An Aurora for the Ages

Aurora Borealis over Saginaw Bay by Tom Clark Photography

Last weekend saw a truly historic outburst of the aurora borealis, with the intensity scale reaching G5 three times, something that normally happens only 3 or 4 times every decade!! So many photographers featured in our Northern Lights category have great photos shared on their social media, but I wanted to get a pic from a place that’s normally left out of the cosmic fun!

Tom got this shot looking over Saginaw Bay on Friday night saying “I kid you not – these brilliant colors are in the Aurora as it first appeared. Minimal and normal editing of the raw files is all I did (except maybe the first image which i may have increased yellow and green saturation). As the night wore on the reds, pinks, disappeared and it was brilliant green.” See a bunch more on his Facebook!!

A Mouse’s View of the Aurora

Mouse’s View of the Aurora by Shelby Diamondstar Photography

I know I already posted today, but I just got an email alert from the NOAA NWS Space Weather Prediction Center (yes – that is a thing) that we have a kP of SEVEN right now so (theoretically) if that holds until dark, the entire state could see them!!

This is one of many photos in MaryBeth’s Labor Day Aurora Show gallery. She shares that this was in 2019 when G1 and G2 level geomagnetic storms triggered all kinds of activity. Due to weather, she started her chase in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (where she took this photo), but due to weather, she packed up and decided to head another 6 hours north to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Lots more at at Shelbydiamondstar Photography!

Get ready for the 2024 Lyrid Meteor Shower!

Lyrid Meteor … sprinkle by Ken Scott Photography

Longtime skywatchers know that April’s Lyrid meteor shower is the kickoff to meteor season. Earthsky shares the best time to see the Lyrids:

Late evening April 21 until dawn April 22 is the shower’s likely peak. The predicted** peak is 9:23 UTC on April 22. The peak of the Lyrids is narrow (no weeks-long stretches of meteor-watching, as with some showers). And, in 2024, the full moon will fall at 23:49 UTC on April 23. So your Lyrid meteor watching will be in moonlight this year. Tip: Go to a country location where the skies are as dark and clear as possible. Observe under a wide-open sky. But try to place yourself in a moon shadow. If you can block out the sight of the moon, yet still have some sky left for seeing meteors, you might see some of the brightest Lyrids blaze past in the bright moonlight. Remember, even one bright meteor can make your night!

I’ve shared this photo that Ken shot back in April of 2016 before, and I’ll probably share it again! He shared that he shot over a 3 hour period in hopes to catch the meteor ‘shower’ and only caught this one streaker. See more in his Skies Above album on Flickr and for sure visit Ken Scott Photography to view & purchase his work!

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon!

Comet P12 Pons-Brooks Visits Eagle Harbor!

Comet P12 Pons-Brooks Visits Eagle Harbor by Shelby Diamondstar Photography

Let’s head WAY north for another exciting celestial phenomenon, Comet P12 Pons-Brooks aka the Devil’s Comet. Space.com explains that the comet is named after French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons (1761-1831) who went on to become the greatest visual comet discoverer of all time:

In today’s world, comets are routinely found when they are far out in space, beyond the ability of being picked up by human eyes, but are caught using robotic cameras attached to large telescopes either here on Earth or from satellites out in space.

In contrast, Pons made most of his discoveries using telescopes and lenses of his own design; his “Grand Chercheur” (“Great Seeker”) was an instrument with a large aperture and short focal length, similar to telescopes that our modern-day amateurs would refer to as a “comet seeker.” Pons is noted today for visually discovering 37 comets (still a record) from 1801 to 1827.

…On Sept. 2, 1883, British-born American comet observer William R. Brooks (1844-1921) accidently found it. Like Pons, Brooks was a prolific discoverer of comets. In fact, his total of 27 visual discoveries is second only to Pons. Not until the first orbital calculations of Brooks’ discovery was made, was it realized that this comet and the comet found by Pons of 1812 were one of the same. So, this comet now bears the surnames of both observers.

With an orbital period of roughly 71 years, comet Pons-Brooks is considered to be a “Halley-type” comet, that is, a comet with an orbital period between 20 and 200 years, often appearing only once or twice within one’s lifetime. Other comets with a similar orbital period include 13P/Olbers, 23P/Brosen-Metcalf and the most famous of all, 1P/Halley. Because it was the twelfth comet to have a definitive orbital period calculated, it is cataloged today as 12P/Pons-Brooks.

You can look for the comet just after sunset, but you will probably need binoculars given the afterglow of the sunset.

MaryBeth took this way up on the Keweenaw Peninsula at Eagle Harbor Lighthouse. Click the photo above to share a comment with her on Facebook and for sure view & purchase her work at shelbydiamondstar.com!

PS: In my best Arnold voice, “I’ll be back” (because she has an amazeballs photo for us!)

All or nothing for the April 8th eclipse

Solar Eclipse, October 23, 2014 by David Marvin

So…. you will see the sky darken in most of Michigan BUT you won’t get the total eclipse:

“There is no such thing as a 99% total solar eclipse,” Dr. Rick Fienberg, Project Manager, AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force at the American Astronomical Society, said in a press briefing. “Just like there’s no such thing as being 99% pregnant — it’s all or nothing.”

More from Space.com & if you do want to see how much coverage you’ll get, check out this Freep article which lists Start time for partial eclipse in Detroit as 1:58pm, max coverage (99%) at 3:14pm, ending at 4:27pm.

David took this photo back in 2014. See his latest on Flickr!

May 15th Lunar Eclipse & what the heck is a Blood Moon anyway?

Super Moon Total Lunar Eclipse by Kenneth Raymond

On the night of Sunday, May 15th, a lunar eclipse will begin at 10:28 pm with total eclipse (when the moon turns red) occurring at 12:11 am. The red cast of the moon at total eclipse has inexplicably become popularized as a “blood moon” in recent years. NASA’s page on viewing the total lunar eclipse gives viewing information & explains why the moon turns red during a lunar eclipse:

The same phenomenon that makes our sky blue and our sunsets red causes the Moon to turn red during a lunar eclipse. It’s called Rayleigh scattering. Light travels in waves, and different colors of light have different physical properties. Blue light has a shorter wavelength and is scattered more easily by particles in Earth’s atmosphere than red light, which has a longer wavelength.

Red light, on the other hand, travels more directly through the atmosphere. When the Sun is overhead, we see blue light throughout the sky. But when the Sun is setting, sunlight must pass through more atmosphere and travel farther before reaching our eyes. The blue light from the Sun scatters away, and longer-wavelength red, orange, and yellow light pass through.

During a lunar eclipse, the Moon turns red because the only sunlight reaching the Moon passes through Earth’s atmosphere. The more dust or clouds in Earth’s atmosphere during the eclipse, the redder the Moon will appear. It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon.

Kenneth took this in Detroit back in September of 2015 during the super moon total eclipse. See more in his The Night Sky gallery on Flickr and view & purchase prints & other products on his website.

Embrace Michigan’s Dark Skies!

Dark Skies at Rockport Recreation Area by SG Captures

Michigan State Parks, Trails and Waterways shared this photo from the Rockport State Recreation Area, asking: What are you doing to do to celebrate #InternationalDarkSkyWeek?

Michigan is lucky to have designated areas that host spectacular nighttime viewing. Dark sky parks and preserves have a limited amount of artificial light, making it easier to stargaze in those locations. Dark sky preserves are designated by Michigan legislature and dark sky parks are designated by the International Dark Sky Association. The six state parks that have dark sky preserves are:

• ️Lake Hudson Recreation Area (Lenawee County)
• ️Negwegon State Park (Alcona County)
• ️Port Crescent State Park (Huron County)
• ️Rockport Recreation Area (Presque Isle County)
• ️Thompson’s Harbor State Park (Presque Isle County)
• ️Wilderness State Park (Emmet County)

In addition to these dark sky preserves, there are two dark sky parks in Michigan:

• ️Headlands Dark Sky Park (Emmet County park)
• ️Dr. T.K. Lawless Park (Cass County park)

And if that’s not enough, there is also plenty of excellent night-sky viewing opportunities across more than 15,000 square miles in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. For more details, visit Michigan.gov/DarkSky.

Sarah is a Michigan State Parks Photo Ambassador, and you should definitely check out her website where you can view & purchase her work as well as her Facebook & sg.captures on Instagram!

Another UP 200 in the books!

Off to the Races by Hannah Frames Moments

The annual UP 200, Midnight Run, and Jack Pine 30 Sled Dog races took place in Marquette & the surrounding area last weekend. They share that musher Ryan Anderson of Cushing, WI finished first in the 228-mile UP200 Dog Sled Race followed by Wade Marrs & Nick Vigilante. Michael Bestgen & Joanna Oberg had the top 2 finishes in the 82-mile Midnight Run, and Erin Schouweiler was the top finisher in the Jack Pine 30.

Get all the results at UP200.org.

The photo was taken by Hannah Wescott. You can see a bunch more on her Facebook page & for sure head over to her website to view & purchase her work!

Fly High, Olympians

U.F.O. by Kevin Ryan

The Winter Olympics open tonight, and I thought this stunning shot from the Grand Haven Ski Bowl that Kevin took back in 2010 is perfect for wishing all participants high flying & safe landing!

See more in Kevin’s Sports gallery on Flickr.

Before the Plows Come By

Before the Plows Come By by Ann Fisher

Ann captured a nice winter mood in this photo from a late December evening in Marquette. See more in her 2021 UP gallery on Flickr & thanks to all the hardworking plow drivers around the state!