​Barstronomy continued...Cold temps kept attendance down but did not discourage the dozen or so folks that got a glimpse of Saturn’s rings,  Jupiter’s moons,  Mars, Pleiades,  the seven sisters, globular clusters and more! 
Photographer Bryan Gulick said he enjoyed a several hour session of star-gazing and photography.(see photo at right) and wife Christine was also enthusiastic about the night skies and the event.  Christine,  like many others that cold, cold week stayed well-wrapped in a blanket while viewing brilliant stars,  and a few meteors.
I was thrilled to see the rings of Saturn!  The Seven Sisters was clarified and brilliant through Tony’s magnifying binoculars and the telescope.  Tony has been documented in the past,  in the Columbus Dispatch newspapers and other articles,  as a Barstronomer.
What that means is,  Tony is an astronomer that takes his telescopes to bars and teaches folks how to use them to see the stars.
“Bar bet, astronomy,”  Tony says.  “Name the four moons of Jupiter and I buy the drink.  If not,  you buy ME the drink.  That is a tough one,”  Tony says.   “The main goal is to get people interested in the night skies and to realize it is not that difficult to use a telescope or binoculars.”  Tony said he probably would have tried more “Barstronomy” at local bars if Covid had not interfered and that Beaver Island viewing was incredible.
Those who did some viewing also were treated to views and descriptions of the Andromeda galaxy,
 

​Islanders and visitors came out in force and entourage, as over 100 vehicles participated in a drive-through parade downtown St. James, Saturday July 4th.  Led by Charlevoix County Sheriff Joe Callien,  Dick McEvoy’s baby blue Cadillac convertible and followed by Joseph Moore, live-streaming on Beaver Island News on the Net, the next car held WVBI Radio Station hostesses,  PABI Director and DJ, Cynthia Jaye.  It was Marcy’s first Beaver Island parade and first live radio broadcast, a journey she said she enjoyed immensely.
“I am amazed at the turnout for this, Marcy said, accompanied by her children Aiden and Livvy.  The cars were lined up all the way back to Isle Haven even as we had finished our circuit, they just kept coming.”
The car parade began on Kings Highway at the Holy Cross Catholic Church, passed by the public beach, then wound down Main Street to the Lighthouse where the Chamber of Commerce director, Paul Cole handed out goody bags for adults and children.  “Props to Welke airport for the goody bags and the continuous airplane fly- bys across Paradise Bay.”  Marcy added.