Welcome to the website of Sunset Bay Observatory (SBO), a private astronomical observatory specializing in astrophotography. The facility is operated by Julie M. Hermann and is open during the summer and occasionally in late spring and early fall. Construction of the observatory began in the summer of 2001. A site has been chosen for the observatory's permanent location where a mounting pier and surrounding building will be built. Updates on the progress of the construction can be found in the Construction Section. SBO Owner & Operator: Julie M. Hermann I've recently graduated from the University of Michigan with a major in Mechanical Engineering. I've been interested in astronomy all my life, but just began observing seriously the past few years. In the summer of 1998, I began trying my hand at astrophotography. The resulting photos still leave much room for improvement, but I expect that having my own observatory will help refine my technique. For questions or comments about my website or photographs, please email me at adastra@umich.edu. (FYI: The username "adastra" comes from the Latin phrase "ad astra per aspera," meaning "to the stars through adversity.") Where is the Observatory? Sunset Bay Observatory can be found at my family's home on Hamlin Lake, nine miles north of Ludington, Michigan. It is named for Sunset Bay, the part of Hamlin Lake that our property borders. The site benefits from the very dark skies of rural Michigan, where the Milky Way is clearly visible to the naked eye. There are, however, quite a few tall trees which I often have to work around.