Archive
09/22/2017 – Ephemeris – September star party at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore tomorrow night
Ephemeris for Friday, September 22nd. The Sun will rise at 7:29. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 9 minutes, setting at 7:39. The Moon, 2 days past new, will set at 9:14 this evening.
Autumn starts at 4:02 this afternoon.
The first star party of autumn will be held at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore tomorrow evening starting at 9 p.m. at the Dune Climb if it’s clear. It will be hosted by the Park Rangers and the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society. The society invites all to come, especially those with telescopes willing to share the wonders of the Milky Way, which will span the skies from horizon to horizon, and the planet Saturn. The park has one of the darkest skies in the Lower Peninsula, and the Milky Way is especially impressive in late summer and early autumn.
Please call 231-326-4700, ext. 5005 if in doubt about weather conditions. A decision will be made by 2 hours before the event.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
09/15/2017 – Ephemeris – Two local astronomy events tomorrow
Ephemeris for Friday, September 15th. The Sun will rise at 7:21. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 30 minutes, setting at 7:52. The Moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 3:10 tomorrow morning.
There are two local astronomical events tomorrow. Tomorrow the Leland Heritage Celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fish Town in Leland. The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be there to show the Sun through member’s telescopes and give out NASA items for the kids. We’ll exhibit pictures gained from last month’s total solar eclipse. Then starting at 9 p.m. the crew will be at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory for a star party, viewing Saturn and the wonders of the Milky Way including star clusters and nebulae of clouds of gas and dust that mark locations of either the birth or death of stars. Rain will affect the Leland event. The observatory is located on Birmley Road.
The times given 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.
07/21/2017 – Ephemeris – There’s an astronomy event tomorrow night
Ephemeris for Friday, July 21st. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 2 minutes, setting at 9:19, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:18. The Moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 5:28 tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow, Saturday, the 22nd, there, will be viewing of the summer starry skies at the Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory starting at 9 p.m. While starting before sunset, if it’s clear Jupiter should be spotted before 10 p.m. The planet Saturn and its rings will also be featured. By 10:30 the sky should be dark enough to spot some of the wonders among the stars, like star clusters, and nebulae that are the either the birth places of stars or the expelled remnants of dying stars. The Milky Way takes over the dark sky, it is its wonders that we see. The Observatory is located south of Traverse City on Birmley road. Take Garfield Road two traffic lights south of South Airport Road to turn right at Birmley Road.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
07/07/2017 – Ephemeris – Tonight’s topic: Dark Matter
Ephemeris for Friday, July 7th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 24 minutes, setting at 9:29, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:05. The Moon, 2 days before full, will set at 5:48 tomorrow morning.
This evening the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold its monthly meeting at the Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory at 8 p.m. with a program featuring Dr. David Penney and his talk Dark Matter: What Is It? What Does It Mean? Dark matter, whatever it is appears to be the stuff that holds the universe together. We can’t see it, but we can see its effects in the rotation of galaxies, the motions of galaxies in clusters and their distribution and how it distorts the images of galaxies beyond it. After the talk, at 9 p.m. there will be a star party to view the heavens including the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter. The observatory is located south of Traverse City, on Birmley Road between Garfield and Keystone roads.
The times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Dark Matter filament bridge between two galaxy clusters, discovered by Jörg Dietrich and his colleagues at the University of Michigan. The blue color is added to show the presence of dark matter. See the text below. Image from http://www.outerspacecentral.com/dark_matter_page.html.
Dark matter is detected by the distortions it creates in the distant galaxies behind it. These galaxies are not visible in the scale of the image shown. The gravitation of dark matter distorts spacetime as predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which distorts the shapes of the galaxies behind it.
10/21/2016 – Ephemeris – Last star party of the year at Sleeping Bear Dunes
Ephemeris for Friday, October 21st. The Sun will rise at 8:06. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 40 minutes, setting at 6:47. The Moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 11:54 this evening.
Tonight if it’s clear the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will join the rangers at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for their 46th anniversary celebration with a star party at Stop number 3, the Dunes Overlook on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, though park at Picnic Mountain, just before it. The event will run from 8 to 10 p.m. featuring the wonders still visible among the northern summer wonders along with those appearing in the autumn skies, such as the Great Andromeda Galaxy and the famous Double Cluster. To get a heads up on the status of the star party call 231-326-4700, extension. 5005, for a message after 4 p.m. if the weather looks doubtful. Despite being October we’ve had pretty good luck with getting clear skies for this event.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Star Party at the Dunes Overlook. Credit: Eileen Carlisle
07/08/2016 – Ephemeris – Star party tomorrow night
Ephemeris for Friday, July 8th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 9:29, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:06. The Moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 12:01 tomorrow morning.
Last Friday there was a wonderful star party at the Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory. Tomorrow night starting at 9 p.m. the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society and the NMC Astronomy Club will strive for a repeat, featuring Jupiter, Mars and Saturn however this time adding the fat crescent Moon. Toward the end of the evening as darkness finally falls the telescopes will also seek out the brighter deep sky wonders among the stars. The observatory is located south of Traverse City, on Birmley Road. To keep up with all the astronomical events hosted by the Grand Traverse group and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore check out gtastro.org on the Internet.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
07/01/2016 – Ephemeris – Local astronomy event tonight
Ephemeris for Friday, July 1st. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 30 minutes, setting at 9:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:01. The Moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 4:36 tomorrow morning.
This evening the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will host it’s monthly meeting at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory at 8 p.m. On tap will be yours truly with a program about the last 100 years of developments in astronomy. A most exciting century that I can only hope to touch the highlights. This happens to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. This is my out of town tryout before I give the same talk on the 23rd at the Visitors Center of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. At 9 p.m. there will be a star party at the observatory with the viewing of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn plus some of the brighter deep sky objects of summer after 10:30. The observatory is on Birmley road south of Traverse City.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
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.
06/17/2016 – Ephemeris – Sun & Star Party Saturday at the Sleeping Bear Dunes
Ephemeris for Friday, June 17th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 34 minutes, setting at 9:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 5:56. The Moon, 3 days before full, will set at 4:58 tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow afternoon and evening will be what we call a Sun & Star Party at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This event will be at the Dune Climb. From 4 to 6 p.m., the Sun will be featured using two types of telescopes, one showing the sun’s photosphere in what we call white light, and another showing the chromosphere above it in the light of hydrogen giving a completely different view. Starting at 9 p.m. will be a star party, actually really a planet party, viewing the planets Jupiter, Mars and Saturn, plus the nearly full Moon. A twilight talk will be given at 9 p.m. on how astronomy has been changed in the last 100 years by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, for the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Two of the telescopes that will be used at the Sleeping Bear Dunes star party Saturday night. Taken at the transit of Mercury by Emmett Holmes, whose telescope is in the foreground.
Kids viewing the transit through the society’s Lunt hydrogen alpha solar telescope.
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