By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Ortonville —Seek out constellations, watch a shooting star and boldly go where no man has gone before.
While star travel may be a few years away, area residents can at least take a peek at distant worlds.
From 10-10:45 a.m or 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Sept. 14, the Brandon Township Public Library, 304 South St., will host “Look to the Stars.”
The StarLab, a portable, inflatable planetarium that brings the wonders of the night sky indoors, will be open. Attendees will receive a naturalist-guided tour of the current night sky, which is projected on the inside of the StarLab dome. Some show highlights include learning the circumpolar constellations, finding constellations through a technique called star hopping, and learning some fun facts about the solar system and galaxy.
“Usually, participants enjoy seeing our Greek cylinder, which shows illustrations of the constellations in their locations in the sky,” said Mary Blumka, recreation program supervisor for the Oakland County Parks Nature Education program. “It usually elicits ‘oos and awes’ from our participants.”
“We’re so fortunate in Northern Oakland County to have a dark sky for stargazing,” she said. “Participants can take what they learn in the StarLab dome and translate that to the next clear night outside. The constellations will be the same, just much larger in the actual sky. Folks can also take advantage of an upcoming full moon to view the moon with binoculars. You can see a ton more detail with your household pair than with just your eye.”
For additional information and to register, visit Brandon Township Public Library’s
website at https://www.brandonlibrary.org or call us at 248-627-1460