Archive
09/28/2018 – Ephemeris – The GTAS will be at the Acme Fall Festival tomorrow
Ephemeris for Friday, September 28th. The Sun will rise at 7:37. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 51 minutes, setting at 7:28. The Moon, half way from full to last quarter, will rise at 9:44 this evening.
The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be at the Acme Fall Festival tomorrow, that’s Saturday September 29th from 10 to 4 p.m. It will be held at Flintfields Horse Park on Bates Road, north of M72. The society members will bring their telescopes which will be used to view the Sun, and Venus if it’s clear. There will also be exhibits of astronomical photos from NASA, professional and our own amateur astronomers. As the festival and star party year winds down and the school year begins members of the society can bring astronomy and space to the classroom. Plus the society is beginning to plan for next year. Contact the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society via email at info@gtastro.org.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Acme Fall Festival 2017 View 1. Credit Bob Moler 
Acme Fall Festival 2017 View 2. Credit Bob Moler
09/29/2017 – Ephemeris – Last festival of the year for the GTAS – Acme Fall Fest tomorrow
Ephemeris for Friday, September 29th. The Sun will rise at 7:38. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 47 minutes, setting at 7:26. The Moon, 2 days past first quarter, will set at 1:59 tomorrow morning.
The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be at the Acme Fall Festival tomorrow, that’s Saturday September 30th from 10 to 4 p.m. It will be held at Flintfields Horse Park on Bates Road, north of M 72. The society members will bring their telescopes which will be used to view the sun if it’s clear. There will also be exhibits of astronomical photos from NASA, professional and our own amateur astronomers. As the festival and star party year winds down and the school year begins members of the society can bring astronomy and space to the classroom. Plus the society is beginning to plan for next year. Contact the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society via email at info@gtastro.org for information or to set up a date and topic.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
09/23/2016 – Ephemeris – Solar observing available at the Acme Fall Festival tomorrow
Ephemeris for Friday, September 23rd. The Sun will rise at 7:31. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 5 minutes, setting at 7:37. The Moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 1:02 tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be at the Acme Fall Festival at the Flintfields Horse Park, 6535 Bates Rd., just north of M72 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Members will be viewing the Sun with telescopes equipped with solar filters and a special solar telescope which can view the Sun in the light of just the element hydrogen to see solar structures just above the bright ball of the Sun we usually see. This requires clear skies. The fat waning crescent moon should also be visible in the morning. Besides viewing the society will have displays showing the wonders of the heavens. Members will be there to answer your questions about astronomy and telescopes.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
09/26/2014 – Ephemeris – Mars meets its rival
Ephemeris for Friday, September 26th. The sun will rise at 7:34. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 58 minutes, setting at 7:32. The moon, 2 days past new, will set at 8:45 this evening.
The planet Mars and the bright star Antares will appear at their closest tomorrow night. The name of the star Antares means “Rival of Mars”. “Ant” meaning anti, “Ares”, the Greek equivalent to the Roman god Mars. This is about a 26 month recurrence, give or take. Usually Mars is way brighter than Antares, or way dimmer. This time Mars and Antares are the same brightness. Both planet and star have the same color, kind of a faded orange color, made redder by being low in our sky which drains even more of the blue out. The reason Mars is red is that its surface is rusty. Antares is another matter. It is a cool red giant star. Well, cool on the outside by hotter than the sun’s interior on the inside where it’s changing helium into carbon and oxygen for power. Hint: Mars is always on top. Also tomorrow night the crescent Moon will be just to the right of Saturn.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addenda
Mars appears its closest to Antares. Here seen low in the southwest at 8:30 p.m. on September 27, 2014. The Moon, near Saturn is too small to show a phase. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn with the crescent moon. Earthshine may still be visible on the three day old Moon’s night side. Created using Stellarium.
Acme Fall Festival
The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be at the Acme Fall Festival at Flintfields Horse Park on Bates Rd, North of M72, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday the 27th. The society will bring telescopes, including the 25 inch Dobsonian telescope and the Solar Telescope to view the Sun in white light and the light of the element hydrogen. There will also be exhibits and free stuff from NASA for the kids.
09/27/2013 – Ephemeris – The GTAS will be at the Acme Fall Festival tomorrow
Ephemeris for Friday, September 27th. The sun will rise at 7:35. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 54 minutes, setting at 7:30. The moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 1:11 tomorrow morning. | The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be at the Acme Fall Festival tomorrow, that’s Saturday September 28th from 10 to 5 p.m. It will be held at Flintfields on Bates Road, north of M72. The society members will bring their telescopes which will be used to view the sun if it’s clear. There will also be exhibits of astronomical photos from NASA, professional and our own amateur astronomers. As the festival year winds down and the school year begins members of the society can bring astronomy and space to the classroom. Plus the society is beginning to plan for next year. Contact the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society via email at info@gtastro.org for information or to set up a date and topic.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 