Star parties at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBDNL) have quickly become a Leelanau family tradition of admiring the night sky in northern Michigan. SBDNL hosted a star party earlier this month. Although the party wasn’t canceled, it was overshadowed by cloudy weather.
“A lot of people showed up (100-150), which is pretty good considering the weather. People stuck around to see if there’d be a break in the clouds, but it never came,” said Dave Fenlon, education outreach specialist at SBDNL. “The Grand Traverse astronomers were out there, we were out there. That’s just how it goes sometimes. This is northern Michigan weather. Even if the forecast looks good, that can all change.”
Fenlon says star parties have grown, and SBDNL has developed a following of night sky enthusiasts from all around the Midwest.
“They drive up that day from Chicago or the Detroit area just to come to the star party. That happened at the last one; there was a family that came from Chicago. They were a little bummed, but they were just happy to be there too,” he said.
SBDNL has been hosting star parties for nearly a decade, and Fenlon has been heading the education operation since 2020. SBDNL initially hosted star parties at Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, but they became so popular that the park had to move them slightly north to the Dune Climb. The parties are mostly held at the Dune Climb now, except in early August when SBDNL and Port Oneida Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear host a star party at Thoreson Farm, one of the darkest spots in SBDNL. The star party will go from 8 to 10 p.m. on the second day of the Port Oneida Fair.
This is the first time there will be a star party at Thoreson Farm since 2019.
“They did a star party at Thoreson Farm, which was a huge hit. (Thoreson Farm) is one of the darkest places in the park. Certainly on the mainland,” Fenlon said.
He attributes the darkness to minimal light pollution and hilly terrain that block light from Traverse City and highlight the darkness of Lake Michigan.
“What we call light pollution is outside lights on at night that get up into the sky if they aren’t properly shielded and facing down. Some of that light gets up into the sky, and it blocks out some of the fainter stars,” Fenlon said. “Anywhere in the park has some of the best dark sky viewing in northern Michigan. There are certain areas that are a little bit better, and Port Oneida is one of them.”
SBDNL has partnered with the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society ever since inception.
“They are very generous with their time and their knowledge. They bring out telescopes, usually half a dozen or more, including some big ones. They have one that’s so big that you need to get up on a ladder to look through the eyepiece of it,” Fenlon said. “(SBDNL) can’t thank them enough for coming out every time.”
SBDNL is pursuing a Dark Sky Certified Park title through the International Dark Sky Association. They are in phase two of three of the certification process. SBDNL has inventoried all outdoor lighting through a spreadsheet and photos, as well as labeling types of bulb shielders and motion sensors, to qualify for the Dark Sky honor.
“We have to show that we are working toward our goal and leading by example by reducing our light pollution and increasing our outreach, which includes events just like those star parties and other educational programming with schools. That’s all part of that certification process,” Fenlon said.
SBDNL will be hosting star parties on Aug. 10, 31, and Sept. 14.
