Addresses for 6th Street Harmons star party and sun party are corrected here. Please discard previous notice. SALT LAKE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY NEWS RELEASE June schedule for public star and sun parties, general meeting May 31, 2017 With the arrival of June, amateur astronomers enter one of their busiest times, with many breathtaking cosmic objects to observe. It’s a period when the Salt Lake Astronomical Society hosts a dozen public events. The most sophisticated publicly-accessible telescopes in Utah will be deployed at the group’s observatory complex, and many SLAS members will set up their own impressive 'scopes for visitors' enjoyment. Amateurs who know astronomy will be on hand to explain the views in the eyepieces. Families are encouraged to participate. All of the happenings are free, except that Bryce Canyon National Park charges its standard entrance fee for the events there. The topic of the general meeting on June 21 is the great total solar eclipse that will darken a path across the continental United States on August 21. Experts will discuss a total eclipse’s many unusual phenomena and display images of past eclipses. The meeting will be held in the Rampton Building, Salt Lake Community College Redwood-Taylorsville campus, near 4600 S. Redwood Road, northeast corner of the campus. The session is scheduled from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and the public is welcome. Free parking is available east of the building in the Q lot. This month, star parties are slated from dusk to 11 p.m., assuming the weather cooperates. Reasonable weather also is required if the sun party is to be held, 9 a.m. to noon, June 10, at Winchester Park. The full schedule of the month's public events is: ** Friday, June 2, star party at the Seventh Street Harmons store, 7550 South 700 East. ** Saturday, June 3, star party at the group’s Stansbury Park Observatory Complex (SPOC), Stansbury Park, Tooele County. SPOC is about 30 miles west of Salt Lake City. From Utah’s capital, take I-80 west, then turn off at Exit 99, the Tooele-Grantsville exit, heading south on Highway 36. Turn right at the third traffic signal onto Stansbury Parkway. Travel west on the Parkway until the sign in the center median labeled “Plaza.” Turn left at the plaza and park in a parking lot adjacent to the skateboard park. The observatory, with its white dome, is to the right. ** Saturday, June 10, sun party at Winchester Park, Jordan River Parkway, 6400 S. 1100 West. Club volunteers will provide telescopes with special filters that allow visitors to safely view the enormous raging hot sphere at the center of our solar system. As of May 31, three sunspot complexes were visible, so seeing spots is a distinct possibility. ** Friday, June 16: star party at Wheeler Farm, 6351 S. 900 East, Salt Lake County. ** Saturday, June 17, star party at SPOC. See directions for June 3 event. ** Wednesday, June 21, general meeting about solar eclipses, see above for details. Solar filter glasses will be available at $1 each. ** Each day from Wednesday, June 21 through Saturday, June 24, the Salt Lake Astronomical Society will help host Bryce Canyon National Park’s annual Astronomy Festival. The park’s Astronomy Rangers and astronomy clubs, including the Salt Lake Astronomy Society, will share knowledge and telescope time with hundreds of visitors (if the weather allows). ** Monday, June 26, star party at the Tooele Public Library, 128 W. Vine Street, Tooele. ** Friday, June 30, star party at the South Jordan Harmons store, 10507 South Redwood Road, South Jordan. -30- For further information, call Joe Bauman, SLAS vice president, 801-913-3588. Note to the media members: if this release reaches the wrong desk, could you please forward it to the right person or persons? Thanks, Joe