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Ephemeris: 10/13/2023 – Tomorrow’s solar eclipse
This is Ephemeris for Friday, October 13th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 6 minutes, setting at 7:01, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:56. The Moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 7:45 tomorrow morning.
The safest way to view tomorrow’s solar eclipse is by projection, we call it pinhole projection, although the pinhole can be up to 1/4 inch in diameter and will cast a usable image of the Sun about 6 feet. My wife once used the mirror in her compact to reflect the Sun’s image onto the north side of a building across the street. It’s probably too late to buy them, but if you have any eclipse glasses leftover from the 2017 eclipse make sure they don’t have any pinholes in them. They can be used to view the eclipse. Make sure they are ISO approved. Still projection is your safest bet. For our area the eclipse will last from 11:42 am to 2:18 pm. I’ll be at the Betsie Valley District Library in Thompsonville for the eclipse. You’ll be in good shape for next April 8th total eclipse, whose path of totality will be much closer to us.
Jerry Dobek, Northwestern Michigan College instructor will be on campus with telescopes to view the eclipse on campus.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT –4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addenda
In case of clouds, I will still be at the Betsie Valley District Library with an alternate program of my experience with five previous total solar eclipses, and a look at some future eclipses. Being a NASA Solar System Ambassador, I’ll have some NASA stickers and other things to hand out to the kids, big or small.
The next solar eclipse
The next eclipse visible from our area will occur on April 8, 2024, six months from now. It will be a total solar eclipse whose path of totality is within a day trip from our area, if it’s clear in Indiana or Ohio. I’ll have a lot more information as we approach April. On the Internet search for american eclipse 2024, or words to that effect. It’s always best to plan early.
Ephemeris extra: 09/22/2023 5 pm – The talk and Star party tonight and tomorrow have been canceled.
The problem is a communication problem on my end. Sorry.
Ephemeris: 09/22/2023 – Star party tonight in Thompsonville
This is Ephemeris for Friday, September 22nd. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 10 minutes, setting at 7:40, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:30. The Moon, at first quarter today, will set at 11:45 this evening. | Tonight, if it’s clear, members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold a twilight talk and a star party at the Betsie Valley District Library in Thompsonville, MI. It starts at 7 p.m. with a talk about the upcoming solar eclipses by member Dan Dall’Olmo. There will be a minor partial solar eclipse next month on the 14th, and a much greater partial eclipse April 8th for our area. The total part of the April eclipse can be seen less than a day’s drive away in mid-Indiana and northern Ohio. If tonight is cloudy the star party will be postponed to tomorrow. Featured will be the Moon and some of the stars of the waning nights of summer. (It’s looking like Saturday night might be the better night, but we’ll see. A decision can be made as late as 5 pm the day of the event) The season of fall starts tomorrow at 2:50 am with the autumnal equinox.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT –4 hours). They may be different for your location. I’ll have more on the autumnal equinox and its effects on Monday.
Ephemeris: 09/21/2023 – Star party in Thompsonville, MI tomorrow or Saturday
Sorry for the delay, but we had a star party event as part of a Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan event last evening and I forgot this post. The radio program were broadcast at its scheduled times. Any late additions are in italics.
This is Ephemeris for Thursday, September 21st. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 13 minutes, setting at 7:42, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:29. The Moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 10:51 this evening.
Tomorrow night, if it’s clear, members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold a twilight talk and a star party at the Betsie Valley District Library in Thompsonville, Michigan. It starts at 7 p.m. with a talk about the upcoming solar eclipses by member Dan Dall’Olmo. There will be a minor partial solar eclipse next month on the 14th, and a much greater partial eclipse April 8th. The total part of the April eclipse can be seen less than a day’s drive away in Indiana and Ohio. Featured will be the first quarter Moon and some of the stars of the waning nights of summer. If Friday night is cloudy the event will be postponed until Saturday night. (It’s looking like Saturday night might be the better night, but a decision can be made as late as 5 pm the day of the event) The season of fall starts Saturday with the autumnal equinox.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT –4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
06/14/2019 – Ephemeris – I’m giving the talk Apollo and the Race to the Moon tonight at the Library in Thompsonville
Ephemeris for Flag Day, Friday, June 14th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 33 minutes, setting at 9:29, and it will rise tomorrow at 5:56. The Moon, 3 days before full, will set at 4:55 tomorrow morning.
Tonight the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will host a star party… well a Moon party at the Betsie Valley District Library in Thompsonville, MI. It starts at 8:30 p.m. With what I like to call a twilight talk by yours truly, the title of which is Apollo and the Race to the Moon. I’ll explore the Apollo 11 mission and the events leading up to it both in the United States and the USSR. The bright Moon tonight will uncover all the Apollo landing areas, even though there too small to be seen from the Earth, though they will be shown in the presentation. Twilight talks at the library also involves a slide or planetarium-like presentation, so if it’s cloudy we’ll also explore the starry nights of summer inside. So come out clear or cloudy.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Comparison between The United States Saturn V and the Soviet N-1. Click on the Image to enlarge. Credit Karl Tate, Space.com.
09/21/2018 – Ephemeris – Twilight talk and star, actually planet, party tonight in Thompsonville
Ephemeris for Friday, September 21st. The Sun will rise at 7:28. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 13 minutes, setting at 7:42. The Moon, 3 days before full, will set at 4:44 tomorrow morning.
Tonight members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold a twilight talk and a star party at the Betsie Valley District Library in Thompsonville. It starts at 7 p.m. with a talk about how the Moon came to be and the features that will be visible tonight by yours truly. Where did the Moon come from? That mystery has baffled astronomers for ages. The rocks the Apollo astronauts brought back from the Moon offer clues to a possible answer. After which the Moon, Mars and Saturn will be visible. If cloudy, the talk will go on as scheduled, though the observing part of the evening will be replaced with a look at the skies via computer projection and a preview of the autumn season in the skies.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
07/20/2018 – Ephemeris – Two astronomy events this weekend
Ephemeris for Friday, July 20th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 5 minutes, setting at 9:21, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:17. The Moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 1:57 tomorrow morning.
There are two astronomy events in the Grand Traverse region this weekend, starting tonight with a twilight talk and a star party at the Betsie Valley District Library in Thompsonville. It starts at 8:30 p.m. with a talk about Mars throughout history and how it has fascinated astronomers and the public alike through the ages. After which Jupiter and Saturn will be visible. If cloudy, the talk will go on as scheduled, though the observing part will be rescheduled to a later date. Tomorrow, Saturday there, will be viewing at the Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory starting at 9 p.m. Jupiter and Saturn will be featured there too. The Observatory is located south of Traverse City on Birmley road.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
A group of folks out to see the planets with the member’s and society’s telescopes. Credit staff of the Betsie Valley District Library.
Scooter girl checking out the view through the rear finder of the society’s 25″ “Dobinator”. Credit staff of the Betsie Valley District Library.
06/24/2016 – Ephemeris – View the planets tonight from Betsie Valley District Library, Thompsonville
Ephemeris for Friday, June 24th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 34 minutes, setting at 9:32, and it will rise tomorrow at 5:58. The Moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 12:18 tomorrow morning.
Tonight the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will host a star party… well a planet party at the Betsie Valley District Library in Thompsonville, MI. It starts at 9 p.m. With what I like to call a twilight talk by yours truly, the subject of which will be the planets, especially the ones that will be visible tonight. In June with twilight seeming to last forever, we are fortunate to have the bright planets Jupiter, Mars and Saturn well placed for viewing, so we don’t need to have very dark skies. The twilight talk part will go ahead even if it’s cloudy. However forecast is for clear skies. Twilight talks at the library also involves a slide or planetarium-like presentation, so if it’s cloudy we’ll also explore the starry nights of summer. So come out rain or shine.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Photos from prior events
Scooter girl checking out the view through the rear finder of the society’s 25″ “Dobinator”. Credit staff of the Betsie Valley District Library.
A group of folks out to see the planets with the member’s and society’s telescopes. Credit staff of the Betsie Valley District Library. Note: The blob isn’t the Moon or a UFO, but an out of focus bug caught in the flash.
Youngster looking at a planet through a member’s telescope. Credit staff of the Betsie Valley District Library.
07/24/2015 – Ephemeris – Astronomical viewing opportunities this weekend
Ephemeris for Monday, July 27th. The Sun rises at 6:23. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 51 minutes, setting at 9:14. The Moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 3:36 tomorrow morning.
This evening when it gets dark the bright star Deneb in Cygnus the swan will be high in the east northeast. Deneb is the dimmest star of the summer triangle. Of the other stars of the triangle, Vega is very high in the east, while Altair is lower in the southeast. While Deneb’s apparent magnitude, or brightness as seen from earth, makes it the dimmest of the three bright stars, Deneb’s vast distance of possibly 2,600 light years makes it over 100 times the distance of Vega. If brought as close as Vega, Deneb would be almost as bright as the full moon. It is as bright as two hundred thousand suns. It apparently has run out of hydrogen in its core. Once a blue super giant star, it’s currently evolving through the white giant stage.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Betsie Valley District Library star party 2014. A crowd gathers to view Saturn and Jupiter. (Jupiter will be too low this time.) Credit: Betsie Valley District Library staff.
The GTAS at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore’s Platte River Point, April, 2012. This time there will be leaves on the trees. Credit Eileen Carlisle.
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