SALT LAKEASTRONOMICAL 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 theirbusiest times, with many breathtaking cosmic objects to observe. It’s a periodwhen the Salt Lake Astronomical Society hosts a dozen public events. The most sophisticated publicly-accessible telescopes in Utah willbe deployed at the group’s observatory complex, and many SLAS members will setup their own impressive 'scopes for visitors' enjoyment. Amateurs who knowastronomy will be on hand to explain the views in the eyepieces. Families areencouraged to participate. All of the happenings are free, except that BryceCanyon National Park charges its standard entrance fee for the events there. The topic of the general meeting on June 21 is the great totalsolar eclipse that will darken a path across the continental United States onAugust 21. Experts will discuss a total eclipse’s many unusual phenomena anddisplay images of past eclipses. The meeting will be held in the RamptonBuilding, Salt Lake Community College Redwood-Taylorsville campus, near 4600 S.Redwood Road, northeast corner of the campus. The session is scheduled from7:30 to 9 p.m. and the public is welcome. Free parking is available east of thebuilding in the Q lot. This month, star parties are slated from dusk to 11 p.m., assumingthe weather cooperates. Reasonable weather also is required if the sun party isto 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,755 S. Seventh East. ** Saturday, June 3, star party at the group’s Stansbury ParkObservatory Complex (SPOC), Stansbury Park, Tooele County. SPOC is about 30 miles west of Salt Lake City. From Utah’scapital, 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 ontoStansbury Parkway. Travel west on the Parkway until the sign in the centermedian labeled “Plaza.” Turn left at the plaza and park in a parking lotadjacent to the skateboard park. The observatory, with its white dome, is tothe right. ** Saturday, June 10, sun party at Winchester Park, Jordan RiverParkway, 64 S. 1100 West. Club volunteers will provide telescopes with specialfilters that allow visitors to safely view the enormous raging hot sphere atthe center of our solar system. As of May 31, three sunspot complexes werevisible, 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 June3 event. ** Wednesday, June 21, general meeting about solar eclipses, seeabove for details. Solar filter glasses will be available at $1 each. ** Each day from Wednesday, June 21 through Saturday, June 24, theSalt Lake Astronomical Society will help host Bryce Canyon National Park’sannual Astronomy Festival. The park’s Astronomy Rangers and astronomy clubs,including the Salt Lake Astronomy Society, will share knowledge and telescopetime with hundreds of visitors (if the weather allows). ** Monday, June 26, star party at the Tooele Public Library, 128W. 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 wrongdesk, could you please forward it to the right person or persons? Thanks, Joe