Archive
01/04/2013 – Ephemeris – Astronomical fun tonight
Ephemeris for Friday, January 4th. The sun will rise at 8:19. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 56 minutes, setting at 5:16. The moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 1:15 tomorrow morning.
Susan Kuschell, wife of the GTAS president will be present a talk at this evening’s meeting of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory starting at 8 p.m. Susan hasn’t revealed the topic of her talk. Could it be the travails of an astronomy widow? Actually Susan has been an active organizer in the community and is head of the children’s garden located behind the TC district Library, and has given invaluable assistance to the society in out funding and outreach efforts. Starting at 9 p.m. is our January star party at the observatory. Highlights, if its clear will be the planet Jupiter and the wonders of the winter sky including the Great Orion Nebula. All are welcome.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
12/07/2012 – Ephemeris – Search for the Star of Bethlehem tonight!
Ephemeris for Friday, December 7th. The sun will rise at 8:06. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 56 minutes, setting at 5:02. The moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 2:19 tomorrow morning.
The Search for the Star of Bethlehem, will be presented at this evening’s meeting of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory starting at 8 p.m. This is my biennial presentation. We’ll check out the Biblical passages that mention the star, Johannes Kepler’s discovery that started the search some 1600 years later, ancient Chinese records, ancient writers all contribute to the quest. Thanks to Kepler, Newton, Einstein and others plus the power of computers we can go back and see the skies, and computer generated recreations of planet positions to see what the star might have been. Starting at 9 p.m. Is our December star party at the observatory. All are welcome.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Title slide for the program.
11/02/2012 – Ephemeris – Astronomy tonight!
Ephemeris for Friday, November 2nd. The sun will rise at 8:22. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 7 minutes, setting at 6:29. The moon, half way from full to last quarter, will rise at 9:10 this evening.
Previewing the comets of 2013 will be the topic at the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society’s monthly meeting at 8 p.m. at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory. The program will be given by yours truly. Next year we may be treated by the possibility of two bright comets: PanSTARRS and ISON The questions isn’t will they arrive, they will; but how bright will they be. ISON in particular, could be spectacular. Starting at 9 p.m. will be the monthly viewing night at the observatory. On tap if its clear will be the galaxies of fall along with Jupiter and the moon rising. The Observatory is located south of Traverse City on Birmley Road off either Garfield or Keystone roads.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
10/19/2012 – Ephemeris – Sky gazing opportunities in the Grand Traverse region.
Ephemeris for Friday, October 19th. The sun will rise at 8:03. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 46 minutes, setting at 6:50. The moon, 2 days before first quarter, will set at 10:20 this evening.
There are two chances for the public to observe the heavens this weekend. First is a Star Party at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory tomorrow night Saturday the 20th from 9 to 11 p.m.. The observatory is open rain or shine with a presentation, if its cloudy. Sunday the 21st the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold its last Star Party of the year at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore celebrating their 42nd anniversary. This event will run from 8 to 10 p.m. At the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at Stop 3, the Dunes Lookout. Parking for this event should be at Picnic Mountain just before stop 3. For both events we’ll have the first quarter moon, and wonders of the autumn and even summer skies.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
10/05/2012 – Ephemeris – Tonight’s astronomical events in Traverse City
Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 3rd. The sun will rise at 7:43. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 35 minutes, setting at 7:18. The moon, 4 days past full, will rise at 8:59 this evening.
Let’s see how many bright planets we can find this week. Mars and Saturn now set too close to the sun to be easily seen in the evening sky. Both are in the west southwestern sky and very low in twilight. Saturn sets at 8:10 p.m., while Mars sets at 9:08. The planetary action moves to later in the evening and the morning. Jupiter, will rise at 10:09 p.m. in the east northeast. It is located in the constellation of Taurus. The last bright planet of the night is the morning star Venus which will rise at 4:13 a.m. also in the east northeast. Venus is now in Leo outshining the star Regulus next to it. The planets Venus and Jupiter and the winter constellations are a great sight for early risers. You can enjoy them without danger of frost bite.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter and the waning gibbous moon at 11 p.m. October 5, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter with its moons at 11 p.m. October 5, 2012. Created using Stellarium. Stellarium shows the moons much brighter than they actually appear. compared to Jupiter.
09/21/2012 – Ephemeris – International Observe the Moon Night
Ephemeris for Friday, September 21st. The sun will rise at 7:28. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 7:40. The moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 11:26 this evening.
Tomorrow evening the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will host a star party at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory starting at 9 p.m. It is also the International Observe the Moon Night. A first quarter moon is what I consider the best of all moons to observe. But that’s just my opinion. It shows a great number of craters near the terminator, the sunrise line that cuts the moon in two at first quarter. Also the moon won’t be too bright to mask some of the wonders of the summer Milky way. The observatory is located south of Traverse City on Birmley Road, between Garfield and Keystone roads. Speaking of summer, It will end at 10:49 a.m. When autumn will begin as the sun passes the celestial equator heading south.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
update
Members of the GTAS will also be stationed in downtown Traverse City on Front St. near the State Theater. Thats only if its clear.
09/14/2012 – Ephemeris – The Leland Heritage Celebration at Fish Town
Ephemeris for Friday, September 14th. The sun will rise at 7:20. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 33 minutes, setting at 7:54. The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 6:53 tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow the 15th the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will participate in the Leland Heritage Celebration to safely view the sun, which is now very active. The event will take place in and around historic Fish Town at the harbor. If its clear we will have out Lunt solar telescope to view the sun’s chromosphere, the layer of hydrogen above the bright ball of the sun we see with normal solar filters. In the chromosphere are seen solar flares when they occur, huge jets of hydrogen gas called prominences when seen sticking out the side of the sun and filaments when seen against the sun. Society members will be on hand to answer questions about the heavens and telescopes. Times for this event are 10 a.m to 3 p.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
GTAS telescopes at Leland Heritage Celebration in 2011.
That was before the GTAS acquired the Lunt Hydrogen α (alpha ) Solar Telescope.
09/07/2012 – Ephemeris – Star Parties in the Grand Traverse Region this weekend
Ephemeris for Friday, September 7th. The sun will rise at 7:12. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 54 minutes, setting at 8:07. The moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 11:44 this evening.
This evening the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold its monthly meeting at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory at 8 p.m.. On tap will be viewing the amazing videos of the sun by the Solar Dynamics Observatory and other satellites. A star party will begin at 9 p.m. at the observatory, running til 11 p.m. There will be an alternate program if it’s cloudy. Saturday night the will be a star party at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. That will star around 8 p.m. and last til 10 p.m. It will take place at the Dune Climb parking lot off highway M109 south of Glen Haven. Both if these star parties will feature the wonders of the summer Milky Way.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
08/24/2012 – Ephemeris – A star party tomorrow night
Ephemeris for Friday, August 24th. The sun rises at 6:56. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 36 minutes, setting at 8:32. The moon, at first quarter today, will set at 12:32 tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow evening there will be a star party at Northwestern Michigan College’s Joseph H. Rogers Observatory. On tap if it’s clear will be Saturn and the moon plus the brighter deep sky objects, that is telescopic objects that are beyond the solar system. Saturn is the planet to see in a telescope with it’s fantastic rings. We will soon lose it into the setting sun. The moon will reveal its wonders including its great craters and lava seas. Members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society and the NMC Astronomy Club team up for these star parties. The observatory is located south of Traverse City on Birmley Road between Garfield and Keystone roads.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
08/10/2012 – Ephemeris – Weekend Meteor Watches
Ephemeris for Friday, August 10th. The sun rises at 6:39. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 15 minutes, setting at 8:54. The moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 1:04 tomorrow morning.
There are two events this weekend to view the heavens and the Perseid meteor showers. First, part of the Port Oneida Fair the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will work with the rangers of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to hold a star party and meteor watch at Thoreson Farm on South Thoreson Road of M22, a couple miles north of Glen Arbor. That will start at 9 p.m. It will be about 10:30 when it’ll be dark enough spot the meteors. Sunday evening there’s a Meteors and S’mores event at the Leelanau State Park, at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. That event starts at 10:30 p.m. The society will participate there also. The moon won’t interfere with the meteor shower It’s been banished into the morning sky.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 