Archive
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.
04/05/2013 – Ephemeris – Astronomy meeting and a star party tonight.
Ephemeris for Friday, April 5th. The sun will rise at 7:15. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 59 minutes, setting at 8:15. The moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 5:06 tomorrow morning.
Trixie and Kevin Pickard will preset a program this evening entitled Heavenly Signs at this evening’s meeting of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory starting at 8 p.m. Trixie has been one of our members since she was in high school. Her main interest has been the manned space program. But I am assured that this topic is not about that. Starting at 9 p.m. Is our March 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. Towards the end of the evening Saturn will rise. It will be rather low in the sky and fuzzy. But it is Saturn after all. All are welcome.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
03/15/2013 – Ephemeris – The latest on Comet PanSTARRS and possible viewing Saturday
Ephemeris for Friday, March 15th. The sun will rise at 7:54. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 54 minutes, setting at 7:48. The moon, half way from new to first quarter, will set at 12:14 tomorrow morning.
This past Wednesday evening it was clear around here and Comet PanSTARRS was visible very low on the western horizon. Estimates say the comet is now brighter than predicted. There’s wonderful images on http://spaceweather.com, and https://bobmoler.wordpress.com, the one on my blog was taken by Scott Anttila from Royal Oak last night. It should bode well for great viewing for the next week or so. The comet will set at 9:24 p.m. tonight. Saturday there will be a Star Party at the NMC Observatory starting at 9 p.m. Come a bit early and trudge through the snow a bit to see the comet. It isn’t visible from the building. Bring your binoculars, it’s the best way to see it, and hope for clear skies.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Comet PanSTARRS over Royal Oak, MI March 14, 2013. Photo taken by Scott Anttila. Click to enlarge.
Comet PanSTARRS from March 14, 2013 through the 17th. Created using Stellarium and Cartes du Ciel.
03/01/2013 – Ephemeris – Astronomical events in Traverse City tonight
Ephemeris for Friday, March 1st. The sun will rise at 7:19. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 6:30. The moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 11:16 this evening.
Yours truly will present a talk, about the prospects for viewing Comet PanSTARRS at this evening’s meeting of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory starting at 8 p.m. Comet PanSTARRS will appear low in the western sky starting about March 11th. It is turning out at this point in time to be somewhat dimmer than expected. But one thing about comets is that the do the unexpected. I’ll also look at the asteroid close approach and the destructive Russian meteor. Starting at 9 p.m. Is our February 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.
02/01/2013 – Ephemeris – Local astronomical events tonight
Ephemeris for Friday, February 1st. The sun will rise at 8:00. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 5:51. The moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 12:15 tomorrow morning.
A Star Bowl quiz will be held this evening between the NMC Astronomy Club and the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at this evening’s meeting of the society at 8 p.m. at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory. The society will accept anyone to help us. These NMC students are smart. After the Star Bowl there will be a viewing night starting at 9 p.m. On tap if its clear will be the planet Jupiter. Orion and its great nebula, a star nursery only 1400 light years away will be a wonderful sight with its clouds and wisps of gas and dust illuminated by a clutch of hot baby stars. 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.
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.
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.
07/06/2012 – Ephemeris – Sun and planet viewing tonight
Ephemeris for Friday, July 6th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 25 minutes, setting at 9:29. The moon, 3 days past full, will rise at 11:06 this evening. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:05.
This evening the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold its monthly meeting at the Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory at 8 p.m. This meeting will be devoted to viewing the sun through the society’s new solar telescope. After that starting at 9 p.m. Will be a star party. For both events, the public is welcome. The tiny planet Mars and the ringed planet Saturn will be visible as will a number of binary stars and brighter wonders of the heavens as the skies darken. Mercury is now receded toward the sun so is not visible. For the rest of the abbreviated planet report this week: A note for early risers that Jupiter and Venus make a fine sight low in the east northeast in the morning after 5 a.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
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