08/08/2019 – Ephemeris – Astronomy at the next three Friday Night Lives

Ephemeris for Thursday, August 8th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 22 minutes, setting at 8:59, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:37. The Moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 1:33 tomorrow morning.

Starting tomorrow evening and the next two Fridays members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will bring their telescopes to Friday Night Live on Front Street in Traverse City. From 5:30 to 9 p.m. the members will be in the streets with their telescopes showing the Sun and other objects of interest. The newest society telescope is a new solar telescope that shows the Sun in the light of the element hydrogen revealing a thin region of the Sun above the bright ball we see, and clouds of hydrogen above this layer. After 9 p.m., if it’s clear, the telescopes will be pulled back to the sidewalk to view and show the Moon this Friday, and Jupiter and Saturn all of the Fridays.

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

Addendum

Viewing the Sun with a while light filter at Friday Night Live using Ron Uthe’s telescope at Friday Night Live. Credit Bob Moler.

After Friday Night Live is over we pull the telescopes back to the sidewalk to view the Moon and planets. Credit: Bob Moler.

08/24/2018 – Ephemeris – The last Friday Night Live of the year is tonight

Ephemeris for Friday, August 24th. The Sun rises at 6:55. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 37 minutes, setting at 8:33. The Moon, 2 days before full, will set at 5:54 tomorrow morning.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be at the last Friday Night Live of the year tonight on Front Street in Traverse City. We have a lot of fun at these events, looking at the Sun and possibly Venus from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., talking astronomy and what’s up in the sky, and NASA’s missions to the planets and now the Sun. After 9 p.m. if it’s clear we pull our telescopes off the street and onto the sidewalk to view the planets Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Last week we had the Moon, but it’s no longer in the southern sky in the evening. Last week we didn’t pack our telescopes up until after 11 p.m. But it all depends on the clouds. Our next sidewalk event will be October 20th, International Observe the Moon Night.

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

Addendum

A girl looking through a telescope at the nearly first quarter Moon at Friday Night Live, August 17, 2018.

Looking down Front Street in Traverse City at the Friday Night Live August 17, 2018.

08/17/2018 – Ephemeris – Another busy weekend for the GTAS

Ephemeris for Friday, August 17th. The Sun rises at 6:47. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 57 minutes, setting at 8:45. The Moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 12:29 tomorrow morning.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society (GTAS) has another busy weekend. Tonight the society members will bring their telescopes to downtown Traverse City and Friday Night Live. During the event we’ll be looking at the Sun and the planet Venus and staying after to view Saturn and the Moon if it’s clear. Saturn’s rings are, of course, spectacular. Tomorrow night society members will be at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory beginning at 9 p.m. for a star party viewing Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Later as it gets really dark, some of the brighter stellar wonders will come into view if it’s clear. There’s stars in groups called clusters great and small, and stars that orbit each other and can have different colors.

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

Addendum

Ron Uthe (with the beard) explains that his telescope is pointed to Saturn after the 2013 Friday Night Live. Credit mine.

Telescopes set up by members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at the back of Northwestern Michigan College’s Joseph H. Rogers Observatory on August 3, 2018. Credit mine.

08/10/2018 – Ephemeris – A busy weekend here and in the skies

Ephemeris for Friday, August 10th. The Sun rises at 6:39. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 16 minutes, setting at 8:56. The Moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 6:45 tomorrow morning.

It’s a busy weekend for the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society. Members will be on Front Street in Traverse City tonight for Friday Night Live with views of the Sun and later a look at the planet Saturn and its rings, weather permitting. On Saturday, again weather permitting members will be part of Sleeping Bear Dunes Port Oneida Fair with a Sun ‘n Star Party from 4 to 6 p.m. and from 9 to 11 p.m., though members will still be there in between. The location for that event is the Thoreson Farm on South Thoreson Road off M22, near Port Oneida Road. On tap will be Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and some of the Perseid meteors on the night before its peak night, plus some of the deep sky wonders of the summer Milky Way.

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

Addendum

Viewing the Sun with a while light filter at Friday Night Live using Ron Uthe’s telescope at Friday Night Live. Credit Bob Moler

After Friday Night Live was over Saturn was visible until about 11 p.m. Credit: Bob Moler.

Star Party at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Thoreson Farm August 2013. Credit Eileen Carlisle.

08/25/2017 – Ephemeris – Last Friday Night Live of the year

Ephemeris for Friday, August 25th. The Sun rises at 6:57. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 33 minutes, setting at 8:30. The Moon, half way from new to first quarter, will set at 10:46 this evening.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be at Friday Night Live on Front Street this evening after 5:30 p.m. Members will be showing the Sun if it’s clear, and early, maybe a peek at the Moon in the day time sky. Also if it’s clear after Friday Night Live is over the telescopes will be pulled back on the sidewalk to view Saturn and its fabulous rings. Tonight’s Friday night Live appearance by the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be the 32nd event hosted or attended this year. Everyone is welcome free of charge to the society’s meetings at Northwestern Michigan College’s Joseph H. Rogers Observatory on the first Friday of the month at 8 p.m., before one of the monthly star parties.

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

Addendum

Viewing the Sun with a while light filter at Friday Night Live using Ron Uthe’s telescope at Friday Night Live. Credit Bob Moler.

Passers by look at the Moon through Gary Carlisle’s telescope at a 2013 Friday Night Live. Credit mine.

08/26/2016 – Ephemeris – Friday Night Live tonight, Star Party tomorrow

Ephemeris for Friday, August 26th.  The Sun rises at 6:58.  It’ll be up for 13 hours and 30 minutes, setting at 8:29.  The Moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 2:10 tomorrow morning.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society finishes off August with another busy weekend.  Tonight the society members will bring their telescopes to downtown Traverse City and Friday Night Live, staying after to view the planets Saturn and Mars if it’s clear.  Saturn’s rings are, of course, spectacular.  Tomorrow night society members will be at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory beginning at 9 p.m. for a star party viewing of the planets, especially Saturn.  That later as it gets really dark, the summer Milky Way will appear with its great telescopic treasures.  Tomorrow, right after sunset the planets Venus and Jupiter will appear very close together.  Observers far south of us will have a better shot at it than we do.

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

Addendum

Venus near Jupiter at 9 p.m., or a half hour after sunset, August 27, 2016. I doubt if you could see the Jovian satellites against the bright twilight. It all but requires a big lake or ocean horizon, or a location far south of northern Michigan to raise these planets higher in the sky. Created using Stellarium.

08/19/2016 – Ephemeris – Two astronomy outreach events tonight and tomorrrow

Friday, August 19th.  The Sun rises at 6:50.  It’ll be up for 13 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 8:41.  The Moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 9:29 this evening.

August is a busy month for the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society with events every weekend.  Tonight the society members will bring their telescopes to downtown Traverse City and Friday Night Live, staying after to view the planets Saturn and Mars if it’s clear.  Saturn’s rings are, of course , spectacular.  Tomorrow night society members will be at the Kingsley Library for a twilight talk beginning at 8 p.m. followed by a star party in their parking lot.  The twilight talk will introduce the telescope that’s being donated to the library by the society.  The telescope is a small, simple to use table top model with a four and a half-inch aperture, great for viewing the Moon, bright planets and the wonders of the deep sky.

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

Addendum

Viewing the Sun with a while light filter at Friday Night Live using Ron Uthe’s telescope at Friday Night Live. Credit Bob Moler

Ron Uthe (with the beard) explains that his telescope is pointed to Saturn in the 2013 Friday Night Live. Credit mine.

08/12/2016 – Ephemeris – Two events this weekend

Ephemeris for Friday, August 12th.  The Sun rises at 6:42.  It’ll be up for 14 hours and 10 minutes, setting at 8:52.  The Moon, 2 days past first quarter, will set at 2:12 tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will close out the Port Oneida Fair which is held by and at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.  It will be held at the Thoreson Farm on South Thoreson Road off M22, just west of Port Oneida road.  From 4 to 6 p.m. there will be observation of the Sun through white-light filtered telescopes and a hydrogen-alpha filtered solar telescope.  Then from 9 to 11 p.m. there will be viewing of the Moon and the bright planets including Mars and Saturn, and depending on sky condition, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury.  There may be a few bright stragglers of the Perseid Meteor Shower to be seen.  All this requires clear skies, so if in doubt check with the park at 231-326-4700, ext. 5005 for a voicemail message.

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

Addendum

Also tonight if weather permits the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will participate in Friday Night Live on Front Street in downtown Traverse City.  The society will be in its usual spot, in front of Orvis Streamside, a few stores west of the State Theater.  The event will be from 5:30 to 9 p.m. where we will have exhibits and solar viewing if it’s clear.  Telescopes will be available for viewing the Moon and Saturn after 9 p.m. if skies permit.

Star Party at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Thoreson Farm August 2013. Credit Eileen Carlisle.

Looking at the Moon. Friday Night Live after hours.

08/28/2015 – Ephemeris – The last Friday Night Live of the summer

Ephemeris for Friday, August 28th.  The Sun will rise at 7:00.  It’ll be up for 13 hours and 26 minutes, setting at 8:27.   The Moon, 1 day before full, will set at 6:47 tomorrow morning.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be at the last Friday Night Live of the year this evening to view the Sun and will stay after if its clear to view the Moon and Saturn in the telescopes.  For the Sun members have equipped their telescopes with solar filters to greatly diminish the sun’s light to make it safe to view the bright photosphere of the Sun with it’s sunspots.  The society itself has a solar telescope, that not only filters the Sun’s light, but filters the light to isolate the red light of the element hydrogen.  The special filter, called an etalon has to be tuned to the exact frequency or wavelength of the hydrogen atoms on the sun which will reveal the layer of gas above the photosphere and the clouds of hydrogen above.

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

Addendum

Viewing the Sun with a while light filter at Friday Night Live using Ron Uthe’s telescope at Friday Night Live. Credit Bob Moler.

The Lunt solar telescope at another event. Credit Bob Moler.

08/21/2015 – Ephemeris – Local Grand Traverse astronomy events this weekend

Ephemeris for Friday, August 21st.  The Sun rises at 6:51.  It’ll be up for 13 hours and 47 minutes, setting at 8:39.   The Moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 12:03 tomorrow morning.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be at Friday Night Live again this evening and will stay after if its clear to view the Moon and Saturn in the telescopes.  Tomorrow night is another new venue for the society.  Members of the society will be at the Kingsley, MI Public Library for a program and viewing of the Moon, Saturn and other objects in the skies.  The evening starts at 8 p.m., with a program by yours truly Exploring the Summer and Autumn Skies.  This program is an interactive sky program and not a PowerPoint program.  There will be displays and free NASA items for the kids.  If it’s cloudy I also have a program on the images and information learned so far from New Horizon’s encounter with America’s favorite planet: Pluto.

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

Addendum

After Friday Night Live was over last Friday Saturn was visible until about 11 p.m. Credit: Bob Moler.