February 2002 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

RE: [Utah-astronomy] What was I seeing?
by David Dunn 06 Feb '02

06 Feb '02

There was an Aurora Alert for Iowa. Maybe it came here instead. Message: 1 Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 23:30:12 -0600 From: "Tom Wagner" <sciteach1950(a)home.com> Subject: Fw: Iowa Aurora Alert *WATCH* This an aurora alert that I just got from a friend here in Iowa. Those of you at a latitude of +/- 40 degrees or more from the equator might like to know what it says. Iowa Tom USA ----- Original Message ----- From: Iowa Aurora Alert Network To: Iowa Aurora Alert Network Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 8:34 PM Subject: Iowa Aurora Alert *WATCH* posted 2002/02/05 8:30pm CST >From the STD today: /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY WATCH ISSUED: 23:30 UTC, 05 FEBRUARY 2001 /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ VALID BEGINNING AT: EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY VALID UNTIL: 19:00 UTC (2 pm EDT) ON 07 FEBRUARY HIGH RISK PERIOD: 06 FEBRUARY (UTC DAYS) MODERATE RISK PERIOD: 06 - 07 FEBRUARY POTENTIAL MAGNITUDE OF MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY: MODERATE POTENTIAL DURATION OF THIS ACTIVITY: MAIN BELT = 18 TO 36 HOURS MINOR BELT = 36 TO 60 HOURS ESTIMATED OPTIMUM OBSERVING CONDITIONS: NEAR LOCAL MIDNIGHT EXPECTED LUNAR INTERFERENCE: LOW TO MODERATE OVERALL OPPORTUNITY FOR OBSERVATIONS FROM MIDDLE LATITUDES: FAIR TO POOR AURORAL ACTIVITY *MAY* BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM... NORTHERN WASHINGTON STATE TO MONTANA TO NORTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA TO CENTRAL MINNESOTA TO CENTRAL WISCONSIN TO MICHIGAN TO DARK SKY SITES OF NEW YORK STATE, VERMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOUTHERN MAINE. ACTIVITY *MAY* ALSO BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM... NORTHERN UNITED KINGDOM TO EXTREME NORTHERN NETHERLANDS TO EXTREME NORTHERN GERMANY TO EXTREME NORTHERN POLAND TO NORTHERN LITHUANIA TO LATVIA TO NORTHERN RUSSIA. SOUTHERN REGIONS OF NEW ZEALAND MAY ALSO SPOT PERIODS OF ACTIVITY. SYNOPSIS... Effects of a well placed coronal hole are beginning to produce periods of intensified auroral activity. The potential for more widespread auroral substorming has increased over the last few hours and may help produce periods of visible auroral activity over more widespread middle latitude regions. For this reason, a watch has been issued for the next 24 to 48 hours. The most volatile period is likely to be observed within the next 24 hours. No significant auroral storming is expected, although high latitudes may witness some impressive activity. This watch will remain in effect until 19:00 UTC (2 pm EST) on 07 February. It will then be updated or allowed to expire. For updated information, visit: http://www.spacew.com/aurora/forum.html PLEASE REPORT OBSERVATIONS OF AURORAL ACTIVITY TO: http://solar.spacew.com/www/auroras.html *End of Alert* Chances here in Iowa are not particularly good for aurora but if you live in the northern part of the state and have clear skies you might want to take a look to the north around midnite, you may possibly catch some minor activity. Please be sure to be in dark skies away from city/town lights with a clear view of the northern horizon. Please allow 15 minutes for you eyes to become dark-adapted. Good Luck! Stan Richard Iowa Aurora Alert Network Urbandale, IA snkrichard(a)msn.com -----Original Message----- From: Larry Frisk [mailto:lkfrisk@earthlink.net] Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2002 2:55 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: [Utah-astronomy] What was I seeing? At about 2:45 AM this morning I observed a bright pink sky glow in the west/southwest. I first noticed it at 2:15 AM and it lasted until about 2:35 and then slowly faded out. It was quite bright and fairly constant in color. I went outside in my sweats and nearly froze before I had the good sense to go back inside and view from the window. :-( Can anyone tell me what I was seeing? _\\|//_ (-O-O-) -----o00--(_)--00o----- Larry & Kaye Frisk lkfrisk(a)earthlink.net <mailto:lkfrisk@earthlink.net>

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OT Olympic Torch route for John and Sheri
by David Dunn 04 Feb '02

04 Feb '02

For those of you that live North or know John, several of us are going to meet and cheer John on as he carries the Torch. You are welcome to join us. I will send another email when we decide where we are going to meet, but I wanted to give anyone that might be interested time to get this in their schedules. Dave -----Original Message----- From: John SOHL [mailto:JSOHL@weber.edu] Sent: Friday, February 01, 2002 11:29 AM To: david.dunn(a)albertsons.com Subject: Olympic Torch route for John and Sheri Yes I do: John: February 6th at 9:36 pm from the Key Bank on Harrison south bound to the intersection of 37th and Harrison. Sheri: February 7th at 7:28 am from the first bus stop south of the intersection of 40th and Washington running south bound to the .2 mile stake (I assume they're going to be marking out the route beforehand.) The Olympic flame will be spending the night in Ogden on the 6th. There will be a large public party downtown at the Union Station that night. If you are at all interested, you can learn more about the torch at: http://www.saltlake2002.com/news/SLOCOTR_Front.asp <http://www.saltlake2002.com/news/SLOCOTR_Front.asp> We are both excited and looking forward to it, thank you for your support! John >>> David Dunn <david.dunn(a)albertsons.com> 02/01/02 08:13AM >>> Do you have a location for where you and Sherri are going to be carrying the torch? Thanks. David Dunn 801-961-3253

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Fwd: chem teacher needed at SLCC
by Richard Tenney 01 Feb '02

01 Feb '02

Note: forwarded message attached. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! http://auctions.yahoo.com

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] LPR Filters
by David Dunn 01 Feb '02

01 Feb '02

I have the Orion UltraBlock and SkyGlow. I also have a Lumicon OIII. I use the OIII for both planetaries and emission nebulas. It makes the nebulas real bright. The UltraBlock is also good on the nebulas. I haven't figured out which nebulas look better in the OIII or the Ultrablock. I use the SkyGlow to just darken the sky when I need to in the backyard. Dave -----Original Message----- From: Brent Watson [mailto:brentjwatson@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2002 4:38 PM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] LPR Filters Chuck, I have three that I use. The best overall is one I bought from Dell Woods many years ago. It is a decent filter more towards the narrow band, but I don't think as narrow as today's narrow band filters. This shows great detail and vastly increases contrast even in dark skies on the 22" I also have an OIII and an LPR from Lumicon. They both work very well. The OIII does a nice job on nebulae, especially the planetaries. It does make the stars "disappear" somewhat. I have used it on the Horse head with good results, although I hear the HBeta filters work best on it. The LPR from Lumicon is a good start towards light pollution reduction. Seems as though we need these things too much these days. I can't comment on the reflection nebulae performance, because I don't remember it. I'll check it out later and post. Brent --- Chuck Hards <chuckhards(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Expanding our discussion of color filters yesterday, > It might be instructive to get the group's > impressions > of the various LPR (light-pollution reduction) > filters > we all use. > > I use an Orion 1.25" broadband, which I have found > to > be very useful on just about any emission nebula. > Even galaxies and clusters benefit from it's > contrast-enhancing ability, but to a lesser extent > than emission nebula. I think I mentioned the other > day that this filter does a good job of increasing > contrast on Jovian features. > > Also in my arsenal is a Celestron narrowband filter, > again 1.25". This filter is amazing on emission > nebula and apertures larger than 4". At first I was > annoyed when most of the dimmer stars in the field > "dropped out", but the effect on the nebulae > themselves more than outweighs this minor aesthetic > effect. > > I have a Lumicon 2" broadband filter, bought as a > "second" from Bill Vorce, due to a small coating > flaw. > Thus, I can't use it for photography, but it > excells > when used visually with low-power, 2" eyepieces. > Interestingly, it provided excellent city views of > comet Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp, when I couldn't get > to > a dark site. > > I have yet to find the LPR filter that works well > enough on reflection nebula to justify the cost. > Any > leads would be appreciated. I also have a hard time > justifying the cost of O-III & hydrogen-beta > filters, > due to the relatively few objects that they enhance. > > Were I to actually break down and buy one, I'd > probably go with the O-III, since it can be used on > planetaries. > > Many times I've used a broadband filter to help > identify those "tiny blue dot" planetary nebulae, > using the "flicker" method advocated by the late > Walter Scott Houston. Saved time because with the > filter, it isn't neccesary to examine every single > star in the field at high power. They jump right > out > at you with the filter. > > I also have a pair of 7 x 50 binoculars that I have > fitted with internally-mounted nebula filters. > Several years ago, Orion had .965" filters on-sale > for > only $20 each. They threaded perfectly onto the > internal ends of the eyepieces in this particular > binocular. This instrument gives the binocular sky > a > whole new look! M42 & the entire "sword" is an > amazing sight in this bino, as well as the area > above > the teapot of Sagittarius. I may have to try this > with the 15 x 70's one day, although I'll have to > use > 1.25" filters for that bino, to avoid vignetting. > > Brent, I'm curious as to your feelings on these > specialized filters. > > And everyone, please tell us what LPR filters you > use, > and how you like them. > > Thanks! > > Chuck > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! > http://auctions.yahoo.com > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-astronomy mailing list > Utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! http://auctions.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Utah-astronomy mailing list Utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy

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SN 2002AP
by David Dunn 01 Feb '02

01 Feb '02

Has anyone seen this super nova yet? It looks like it is a little dim but they say it is brightening. Dave _______________________________________________________________________ Message: 1 Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 09:48:22 -0000 From: "davejm28" <djm28(a)psu.edu> Subject: SN 2002AP and V2540 in Ophiuchus Greetings, A supernova was discovered in M74 on January 29th (see http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/supernova.html#2002ap) There's a finder chart for SN 2002AP at http://www.aavso.org/charts/PSC/SN2002AP/ Nova Ophiuchui 2002 has been renamed V2450. A finder chart can be found at http://www.aavso.org/charts/OPH/V2540_OPH/ Dave Mitsky ________________________________________________________________________

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