What is a Dark Sky Park? Emmet County, Michigan There are 20 International Dark Sky Parks It is a park or other protected public Heading to the Headlands now in the world, and the Headlands was one land possessing exceptional starry of the first! skies and natural nocturnal habitat The Headlands is located 2 miles west of where light pollution is mitigated downtown Mackinaw City, Emmet County, in The Headlands and natural darkness is valuable as Northwest Lower Michigan. an important educational, cultural, INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY PARK scientific and natural resource. The designation is made by the Inter- national Dark-Sky Association in Tucson, Ariz. (www.darksky.org) How many such parks are there? The number is growing each year! The earliest parks designated include THE HEADLANDS, Emmet County, MI.; Programs at the Headlands are always free and take place Natural Bridges National Monument, UT; Cherry Springs rain, snow or shine! Please note that it’s typically at least State Park, PA.; Geauga Park District’s Observatory Park, To Petoskey 10 degrees cooler along the Lake Michigan shoreline than OH; Clayton Lake State Park and Chaco Culture National on U.S. 31 ↓ inland, so dress appropriately. Park, NM; Big Bend National Park, TX; Death Valley Na- tional Park, CA., and two in Hungary and one in Scotland. 15675 Headlands Road What will I find at the Headlands? Mackinaw City, MI 49701 About the Dark Sky Park • 600 acres of pristine, old-growth forest; • 4 1/2 miles of trails (year ‘round, non-motorized use); General, program info: (231) 348-1704 Program Director • A self-guided cell phone tour, including the Dark Sky Discovery Trail of planetary stations highlighting Guest House reservations: (231) 436-4051 ary Stewart Adams is a star lore historian, storyteller and Inside: 2015 Dark Sky astronomical and cultural discoveries throughout history; [email protected] Mauthor who has been immersed in the history of star • 2 1/2 miles of frontage on Lake Michigan, where an Park program schedule! knowledge for 30 years. estimated 80+ shipwrecks lie; For the past several years Mary served as the leader of the • One overnight residence for rent, accommodating 20+ on the cover initiative that achieved International Dark Sky Park designation for What can I see overhead at the park? the Headlands, and now serves as The Headlands is located north of the 45th parallel, which its Program Director. She writes and means it is closer to the North Pole than the equator, speaks extensively to local, national affording exceptional views of the five North ‘circumpolar’ and international audiences on our constellations (those which never set from the northern sky relationship to the night sky and its viewer’s latitude) including Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, cultural consequences. Cassiopeia and Cepheus. The Milky Way, major meteor showers, solar and lunar eclipses and comets are all visible Join Mary under the stars to from the Headlands. celebrate the fundamental human The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) are also visible in happiness that results from learning Northern Michigan, though difficult to predict.They seem to the history, the art, the science and be more prevalent at the times of Equinox (late March and the poetry of the stars. September). Scientists believe they are caused by electro- Mary makes her home with her four magnetic storms on the Sun. Go to www.spaceweather.com, children under the starry skies of Harbor Springs, Michigan. She NASA’s web site, for updates. can be reached at (231) 348-1713 or send her an email at Register for Emmet County's twice-monthly email blasts [email protected]. about what's happening in the night sky: Cover and above images by Adam Smith, taken during the 6th [email protected] emmetcounty.org/darkskypark/ Annual Headlands Challenge in 2014! 2015 Dark Sky Park events FRIDAY, MARCH 20 SATURDAY, JUNE 20 SUNDAY to MONDAY, SEPT. 27-28 Heads Up at headlands ASTRONOMY & THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS THE STORYTELLER’S GUIDE TO THE NIGHT SKY HARVEST MOON TOTAL ECLIPSE 7-9 p.m. Guest House 8:30-10:30 p.m. Headlands 10-11:30 p.m. program during eclipse totality; 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Pardon our stardust in 2015! Though not visible to us, a Total Solar Eclipse will occur this With Summer officially under way, there is no better time to informal viewing of partial, total and waning eclipse phases get out the picnic basket and head outside under a first day of Spring 2015. How do people around the world Guest House he Headlands is open 24 hours a day, every day, at celebrate celestial events, and what does it mean when glorious night sky. Join us for engaging and interactive tales This year’s Harvest Moon arrives under the spell of Earth’s Tno charge. Visitors are welcomed to stay out through eclipses occur? of the night, to sweetly set us into the season of summer’s the night for dark-sky viewing opportunities (camping units warmth under the starry skies. shadow and will appear totally eclipsed everywhere East of the Rocky Mountains, including here at Headlands. are not permitted). You may bring blankets, sleeping bags, SATURDAY and SUNDAY, APRIL 11-12 Guest speaker is author Paul Bogard, ‘End of Night’ chairs, food, beverages, etc. Plan accordingly and dress for OWL BANDING AND STARGAZING SATURDAY, JULY 18 A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC temperatures 10 degrees below what you expect. 8-10 p.m. Guest House SATURDAY, OCT. 24 8:30-10:30 p.m. Headlands Each year, Emmet County partners with the Straits Area 7th ANNUAL HEADLANDS CHALLENGE Of special note for 2015 ... Tonight we will climb the silver ladder of the Moon to the Audubon Society for an evening of learning about the rare 8-10 p.m. starting at the park entrance land of the singing sky with live music tuned to the stars. • Please be aware that major construction will be taking place and wonderful saw whet owl, an entirely nocturnal creature Bring camp chairs and picnic blankets and join us on the Each year in October we set our imaginations on fire with a at the Headlands in 2015 as we build our new program facility that migrates through our region along the edge of the stage of the Earth, where we will catch the beautiful dance one-mile candlelit walk through the dark woods and to the at the site of the former Beach House, near the designated Dark receding snow line. Due to the nature of habitat and of Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon against a romantic stars during our annual Headlands Challenge. Once you’ve Sky Viewing Area. As noted in the program descriptions, some weather, event is by reservation only, 231-348-1713. background of stars overhead. conquered the trail, Destiny is there to greet you with your events will take place at Heritage Village viewing area, which is fortune, while refreshments brew over the bonfire, and the directly across the street from Headlands entrance. TUESDAY, APRIL 21 WEDNESDAY, JULY 22 magic of story and mischievous games await. • Programs take place rain or shine and no reservations are OUTDOOR LIGHTING FORUM ANNUAL LUNCHEON THE ALLURE OF NIGHT-SKY PHOTOGRAPHY 12-1:30 p.m. City Park Grill, Petoskey fixed-price menu; public welcome SATURDAY, NOV. 17 required unless otherwise noted. 8-10:30 p.m. Guest House Mitigating light pollution is the work of many, and every THE ARTS INSPIRED BY THE COSMOS UNDER COVER Space is limited and tickets are required for tonight’s event • Register for email blasts about programs by contacting year during our entertaining awards luncheon we celebrate with one of the Upper Peninsula’s most extraordinarily of THE LEONID METEOR SHOWER [email protected] or (231) 348-1713. businesses, institutions, and individuals throughout North- talented photographers, Shawn Stockman-Malone of Lake 6-8 p.m. Guest House ern Michigan who practice conscientious outdoor lighting Superior Photo in Marquette. Information for reservations: choices. Guest speaker Jerry Dobek, NASA JPL Humanity’s striving to understand its place in the stars has 231-348-1713 led to the highest achievements in literature, architecture, science, and the arts. At Headlands we believe there is no SATURDAY, JAN. 24 SATURDAY, MAY 9 FRIDAY, JULY 31 better time to take a journey through the wonder and CAMPFIRE SNOWSHOE & NATIVE STORYTELLING GREAT LAKES, DARK SKIES BLUE MOON PICNIC inspiration of it all than during the peak of the Leonid 4:30-8:30 p.m. Guest House 7-9 p.m. Headlands 8:30-10:30 p.m. Heritage Village Meteor Shower. Come celebrate with us on the 4th anniversary of This afternoon and evening program is designed for the Just before the summer Sun sets low over the western Headlands International Dark Sky Park Designation - we outdoor adventurer who wants to take a snowshoe hike to edge of the world at 9:15 p.m., this month’s second Full SATURDAY to SUNDAY, DEC. 12-13 and have plenty to share regarding the developments ahead! the stars. A limited number of snowshoes will be provided, Moon will rise up in the East at 9:07 p.m., a “new school” SUNDAY to MONDAY, DEC. 13-14 Our program will include panel discussion by scientific, together with light refreshment, a crackling fire and stories Blue Moon that promises rare encounters. Telescopes CATCH A FALLING STAR with the GEMINIDS! industry, and humanities experts in honor of 2015: the provided. In conjunction with Heritage Festival at Heritage to warm you through the season. 9 p.m. Guest House International Year of Light and Lighting Science. Village. Join us at Headlands for one of the most prolific meteor SATURDAY, FEB. 21 SATURDAY to SUNDAY, MAY 23-24 TUESDAY to WEDNESDAY, AUG. 11-12 showers of the year, with a good amount of shooting star FINDING YOUR CELESTIAL SIGNATURE activity as early as 10 p.m., when the constellation of the 5:30-7:30 p.m. Guest House CAMELOPARDALIS & METEOR SHOWER MYSTERIES LIGHTS OUT AND THE PERSEIDS PICNIC! We will gather at midnight for the story and the science of mighty Gemini Twins arcs up over the eastern horizon. As the ancient lovers Mars and Venus are swept into the Lights Out Challenge 10:30-11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11 meteor showers, and take in the darkening sky between Since the Geminids peak throughout this time, and espe- arms of the crescent moon, we will consider how former Perseid Picnic & formal program 9-11 p.m. Aug. 11 moonset (at 1 a.m. Sunday) and sunrise (5:59 a.m. cially overnight Sunday to Monday, we have scheduled two cultures ‘read’ the stars, and the book of nature, to unfold Meteor shower viewing (informal) overnight Aug. 11-12 Sunday). AT HERITAGE VILLAGE programs that will include refreshments and bonfire, with life’s mysteries. Complete event details: www.emmetcounty.org both indoor and outdoor access.