From a mountaintop in Chile, under clear dark skies, NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory has begun the revolutionary Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The ten-year survey is Rubin’s signature campaign to create the most comprehensive, cinematic record of the Universe in history.

Rubin Observatory is a U.S. government facility jointly operated by NSF NOIRLab and DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory located in Menlo Park. NOIRLab is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA).

Over the next 10 years, Rubin will relentlessly observe the entire southern sky every few nights to create an ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition time-lapse record of the Universe. This long-awaited milestone is the culmination of years of effort by thousands of people around the world. It follows the celebratory Rubin First Look event that took place in June 2025, which was followed by final commissioning work, an operational readiness review, and the beginning of the alert stream.

“It’s taken 20 years of hard science, engineering, and more to get to the point where we can call ‘action’ as we start rolling on this blockbuster movie of the Universe,” says Phil Marshall, Deputy Director of Rubin Operations for SLAC. “Millions of alerts in just the last couple of months show that Rubin is up and running as a discovery machine. Now we’re putting it all together.”

Rubin Observatory’s unique design combines enormous light-collecting power, the ability to move rapidly across the sky, and a wide field of view. Its 3200-megapixel camera — the largest digital camera in the world — is now capturing a new, detailed image approximately every 40 seconds. Operating with this speed and sensitivity, Rubin functions as a unified, well-tuned system capable of catching faint objects and fleeting events with remarkable reliability and consistency every night. Visit rubinobservatory.org to follow the status of the LSST in real time.

Rubin is bringing the Universe to life, illuminating a treasure trove of discoveries: pulsating stars, supernova explosions, the fossil record of galaxies, clues to the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter, and entirely new phenomena we’ve never seen before. Some cosmic processes unfold slowly, unpredictably, or incredibly rarely, which is why a ten-year survey is essential. By returning to each point in the sky about 800 times over a decade, Rubin data is providing the scientific community with deep, time-rich views needed to uncover subtle events, capture moving objects, and study the accelerating expansion of the Universe.

Not only is Rubin helping to unlock the mysteries of the distant Universe, it is also the most powerful Solar System discovery machine ever built. By taking about a thousand images every night, Rubin is compiling an astonishingly detailed census of our Solar System, including millions of asteroids and comets. In just a month and a half, during early optimization surveys, Rubin discovered over 11,000 never-before-seen asteroids, including 33 near-Earth objects and 380 trans-Neptunian objects [1].

Rubin will also advance opportunities for multi-messenger astronomy, which is the study of cosmic events using multiple signals such as light, gravitational waves, and cosmic rays. The observatory’s rapid, color-rich observations of transients such as stellar explosions, actively feeding black holes, and collisions between compact objects will guide telescopes around the world to follow up on these fleeting events.

Each night, Rubin is collecting approximately ten terabytes of data and producing as many as seven million alerts of changes in the night sky. These alerts stream to alert brokers — automated systems that sort and classify these changes so scientists can act quickly.

When the LSST is complete, the final dataset will contain billions of objects with trillions of measurements, all accessible through regular data releases. This is the first time so much astronomical data will be available to so many people, opening the door to new kinds of discovery by both scientists and the public. Rubin invites anyone in the world to engage with its data and explore the dynamic Universe in ways never before possible.

Photo courtesy of SLAC

The post Effort to create the most comprehensive, cinematic record of the Universe is underway appeared first on InMenlo.

Enjoy Family Fun Night at Burgess Pool in Menlo Park, a new monthly community event held on the first Friday of every month.

Kick things off on Friday, July 3, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm with an evening of water games, music and family fun.

No registration is required. Come enjoy the fun with regular Open Swim admission.

MenloSwim website

InMenlo file photo (c) 2020

The post Family fun nights begin at Burgess Pool on July 3 appeared first on InMenlo.

“A Second Look — Unveiling the Familiar,” a collection of oil paintings by artist Edwin Bertolet, is featured at the Portola Art Galley in July. A reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, July 11, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

The exhibit is composed of paintings done in and around the Bay Area over many years — the majority of them done plein air, and a few done from plein air studies.

Ed’s works are imbued with a timeless serenity reminiscent of early California impressionists. He explains: “While I may paint the same place more than once, it will always be a unique work of art. Each time I paint a subject, the weather, the light, the time of day, my emotional response, and the way I approach it will be different than the time before.”

He continues: “I hope my paintings inspire viewers to take a second look at the everyday places around us and appreciate the hidden beauty of the San Francisco Bay Area. I hope to leave viewers with a sense that there is something special beyond the familiar we see daily.”

More of Ed’s work can be viewed on his website.

The Portola Art Gallery is located at 75 Arbor Road at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. It is open from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday-Saturday. Note: In observance of Independence Day, it will be closed on Saturday, July 4 and Monday, July 6.

“Storm Puddle” (oil, 12×16″) is one of the plein air oil paintings by Edwin Bertolet on display

The post Oil paintings by artist Edwin Bertolet on display at Portola Art Gallery in July appeared first on InMenlo.

In July, bike, walk or run to your local park for PlayLOCAL!, an hour of guided outdoor play and games. Attendees can also pack a picnic and bring a blanket to stay and chat with their friends and neighbors afterward.

PlayLOCAL! events are from 11:00 am to noon each Tuesday in July. Plus, join us for a bubbly surprise at the PlayLOCAL! series finale on Saturday, Aug. 8, at Willow Oaks Park. Click any event below to learn more.

• July 7, Nealon Park
• July 14, Karl E. Clark Park
• July 21, Burgess Park playground
• July 28, Sharon Park playground
• Aug. 8, Willow Oaks Park

Photo courtesy City of Menlo Park

The post Celebrate Parks and Recreation Month with PlayLOCAL! in July appeared first on InMenlo.

The adopted budget also reflects a significant development regarding the City’s ongoing Vehicle License Fee (VLF) revenue issue. Pending the Governor’s signature, the State is projected to provide a $1.9 million backfill, representing approximately 65% of the City’s fiscal year 2024-25 VLF revenue shortfall. While this funding is an important step toward restoring lost revenues, it does not fully address the City’s VLF losses. The City will continue working with the County to pursue both legislative and legal remedies to recover the remaining VLF revenue owed by the State.

Although the fiscal year 2026-27 budget is balanced without the use of reserves, the City continues to face a structural deficit, with ongoing expenditures projected to outpace ongoing revenues in future years. To address this long-term challenge, staff will return to the City Council in fall 2026 with revenue enhancement options and additional strategies to improve the City’s long-term fiscal sustainability.

The adopted budget is available at menlopark.gov/budget.

The post Menlo Park City Council adopts fiscal year 2026-27 budget appeared first on InMenlo.

At its June 9 meeting, the Menlo Park City Council adopted an updated accessory dwelling unit ordinance (the ADU Ordinance), which will be effective July 10.

The ADU Ordinance was submitted to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for a required 60-day review. HCD has contacted the City and confirmed that they have no comments for the ADU Ordinance, and no amendments will be necessary.

City staff are working to update the ADU webpage and supporting materials in preparation for the July 10 effective date.

The post ADU Ordinance update adopted by Menlo Park City Council on June 9 appeared first on InMenlo.

Bring your picnic basket and blanket, come dressed in red, white, and blue, and get ready to celebrate the 4th of July and California 175/America 250 with a people parade, community picnic, and free, all-new show by Circus Bella.

Register here for a chance to win cool prizes

The post 4th of July community parade, picnic and circus back by popular demand appeared first on InMenlo.

At its April 28 meeting, the Menlo Park City Council approved an updated Master Fee Schedule that takes effect July 1. The schedule sets the fees charged for services provided by City departments, and the update based on a comprehensive cost of services study adds new fees, adjusts existing ones to better reflect the actual cost of service, and eliminates others.

Residents can review the full schedule at menlopark.gov/masterfeeschedule before it takes effect.

A key change is the addition of a payment card processing fee. This fee is intended to ensure that the costs associated with processing electronic payments are borne by the users of those payment methods rather than being subsidized by general taxpayer funds.

A fee equal to the actual processing cost will be assessed on all credit and debit card transactions processed through point-of-sale or online payment systems that support fee pass-through, and any such fee will be disclosed as a separate line item on the receipt.

For payment methods that do not support actual cost pass-through, a processing fee of 2.5% will be applied to credit card transactions only.

If residents have questions regarding the change, they can contact Assistant Administrative Services Director Fenny Lei at FLei@menlopark.gov or 650-330-6679.

The post Menlo Park’s updated Master Fee Schedule takes effect July 1 — what to know appeared first on InMenlo.

The Atherton Historical Association (AHA) has received several boxes of the book Under the Oaks, Two Hundred Years in Atherton from the authors.

It is a beautifully written history of Atherton replete with wonderful photos.

If you or your family members want a complimentary copy, the book may be picked up from the AHA in the Atherton Town Center on Tuesdays from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The post Interested in Atherton’s history? Get a copy of “Under the Oaks” for free appeared first on InMenlo.

On Thursday, July 2, 2026 from 10:15 to 11:00 am, gather outside the Menlo Park Library for an African Village Celebration with world-renowned master percussionist Onye Onyemaechi.

During this fun, interactive event, Onye presents music and songs, dancing, drumming, and stories.

All ages are invited to come out and dance!

Photo courtesy of Menlo Park Library

The post Enjoy the fun at an African Village Celebration on July 2 appeared first on InMenlo.