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.

08/21/2015 – 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.