Archive
12/22/2014 – Ephemeris Extra – New broadcast time on IPR News Radio
As of December 1st National Public Radio has changed the format for their morning news program Morning Edition. As a result Interlochen Public Radio has moved my Ephemeris program to around 6:49 a.m., a half hour later.
Here’s the current schedule
Ephemeris Radio Schedule Monday – Friday
Ephemeris air times (ET)
6:49 a.m. – News stations (New as of December 1, 2104)
6:59 a.m.- Classical stations
The Stations of Interlochen Public Radio
Classical:
WIAA 88.7 FM Interlochen
94.7 FM Traverse City
WIAB 88.5 FM Mackinaw City
WICV 100.9 FM East Jordan, Charlevoix
News:
WICA 91.5, FM Traverse City
WLNM 89.7 FM Manistee
WHBP 90.1 FM Harbor Springs, Petoskey
There’s another local program on astronomy on the News stations. It’s a 2 minute weekly program on about 6:30 a.m. Mondays. It’s producer is Mary Stewart Adams, Program Director Headlands International Dark Sky Park, near Mackinaw City, MI. She tends more toward folklore than science which is fun and entertaining. On her Linked In page she lists herself as an Astrosopher/Program Director Headlands Internat’l Dark Sky Park. Near as I could find out astrosophy is a kind of new age astrology. Astronomy broke the link to astrology some 400 years ago. So as long as the program doesn’t drift into astrology, or astrosophy as being real. I’ll enjoy the program.
12/22/2014 – Ephemeris – Roman solstice festivals that seem like our holiday season
Ephemeris for Monday, December 22nd. The sun will rise at 8:16. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 5:05. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 6:17 this evening.
The Romans, around the time of Christ knew that the Sun would turn northward after the winter solstice. Their ancestors may not have been. They had two festivals around this time of year. Saturnalia, from the 17th to the 23rd. A time of gift giving, parties, kind of like now. The feast of Sol Invictus or the Unconquerable Sun was set on December 25th the then date to have thought to be the winter solstice. I’m not sure if the Roman calendars were off 4 days or that it was the date they detected northward movement in the Sun. Anyway that’s the date the Christians decided to celebrate Christ’s birth. The Gospel of Luke with its shepherds being out all night guarding the sheep suggests that the birth was actually in the spring.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturnalia depiction.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 