06/06/2014 – Ephemeris – Astronomy activities this weekend in the Grand Traverse Region

Ephemeris for Friday, June 6th.  Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 26 minutes, setting at 9:24.   The moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 2:33 tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow the sun will rise at 5:57.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society, or GTAS, has a busy weekend.  At 8 p.m. the regular meeting at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory features Dr. David Penney with his presentation of “The Rare Earth”.  At 9 p.m. at the observatory will be a star party until 11 p.m.  On Saturday the GTAS will have their telescopes at The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Philip A. Hart Visitors Center in Empire for viewing the sun from 4 to 6 p.m.  Then at 9 the GTAS will deploy their telescopes at the Dune Climb for an evening with the planets.  The Dunes events will be contingent on the weather.  Due to the lateness of the sunset it will be about 10 p.m. before any planets are spotted.

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

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.

04/25/2014 – Ephemeris – Star parties this weekend in the Grand Traverse area

Ephemeris for Arbor Day, Friday, April 25th.  The sun rises at 6:41.  It’ll be up for 13 hours and 57 minutes, setting at 8:39.   The moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 5:11 tomorrow morning.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be holding two events this weekend, starting tonight.  Tonight’s Star Party will be held at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore’s Dune Climb parking lot.  The event runs from 9 to 11 p.m.  The event will be cancelled due to clouds.  Check by calling the park if in doubt this afternoon.  The second event will be a star party at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers observatory tomorrow night.  That one runs also from 9 to 11 p.m.  For that one rain or shine we will have scheduled a presentation on famous women astronomers presented by Becky Shaw.  The observatory is located south of Traverse City, on Birmley road about a mile south of Hammond Road.

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

04/03/2014 – Ephemeris – Astronomy events in the Grand Traverse Region

Ephemeris for Thursday, April 3rd.  The sun will rise at 7:19.  It’ll be up for 12 hours and 52 minutes, setting at 8:12.   The Moon, half way from new to first quarter, will set at 12:39 tomorrow morning.

This evening the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society or GTAS will be at the Boardman River Nature Center for “A Night at the Nature Center”.  This is a closed event sponsored by the Grand Traverse Conservation District, but it reminds me that the society hosts these types of events for schools, scouts and other youth groups along with other non-profit organizations.  We’re now lining up some summer reading clubs at at least two area libraries.  In the daytime we have that one great star the sun.  At night we have the rest of them including the Moon and planets.  If its cloudy we have hands on activities.  Contact the society at info@gtastro.org for more information.  The GTAS may also pop up at a summer festival near you.

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

Addendum

A partial solar eclipse projected for all to see. Credit: Eileen Carlisle

The start of a Star Party at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Credit: Eileen Carlisle

Looking at the Transit of Venus through a solar telescope. Credit: Eileen Carlisle.

 

10/04/2013 – Ephemeris – Grand Traverse Astronomical Society events this weekend

Ephemeris for Friday, October 4th.  The sun will rise at 7:44.  It’ll be up for 11 hours and 32 minutes, setting at 7:17.  The moon is new today, and won’t be visible.

The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be running some counter programming to the Midwest Space Fest going on in downtown Traverse City tonight.  It wasn’t intentional, but tonight’s out normal meeting night and star party at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory.  The program for the society starts at 8 p.m. with a talk by member Daron Smith.  His topic will be element formation starting from the time of the Big Bang.  Every element in our body except hydrogen was cooked up in stars.  At 9 p.m. there will be a star party till about 11 p.m.  If cloudy, there will be an alternate program.  Tomorrow the society with other astronomy clubs will have their telescopes at the Open Space in Traverse City to view the sun during the day and the rest of the universe at night.  Rain will cancel that event.  Clouds will cancel the night portion only.  There will be other fun and educational things to do during the day.

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

Addendum

Day time viewing at the Open Space. Transit of Venus, June 5, 2012.

06/01/2012 – Ephemeris – Great local astronomical events this weekend

Ephemeris for Friday, June 1st.  Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 9:20.   The moon, 3 days before full, will set at 4:20 tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow the sun will rise at 5:59.

There’s a chock full weekend of astronomical events this weekend.  First, this evening the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will hold its monthly meeting at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory.  We’ll preview the Transit of Venus and will be viewing the sun with the society’s new solar telescope if it’s clear.  Following at 9 p.m. is the observatory’s star party.  Tomorrow evening starting at 9 will be a star party at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore at stop 3, the Dunes Overlook, on Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.  Both these star parties will feature the nearly full moon and the planets Mars and Saturn.  Who knows, we might even spot Venus in twilight.  No promises though.

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