04/17/2015 – Ephemeris – First Sleeping Bear Dunes star party of the year
Ephemeris for Friday, April 17th. The Sun rises at 6:55. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 34 minutes, setting at 8:30. The Moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 6:55 tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow, that’s Saturday night the 18th, the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will host the first of nine viewing opportunities at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore this year. This one will be held at Platte River Point north parking lot, at the end of Lake Michigan Road, off M22, weather permitting. Viewing begins around 9 p.m. with Brilliant Venus and then Jupiter. Later on as it gets dark, other wonders among the stars will be visible. For a complete schedule of viewing opportunities check the park’s website or gtastro.org. They will include viewing the sun on the afternoons of the May through August star parties. Plus there will be an all night Perseid Meteor watch at the Dune Climb the night of August 12th and 13th, and a lunar eclipse watch the evening of September 27th.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Star Parties and other Events
|
Day |
Date |
Venue |
Time |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Saturday |
April 18 |
SBDNL – Platte River Point |
9 – 11 p.m. |
Venus, Jupiter |
|
Saturday |
May 23 |
SBDNL – Dune Climb |
4 – 6 p.m ☼ & 9 – 11 p.m. |
Venus, Jupiter, Moon |
|
Saturday |
June 20 |
SBDNL – Pierce Stocking Drive Stop #3 |
4 – 6 p.m ☼ & 9 – 11 p.m. |
Park at Picnic Mountain. Venus, Jupiter, Moon, Saturn |
|
Saturday |
July 25 |
SBDNL – Platte River Point |
4 – 6 p.m ☼ & 9 – 11 p.m. |
Venus, Jupiter, Moon, Saturn |
|
Saturday |
August 8 |
SBDNL – Thoreson Farm |
4 – 6 p.m ☼ & 9 – 11 p.m. |
Port Oneida Fair. Mercury, Jupiter early, Saturn, Dark, Summer Milky Way |
|
Wednesday |
August 12 |
SBDNL – Dune Climb |
9 p.m. – 5 a.m. |
All night Perseid meteor watch |
|
Saturday |
September 12 |
SBDNL – Dune Climb |
9 – 11 p.m. |
Saturn, Dark skies, Summer Milky Way |
|
Sunday |
September 27 |
SBDNL – Platte River Point |
9 p.m. – 12 m |
Total Lunar Eclipse |
|
Wednesday |
October 21 |
SBDNL – Pierce Stocking Drive Stop #3 |
8 – 10 p.m. |
SBDNL 45th anniversary star party, Moon, bright star clusters and nebulae |
Explanation Key
☼ – Sun viewing
Conditions:
Dark – Dark skies. Deep Sky Objects (DSOs: star clusters, nebulae and galaxies) visible depending on the season.
Twilight – Twilight lasts through out the viewing period. Some Deep Sky Objects may be visible near the end of the viewing period.
Objects other than planets:
Summer Milky Way – Many Deep Sky Objects are visible in our galaxy. The Milky Way is best seen on August and September evenings with the moon out of the sky. This also means dark skies.
Cancellation
The monthly star party events will be cancelled if the sky is not visible due to weather conditions. An official decision will be made by the Lakeshore, usually, one hour before the event. To find out whether an event has been cancelled please check our Facebook page, or Twitter feed, or call park rangers at 231-326-4700, ext. 5005, for a voice mail message with the decision.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 