Club News
Seven Ponds Astronomy Club
Ford Club Astronomy Show & Swap Meet
Saturday, March 10, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The Ford Amateur Astronomy Club will be hosting their ninth annual Astronomy Show and Swap Meet. It is held at the Holy Cross Church gymnasium, 30650 Six Mile, Livonia. They always have very nice presentations and the swap meet is a good place to sell some of your astronomy equipment or buy some new/used equipment. They will have coffee and food. Admission is $5.00 at the door. See the astronomy club website for flyer information.
General Observing
Saturday, March 24, 7:00 p.m.
Tonight is a general observing night. There is a possibility for a speaker - TBD.
Sidewalk Astronomy
Saturday, March 31, 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Seven Ponds Astronomy Club will again be participating in an evening of astronomical activities at Lake St. Clair Metropark, on Lake St. Clair in Harrison Township. Our club has participated in this fine event since its inception in 2009. We are delighted that we will be participating again. This program is provided by the Lake St. Clair Metropark Nature Center, in conjunction with other local astronomy clubs, i.e. Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs, of which Seven Ponds Astronomy Club is a member. There will be presentations and demonstrations, hands-on activities, and numerous telescopes for public viewing.
National Astronomy Day at Seven Ponds
Saturday, April 28, 2:30 – 5:00 p.m. & 7:30 – 12:00 p.m.
Our activities will include an afternoon and an evening session. During the afternoon, we will be observing sunspots and flares/prominences on the Sun with telescopes fitted with special solar filters. These filters enable us to view the Sun safely. In addition, we will have indoor presentations, demonstrations, and displays. Then in the evening, starting around 7:30 p.m., the astronomy club will have several telescopes available for viewing the Moon, Saturn, Mars, Venus, double stars, nebula, star clusters, etc. This will be an excellent family affair, so bring your kids and whole family out to the nature center for a fun-filled afternoon/evening.
General Observing
Saturday, May 12, 7:00 p.m.
Tonight is a general observing night. There is a possibility for a speaker—to be determined.
For any revisions to the above schedule of events, be sure to visit the Seven Ponds Astronomy Club website at: http://bhmich.com/sevenpondsac. If you have any questions relating to astronomy, please contact me at 248-969-2790 or via e-mail at jelines@yahoo.com. John Lines
Seven Ponds Beekeepers Club
This club meets every fourth Tuesday of the month, unless otherwise noted, at 7:00 p.m.
SPNC Birding Club
The Seven Ponds Nature Center Birding Club provides a forum for people to learn about and enjoy birds and birdwatching. Meetings are held at the nature center on the third Tuesday of the month, at 7:00 p.m. There are no meetings in July, August, or December. For additional information about the club, or for a full 2012 schedule of events, please contact the nature center.
March 20 A Bird in the Hand There has been a bird banding station at Lake St. Clair Metropark for many years, providing valuable information about bird migration in our area. Allen Chartier currently oversees the banding station and at tonight’s meeting he will explain how the birds are banded, share some interesting stories, and tell us about some of the things which have been learned during the many years of research at this location. Can you identify a bird in the hand?
April 17 Ghost Bird Set in a murky swamp full of birders, scientists, and reporters, Ghost Bird explores the limits of certainty, the seductive power of hope, and how one phantom woodpecker changed a Southern town forever. Presumed extinct for over half a century, scientists announced that the ivory-billed woodpecker had been rediscovered in the bayous of eastern Arkansas in 2004. Despite years of subsequent searching however, the bird’s fate remains a mystery. This documentary helps bring the ivory-billed woodpecker’s blurry rediscovery into focus.
May 15 Evening Bird Walk and Owl Prowl Tonight we’ll plan on spending the entire meeting outdoors. There should be a nice mix of birds, including some which have recently returned from the south. Our walk will take us through a variety of habitats, ending in a section of the nature center where we will look for American woodcock and attempt to lure some owls in for viewing. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars and a flashlight.
SPNC Camera Club
From October through May meetings are held on the first and third Fridays of the month at 7:00 p.m. The first meeting of the month focuses on education: presentations that would be of interest to all the photographers of the club and an image show where members can present their pictures and ask for comments. The second meeting of the month focuses on feedback through competitive evaluation. Members are invited to submit digital images or prints that are reviewed at the meeting by experienced photographers acting as judges who provide suggestions on each submitted photo. This is done in a group setting so that all attending can benefit. Check out the club website at SPNC Photography Club.
Eastern Michigan Collectors (EMC)
This club meets on the last Friday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the nature center unless otherwise noted.
Friends of Herbs
All sessions start at 10:00 a.m. and meet the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, May through September, and the second Wednesday of the month, October through April, except for December when there is no meeting. The usual schedule is to work in the herb garden, eat lunch, and then enjoy a short program or prepare for herb sales. During months when there is no work to be done in the garden, the meetings typically consist of informational programs about a selected herb or other topic. For information about Friends of Herbs or attending the programs, contact Ruthanne Morningstar at 810-796-3895 or Jan Burns at 248-628-0601.