Cosmically-curious crowd packs bar in San Francisco’s Mission District for astronomy event

By Loureen Ayyoub

As a cold pour hits the glass at The Sycamore in the Mission District, chatter rises, lights dim slightly, and Astronomy on Tap eases into motion, blending a little stargazing spirit with a laid-back night at the bar.

The easygoing event, created for those curious about astronomy, drew a full house, something organizer Asa Stahl said reflects a growing desire to make space feel relatable.

“Astronomy on Tap is all about making astronomy casual. Something that people can interact with in their day-to-day lives,” Stahl said. “Which is how it should be, right? Because we live on a planet, we’re in space. It feels abstract, but it should be something concrete.”

Concrete enough that the Mission bar buzzed with people eager to learn more about planets, galaxies and their place in the universe, all while balancing drinks and comfort food. Stahl said the purpose isn’t just education, but perspective.

“It’s all about the cosmic perspective, ultimately,” he said. “That feeling you get when you look through a telescope and see Saturn’s rings for the first time. Or if you look up at the night’s sky with the naked eye and take a step back from yourself and realize your place in the cosmos.”

That sense of awe is what drew attendee Rob Summerlin to the gathering.

“I think space is so incredible, and I know very little about it,” Summerlin said. “So I think an opportunity to learn from people who know what they’re talking about, and can expand my knowledge of the planet I live on — and the universe I live in — is super cool. And I like the informal atmosphere.”

Behind the bar, Dayne Dakota said he wasn’t sure what to expect when he helped bring Astronomy on Tap to The Sycamore. The turnout, he said, surprised him.

“We didn’t know what the response would be. And all of a sudden there’s 60 people staring at you,” Dakota said. “We inspired them to come down and try our food and our drinks, and just be around this bar. And a lot of people haven’t been here before. So we want them to check out the patio.”

As the night went on, the patio filled with bar bites and curious minds, conversations drifting from fries to far-off galaxies.

Stahl said that moment, people looking up, thinking big and feeling small, is exactly what he hopes each gathering creates.

“I hope they walk away with a little bit more of an appreciation of the universe they live in,” he said. “The beauty of it. The elegance. How little we know, and how those gaps in our knowledge let wonder into our lives.”