Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Friday, May 15th.  Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 9:04.   The Moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 5:27 tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow the Sun will rise at 6:13.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will participate in the Northwestern Michigan College Barbecue.  The society will be in front of and inside the Health and Science Building, viewing the Sun outside and inside with displays and a program about meteorites.  In the evening sky, Venus is getting to be an interesting sight in telescopes.  It is still way too bright, so the earlier it can be spotted the better.  Magnification helps with the brightness, but as Venus sinks in the sky its image will deteriorate, undulate with the upper air currents and develop color fringes due to the prismatic effects of the thick atmosphere down low.  Venus will continue to grow larger, and its phase gets thinner until it’s too close to the Sun to spot.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Observing the sun through GTAS members telescopes at the NMC Barbecue in 2012. Credit; Eileen Carlisle.

Astronomical photographs line the walls and tables of a classroom plus a series of astronomy videos are displayed at the NMC Barbecue. Credit: Eileen Carlisle.