Dear Families,

I wanted to take a moment to share highlights from a truly special event hosted by the PTO and Mr. Taylor (3rd grade) — our INDY Star Party — and to encourage you to keep an eye out for it next year.

With support from the EastBay Astronomical Society, students and families had the opportunity to observe remarkable objects in the night sky that astronomers have been studying for centuries. Many of these objects are known by their Messier (or “M”) numbers, which come from a catalog created in the late 1700s by astronomer Charles Messier. These galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters are still favorite targets for amateur and professional astronomers alike — and our students got to see them firsthand.

One of our volunteer astronomers, John Corlett, shared how impressed he was by our students’ curiosity and background knowledge. He also captured images using a smart telescope that helped bring these distant objects to life. Students were able to learn about:

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) — our nearest large neighboring galaxy, home to hundreds of billions of stars	The Orion Nebula (M42) — a stellar nursery where new stars are actively forming	Star clusters like M35 — groups of stars born together and traveling through the galaxy	Distant galaxies such as M81 and M82 — each with unique structures and even massive black holes at their centers

Even with city lights, the experience of seeing objects millions of light-years away sparked awe, thoughtful questions, and meaningful conversations between students, families, and scientists.

This is a recurring event, and we would love for even more families to join us next year. It’s a wonderful example of how learning can extend beyond the classroom and connect students to the wider universe. More information will be shared as we plan ahead — but for now, we wanted to share the excitement and encourage you to keep this event on your radar!

Best,
PHS