Autumnal Equinox stargazing and storytelling at Watkins Lake

On Friday, September 21st, celebrate the Autumnal Equinox with an evening of stargazing and storytelling at beautiful Watkins Lake State Park. Washtenaw County’s Sarah Felder is excited to host an exploration of our local skyscape with stories from Ojibwe, Greek, Roman and Arabic traditions. As this is a nighttime event, please wear warm clothing and bring a flashlight. This event is for everyone! Note: While there is no fee to participate, a Recreation Passport is required for use of the parking lot.

The autumn equinox is the moment when the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward. At the equinox, at the equator, the Sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west. Before the equinox, the Sun rises and sets more to the north, and afterwards, it rises and sets more to the south. The equinox traditionally marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Due to differences between the calendar year and the tropical year, the September equinox can occur at any time from the 21st to the 24th day of September. This year, the actual equinox will occur on Saturday, September 22 at 9:54 pm (Eastern Time).

To get to Watkins Lake, turn left at the Sharon Hollow Road and Austin Road intersection west of Manchester, take Sharon Hollow south to Herman Road, then Herman west to Horning Road. Take a right on to Horning, and in .2 miles, turn right onto Arnold Road. The parking lot will be on your right, past the lake.

Illumination of Earth by Sun on the day of an equinox.

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.