James Webb Space Telescope discoveries will be the main program topic for the San Juan Stargazers’ monthly meetings except when we have guest speakers. Tom Hanchet will speak in June.
The next meeting of the San Juan Stargazers will be Thursday, April 2, at the Community United Methodist Church at 434 Lewis St.
There is a parking lot and convenient side door into the kitchen. (The main front doors to the sanctuary are locked.) The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. with our social hour for visiting and snacks.
At 7 p.m., our program will begin. Great Courses does not have a published program yet on the James Webb. Until there is one, Joan Mieritz will be creating a program and mostly finding professionally made programs. There is so much information available from the James Webb. It is committed to sharing everything it discovers.
Mieritz made the comment a few years ago that James Webb discoveries would be helping keep her alive for extra years. She will not be lecturing for 1.5 hours. She was never that kind of teacher. She is totally enjoying this project and will do the best job possible to have interactive teaching.
This month, we will begin with a 40-minute “deep-space ride” created by the European Space Agency as if we are passengers on the Webb telescope. It was first presented on Christmas Day 2025. You may have seen programs like this in the past where you keep going and going and going through space. This one is fantastic seeing sights taken by the James Webb Space Telescope.
We will travel through deep space with all its wonder, but slowly so we don’t feel sick. We will flow from one amazing sight to the next.
When we’ve traveled enough and want a change, we will study together the various sights we have seen. Some scenes are totally new, but many have never been seen with the Webb’s infrared telescope and camera. We may compare the views from the Hubble with the views from the Webb. We will study what makes each location significant and unique. There will be time for sharing information, questions, discussions, breaks and surprises.
The room is large and has a big-screen TV. We will move from the tables to chairs in front of the screen and it will be dark. I’m hoping it will be exciting and of course educational, since it is some of the newest information available about our amazing universe. You do have to contribute your imagination and enthusiasm.
If you would like to join the San Juan Stargazers, you will also receive a regular hard copy of Reflector Magazine, which is the publication of the National Astronomical League of which you automatically become a member when joining the club. Make sure that we have your mailing address to get the magazine.
The Astronomical League makes it so we do not just belong to a small-town-size club, but to a national astronomy club with thousands of members and wonderful active opportunities and competitions, awards and rewards.
To join both groups and get an excellent magazine, check at the meeting or go to our website. Also ask about our new “Service” membership.
Check out our continuously changing website, sanjuanstargazers.org, with new information and spectacular photos.
I hope to see you for this exciting and educational program. We can be your connection to our extraordinary universe, and we want to help you learn as much as possible so you are appropriately amazed.
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