watch the Perseid meteor shower in the Bay Area\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For meteor spotting, you want to choose a dark location away from city lights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are a few popular dark locations for watching meteor showers in the Bay Area:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Henry Coe State Park, South Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Tilden Park, East Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Sunol Regional Wilderness, East Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Mount Diablo, East Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Skyline Boulevard, Peninsula\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Montara Beach, Peninsula\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Pescadero, Peninsula\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Point Reyes National Seashore, North Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Bodega Bay, North Bay\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In the North Bay, you can find miles of darkened skies from the rural coast eastward. But note that fog in coastal areas might disrupt your views of the night sky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State parks, national forests, and rural areas are also ideal for night sky watching. And if you’re looking to go beyond the Bay Area, popular spots in California include Pinnacles National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, and the Sierra Nevada mountains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11953853/how-to-find-a-camping-spot-in-california-when-they-always-seem-to-be-fully-booked#walkincampsites\">Read our tips for finding a last-minute camping reservation near the Bay Area.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to look in the sky to see the Perseid meteor shower\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re heading out to see the meteor shower, be prepared to be outdoors for at least a few hours. Bring a reclining chair or a blanket to lie on for comfort.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Dress warmly as temperatures can drop at night, even in summer. Make sure to check the weather forecast — clear skies are essential for optimal viewing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once you’re situated, allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for about 20–30 minutes and avoid looking at your phone or any other bright lights, as this can reduce night vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Look toward the northeast horizon, where the constellation Perseus will be rising, and enjoy the show.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What is a meteor shower?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by a comet or, in some cases, an asteroid. As Earth moves through the debris, these particles enter our atmosphere at high speeds and burn up, creating striking streaks of light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus, the point from which the meteors appear to radiate, and are fragments of the comet Swift-Tuttle. This comet last passed near Earth in 1992 and won’t return until 2126.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "How to Hike 'Above the Clouds' in the Bay Area (Plus, the Science of a Marine Inversion)",
"publishDate": 1751812258,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "How to Hike ‘Above the Clouds’ in the Bay Area (Plus, the Science of a Marine Inversion) | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>There’s something undeniably magical about standing atop a mountain and gazing out over a thick blanket of clouds. And in the Bay Area, it’s a sight we’re lucky enough to experience frequently, at spots like Marin’s Mount Tamalpais or Mission Peak in the East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this phenomenon — commonly called a “marine inversion” or “fog blanket” — isn’t just a feast for the eyes. It’s also rooted in some fascinating atmospheric science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading to learn how this “sea of clouds” actually forms, and where (and when) to go hiking in the Bay Area for the chance to see it for yourself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#marine-layer-sf\">Tips for successfully spotting a marine layer inversion\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#hikes-with-views-clouds-bay-area\">Where to hike “above the clouds” in the Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997583\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1427151725-scaled-e1751477821514.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997583\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1427151725-scaled-e1751477821514.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1238\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mount Tamalpais State Park under a blanket of fog in Mill Valley, California, United States on July 2, 2023. Catching a “cloud inversion” from above is part planning, part luck — but a little meteorological know-how can greatly increase your chances. \u003ccite>(Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The science behind the sea of clouds\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Under typical conditions, as you move higher in altitude, the air temperature decreases and gets cooler — a pattern known as the “lapse rate,” which describes the change in temperature with elevation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But occasionally, this rule flips.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When colder air gets trapped near the ground \u003cem>beneath \u003c/em>a layer of warmer air, it forms a \u003ca href=\"https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/ocean/marine-layer\">marine layer\u003c/a> inversion. And in the Bay Area, this inversion is often tied to the Pacific Ocean’s influence, explained meteorologist Jan Null, especially during the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have all this air along the coast sitting over this 55-degree water,” said Null, who founded \u003ca href=\"https://ggweather.com/resume.html\">Golden Gate Weather Service\u003c/a>. “That water is cooling the air right above it. So you have cool air at the surface of the water, and then you have warmer air above that, and then it gradually cools off.”[aside postID=science_1997397 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/GETTYIMAGES-2177822620-KQED.jpg']That warm air acts like a lid, trapping the cooler air and moisture below and forming a shallow but dense marine layer, especially along the California coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the summer, these inversions commonly occur around sunrise and dissipate during the day as the sun heats the surface, “breaking” the inversion layer — although Null said they can occur during sunset, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When an inversion happens, the marine layer is typically 1,000 to 2,000 feet thick, but its exact height can vary depending on offshore pressure systems. “Just like how water will always flow from a higher elevation to a lower elevation, air flows from high pressure to low pressure, trying to reach equilibrium,” Null said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When that high pressure dominates, it suppresses the marine layer, keeping it low and closer to the ground. When a trough of low pressure moves in, that’s when the layer can deepen and rise to higher altitudes — and what allows hikers on summits to feel like they’re climbing above the clouds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inland areas, like the Central Valley, heat up more rapidly than the coast, creating a pressure difference that pulls this cool, moist air inland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The marine layer is primarily a summertime phenomenon as far as it coming inland because then you get the heating in the inland areas that generate that sea breeze pattern,” Null said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to hike\u003ca id=\"marine-layer-sf\">\u003c/a> ‘above the clouds’ in the Bay Area\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Catching a “cloud inversion” from above is part planning, part luck — but a little meteorological know-how can greatly increase your chances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have lots of yardsticks for the backyard weather observers to keep track of how high the marine layer is today,” Null said, adding that knowing the elevation of the spot you want to head to — plus the thickness of the marine layer itself — can help when planning.[aside postID=science_1997307 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/WhalesBubblesGetty.jpg']For a more accurate forecast, Null advises observing the weather a day in advance of setting out to catch an inversion. One of the tips Null shared: “If it’s going to be getting warmer, then that probably indicates that the marine layers are going to be more shallow,” making it a great chance to see the clouds beneath you at certain altitudes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In contrast, if it’s going to be cooler, the marine layer will be deeper and higher up on those mountains — meaning it’ll be \u003cem>above \u003c/em>most parts of the entire Bay Area, Null added. In other words, your chances of hiking above the clouds are greatly reduced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are some tips \u003ca id=\"Tipsforsuccessfullyspottingamarinelayerinversion\">\u003c/a>shared by Null and others in the Bay Area who know how to successfully chase the marine layer inversion:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Observe marine layer inversions using weather apps like \u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/mtr/\">National Weather Service\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.accuweather.com/\">Accuweather\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.windy.com/37.906/-122.615/meteogram?waves,37.254,-122.613,8,p:cities\">Windy\u003c/a> or others \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Start by checking the “cloud tops” or cloud ceiling — the height at which clouds form. If they’re around 1,000 to 2,000 feet, and your summit hike is above that elevation, good news: you’re likely to be above the cloud layer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Use tools like the \u003ca href=\"https://aviationweather.gov/gfa/#clouds\">National Weather Service’s Aviation Forecasts\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.accuweather.com/\">AccuWeather\u003c/a>, which list ceiling heights at different locations. Mount Tam, for example, stands at about 2,200 feet, while Twin Peaks is just under 1,000 feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Null also recommends websites like \u003ca href=\"https://www.everythingweather.com/\">Everything Weather\u003c/a>, built by a former National Weather Service forecaster, that offer localized human-curated forecasts that are more reliable than many generic weather apps, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_420020\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-420020\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071.jpg\" alt=\"Fog encroaching on the Bay Area, as seen from Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-400x300.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-1920x1440.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-960x720.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fog encroaching on the Bay Area, as seen from Mount Tamalpais in Marin County. \u003ccite>(Craig Miller/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Check live webcams or satellite images\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ops.alertcalifornia.org/cam-console/2192\">Mount Tamalpais\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://alertca.live/cam-console/2429\">Sutro Tower\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/golden-gate-bridge-live-webcams\">Golden Gate Bridge\u003c/a> and other notable spots may have live webcams available that you can check for fog and cloud activity early in the morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Null suggests watching satellite imagery, wind direction and local weather discussions to keep an eye on local landmarks, which can act as visual indicators of the marine layer’s height. “You can kind of gauge ‘is it above or below the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge?’ ‘Is it over Twin Peaks?’ ‘Is it up to Sutro Tower?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://earth.google.com/web\">Google Earth\u003c/a> can also be a great tool to observe visible fog or low-lying clouds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Arrive early\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plan to be at your chosen spot around sunrise (5:30 a.m.–7 a.m. in the summer) for the most dramatic views before the clouds start to burn off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do you always need to go high?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not always. If the cloud layer is shallow — say, 400–800 feet — even the modest hills within San Francisco can offer views above the mist. Spots like Twin Peaks, Tank Hill and Bernal Heights sometimes poke just above the marine layer, offering in-city access to the phenomenon without needing to climb a mountain.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"hikes-with-views-clouds-bay-area\">\u003c/a>Great Bay Area hikes for walking above the clouds\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Before you head out, remember that clouds can shift quickly — so stay flexible (and realistic that today might not be the day.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dress in layers, as temperatures can swing dramatically between the coast and the hilltops. Bring water, check trail conditions and always leave no trace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are some Bay Area spots that offer stunning views above the marine layer — if time, the elements and luck are on your side.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=471\">Mount Tamalpais, Marin\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation: ~2,500 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mount Tam is the classic spot for fog lovers. Head to the East Peak early in the morning during summer, and you might find yourself above a sea of clouds spilling in from the Pacific. \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/discover/trojan-point-mt-tamalpais\">Trojan Point\u003c/a>, situated at an elevation of 1,874 feet, is another popular spot on Mount Tamalpais to experience a marine layer inversion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@modicumofjoy/video/7392301568399363371\" data-video-id=\"7392301568399363371\">\n\u003csection>\u003ca title=\"@modicumofjoy\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@modicumofjoy?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@modicumofjoy\u003c/a> run, do not walk.. This hike will take you above the clouds, and if you time it right- you might see the Golden Gate Bridge peeking through 🌁 𝙎𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣, 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤! there is one place where you will ALWAYS see this (only during the summer months) and that is.. 📍Mount Tamalpais, California It’s only 30 mins from north San Francisco and you can witness this phenomenon from these points.. 𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒𝙋𝙊𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙎 ➡️ Trojan Point- Google Maps will get you there, park and walk up (first clip) for about 5-7 mins ➡️ Once you park at Trojan Point Parking Lot, there are two trails on the right of the lot, those will take you to the views in the second and third clips! 𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝙏𝙊 𝙈𝘼𝙆𝙀 𝙎𝙐𝙍𝙀 𝙄 𝙎𝙀𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎? This is not so simple, but let me explain my process: ⏰ this only happens during June, July and August ☁️ you need to make sure the clouds are lower that Mt Tam’s (Mt Tam is 2500m tall) ➡️ to do this, people suggest the Windy app, but you need to pay to get the cloud height details so I suggest AccuWeather ➡️ Find the Cloud Ceiling height and make sure that during sunset (around 8pm) that the clouds are lower than the height of Mt. Tam.. and that’s it 💜💜 𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙇𝙊𝙐𝘿𝙎 𝙎𝙊 𝙇𝙊𝙒? this phenomenon is called a cloud inversion, and it usually happens where the temperature increases with altitude, rather than the usual decrease! This causes a layer of warmer air to sit above cooler air, trapping clouds and fog below the inversion layer 🤯 Would you visit here? ☁️🌁 Follow @modicumofjoy for more travel inspiration across the California and beyond💜 \u003ca title=\"california\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/california?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#california\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"sanfrancisco\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/sanfrancisco?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#sanfrancisco\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"californiaadventure\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/californiaadventure?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#californiaadventure\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"♬ original sound - modicumofjoy\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7392301576909736750?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">♬ original sound – modicumofjoy\u003c/a>\u003c/section>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>[tiktok]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.openspace.org/preserves/russian-ridge\">Russian Ridge Open Preserve, Redwood City\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation ~2,500 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Borel Hill is the highest point in this Peninsula preserve. From this peak, you can see the Pacific Ocean to the west, the East Bay hills and Mount Diablo to the east.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997590\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997590\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"719\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Low clouds at Russian Ridge Preserve. \u003ccite>(Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/mission-peak\">Mission Peak, Fremont\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation 2,500 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mission Peak offers sweeping views of the Bay and beyond. After a steady climb, hikers can sometimes catch fog curling over the East Bay hills from the west, especially on windless mornings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997591\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/IMG_6175-scaled-e1751480002108.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997591\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/IMG_6175-scaled-e1751480002108.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marine layer inversion captured in June 2025 from Mission Peak. \u003ccite>(Sarah Mohamad/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=517\">Mount Diablo, Contra Costa\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation ~3,900 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mount Diablo almost always stands above the clouds when the marine layer is present. The panoramic views from the summit stretch all the way to the Sierra Nevada on a clear day, with the fog blanketing the valleys below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997592\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of Mount Diablo during sunrise as seen from Mount Tamalpais. \u003ccite>(Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/miri.htm\">Milagra Ridge, Pacifica\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation 1,200 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This ridge is known for its coastal views and diverse wildlife. It’s also home to a number of threatened and endangered species, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/miri.htm\">including Mission blue and San Bruno elfin butterflies and the California red-legged frog\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997617\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997617\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"656\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98-768x492.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Low clouds captured at Milagra Ridge in Pacifica. \u003ccite>(Photo courtesy of Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/parks-recreation/parks/grizzly-peak-park\">Grizzly Peak, Berkeley\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation ~1,500 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This accessible East Bay ridgeline offers excellent views of fog entering through the Golden Gate and spreading eastward. This spot is best accessed by car via Grizzly Peak Boulevard or Centennial Drive, especially in the early morning between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997593\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1422062993-scaled-e1751480501571.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997593\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1422062993-scaled-e1751480501571.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1102\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">View from Grizzly Peak in the Berkeley Hills onto Bay Bridge and San Francisco with Karl the Fog enveloping the city at sunset. \u003ccite>(SvetlanaSF/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://sfrecpark.org/770/Golden-Gate-Park\">Golden Gate Bridge\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation: ~1,000 feet\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nDrive up \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/marin-headlands-scenic-vistas.htm\">Conzelman Road\u003c/a> in Marin Headlands for views from \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/000/battery-spencer-overlook.htm\">Battery Spencer\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/hawk-hill\">Hawk Hill\u003c/a>, especially during sunrise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997618\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997618\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"730\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B-768x548.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Golden Gate Bridge amidst the marine layer. \u003ccite>(Photo courtesy of Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/twin-peaks-384\">Twin Peaks, San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation ~900 feet\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nTwin Peaks offers panoramic views of the city, Sutro Tower and the Pacific Ocean. On mornings with a shallow marine layer (i.e., under 1,000 feet), you can look down at fog rolling over the Sunset and Richmond districts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997596\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997596\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fog morning in the city around June 28, 1973, looking from Twin Peaks, San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Barney Peterson for The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Here's the science behind the marine layer inversion and where you can catch the most stunning views from above the clouds right here in the Bay Area.",
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"title": "How to Hike 'Above the Clouds' in the Bay Area (Plus, the Science of a Marine Inversion) | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>There’s something undeniably magical about standing atop a mountain and gazing out over a thick blanket of clouds. And in the Bay Area, it’s a sight we’re lucky enough to experience frequently, at spots like Marin’s Mount Tamalpais or Mission Peak in the East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this phenomenon — commonly called a “marine inversion” or “fog blanket” — isn’t just a feast for the eyes. It’s also rooted in some fascinating atmospheric science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading to learn how this “sea of clouds” actually forms, and where (and when) to go hiking in the Bay Area for the chance to see it for yourself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#marine-layer-sf\">Tips for successfully spotting a marine layer inversion\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#hikes-with-views-clouds-bay-area\">Where to hike “above the clouds” in the Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997583\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1427151725-scaled-e1751477821514.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997583\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1427151725-scaled-e1751477821514.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1238\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mount Tamalpais State Park under a blanket of fog in Mill Valley, California, United States on July 2, 2023. Catching a “cloud inversion” from above is part planning, part luck — but a little meteorological know-how can greatly increase your chances. \u003ccite>(Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The science behind the sea of clouds\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Under typical conditions, as you move higher in altitude, the air temperature decreases and gets cooler — a pattern known as the “lapse rate,” which describes the change in temperature with elevation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But occasionally, this rule flips.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When colder air gets trapped near the ground \u003cem>beneath \u003c/em>a layer of warmer air, it forms a \u003ca href=\"https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/ocean/marine-layer\">marine layer\u003c/a> inversion. And in the Bay Area, this inversion is often tied to the Pacific Ocean’s influence, explained meteorologist Jan Null, especially during the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have all this air along the coast sitting over this 55-degree water,” said Null, who founded \u003ca href=\"https://ggweather.com/resume.html\">Golden Gate Weather Service\u003c/a>. “That water is cooling the air right above it. So you have cool air at the surface of the water, and then you have warmer air above that, and then it gradually cools off.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That warm air acts like a lid, trapping the cooler air and moisture below and forming a shallow but dense marine layer, especially along the California coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the summer, these inversions commonly occur around sunrise and dissipate during the day as the sun heats the surface, “breaking” the inversion layer — although Null said they can occur during sunset, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When an inversion happens, the marine layer is typically 1,000 to 2,000 feet thick, but its exact height can vary depending on offshore pressure systems. “Just like how water will always flow from a higher elevation to a lower elevation, air flows from high pressure to low pressure, trying to reach equilibrium,” Null said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When that high pressure dominates, it suppresses the marine layer, keeping it low and closer to the ground. When a trough of low pressure moves in, that’s when the layer can deepen and rise to higher altitudes — and what allows hikers on summits to feel like they’re climbing above the clouds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inland areas, like the Central Valley, heat up more rapidly than the coast, creating a pressure difference that pulls this cool, moist air inland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The marine layer is primarily a summertime phenomenon as far as it coming inland because then you get the heating in the inland areas that generate that sea breeze pattern,” Null said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to hike\u003ca id=\"marine-layer-sf\">\u003c/a> ‘above the clouds’ in the Bay Area\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Catching a “cloud inversion” from above is part planning, part luck — but a little meteorological know-how can greatly increase your chances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have lots of yardsticks for the backyard weather observers to keep track of how high the marine layer is today,” Null said, adding that knowing the elevation of the spot you want to head to — plus the thickness of the marine layer itself — can help when planning.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>For a more accurate forecast, Null advises observing the weather a day in advance of setting out to catch an inversion. One of the tips Null shared: “If it’s going to be getting warmer, then that probably indicates that the marine layers are going to be more shallow,” making it a great chance to see the clouds beneath you at certain altitudes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In contrast, if it’s going to be cooler, the marine layer will be deeper and higher up on those mountains — meaning it’ll be \u003cem>above \u003c/em>most parts of the entire Bay Area, Null added. In other words, your chances of hiking above the clouds are greatly reduced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are some tips \u003ca id=\"Tipsforsuccessfullyspottingamarinelayerinversion\">\u003c/a>shared by Null and others in the Bay Area who know how to successfully chase the marine layer inversion:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Observe marine layer inversions using weather apps like \u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/mtr/\">National Weather Service\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.accuweather.com/\">Accuweather\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.windy.com/37.906/-122.615/meteogram?waves,37.254,-122.613,8,p:cities\">Windy\u003c/a> or others \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Start by checking the “cloud tops” or cloud ceiling — the height at which clouds form. If they’re around 1,000 to 2,000 feet, and your summit hike is above that elevation, good news: you’re likely to be above the cloud layer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Use tools like the \u003ca href=\"https://aviationweather.gov/gfa/#clouds\">National Weather Service’s Aviation Forecasts\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.accuweather.com/\">AccuWeather\u003c/a>, which list ceiling heights at different locations. Mount Tam, for example, stands at about 2,200 feet, while Twin Peaks is just under 1,000 feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Null also recommends websites like \u003ca href=\"https://www.everythingweather.com/\">Everything Weather\u003c/a>, built by a former National Weather Service forecaster, that offer localized human-curated forecasts that are more reliable than many generic weather apps, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_420020\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-420020\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071.jpg\" alt=\"Fog encroaching on the Bay Area, as seen from Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-400x300.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-1920x1440.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/12/RS8458_IMG_4071-960x720.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fog encroaching on the Bay Area, as seen from Mount Tamalpais in Marin County. \u003ccite>(Craig Miller/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Check live webcams or satellite images\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ops.alertcalifornia.org/cam-console/2192\">Mount Tamalpais\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://alertca.live/cam-console/2429\">Sutro Tower\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/golden-gate-bridge-live-webcams\">Golden Gate Bridge\u003c/a> and other notable spots may have live webcams available that you can check for fog and cloud activity early in the morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Null suggests watching satellite imagery, wind direction and local weather discussions to keep an eye on local landmarks, which can act as visual indicators of the marine layer’s height. “You can kind of gauge ‘is it above or below the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge?’ ‘Is it over Twin Peaks?’ ‘Is it up to Sutro Tower?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://earth.google.com/web\">Google Earth\u003c/a> can also be a great tool to observe visible fog or low-lying clouds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Arrive early\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plan to be at your chosen spot around sunrise (5:30 a.m.–7 a.m. in the summer) for the most dramatic views before the clouds start to burn off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do you always need to go high?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not always. If the cloud layer is shallow — say, 400–800 feet — even the modest hills within San Francisco can offer views above the mist. Spots like Twin Peaks, Tank Hill and Bernal Heights sometimes poke just above the marine layer, offering in-city access to the phenomenon without needing to climb a mountain.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"hikes-with-views-clouds-bay-area\">\u003c/a>Great Bay Area hikes for walking above the clouds\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Before you head out, remember that clouds can shift quickly — so stay flexible (and realistic that today might not be the day.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dress in layers, as temperatures can swing dramatically between the coast and the hilltops. Bring water, check trail conditions and always leave no trace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are some Bay Area spots that offer stunning views above the marine layer — if time, the elements and luck are on your side.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=471\">Mount Tamalpais, Marin\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation: ~2,500 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mount Tam is the classic spot for fog lovers. Head to the East Peak early in the morning during summer, and you might find yourself above a sea of clouds spilling in from the Pacific. \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/discover/trojan-point-mt-tamalpais\">Trojan Point\u003c/a>, situated at an elevation of 1,874 feet, is another popular spot on Mount Tamalpais to experience a marine layer inversion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px\" cite=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@modicumofjoy/video/7392301568399363371\" data-video-id=\"7392301568399363371\">\n\u003csection>\u003ca title=\"@modicumofjoy\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@modicumofjoy?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@modicumofjoy\u003c/a> run, do not walk.. This hike will take you above the clouds, and if you time it right- you might see the Golden Gate Bridge peeking through 🌁 𝙎𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣, 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤! there is one place where you will ALWAYS see this (only during the summer months) and that is.. 📍Mount Tamalpais, California It’s only 30 mins from north San Francisco and you can witness this phenomenon from these points.. 𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒𝙋𝙊𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙎 ➡️ Trojan Point- Google Maps will get you there, park and walk up (first clip) for about 5-7 mins ➡️ Once you park at Trojan Point Parking Lot, there are two trails on the right of the lot, those will take you to the views in the second and third clips! 𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝙏𝙊 𝙈𝘼𝙆𝙀 𝙎𝙐𝙍𝙀 𝙄 𝙎𝙀𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎? This is not so simple, but let me explain my process: ⏰ this only happens during June, July and August ☁️ you need to make sure the clouds are lower that Mt Tam’s (Mt Tam is 2500m tall) ➡️ to do this, people suggest the Windy app, but you need to pay to get the cloud height details so I suggest AccuWeather ➡️ Find the Cloud Ceiling height and make sure that during sunset (around 8pm) that the clouds are lower than the height of Mt. Tam.. and that’s it 💜💜 𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙇𝙊𝙐𝘿𝙎 𝙎𝙊 𝙇𝙊𝙒? this phenomenon is called a cloud inversion, and it usually happens where the temperature increases with altitude, rather than the usual decrease! This causes a layer of warmer air to sit above cooler air, trapping clouds and fog below the inversion layer 🤯 Would you visit here? ☁️🌁 Follow @modicumofjoy for more travel inspiration across the California and beyond💜 \u003ca title=\"california\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/california?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#california\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"sanfrancisco\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/sanfrancisco?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#sanfrancisco\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"californiaadventure\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/tag/californiaadventure?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#californiaadventure\u003c/a> \u003ca title=\"♬ original sound - modicumofjoy\" href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7392301576909736750?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">♬ original sound – modicumofjoy\u003c/a>\u003c/section>\n\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.openspace.org/preserves/russian-ridge\">Russian Ridge Open Preserve, Redwood City\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation ~2,500 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Borel Hill is the highest point in this Peninsula preserve. From this peak, you can see the Pacific Ocean to the west, the East Bay hills and Mount Diablo to the east.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997590\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997590\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"719\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/Russian-Ridge-Shreeni-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Low clouds at Russian Ridge Preserve. \u003ccite>(Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/mission-peak\">Mission Peak, Fremont\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation 2,500 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mission Peak offers sweeping views of the Bay and beyond. After a steady climb, hikers can sometimes catch fog curling over the East Bay hills from the west, especially on windless mornings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997591\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/IMG_6175-scaled-e1751480002108.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997591\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/IMG_6175-scaled-e1751480002108.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marine layer inversion captured in June 2025 from Mission Peak. \u003ccite>(Sarah Mohamad/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=517\">Mount Diablo, Contra Costa\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation ~3,900 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mount Diablo almost always stands above the clouds when the marine layer is present. The panoramic views from the summit stretch all the way to the Sierra Nevada on a clear day, with the fog blanketing the valleys below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997592\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/1598A519-9622-44BD-AA96-59A3BD9FDCD6-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of Mount Diablo during sunrise as seen from Mount Tamalpais. \u003ccite>(Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/miri.htm\">Milagra Ridge, Pacifica\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation 1,200 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This ridge is known for its coastal views and diverse wildlife. It’s also home to a number of threatened and endangered species, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/miri.htm\">including Mission blue and San Bruno elfin butterflies and the California red-legged frog\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997617\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997617\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"656\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/388D72B1-FAF5-461F-B458-CFEEEDDA6B98-768x492.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Low clouds captured at Milagra Ridge in Pacifica. \u003ccite>(Photo courtesy of Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/parks-recreation/parks/grizzly-peak-park\">Grizzly Peak, Berkeley\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation ~1,500 feet\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This accessible East Bay ridgeline offers excellent views of fog entering through the Golden Gate and spreading eastward. This spot is best accessed by car via Grizzly Peak Boulevard or Centennial Drive, especially in the early morning between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997593\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1422062993-scaled-e1751480501571.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997593\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1422062993-scaled-e1751480501571.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1102\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">View from Grizzly Peak in the Berkeley Hills onto Bay Bridge and San Francisco with Karl the Fog enveloping the city at sunset. \u003ccite>(SvetlanaSF/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://sfrecpark.org/770/Golden-Gate-Park\">Golden Gate Bridge\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation: ~1,000 feet\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nDrive up \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/marin-headlands-scenic-vistas.htm\">Conzelman Road\u003c/a> in Marin Headlands for views from \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/000/battery-spencer-overlook.htm\">Battery Spencer\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/hawk-hill\">Hawk Hill\u003c/a>, especially during sunrise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997618\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997618\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"730\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/E090FDD7-D723-4A77-80D0-BD7E56F43F2B-768x548.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Golden Gate Bridge amidst the marine layer. \u003ccite>(Photo courtesy of Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/twin-peaks-384\">Twin Peaks, San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Elevation ~900 feet\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nTwin Peaks offers panoramic views of the city, Sutro Tower and the Pacific Ocean. On mornings with a shallow marine layer (i.e., under 1,000 feet), you can look down at fog rolling over the Sunset and Richmond districts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997596\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997596\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/07/GettyImages-1418102559-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fog morning in the city around June 28, 1973, looking from Twin Peaks, San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Barney Peterson for The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "a-new-camera-built-in-the-bay-area-brings-the-mysteries-of-the-universe-into-focus",
"title": "A New Camera, Built in the Bay Area, Brings the Mysteries of the Universe Into Focus",
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"headTitle": "A New Camera, Built in the Bay Area, Brings the Mysteries of the Universe Into Focus | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>In a packed Menlo Park auditorium, astronomers, physicists and engineers leaned forward in anticipation. On a screen in front of them, the universe came into view — captured by a telescope a hemisphere away, using a car-sized digital camera built in their own backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pictures elicit gasps, oohs and applause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most of these objects have never been seen by people before,” said Željko Ivezić, an astrophysicist and lead for the construction and design of the telescope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the images, a section of the southern night sky \u003ca href=\"https://rubinobservatory.org/news/rubin-first-look/cosmic-treasure-chest\">captured\u003c/a> in mind-boggling detail, holds speckled points of light sprayed over a dark background, with bursts of light and chains of spiral galaxies. Another \u003ca href=\"https://rubinobservatory.org/news/rubin-first-look/swarm-asteroids\">showed \u003c/a>more than 2,000 newly discovered asteroids found during just one week of observation. Another \u003ca href=\"https://rubinobservatory.org/news/rubin-first-look/trifid-lagoon\">revealed \u003c/a>two nebulae, giant clouds of pink and orange gas and dust where new stars are born.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of these photographs were made possible by a telescope which sits atop a mountain in north central Chile — the Vera C. Rubin telescope — arguably the most powerful in the world. Nestled together with the telescope is a digital camera assembled over a decade at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, or SLAC, a national laboratory in Menlo Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997458\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997458\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory on Cerro Pachón in Chile at sunset. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Travis Lange, camera project manager, began building the one-of-a-kind device in 2014 and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992526/worlds-largest-digital-camera-built-in-the-bay-area-to-illuminate-mysteries-of-space\">completed it last May\u003c/a>. At 3,200 megapixels, the machine is the Guinness World Records holder for the largest digital camera. Lange beamed, speaking about its performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was a challenge to get this thing built,” he said. “There’s no backup. We didn’t have a prototype.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most minute detail could cause malfunction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Getting all those different systems to function correctly, it took a lot,” Lange said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To share the first images, he added, felt “amazing.”[aside postID=science_1992526 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/05/2019_1126_LSST_Raft_14_Installation_Orrell-34567-1020x680.jpg']“Everybody on this project really put in a lot of passion,” Lange said. “Seeing these images for the first time is just one of the greatest joys, I mean it’s really incredible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the telescope embarks on its 10-year mission, its operators are focusing on four main science areas: completing a census of the solar system; studying the Milky Way’s structure and formation; chronicling the changing sky and gathering data that can be used to study dark matter and dark energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We will be using this legacy dataset for years and years to come. It’s an absolute gold mine for astronomers to use across the world,” said Phil Marshall, deputy director of operations for Rubin Observatory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ll be able to answer questions like, how did our Milky Way form? How did it develop? We’ll be looking for new discoveries in the solar system, new discoveries and the changing night sky,” Marshall said. “And we’ll be able to measure the properties of this mysterious dark energy that’s causing the accelerating expansion of the universe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The camera, telescope and observatory were jointly funded by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nsf.gov/\">National Science Foundation\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.gov/science/office-science\">Department of Energy’s Office of Science\u003c/a>, with the NSF funding the construction of the observatory and the DOE funding the construction of the camera. Each was a several-hundred-million-dollar investment. The project’s annual operational cost is about $70 million a year, split evenly between the two funders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997461\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997461\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED-160x98.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED-768x470.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED-1536x941.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This image shows another small section of the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s total view of the Virgo cluster. Visible are two prominent spiral galaxies (lower right), three merging galaxies (upper right), several groups of distant galaxies, many stars in the Milky Way galaxy and more. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It is unclear how secure their ongoing funding is. When asked about the budgetary outlook, several Rubin scientists expressed appreciation for funding received so far and said they didn’t want to speculate about the future, referring further questions to the agencies themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Data from the telescope and camera will be available to the public through the \u003ca href=\"https://rubinobservatory.org/\">Rubin Observatory website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The observatory’s name honors Vera C. Rubin, the pioneering astronomer whose work studying the rotation of galaxies revealed the first observational evidence of dark matter — the mysterious, invisible mass that holds our galaxy together but eludes direct detection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, a telescope bearing her name is ready to deepen our understanding of this and other universal mysteries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Over the next decade, the Vera C. Rubin observatory, equipped with a giant camera built at SLAC in Menlo Park, will find billions of new stars, galaxies and asteroids, and shed light on dark matter and dark energy. \r\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In a packed Menlo Park auditorium, astronomers, physicists and engineers leaned forward in anticipation. On a screen in front of them, the universe came into view — captured by a telescope a hemisphere away, using a car-sized digital camera built in their own backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The pictures elicit gasps, oohs and applause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most of these objects have never been seen by people before,” said Željko Ivezić, an astrophysicist and lead for the construction and design of the telescope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the images, a section of the southern night sky \u003ca href=\"https://rubinobservatory.org/news/rubin-first-look/cosmic-treasure-chest\">captured\u003c/a> in mind-boggling detail, holds speckled points of light sprayed over a dark background, with bursts of light and chains of spiral galaxies. Another \u003ca href=\"https://rubinobservatory.org/news/rubin-first-look/swarm-asteroids\">showed \u003c/a>more than 2,000 newly discovered asteroids found during just one week of observation. Another \u003ca href=\"https://rubinobservatory.org/news/rubin-first-look/trifid-lagoon\">revealed \u003c/a>two nebulae, giant clouds of pink and orange gas and dust where new stars are born.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of these photographs were made possible by a telescope which sits atop a mountain in north central Chile — the Vera C. Rubin telescope — arguably the most powerful in the world. Nestled together with the telescope is a digital camera assembled over a decade at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, or SLAC, a national laboratory in Menlo Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997458\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997458\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-RUBIN-SUNSET-PACHON_VRUBIN_DUSK_2-CC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory on Cerro Pachón in Chile at sunset. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Travis Lange, camera project manager, began building the one-of-a-kind device in 2014 and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992526/worlds-largest-digital-camera-built-in-the-bay-area-to-illuminate-mysteries-of-space\">completed it last May\u003c/a>. At 3,200 megapixels, the machine is the Guinness World Records holder for the largest digital camera. Lange beamed, speaking about its performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was a challenge to get this thing built,” he said. “There’s no backup. We didn’t have a prototype.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most minute detail could cause malfunction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Getting all those different systems to function correctly, it took a lot,” Lange said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To share the first images, he added, felt “amazing.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Everybody on this project really put in a lot of passion,” Lange said. “Seeing these images for the first time is just one of the greatest joys, I mean it’s really incredible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the telescope embarks on its 10-year mission, its operators are focusing on four main science areas: completing a census of the solar system; studying the Milky Way’s structure and formation; chronicling the changing sky and gathering data that can be used to study dark matter and dark energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We will be using this legacy dataset for years and years to come. It’s an absolute gold mine for astronomers to use across the world,” said Phil Marshall, deputy director of operations for Rubin Observatory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ll be able to answer questions like, how did our Milky Way form? How did it develop? We’ll be looking for new discoveries in the solar system, new discoveries and the changing night sky,” Marshall said. “And we’ll be able to measure the properties of this mysterious dark energy that’s causing the accelerating expansion of the universe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The camera, telescope and observatory were jointly funded by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nsf.gov/\">National Science Foundation\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.gov/science/office-science\">Department of Energy’s Office of Science\u003c/a>, with the NSF funding the construction of the observatory and the DOE funding the construction of the camera. Each was a several-hundred-million-dollar investment. The project’s annual operational cost is about $70 million a year, split evenly between the two funders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997461\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997461\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED-160x98.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED-768x470.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/NSF-DOE-Rubin-Virgo-cluster-2-Im3crop2_KQED-1536x941.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This image shows another small section of the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s total view of the Virgo cluster. Visible are two prominent spiral galaxies (lower right), three merging galaxies (upper right), several groups of distant galaxies, many stars in the Milky Way galaxy and more. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It is unclear how secure their ongoing funding is. When asked about the budgetary outlook, several Rubin scientists expressed appreciation for funding received so far and said they didn’t want to speculate about the future, referring further questions to the agencies themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Data from the telescope and camera will be available to the public through the \u003ca href=\"https://rubinobservatory.org/\">Rubin Observatory website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The observatory’s name honors Vera C. Rubin, the pioneering astronomer whose work studying the rotation of galaxies revealed the first observational evidence of dark matter — the mysterious, invisible mass that holds our galaxy together but eludes direct detection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, a telescope bearing her name is ready to deepen our understanding of this and other universal mysteries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "when-does-summer-solstice-start-events-meaning",
"title": "When Is the Summer Solstice? Plus, Science Events to Celebrate",
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"content": "\u003cp>Every June, the Northern Hemisphere reaches a celestial milestone: the summer solstice. It’s the longest day of the year and the official start of \u003ca href=\"https://www.noaa.gov/education/multimedia/infographic/infographic-meteorological-and-astronomical-seasons\">astronomical summer\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what causes this seasonal shift, and why does the sun behave so differently on this day? Keep reading for all you need to know about the summer solstice, why it happens, and summer solstice events happening in the Bay Area where you can mark the occasion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#summer-solstice-events-Bay-Area\">Summer solstice events near you in the Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What is the meaning of ‘the summer solstice’?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The solstice — and our seasons — owe it all to the way Earth tilts, in comparison to its planetary siblings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our planet rotates on a tilted axis, about 23.5 degrees off vertical — while “normally, planets should orbit with their axis straight, so they rotate in the same way that they revolve around the Sun.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.fraknoi.com/about-me/\">Andrew Fraknoi\u003c/a>, instructor at the Fromm Institute of the University of San Francisco, told KQED by email.[aside postID=science_1997307 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/WhalesBubblesGetty.jpg']So what happened to the Earth that explains this difference? “Astronomers now think that our planet got hit by another world, very early in the history of the solar system,” wrote Fraknoi. “And, like many accident victims, it couldn’t straighten out again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Due to this tilt, as Earth orbits the Sun, different parts of the globe receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year. This tilt is the reason for our seasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere leans most directly toward the sun. That means more direct sunlight and the longest stretch of daylight hours — up to 15 hours overall — for the year. Near the North Pole, the sun doesn’t set at all — a phenomenon known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.space.com/midnight-sun-facts-where-and-when-to-see\">midnight sun\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere in regions inside the Antarctic Circle, it’s the exact opposite. At this time, they experience their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995303/winter-solstice-planet-oppositions-meteor-showers-and-more\">winter solstice\u003c/a>, during which the South Pole experiences a \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/polar-night.html\">polar night\u003c/a>, when the sun does not rise above the horizon for at least 24 consecutive hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When does this year’s summer solstice start?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This year in the Bay Area, \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html\">the summer solstice starts\u003c/a> on Friday, June 20, 2025, at 7:42 p.m. P.S.T.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(\u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html\">Check where the summer solstice will begin\u003c/a> in your region.)\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does the date of the summer solstice change each year?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You might notice the solstice doesn’t fall on the same day each year. That’s because our calendar system doesn’t perfectly match Earth’s orbit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Gregorian calendar has 365 days, but the Earth actually takes about 365.25 days to orbit the Sun. That extra quarter-day is why we have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1991493/why-do-we-have-a-leap-year-anyway-the-science-behind-it-explained#:~:text=Every%20four%20years%2C%20an%20extra,same%20calendar%20days%20every%20year\">leap years\u003c/a> — and why the solstice shifts between June 20 and June 21.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How long does summer last, exactly?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It depends on how you define “summer.” There are two main ways to mark the seasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Astronomical summer\u003c/strong> starts at the summer solstice and ends at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/september-equinox.html\">fall equinox\u003c/a> — usually around Sept. 22 or 23. \u003ca href=\"https://www.noaa.gov/education/multimedia/infographic/infographic-meteorological-and-astronomical-seasons\">Astronomical seasons\u003c/a> are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the sun.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Meteorological summer\u003c/strong>, which weather scientists use, runs from June 1 to Aug. 31. \u003ca href=\"https://www.noaa.gov/education/multimedia/infographic/infographic-meteorological-and-astronomical-seasons\">Meteorological seasons\u003c/a> are much more closely tied to the calendar system, and divide the seasons into quarters in the year.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Because Earth moves in an elliptical orbit and not a perfect circle, seasons aren’t all the same length around the world. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/\">timeanddate.com\u003c/a>, Northern Hemisphere summer averages 93.6 days, while Southern Hemisphere summer lasts about 89 days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997473\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 4800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997473\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"4800\" height=\"2700\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01.png 4800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-2000x1125.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-2048x1152.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4800px) 100vw, 4800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The astronomical seasons are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the sun, whereas the meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle and help scientists track climate and weather trends. (Image credit: NOAA Office of Education)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>How far is the Earth from the sun?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>During the Northern Hemisphere’s summer, Earth is actually at its furthest from the sun. This point, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/perihelion-aphelion-solstice.html\">aphelion\u003c/a>, occurs a couple of weeks after the solstice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, aphelion will fall on July 3, when Earth will be about 94.5 million miles from the sun, \u003ca href=\"http://timeanddate.com\">according to timeanddate.com.\u003c/a> The opposite — \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/perihelion-aphelion-solstice.html\">perihelion\u003c/a> — happens in early January, when Earth is closest to the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the difference in distance doesn’t significantly affect seasons. It’s the tilt, not the distance, that drives our weather changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is the summer solstice the hottest day of the year?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: even though the solstice brings the most daylight, it’s not usually the hottest day. That’s due to seasonal lag — the time it takes for Earth’s land and oceans to absorb and release heat, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.rmets.org/metmatters/summer-solstice-and-seasonal-lag\">Royal Meteorological Society\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our planet’s water-covered surface (about 70%) soaks up energy slowly, meaning peak summer temperatures typically arrive in July or August. Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://wmo.int/media/news/july-sets-new-temperature-records\">the hottest day globally was July 22\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The summer solstice isn’t just a marker for the longest day of the year — it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/quest/15343/summer-solstice-shifting-spring\">ecological cue and a reminder that our climate is shifting\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Historically, researchers believed that these extended hours of daylight helped plants schedule growth. A \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40455992/\">new study\u003c/a> has shown that while the day of the summer solstice may serve as a key cue for plant growth and reproduction, \u003ca href=\"https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1087004\">climate change may disrupt this timing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where can I find science and outdoor events celebrating the \u003ca id=\"summer-solstice-events-Bay-Area\">\u003c/a>summer solstice in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/summer-solstice-celebration/\">Summer Solstice Celebration:\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> Saturday, June 21, 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://chabotspace.org/calendar/paint-sip-solstice-stars-a-summer-sky-celebration/\">Paint & Sip: Solstice Stars:\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> June 19, 6:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://chabotspace.org/calendar/hike-sip-easy-moderate-june-21/\">Hike & Sip: Solstice Stargazing:\u003c/a> June 21, 6–9:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.calacademy.org/community-science/solstice-sea-star-search\">Solstice Sea Star Search:\u003c/a> Happening throughout June.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>East Bay Regional Parks\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/ebparks/activity/search/detail/51932?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true\">Solstice Sunrise Hike at Coyote Hills Regional Park:\u003c/a> June 21, 8–10 a.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Every June, the Northern Hemisphere reaches a celestial milestone: the summer solstice. It’s the longest day of the year and the official start of \u003ca href=\"https://www.noaa.gov/education/multimedia/infographic/infographic-meteorological-and-astronomical-seasons\">astronomical summer\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what causes this seasonal shift, and why does the sun behave so differently on this day? Keep reading for all you need to know about the summer solstice, why it happens, and summer solstice events happening in the Bay Area where you can mark the occasion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#summer-solstice-events-Bay-Area\">Summer solstice events near you in the Bay Area\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What is the meaning of ‘the summer solstice’?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The solstice — and our seasons — owe it all to the way Earth tilts, in comparison to its planetary siblings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our planet rotates on a tilted axis, about 23.5 degrees off vertical — while “normally, planets should orbit with their axis straight, so they rotate in the same way that they revolve around the Sun.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.fraknoi.com/about-me/\">Andrew Fraknoi\u003c/a>, instructor at the Fromm Institute of the University of San Francisco, told KQED by email.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>So what happened to the Earth that explains this difference? “Astronomers now think that our planet got hit by another world, very early in the history of the solar system,” wrote Fraknoi. “And, like many accident victims, it couldn’t straighten out again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Due to this tilt, as Earth orbits the Sun, different parts of the globe receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year. This tilt is the reason for our seasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere leans most directly toward the sun. That means more direct sunlight and the longest stretch of daylight hours — up to 15 hours overall — for the year. Near the North Pole, the sun doesn’t set at all — a phenomenon known as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.space.com/midnight-sun-facts-where-and-when-to-see\">midnight sun\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere in regions inside the Antarctic Circle, it’s the exact opposite. At this time, they experience their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995303/winter-solstice-planet-oppositions-meteor-showers-and-more\">winter solstice\u003c/a>, during which the South Pole experiences a \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/polar-night.html\">polar night\u003c/a>, when the sun does not rise above the horizon for at least 24 consecutive hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When does this year’s summer solstice start?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This year in the Bay Area, \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html\">the summer solstice starts\u003c/a> on Friday, June 20, 2025, at 7:42 p.m. P.S.T.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(\u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html\">Check where the summer solstice will begin\u003c/a> in your region.)\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does the date of the summer solstice change each year?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You might notice the solstice doesn’t fall on the same day each year. That’s because our calendar system doesn’t perfectly match Earth’s orbit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Gregorian calendar has 365 days, but the Earth actually takes about 365.25 days to orbit the Sun. That extra quarter-day is why we have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1991493/why-do-we-have-a-leap-year-anyway-the-science-behind-it-explained#:~:text=Every%20four%20years%2C%20an%20extra,same%20calendar%20days%20every%20year\">leap years\u003c/a> — and why the solstice shifts between June 20 and June 21.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How long does summer last, exactly?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It depends on how you define “summer.” There are two main ways to mark the seasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Astronomical summer\u003c/strong> starts at the summer solstice and ends at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/september-equinox.html\">fall equinox\u003c/a> — usually around Sept. 22 or 23. \u003ca href=\"https://www.noaa.gov/education/multimedia/infographic/infographic-meteorological-and-astronomical-seasons\">Astronomical seasons\u003c/a> are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the sun.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Meteorological summer\u003c/strong>, which weather scientists use, runs from June 1 to Aug. 31. \u003ca href=\"https://www.noaa.gov/education/multimedia/infographic/infographic-meteorological-and-astronomical-seasons\">Meteorological seasons\u003c/a> are much more closely tied to the calendar system, and divide the seasons into quarters in the year.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Because Earth moves in an elliptical orbit and not a perfect circle, seasons aren’t all the same length around the world. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/\">timeanddate.com\u003c/a>, Northern Hemisphere summer averages 93.6 days, while Southern Hemisphere summer lasts about 89 days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997473\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 4800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997473\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"4800\" height=\"2700\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01.png 4800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-2000x1125.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/ChangingSeasons_NH_01-2048x1152.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4800px) 100vw, 4800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The astronomical seasons are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the sun, whereas the meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle and help scientists track climate and weather trends. (Image credit: NOAA Office of Education)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>How far is the Earth from the sun?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>During the Northern Hemisphere’s summer, Earth is actually at its furthest from the sun. This point, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/perihelion-aphelion-solstice.html\">aphelion\u003c/a>, occurs a couple of weeks after the solstice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, aphelion will fall on July 3, when Earth will be about 94.5 million miles from the sun, \u003ca href=\"http://timeanddate.com\">according to timeanddate.com.\u003c/a> The opposite — \u003ca href=\"https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/perihelion-aphelion-solstice.html\">perihelion\u003c/a> — happens in early January, when Earth is closest to the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the difference in distance doesn’t significantly affect seasons. It’s the tilt, not the distance, that drives our weather changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Is the summer solstice the hottest day of the year?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>No: even though the solstice brings the most daylight, it’s not usually the hottest day. That’s due to seasonal lag — the time it takes for Earth’s land and oceans to absorb and release heat, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.rmets.org/metmatters/summer-solstice-and-seasonal-lag\">Royal Meteorological Society\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our planet’s water-covered surface (about 70%) soaks up energy slowly, meaning peak summer temperatures typically arrive in July or August. Last year, \u003ca href=\"https://wmo.int/media/news/july-sets-new-temperature-records\">the hottest day globally was July 22\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The summer solstice isn’t just a marker for the longest day of the year — it’s an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/quest/15343/summer-solstice-shifting-spring\">ecological cue and a reminder that our climate is shifting\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Historically, researchers believed that these extended hours of daylight helped plants schedule growth. A \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40455992/\">new study\u003c/a> has shown that while the day of the summer solstice may serve as a key cue for plant growth and reproduction, \u003ca href=\"https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1087004\">climate change may disrupt this timing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where can I find science and outdoor events celebrating the \u003ca id=\"summer-solstice-events-Bay-Area\">\u003c/a>summer solstice in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://lawrencehallofscience.org/events/summer-solstice-celebration/\">Summer Solstice Celebration:\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> Saturday, June 21, 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://chabotspace.org/calendar/paint-sip-solstice-stars-a-summer-sky-celebration/\">Paint & Sip: Solstice Stars:\u003c/a>\u003c/strong> June 19, 6:30–8:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://chabotspace.org/calendar/hike-sip-easy-moderate-june-21/\">Hike & Sip: Solstice Stargazing:\u003c/a> June 21, 6–9:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.calacademy.org/community-science/solstice-sea-star-search\">Solstice Sea Star Search:\u003c/a> Happening throughout June.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>East Bay Regional Parks\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/ebparks/activity/search/detail/51932?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true\">Solstice Sunrise Hike at Coyote Hills Regional Park:\u003c/a> June 21, 8–10 a.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Just an hour east of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a>, up a steep road with bursting wildflowers and crooked oak trees winding through the Diablo Range, sits one of California’s most remarkable scientific outposts. Perched 4,200 feet up Mount Hamilton, the Lick Observatory has been scanning the cosmos for nearly 150 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers working at Lick Observatory — a major site in the University of California Observatories’ multi-campus research unit — discovered \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/36-inch-lick-refractor/\">Jupiter’s moon Amalthea\u003c/a> in 1892, contributed to dark matter research with the Shane telescope, and have made other pivotal contributions to astronomy research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Edwin Hubble used the site’s instruments to study galaxies, and the clear skies around the observatory helped early astronomers like Sherburne Wellesley Burnham identify dozens of double stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, about 30 observatory staff live at the top of the mountain nearby, so their supportive hands are available to respond to any issues with the telescopes while the astronomers are conducting research even in the sparkling twilight hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Paul Lynam, one of the observatory’s resident astronomers, maintains telescope operations, troubleshoots technical issues around the clock, conducts research and participates in public outreach. He’s lived at the observatory for over 14 years now. “The story of how this observatory came to be is very compelling. And the more you read about it, the more it draws you in,” Lynam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The man behind (and under) the telescope\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>James Lick, a wealthy and eccentric 19th-century real estate mogul who gained his fortune during the Gold Rush, originally planned to build a \u003ca href=\"http://collections.ucolick.org/archives_on_line/James_Lick.html#:~:text=The%20scheme%20was%20replaced%20by%20an%20even,thoughts%20were%20turned%20from%20pyramids%20to%20telescopes.\">giant pyramid \u003c/a>in his honor on a block that he owned in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Persuaded by scientists like George Madeira around 1870, Lick instead dedicated his fortune — $700,000, which would be equivalent to billions today — to build what was at the time the world’s most \u003ca href=\"https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/issues/magazine-issue/article/2024/11/san-joses-lick-observatory-took-telescopes-to-new-heights\">“powerful telescope, superior to and more powerful than any telescope ever yet made,”\u003c/a> according to a trust document.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An observatory that would also become his mausoleum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997182\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997182 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"838\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-800x268.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-1020x342.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-160x54.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-768x257.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-1536x515.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-2048x686.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-1920x644.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: A statue in honor of James Lick, founder of the Lick Observatory. Right: The Lick Observatory’s main building and visitor center in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997212\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997212 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">James Lick’s tomb lies under the Great Lick refractor, at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When Lick died in 1876, years before his observatory was completed, he left specific instructions: He wanted his body to be eventually buried beneath the telescope he helped build — refusing to even be cremated, insisting he would \u003ca href=\"https://epdf.pub/revolutionaries-of-the-cosmos-the-astro-physicists.html\">“rot like a gentleman.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was buried in the Masonic Cemetery in San Francisco for 11 years while the observatory was being constructed,” Lynam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1887, eleven years after his death, Lick’s body was exhumed and transported from San Francisco up the steep road to Mount Hamilton by wagon. Today, his tomb lies directly beneath a large telescope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On special occasions, staff and visitors still leave flowers at the site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“James Lick would be very happy with how we spent his legacy,” Lynam said. “Almost 150 years later, his name still stands here — and this institution is still going. He helped change the world of astronomy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A place built for stars\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lick Observatory was completed in 1888 and quickly established itself as a leader in astronomical research. At its heart was the \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/36-inch-lick-refractor/\">36-inch Great Lick Refractor\u003c/a>, which was once the world’s largest \u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/universe/telescopes-101/#refracting\">refracting telescope\u003c/a> — a telescope that uses lenses to make faraway things look closer and clearer — which now supports public education and outreach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/research-telescopes/shane-telescope/\">Shane 120-inch reflecting telescope\u003c/a>, which was constructed between 1946 and 1965, was the second-largest reflector in the world for many years. It played a key role in the development of adaptive optics and was the first telescope to utilize a laser guide-star system for regular astronomical observations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/research-telescopes/nickel-telescope/\">Nickel Telescope\u003c/a>, constructed from spare sewer pipes in the 1970s, is used by UC students today to study supernovae and measure cosmic distances. Its dome, the oldest on the mountain, was built in the 1880s and originally housed the \u003ca href=\"https://mthamilton.ucolick.org/public/tele_inst/1m/#:~:text=The%20dome%20that%20now%20houses,in%20use%20on%20Mount%20Hamilton.\">12-inch Clark refractor\u003c/a>, which survived the 1906 earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997175\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997175 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The 40-inch Nickel telescope at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The observatory also features cutting-edge instruments like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/research-telescopes/automated-planet-finder/\">Automated Planet Finder\u003c/a>, a robotic telescope that scans nearby stars nightly in search of planets that might support life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, students and aspiring astronomers continue to do research at the facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Modern science at the observatory\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>UC Riverside Ph.D. student \u003ca href=\"https://archanaarv.github.io/\">Archana Aravindan\u003c/a> is among the many researchers utilizing the Shane telescope to observe the night sky. More specifically, she’s looking for black holes that are actively feeding on their surrounding matter, what’s known as “\u003ca href=\"https://webbtelescope.org/contents/articles/what-are-active-galactic-nuclei\">active black holes\u003c/a>,” that exist in dwarf galaxies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://esahubble.org/wordbank/dwarf-galaxy/#:~:text=Dwarf%20galaxies%20are%20small%20galaxies,Way%20or%20the%20Andromeda%20Galaxy.\">Dwarf galaxies\u003c/a> are typically home to just a few billion stars, compared to their larger counterparts, which can contain hundreds of billions of stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997172\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997172 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Resident astronomer Paul Lynam explains how the 120-inch Shane telescope operates, at the Lick Observatory, in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While active black holes are known to drive powerful outflows and winds in larger galaxies, the research is still in its infancy for smaller galaxies in the universe, Aravindan explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to see if even in these smallest galaxies, can the black hole actually have any considerable effect?” Aravindan said. “If it does, it will have a lot of implications on how we understand galaxy evolution,” which will help researchers\u003ca href=\"https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/dwarf-galaxies-shed-light-on-black-hole-origins/\"> understand how black holes operate in larger galaxies\u003c/a>, like our Milky Way, as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Telescope technician Matthew Brooks maintains the observatory’s telescopes. This includes troubleshooting and repairing the equipment, which requires technical skills in complex electronic instrumentation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997154\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997154 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The 36-inch Great Lick Refractor at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997178\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997178\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"838\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-800x268.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-1020x342.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-160x54.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-768x257.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-1536x515.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-2048x686.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-1920x644.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Allan Meyer, Public Programs Telescope Operator, works in the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor room at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He helps set up the telescope that Aravindan is using for her research. “I point this thing at science targets,” Brooks said. “They take the data and figure out the universe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before Lick, Brooks was on an aircraft carrier, fixing broken helicopters for the Marines. He’s been at the observatory for nearly a decade now, living on the mountaintop with his wife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The first time I saw Jupiter through a telescope was on a Navy ship, and I could see the dots moving throughout the night,” Brooks said. “The next time I saw it was through this [Shane] telescope with a 120-inch aperture, and I could see color and storms, I could tell that the moons were spheres, and it blew my mind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Snakes and wildfire\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While living on the summit of Mount Hamilton has its perks, living in an isolated location, with winding mountain roads and limited amenities, can be challenging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, a staff member at the observatory discovered two rattlesnakes near the observatory’s main building, which had to be relocated. “There are people who are known to be the rattlesnake grabbers [living on the mountain] and some people I know are like: ‘I’m not going to touch it,’ right?” Lynam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997128\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997128 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Sean Carter, building maintenance worker, Shawn Stone, telescope technician, and Paul Lynam, resident astronomer, converse at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. Due to working day and night shifts, observatory staff don’t always see each other often. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Extreme weather and wildfires are another big challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/lick-observatory-astronomy-archive-fire\">SCU Lightning Complex Fire raced through the Diablo Range\u003c/a>, surrounding Lick Observatory and threatening to destroy it. While Lynam and most of his colleagues evacuated smoothly, those who were living on the mountain, “were so dispersed at such short notice,” Lynam said, adding that one of his colleagues had to essentially camp out on someone’s driveway for six weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several structures were destroyed and others damaged. Miraculously, the fire did not destroy the telescopes and domes. “It [the fire] was almost like a crucible that drew a lot of the staff together in those circumstances. But the memories, positive and negative, will never leave the people who experienced it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Dealing with light pollution\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lick Observatory continues to conduct cutting-edge research, but light pollution from nearby cities poses a growing threat. In 2018, San José lifted a decades-long ban on LED billboards. “These produce a lot of blue light, which scatters more in the atmosphere and creates more skyglow,” Lynam said about LEDs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The effect of light pollution? Dimmer stars. Fainter galaxies. And more difficulty in capturing clean data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997153\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997153 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Views from the outside of the visitor center at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Local ordinances have aimed to control some of the worst offenders, such as upward-facing signage and digital billboards, but enforcement is inconsistent. Lynam said community engagement and policy action are crucial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every additional light fixture adds to this increasingly bright background,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Eyes on the heavens for more than a century\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Throughout the years, Lick Observatory has been threatened by \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucobservatories.org/category/wildfires/\">wildfires\u003c/a>, earthquakes and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10342438/venerable-lick-observatory-faces-funding-cut\">funding cuts,\u003c/a> like in 2013, although they were reversed a year later. The telescopes shifted from glass-lensed refractors to powerful mirror-based lenses. And through it all, scientists have kept their eyes on the heavens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=science_1997113 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250423_MarineLab_GC-23_qed-1020x685.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a clear day, visitors can see across the Central Valley to the Sierra Nevada — even Yosemite’s El Capitan is visible from the main building’s viewing scopes. At night, if the light pollution hasn’t crept too far, the sky still opens up wide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an era of space telescopes and AI-assisted astronomy, Lick remains a place where real people point real instruments at distant galaxies — and still find themselves surprised by what they discover.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a really kind of uncontrollable reaction when people look through a telescope and they see Saturn or the moon or something like that,” Lynam said. “And it just blows people away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Lick Observatory is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/public-visitor-information/visitor-center/\">\u003cem>their website\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> for free weekend tours and walking tours. Or attend a \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/5148\">\u003cem>Bay Curious Walking Tour at the Lick Observatory on June 22\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The telescopes at Lick may be vintage, but scientists at the observatory continue to discover new planets and examine exploding stars — and train the next generation of astronomers.",
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"title": "This South Bay Observatory Has Been Watching the Stars for Over a Century | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Just an hour east of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-jose\">San José\u003c/a>, up a steep road with bursting wildflowers and crooked oak trees winding through the Diablo Range, sits one of California’s most remarkable scientific outposts. Perched 4,200 feet up Mount Hamilton, the Lick Observatory has been scanning the cosmos for nearly 150 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers working at Lick Observatory — a major site in the University of California Observatories’ multi-campus research unit — discovered \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/36-inch-lick-refractor/\">Jupiter’s moon Amalthea\u003c/a> in 1892, contributed to dark matter research with the Shane telescope, and have made other pivotal contributions to astronomy research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Edwin Hubble used the site’s instruments to study galaxies, and the clear skies around the observatory helped early astronomers like Sherburne Wellesley Burnham identify dozens of double stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, about 30 observatory staff live at the top of the mountain nearby, so their supportive hands are available to respond to any issues with the telescopes while the astronomers are conducting research even in the sparkling twilight hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Paul Lynam, one of the observatory’s resident astronomers, maintains telescope operations, troubleshoots technical issues around the clock, conducts research and participates in public outreach. He’s lived at the observatory for over 14 years now. “The story of how this observatory came to be is very compelling. And the more you read about it, the more it draws you in,” Lynam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The man behind (and under) the telescope\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>James Lick, a wealthy and eccentric 19th-century real estate mogul who gained his fortune during the Gold Rush, originally planned to build a \u003ca href=\"http://collections.ucolick.org/archives_on_line/James_Lick.html#:~:text=The%20scheme%20was%20replaced%20by%20an%20even,thoughts%20were%20turned%20from%20pyramids%20to%20telescopes.\">giant pyramid \u003c/a>in his honor on a block that he owned in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Persuaded by scientists like George Madeira around 1870, Lick instead dedicated his fortune — $700,000, which would be equivalent to billions today — to build what was at the time the world’s most \u003ca href=\"https://www.asce.org/publications-and-news/civil-engineering-source/civil-engineering-magazine/issues/magazine-issue/article/2024/11/san-joses-lick-observatory-took-telescopes-to-new-heights\">“powerful telescope, superior to and more powerful than any telescope ever yet made,”\u003c/a> according to a trust document.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An observatory that would also become his mausoleum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997182\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997182 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"838\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-800x268.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-1020x342.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-160x54.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-768x257.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-1536x515.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-2048x686.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-2-1-1920x644.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: A statue in honor of James Lick, founder of the Lick Observatory. Right: The Lick Observatory’s main building and visitor center in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997212\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997212 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-10_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">James Lick’s tomb lies under the Great Lick refractor, at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When Lick died in 1876, years before his observatory was completed, he left specific instructions: He wanted his body to be eventually buried beneath the telescope he helped build — refusing to even be cremated, insisting he would \u003ca href=\"https://epdf.pub/revolutionaries-of-the-cosmos-the-astro-physicists.html\">“rot like a gentleman.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was buried in the Masonic Cemetery in San Francisco for 11 years while the observatory was being constructed,” Lynam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1887, eleven years after his death, Lick’s body was exhumed and transported from San Francisco up the steep road to Mount Hamilton by wagon. Today, his tomb lies directly beneath a large telescope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On special occasions, staff and visitors still leave flowers at the site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“James Lick would be very happy with how we spent his legacy,” Lynam said. “Almost 150 years later, his name still stands here — and this institution is still going. He helped change the world of astronomy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A place built for stars\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lick Observatory was completed in 1888 and quickly established itself as a leader in astronomical research. At its heart was the \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/36-inch-lick-refractor/\">36-inch Great Lick Refractor\u003c/a>, which was once the world’s largest \u003ca href=\"https://science.nasa.gov/universe/telescopes-101/#refracting\">refracting telescope\u003c/a> — a telescope that uses lenses to make faraway things look closer and clearer — which now supports public education and outreach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/research-telescopes/shane-telescope/\">Shane 120-inch reflecting telescope\u003c/a>, which was constructed between 1946 and 1965, was the second-largest reflector in the world for many years. It played a key role in the development of adaptive optics and was the first telescope to utilize a laser guide-star system for regular astronomical observations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/research-telescopes/nickel-telescope/\">Nickel Telescope\u003c/a>, constructed from spare sewer pipes in the 1970s, is used by UC students today to study supernovae and measure cosmic distances. Its dome, the oldest on the mountain, was built in the 1880s and originally housed the \u003ca href=\"https://mthamilton.ucolick.org/public/tele_inst/1m/#:~:text=The%20dome%20that%20now%20houses,in%20use%20on%20Mount%20Hamilton.\">12-inch Clark refractor\u003c/a>, which survived the 1906 earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997175\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997175 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-15_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The 40-inch Nickel telescope at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The observatory also features cutting-edge instruments like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/explore/research-telescopes/automated-planet-finder/\">Automated Planet Finder\u003c/a>, a robotic telescope that scans nearby stars nightly in search of planets that might support life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, students and aspiring astronomers continue to do research at the facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Modern science at the observatory\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>UC Riverside Ph.D. student \u003ca href=\"https://archanaarv.github.io/\">Archana Aravindan\u003c/a> is among the many researchers utilizing the Shane telescope to observe the night sky. More specifically, she’s looking for black holes that are actively feeding on their surrounding matter, what’s known as “\u003ca href=\"https://webbtelescope.org/contents/articles/what-are-active-galactic-nuclei\">active black holes\u003c/a>,” that exist in dwarf galaxies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://esahubble.org/wordbank/dwarf-galaxy/#:~:text=Dwarf%20galaxies%20are%20small%20galaxies,Way%20or%20the%20Andromeda%20Galaxy.\">Dwarf galaxies\u003c/a> are typically home to just a few billion stars, compared to their larger counterparts, which can contain hundreds of billions of stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997172\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997172 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-36-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Resident astronomer Paul Lynam explains how the 120-inch Shane telescope operates, at the Lick Observatory, in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While active black holes are known to drive powerful outflows and winds in larger galaxies, the research is still in its infancy for smaller galaxies in the universe, Aravindan explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to see if even in these smallest galaxies, can the black hole actually have any considerable effect?” Aravindan said. “If it does, it will have a lot of implications on how we understand galaxy evolution,” which will help researchers\u003ca href=\"https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/dwarf-galaxies-shed-light-on-black-hole-origins/\"> understand how black holes operate in larger galaxies\u003c/a>, like our Milky Way, as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Telescope technician Matthew Brooks maintains the observatory’s telescopes. This includes troubleshooting and repairing the equipment, which requires technical skills in complex electronic instrumentation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997154\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997154 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-4_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The 36-inch Great Lick Refractor at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997178\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1997178\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"838\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-800x268.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-1020x342.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-160x54.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-768x257.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-1536x515.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-2048x686.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-DIPTYCH-1-1920x644.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Allan Meyer, Public Programs Telescope Operator, works in the 36-inch Great Lick Refractor room at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He helps set up the telescope that Aravindan is using for her research. “I point this thing at science targets,” Brooks said. “They take the data and figure out the universe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before Lick, Brooks was on an aircraft carrier, fixing broken helicopters for the Marines. He’s been at the observatory for nearly a decade now, living on the mountaintop with his wife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The first time I saw Jupiter through a telescope was on a Navy ship, and I could see the dots moving throughout the night,” Brooks said. “The next time I saw it was through this [Shane] telescope with a 120-inch aperture, and I could see color and storms, I could tell that the moons were spheres, and it blew my mind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Snakes and wildfire\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While living on the summit of Mount Hamilton has its perks, living in an isolated location, with winding mountain roads and limited amenities, can be challenging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, a staff member at the observatory discovered two rattlesnakes near the observatory’s main building, which had to be relocated. “There are people who are known to be the rattlesnake grabbers [living on the mountain] and some people I know are like: ‘I’m not going to touch it,’ right?” Lynam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997128\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997128 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SOUTHBAYOBSERVATORY_GC-22-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Sean Carter, building maintenance worker, Shawn Stone, telescope technician, and Paul Lynam, resident astronomer, converse at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. Due to working day and night shifts, observatory staff don’t always see each other often. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Extreme weather and wildfires are another big challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/lick-observatory-astronomy-archive-fire\">SCU Lightning Complex Fire raced through the Diablo Range\u003c/a>, surrounding Lick Observatory and threatening to destroy it. While Lynam and most of his colleagues evacuated smoothly, those who were living on the mountain, “were so dispersed at such short notice,” Lynam said, adding that one of his colleagues had to essentially camp out on someone’s driveway for six weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several structures were destroyed and others damaged. Miraculously, the fire did not destroy the telescopes and domes. “It [the fire] was almost like a crucible that drew a lot of the staff together in those circumstances. But the memories, positive and negative, will never leave the people who experienced it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Dealing with light pollution\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lick Observatory continues to conduct cutting-edge research, but light pollution from nearby cities poses a growing threat. In 2018, San José lifted a decades-long ban on LED billboards. “These produce a lot of blue light, which scatters more in the atmosphere and creates more skyglow,” Lynam said about LEDs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The effect of light pollution? Dimmer stars. Fainter galaxies. And more difficulty in capturing clean data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1997153\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1997153 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/20250530_SouthBayObservatory_GC-45-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Views from the outside of the visitor center at the Lick Observatory in Mt. Hamilton on May 30, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Local ordinances have aimed to control some of the worst offenders, such as upward-facing signage and digital billboards, but enforcement is inconsistent. Lynam said community engagement and policy action are crucial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every additional light fixture adds to this increasingly bright background,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Eyes on the heavens for more than a century\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Throughout the years, Lick Observatory has been threatened by \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucobservatories.org/category/wildfires/\">wildfires\u003c/a>, earthquakes and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10342438/venerable-lick-observatory-faces-funding-cut\">funding cuts,\u003c/a> like in 2013, although they were reversed a year later. The telescopes shifted from glass-lensed refractors to powerful mirror-based lenses. And through it all, scientists have kept their eyes on the heavens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a clear day, visitors can see across the Central Valley to the Sierra Nevada — even Yosemite’s El Capitan is visible from the main building’s viewing scopes. At night, if the light pollution hasn’t crept too far, the sky still opens up wide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an era of space telescopes and AI-assisted astronomy, Lick remains a place where real people point real instruments at distant galaxies — and still find themselves surprised by what they discover.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a really kind of uncontrollable reaction when people look through a telescope and they see Saturn or the moon or something like that,” Lynam said. “And it just blows people away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Lick Observatory is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.lickobservatory.org/public-visitor-information/visitor-center/\">\u003cem>their website\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> for free weekend tours and walking tours. Or attend a \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/event/5148\">\u003cem>Bay Curious Walking Tour at the Lick Observatory on June 22\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>On Thursday night into early Friday morning, residents in the Bay Area will be able to witness a spectacular total lunar eclipse — often called a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979293/how-to-see-sundays-blood-moon-total-lunar-eclipse-in-the-bay-area\">blood moon\u003c/a>” due to its deep red hue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#how-to-see-blood-moon\">Jump straight to: What time is the lunar eclipse in the Bay Area tonight?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>This celestial event happens when the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that darkens the moon and turns it into a striking shade of red during totality. And unlike solar eclipses, which require special glasses, you can enjoy the lunar eclipse with the naked eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The last time a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1994403/a-celestial-trifecta-what-to-know-about-tuesdays-lunar-eclipse\">total lunar eclipse was visible\u003c/a> from North America was just two years ago, in November 2022. “These total eclipses of the moon happen much more frequently than the total eclipses of the sun at any given location because you can see the full moon all over part of the Earth,” said Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A lunar eclipse is visible to anyone on the night side of Earth. In contrast, total solar eclipses are only visible along a narrow path of totality — sometimes just a few hundred miles wide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996241\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1041px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996241\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1041\" height=\"783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy.jpg 1041w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy-800x602.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy-1020x767.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy-768x578.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1041px) 100vw, 1041px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">When Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, a lunar eclipse takes place. \u003ccite>(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"how-to-see-blood-moon\">\u003c/a>What time is the lunar eclipse tonight, and where can I see it in the Bay Area?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This upcoming total lunar eclipse will be fully visible across the Bay Area tonight as long as you have a clear view of the moon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will begin at around 10 p.m. P.S.T. on Thursday, March 13, and totality will occur at 11:26 p.m. The maximum eclipse — when the moon will be its reddest — will occur at 11:59 p.m. and last for about 30 minutes into the early hours of Friday, March 14.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The whole eclipse phase will last for about 64 minutes, from 10 p.m. to 1:47 a.m., with the best views occurring between 11:26 p.m. to 12:31 a.m.[aside postID=science_1996198 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/GettyImages-1242378655-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As the moon moves slowly through the Earth’s shadow, we first see only part of the moon darkening,” Fraknoi said of the partial eclipse. “But then, as the Moon moves fully into the Earth’s shadow, we see its entire disk of the Moon become dark and reddish.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During totality, the moon glows red because of \u003ca href=\"https://www.britannica.com/science/Rayleigh-scattering\">Rayleigh scattering,\u003c/a> the same phenomenon that makes \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979339/bay-areas-best-sunset-hikes-now-that-your-days-are-longer\">sunsets appear orange and red\u003c/a>. As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, it filters out blue light and bends red light toward the moon, giving it that signature “blood” color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exact shade of red depends on atmospheric conditions like dust, pollution and volcanic activity elsewhere, which can intensify the red hue, Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Astronomers have used calculations to predict lunar eclipses for centuries. “It’s a really nice indication that even if things are in turmoil on Earth, the heavens are doing their thing in a routine way,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It shows the clockwork motion of the heavens.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On Thursday night into early Friday morning, residents in the Bay Area will be able to witness a spectacular total lunar eclipse — often called a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979293/how-to-see-sundays-blood-moon-total-lunar-eclipse-in-the-bay-area\">blood moon\u003c/a>” due to its deep red hue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#how-to-see-blood-moon\">Jump straight to: What time is the lunar eclipse in the Bay Area tonight?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>This celestial event happens when the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that darkens the moon and turns it into a striking shade of red during totality. And unlike solar eclipses, which require special glasses, you can enjoy the lunar eclipse with the naked eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The last time a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1994403/a-celestial-trifecta-what-to-know-about-tuesdays-lunar-eclipse\">total lunar eclipse was visible\u003c/a> from North America was just two years ago, in November 2022. “These total eclipses of the moon happen much more frequently than the total eclipses of the sun at any given location because you can see the full moon all over part of the Earth,” said Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A lunar eclipse is visible to anyone on the night side of Earth. In contrast, total solar eclipses are only visible along a narrow path of totality — sometimes just a few hundred miles wide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996241\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1041px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996241\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1041\" height=\"783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy.jpg 1041w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy-800x602.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy-1020x767.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/03/lunar-eclipse-diagram_0-copy-768x578.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1041px) 100vw, 1041px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">When Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, a lunar eclipse takes place. \u003ccite>(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"how-to-see-blood-moon\">\u003c/a>What time is the lunar eclipse tonight, and where can I see it in the Bay Area?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This upcoming total lunar eclipse will be fully visible across the Bay Area tonight as long as you have a clear view of the moon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will begin at around 10 p.m. P.S.T. on Thursday, March 13, and totality will occur at 11:26 p.m. The maximum eclipse — when the moon will be its reddest — will occur at 11:59 p.m. and last for about 30 minutes into the early hours of Friday, March 14.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The whole eclipse phase will last for about 64 minutes, from 10 p.m. to 1:47 a.m., with the best views occurring between 11:26 p.m. to 12:31 a.m.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As the moon moves slowly through the Earth’s shadow, we first see only part of the moon darkening,” Fraknoi said of the partial eclipse. “But then, as the Moon moves fully into the Earth’s shadow, we see its entire disk of the Moon become dark and reddish.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During totality, the moon glows red because of \u003ca href=\"https://www.britannica.com/science/Rayleigh-scattering\">Rayleigh scattering,\u003c/a> the same phenomenon that makes \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979339/bay-areas-best-sunset-hikes-now-that-your-days-are-longer\">sunsets appear orange and red\u003c/a>. As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, it filters out blue light and bends red light toward the moon, giving it that signature “blood” color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exact shade of red depends on atmospheric conditions like dust, pollution and volcanic activity elsewhere, which can intensify the red hue, Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Astronomers have used calculations to predict lunar eclipses for centuries. “It’s a really nice indication that even if things are in turmoil on Earth, the heavens are doing their thing in a routine way,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It shows the clockwork motion of the heavens.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "where-to-see-comet-tonight-photos-bay-area",
"title": "Skywatching Guide: Catching a Comet Over the Bay Area",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\">This story has been updated.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, Bay Area residents have been treated to several rare astronomical events, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1991869/when-is-solar-eclipse-2024-bay-area-watch-parties\">solar eclipses\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992745/see-northern-lights-aurora-borealis-bay-area\">auroras\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993717/where-to-watch-perseids-meteor-shower-peak-bay-area-best-places-to-see\">meteor showers\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the latest celestial event on display is a “cosmic snowball” — \u003ca href=\"https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153444/comet-tsuchinshan-atlas-arrives-from-afar\">a rare comet\u003c/a> that was last visible around 80,000 years ago and that astronomers estimate won’t be visible again for another 80 millennia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The last appearance was before written records were made, and the next one may see a very different Earth from the one we have today,” Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute, wrote in his \u003ca href=\"https://www.fraknoi.com/astronomy/a-comet-is-visible-in-our-night-skies/\">blog post\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The newly-discovered comet is formally known as Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, named after the two observatories that first spotted the comet: China’s Tsuchinshan “Purple Mountain” Observatory and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/atlas/\">Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System\u003c/a> (ATLAS) telescope in South Africa.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How to see this comet\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This comet, which is reportedly the \u003ca href=\"https://earthsky.org/space/comet-c-2023-a3-sep-oct-2024-tsuchinshan-atlas/\">brightest such comet in 27 years\u003c/a>, can be seen with the naked eye from now until the end of the month — although binoculars or telescopes will offer the clearest views.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The best time to see the comet is about 45 minutes after sunset, and the comet light show will last for approximately 20 to 30 minutes after the sun goes down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For the next few days, it will be visible close to the brightest night object, the planet Venus,” Fraknoi said. Viewers can look towards the west horizon of the night sky, get their eyes accustomed to the dark, and enjoy the view. You can also track the comet on \u003ca href=\"https://theskylive.com/planetarium?objects=sun-moon-c2022e3-mercury-venus-mars-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-pluto&localdata=37.8774%7C-122.2817%7CCAL+Fire+Northern+Region%2C+United+States%7CAmerica%2FLos_Angeles%7C0&obj=c2022e3&h=09&m=00&date=2023-01-24#ra%7C15.219190334943296%7Cdec%7C60.2699547237815%7Cfov%7C10\">TheSkyLive\u003c/a> or through astronomy and sky apps like \u003ca href=\"https://stellarium.org/\">Stellarium\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://skysafariastronomy.com/\">SkySafari\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://starwalk.space/en\">Star Walk\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the comet won’t be as bright as earlier this month, when the comet was at its closest to our planet, you still have a chance of catching a glimpse of this snowy dirtball on a clear night until the end of the month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Each day, the comet is higher in the sky and will thus be visible a little bit longer before it sets in the West,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a roundup of some of the rare sightings of the comet in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994793\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994793\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-800x997.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-1020x1271.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-160x199.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-768x957.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS streaks through the twilight sky, soaring above a sea of fog off the Marin County coast on the evening of Oct. 13. \u003ccite>(Dan Kurtzman Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994792\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994792\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2-800x997.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2-1020x1271.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2-160x199.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2-768x957.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS streaks through the twilight sky, soaring above a sea of fog off the Marin County coast on the evening of Oct. 13. \u003ccite>(Dan Kurtzman Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994791\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994791\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS captured in San Jose on Oct. 15. \u003ccite>(@me.abhinav_ on Instagram)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994790\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994790\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS captured on Oct. 15. \u003ccite>(@weekendwanderersinc on Instagram)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994789\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1020px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994789\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1020\" height=\"1020\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–Atlas from Lake Elizabeth, Fremont. \u003ccite>(@akopparam on Instagram)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994788\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994788\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet captured rising above the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on Sept. 27. \u003ccite>(Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994783\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994783\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge-800x975.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge-1020x1243.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge-160x195.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge-768x936.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet setting over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on Oct. 13. \u003ccite>(Sean Qiu)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994787\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994787\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2-800x997.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2-1020x1271.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2-160x199.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2-768x957.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS setting over Sutro Tower on Oct. 14. Taken from Alameda Shoreline. \u003ccite>(Sean Qiu)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994786\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994786\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1342\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-800x994.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-1020x1267.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-160x199.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-768x954.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS setting over Sutro Tower on Oct. 14. Taken from Alameda Shoreline. \u003ccite>(Sean Qiu)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994785\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1440px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994785\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1440\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-scaled.jpeg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-800x1422.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-1020x1813.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-160x284.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-768x1365.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-864x1536.jpeg 864w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-1152x2048.jpeg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-1920x3413.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS from Fremont on Oct. 15. \u003ccite>(Nemani / Mr_ASquare on Reddit)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994784\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1841px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994784\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1841\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-scaled.jpeg 1841w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-800x1113.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-1020x1419.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-160x223.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-768x1068.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-1104x1536.jpeg 1104w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-1473x2048.jpeg 1473w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-1920x2670.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1841px) 100vw, 1841px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS over Easy Bay Hills on Oct. 14. \u003ccite>(grimdar on Reddit )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS is now visible in our night skies. Here's how to see this comet that orbits the Sun, plus a roundup of photos captured in the Bay Area.",
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"title": "Best time to See the Comet in the Bay Area | KQED",
"description": "See the best spots in the Bay Area to view Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, a rare comet visible with the naked eye. Learn when and where to catch this celestial event.",
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"headline": "Skywatching Guide: Catching a Comet Over the Bay Area",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ci data-stringify-type=\"italic\">This story has been updated.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, Bay Area residents have been treated to several rare astronomical events, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1991869/when-is-solar-eclipse-2024-bay-area-watch-parties\">solar eclipses\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1992745/see-northern-lights-aurora-borealis-bay-area\">auroras\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993717/where-to-watch-perseids-meteor-shower-peak-bay-area-best-places-to-see\">meteor showers\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the latest celestial event on display is a “cosmic snowball” — \u003ca href=\"https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153444/comet-tsuchinshan-atlas-arrives-from-afar\">a rare comet\u003c/a> that was last visible around 80,000 years ago and that astronomers estimate won’t be visible again for another 80 millennia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The last appearance was before written records were made, and the next one may see a very different Earth from the one we have today,” Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer and professor at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute, wrote in his \u003ca href=\"https://www.fraknoi.com/astronomy/a-comet-is-visible-in-our-night-skies/\">blog post\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The newly-discovered comet is formally known as Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, named after the two observatories that first spotted the comet: China’s Tsuchinshan “Purple Mountain” Observatory and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/atlas/\">Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System\u003c/a> (ATLAS) telescope in South Africa.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How to see this comet\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This comet, which is reportedly the \u003ca href=\"https://earthsky.org/space/comet-c-2023-a3-sep-oct-2024-tsuchinshan-atlas/\">brightest such comet in 27 years\u003c/a>, can be seen with the naked eye from now until the end of the month — although binoculars or telescopes will offer the clearest views.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The best time to see the comet is about 45 minutes after sunset, and the comet light show will last for approximately 20 to 30 minutes after the sun goes down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For the next few days, it will be visible close to the brightest night object, the planet Venus,” Fraknoi said. Viewers can look towards the west horizon of the night sky, get their eyes accustomed to the dark, and enjoy the view. You can also track the comet on \u003ca href=\"https://theskylive.com/planetarium?objects=sun-moon-c2022e3-mercury-venus-mars-jupiter-saturn-uranus-neptune-pluto&localdata=37.8774%7C-122.2817%7CCAL+Fire+Northern+Region%2C+United+States%7CAmerica%2FLos_Angeles%7C0&obj=c2022e3&h=09&m=00&date=2023-01-24#ra%7C15.219190334943296%7Cdec%7C60.2699547237815%7Cfov%7C10\">TheSkyLive\u003c/a> or through astronomy and sky apps like \u003ca href=\"https://stellarium.org/\">Stellarium\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://skysafariastronomy.com/\">SkySafari\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://starwalk.space/en\">Star Walk\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the comet won’t be as bright as earlier this month, when the comet was at its closest to our planet, you still have a chance of catching a glimpse of this snowy dirtball on a clear night until the end of the month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Each day, the comet is higher in the sky and will thus be visible a little bit longer before it sets in the West,” Fraknoi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a roundup of some of the rare sightings of the comet in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994793\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994793\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-800x997.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-1020x1271.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-160x199.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-768x957.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS streaks through the twilight sky, soaring above a sea of fog off the Marin County coast on the evening of Oct. 13. \u003ccite>(Dan Kurtzman Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994792\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994792\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2-800x997.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2-1020x1271.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2-160x199.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Dan-Kurtzman-10132024-2-768x957.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS streaks through the twilight sky, soaring above a sea of fog off the Marin County coast on the evening of Oct. 13. \u003ccite>(Dan Kurtzman Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994791\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994791\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS captured in San Jose on Oct. 15. \u003ccite>(@me.abhinav_ on Instagram)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994790\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994790\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-2-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS captured on Oct. 15. \u003ccite>(@weekendwanderersinc on Instagram)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994789\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1020px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994789\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1020\" height=\"1020\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Divya-10152024-3-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–Atlas from Lake Elizabeth, Fremont. \u003ccite>(@akopparam on Instagram)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994788\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994788\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Shreeni-09272024-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet captured rising above the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on Sept. 27. \u003ccite>(Shreenivasan Manievannan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994783\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994783\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1316\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge-800x975.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge-1020x1243.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge-160x195.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10132024-Comet-setting-over-Golden-Gate-Bridge-768x936.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet setting over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on Oct. 13. \u003ccite>(Sean Qiu)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994787\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994787\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2-800x997.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2-1020x1271.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2-160x199.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-2-768x957.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS setting over Sutro Tower on Oct. 14. Taken from Alameda Shoreline. \u003ccite>(Sean Qiu)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994786\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1080px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994786\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1342\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-800x994.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-1020x1267.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-160x199.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Sean-Qiu-10142024-768x954.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS setting over Sutro Tower on Oct. 14. Taken from Alameda Shoreline. \u003ccite>(Sean Qiu)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994785\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1440px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994785\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1440\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-scaled.jpeg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-800x1422.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-1020x1813.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-160x284.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-768x1365.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-864x1536.jpeg 864w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-1152x2048.jpeg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Nemani-on-Reddit-10152024-from-Fremont-Vargas-1920x3413.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS from Fremont on Oct. 15. \u003ccite>(Nemani / Mr_ASquare on Reddit)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1994784\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1841px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1994784\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1841\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-scaled.jpeg 1841w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-800x1113.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-1020x1419.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-160x223.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-768x1068.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-1104x1536.jpeg 1104w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-1473x2048.jpeg 1473w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/grimdar-on-Reddit-10142024-comet-over-east-bay-hills-1920x2670.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1841px) 100vw, 1841px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS over Easy Bay Hills on Oct. 14. \u003ccite>(grimdar on Reddit )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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},
"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
},
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"onourwatch": {
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"on-the-media": {
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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},
"perspectives": {
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"order": 14
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"order": 5
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5Nzk2MzI2MTEx",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"link": "/radio/program/possible",
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