Get Out, Los Altos: It's a Bay Area Star Party!

Los Altos Hills and Foothill College seem to be the place to be for two editor's choice events this weekend. You have either like the night sky or serious theater, but either way, we'll have you pondering big questions.

Then we want to get you out and about walking, riding and just taking it all in. Enjoy!

1. 

Where/When: Foothill Observatory, Foothill College,( Parking Lot 3); 12345 El Monte Ave, Los Altos Hills / Saturday, Nov. 5, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Why Go: Because they'll have several telescopes, NASA moon rock displays, and great views of Jupiter, if the skies cooperate... all part of the Bay Area Star Party. There are 21 different sites, from Mt. Tamalpais to Mt. Hamilton, all viewing on the same night, part of the weeklong Bay Area Science Festival. Families can look at the evening skies through a variety of telescopes. Besides Jupiter being especially well-placed for viewing  you may be able to see the four giant moons that Galileo found. Members of the NASA Lunar Science Institute will provide handouts, display Moon rocks, and demonstrate Moon Zoo through which the public can help analyze the images coming back from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Co-hosted by Peninsula Astronomical Society, the SETI Institute, and NASA’s Lunar Science Institute. For more information, see www.foothill.edu/ast

Price: Admission is free; parking is $2. (Parking Lot 3 is closest)

2.

Where/When: Lohman Theater, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Ave, Los Altos Hills / Fri-Sun, through Nov. 20, 8 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. matinees

Why Go: Shortly after the 1998 kidnapping, torture and murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard near Laramie, Wyoming, playwright Moisés Kaufman and fellow members New York’s Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie, and over the course of the next year, conducted more than 200 interviews with townspeople. From these interviews the troupe wrote this play, which chronicles the life of a town torn apart by the notorious hate crime.

Price: $16 general admission, $12 seniors, students and FHDA employees, $8 students with OwlCard and Foothill employees purchasing in person; All tickets $10 Thurs. Nov. 10.

3. "Reflections on Water"

Where/When: , 51 N. San Antonio Road / Nov. 1-30, M-Thur, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri-Sat, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sun 12 noon - 6 p.m.

Why Go: This water-themed multimedia art exhibit opened Nov. 1 and is presented in conjunction with the 's exhibit, "." Plus, there is the Nov. 8 reception, 6:30-7:30 p.m., for this juried exhibit featuring 21 works selected from 110 submissions. The artwork was evaluated on artistic merit and a secondary consideration was a connection to the history and future of water in the Santa Clara Valley. A diverse ranged of media include painting (both oil and acrylic), textile, photographs, charcoal and ink, multimedia assemblages made from plastic bags, tiny bottles and cut canvas.

4. Rancho Farmers Market

Where/When: , Foothill Expressway and Springer Ave. / Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

October is gone, gone, gone! The downtown Farmers Market is done for the year, but don't forget, Los Altos now has a year-round Farmers Market at Rancho. That makes Saturday mornings a great day to sample the seasonal produce, check out great locallly prepared food items, and support Northern California organic farmers.

5. First Saturdays Bike Ride

Where/When: Meet at Second and Main streets, Downtown Los Altos/ Saturday, 4:00pm.

Why Go: Get all your Saturday activities done and then at the end of the day, wind down with this family-friendly, leisurely two-hour bike ride through Los Altos, organized by GreenTown Los Altos. See the community from a whole different vantage point, exploring “cut through” paths (bike and pedestrian only), parks and some shopping areas. More incentive: Riders have been known to stop for ice cream.