Stars & Storms
It is no doubt that Silver Lake is most famous for its dunes, which provide the opportunity for many to take their ORVs for a spin. Right next to our spread of sand resides lake Michigan. This blue expanse is perfect for boating, swimming, and just relaxing on the beach. Silver Lake provides the perfect harmony between the water and the sand.
The water and the sand sit right in front of us here, but what if you take the moment to look at something farther away? If you wait until nightfall, you will get one of nature’s most beautiful shows. The stars begin to twinkle against the sky- sparkling like jewels.
While the stars by themselves are beautiful, the grand finale is catching a glimpse of the Milky Way. This masterpiece of the sky is something many talented photographers have caught sight of in Silver Lake. A long exposure camera is able to catch more stars and colors than the human eye can.
Where the constellations Scorpion and Sagittarius meet is the most stellar part of the Milky Way. The summer months of June through August are best for viewing this spectacle. The Milky Way will be up for the night, but as it gets closer to fall, the viewing times change. You would want to wait 2 hours after sunset or 2 hours before sunrise because of the lightening of the sky during these times.
Needless to say, Silver Lake is an excellent place to go stargazing.
Another masterpiece of the night is the Aurora Borealis, which also uses the Silver Lake sky as a canvas. For viewing this beauty, you need to find a place with low light pollution. Since Silver Lake is in a rural area and close to the shoreline, it provides an excellent front row seat to the northern lights.
While this area may not boast the latitude required to get the peak light show as the UP has, we do get lucky as several nature photographers have captured images of the Aurora Borealis on the dunes. The northern lights aren’t guaranteed to be seen each night, so you’ll want to double check your chances before you decide to stay up late.
Another favorite weather event of ours is seeing the storm clouds roll in. This summer, we have had some spectacular thunder and lightning shows. If you do enjoy watching the storms come in across the lake, we encourage you to be safe! Make sure you’re not exposed and you have somewhere safe to go. The clouds can roll in quickly, and you don’t want to be caught out in the rain and lightning because that can get dangerous. While the clouds are cool, be smart with where and how you’re watching.
Silver Lake is a naturally beautiful place- during the day and the night. Keep and eye on the sky while you’re here, and you won’t regret it.
Picture: @jeffdoesthings