05/16/2014 – Ephemeris – A busy weekend for astronomy in the Grand Traverse Region

Ephemeris for Friday, May 16th.  Today the sun will be up for 14 hours and 51 minutes, setting at 9:04.   The moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 11:10 this evening.  Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:12.

This will be a busy weekend for the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society.   Tonight the society will host a star party to celebrate the grand opening of the new Betsie Valley District Library in Thompsonville.  It starts at 8:30 p.m.  There will be a program inside by yours truly if it’s cloudy.  Saturday night we’ll be observing the heavens with the students of the Interlochen Arts Academy.  And on Sunday the society will have members with their telescopes showing the Sun if clear and have two rooms of exhibits in the Health and Science building for the Northwestern Michigan College’s annual Barbecue on the main campus.  One of the society telescopes is a special solar telescope to view solar prominences.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Observing the sun through GTAS members telescopes at the NMC Barbecue in 2012. Credit: Eileen Carlisle.

Joe Brooks, the GTAS “Meteorite Man” talks meteorites with Barbecue patrons. He has a video and meteorite samples. Photo credit: Eileen Carlisle.

Astronomical photographs line the walls and tables of a classroom plus a series of astronomy videos are displayed at the NMC Barbecue. Credit: Eileen Carlisle.