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09/06/2013 – Ephemeris – Local astronomical opportunities this weekend
Ephemeris for Friday, September 6th. The sun will rise at 7:11. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 58 minutes, setting at 8:09. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 8:27 this evening.
This evening at the regular monthly meeting of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society Dr. David Penney will give a talk about our stellar neighborhood, the most populous stars in which are red dwarf stars. No red dwarf star has died of old age since the big bang. Their life span is calculated to be in trillions of years. The meeting is at 8 p.m. at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory. Starting at 9 p.m. there will be a star party at the observatory. Tomorrow night society will host a star party at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore if its clear. Viewing starts at 9 p.m. at the parking lot of the Dunes Climb. This will be a good time to discover the star clusters and nebulae of the summer Milky Way.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The GTAS at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore’s Platte River Point, April, 2012. Credit Eileen Carlisle.
08/09/2013 – Ephemeris – A weekend full of local astronomical events
Ephemeris for Friday, August 9th. The sun rises at 6:38. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 18 minutes, setting at 8:56. The moon, 3 days past new, will set at 9:55 this evening.
This weekend is packed with events by the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society starting tonight with Friday Night Live on Front Street in Traverse City. We’ll start by looking at the sun if it’s clear, and at Saturn as night falls. Tomorrow night its a Star Party and meteor watch at Thoreson Farm at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore see the map at http://www.gtastro.org for location. Sunday night it’s Meteors and S’mores at Leelanau State Park. The Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak between 2 and 4 Monday afternoon, but we’re already seeing its meteors, which seem to come from the northeastern sky. The moon really won’t interfere until Monday night before midnight, so this is an excellent year for the Perseid meteor shower.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Friday Nite Live
Map to Thoreson Farm, northeast of Glen Arbor.
07/12/2013 – Ephemeris – Star party at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore tomorrow night
Ephemeris for Friday, July 12th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 17 minutes, setting at 9:26. The moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 11:22 this evening. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:09.
Tomorrow night there will be a star party at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore starting at 9 p.m. It will be hosted by the park rangers and the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society. The location this time will be at Platte River Point at the end of Lake Michigan Road off M22, at the end of the road where the Platte River Camp Ground is.. The celestial objects featured will be Venus, Saturn and the crescent moon. Also some of the brighter deep sky wonders will be visible later in the evening. This will be the first use of the society’s new CCD camera to display celestial wonders to those who can’t view due to handicap. We still have some bugs to work out. The star party will be canceled if cloudy. Call 326-5135 extension 331 for the status.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
06/07/2013 – Ephemeris – Learn about telescopes and observe the heavens this weekend.
Ephemeris for Friday, June 7th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 27 minutes, setting at 9:25. The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 6:06 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 5:57.
This will be a busy weekend for anyone wanting to view the heavens. First the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold its monthly meeting at 8 p.m. tonight at the Rogers Observatory. It will be a program about how to use telescopes. The session will be conducted by Rod Cortright of the Northern Michigan Astronomy Club. This will be followed by a star party at 9 p.m. where the featured attractions will be the planets Mercury, Venus and Saturn if its clear. Tomorrow night, that’s Saturday night there will be a star party at Sleeping Bear Dunes Pierce Stocking Drive, Stop number 3 starting at 9 p.m. Please park at Picnic Mountain, just before stop 3. The Dunes star party will take place if it’s clear or partly cloudy.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
05/10/2013 – Ephemeris – Star party featuring the sun tomorrow
Ephemeris for Tuesday, April 23rd. The sun rises at 6:44. It’ll be up for 13 hours May 10. The sun rises at 6:20. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 38 minutes, setting at 8:58. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 9:48 this evening.
This month The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society trying a new type of star party at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This will be tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m. if it’s clear. That is the star of our star party will be the sun. We’ve done these at other venues and festivals, but this is the first time we’re doing it at the park. Telescopes will be set up at the park headquarters in Empire. In addition to white light filtered telescopes, the society will also have a spacial solar telescopes to view the sun’s atmosphere and any prominences visible. Prominences are large red clouds of hydrogen that can hang over the sun in loops are flung away by solar flares. The white light telescopes will show any sunspots that are on the sun’s face.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
04/26/2013 – Ephemeris – First star party of the year at Sleeping Bear Dunes tomorrow night.
Ephemeris for Arbor Day, Friday, April 26th. The sun rises at 6:39. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 1 minute, setting at 8:41. The moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 10:06 this evening.
Tomorrow the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold a star party at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It will be held at Platte River Point, west of Honor starting at about 8:30 p.m. The point is located at the end of Lake Michigan Road, off M22, less than a mile south of where Deadstream road meets M22. This is a very dark location and we have a little time near 11 p.m. When it will be quite dark before moonrise. The sequester has affected the park, but hasn’t so far affected our schedule. We have monthly star parties from now until October at various locations in the park. Next month the star we’ll be observing will be the sun, which we’ll do from the grounds of park headquarters in Empire. So come on out.
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.
07/20/2012 – Ephemeris – Astronomical events this weekend in the Grand Traverse Region
Ephemeris for Friday, July 20th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 3 minutes, setting at 9:20. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 9:52 this evening. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:17.
This is another big weekend for the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society. During the day tomorrow, Saturday the 21st members of the society will be in Kingsley for Kingsley Heritage Days to show the sun, if it’s clear, and have other hands on activities. Saturday night the members will set up telescopes at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for a star party. That will start at 9 p.m. at Platte River Point at the end of Lake Michigan Road off M22 between Frankfort and Empire. That event is weather dependent. If that’s too far to go the Northwestern Michigan College Astronomy Club will be hosting a star party at the Rogers Observatory south of Traverse City on Birmley Road. They will have interesting activities for the kids.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
One thing I omitted: We’ll be at Friday Night Live tonight on the 200 block of Front Street in Traverse City. Friday Night Live runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. We’ll be there later if its clear. Also Kingsley Heritage Days will also be on Sunday the 22nd.
06/01/2012 – Ephemeris – Great local astronomical events this weekend
Ephemeris for Friday, June 1st. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 9:20. The moon, 3 days before full, will set at 4:20 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 5:59.
There’s a chock full weekend of astronomical events this weekend. First, this evening the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold its monthly meeting at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory. We’ll preview the Transit of Venus and will be viewing the sun with the society’s new solar telescope if it’s clear. Following at 9 p.m. is the observatory’s star party. Tomorrow evening starting at 9 will be a star party at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore at stop 3, the Dunes Overlook, on Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Both these star parties will feature the nearly full moon and the planets Mars and Saturn. Who knows, we might even spot Venus in twilight. No promises though.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
05/18/2012 – Ephemeris – Eclipse viewing from the Sleeping Bear Dunes this Sunday
Ephemeris for Friday, May 18th. Today the sun will be up for 14 hours and 56 minutes, setting at 9:07. The moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 5:14 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:09.
For Sunday’s solar eclipse the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will team up with the National Park Service for eclipse viewing at sunset on Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. We’ll be stationed at either stop 3, the Dunes overlook, or stop 9 the Lake Michigan Overlook. There we will have telescopes for safe viewing of the eclipse, and the park service will have a number of eclipse viewer glasses that are safe to use. Our telescopes have special solar filters that fit in front of the telescope, and another special solar telescope to see the gasses above the bright ball of the sun. The eclipse will start at 8:19 p.m. And last until sunset at 9:10 p.m. If it’s overcast, the viewing will be canceled.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Views from the observation points. I took these shots May 12th.
View from the Lake Michigan Overlook. The trees won’t interfere.
Sunset from the dune Overlook. The dunes and scrub will cause the sunset at that point up to 5 minutes before the Lake Michigan Overlook.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 