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

RE: [Utah-astronomy] CCD focusing
by Paul Witte 16 Aug '02

16 Aug '02

I don't have any experience with it, but I do know after shopping for a new focuser that Jim's Mobile (JMI) sells digital read-outs that can be installed on a focuser. This presumably allows you to set/keep the focuser to a setting accuracy down to 0.01mm. Here's the URL: http://www.jimsmobile.com/dro_data.htm It's too bad CCD cameras don't auto-compensate for inaccuracies like an eye can. In fact, this actually brings up a question. Does anyone have any tips for visually achieving true focus. I find I sometimes have difficulty with this when I am trying to get the scope in focus at a star party for people to view an object. Usually I can look away from the eyepiece briefly & look back but sometimes my eye compensates too quickly. This is even worse after swapping to a higher power on a nebula where the surrounding stars are either too dim or practically non-existent with a filter. A nebula isn't exactly the easiest thing to focus on... I wonder if this is a more of an issue for those of us who wear eyeglasses. ---------- From: Patrick Wiggins Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 12:14 AM To: utah astronomy listserve Subject: [Utah-astronomy] CCD focusing Anyone here have any experience with CCD focusing aids? For those who have not tried CCD imaging, getting a precise focus is not easy... Patrick _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy

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CCD focusing
by Patrick Wiggins 16 Aug '02

16 Aug '02

Anyone here have any experience with CCD focusing aids? For those who have not tried CCD imaging, getting a precise focus is not easy... Patrick

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Asteroid 2002 NY40
by Dale Hooper 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

Hi All, Just in case you haven't already heard, asteroid 2002 NY40 is going to provide a rare treat Saturday night to Sunday morning. On its closest approach it will be traveling with an angular velocity of 8 arc minutes per minute!!! Here is a URL with more info: http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/asteroids/article_697_1.asp I'll definitely be watching it from Antelope Island with the rest of the OAS. I think I'll try to track it with my STV. Thanks, Dale.

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Perseids
by forrell＠es.com 14 Aug '02

14 Aug '02

I observed from about 10 miles south of Evanston, Wyoming along Hwy 150. Skies were dark with a few clouds to the north and west. I noted quite a few very bright meteors between 11:45 pm and 12:15 am, mostly to the south. Many left a long, whitish-orange trail which persisted for a maybe 5 seconds. During this 30 minute period, I seen about 40 meteors. The numbers dropped significantly between 12:15 and 12:45 when I called it a night due to clouds and having to get up early. -----Original Message----- From: Joe Bauman [mailto:bau@desnews.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 9:58 AM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Perseids PS: Dear friends, Anyone interested, please send me a note quickly. We might get a caption in today's paper, using a photo I took this morning -- assuming any of my photos turned out. The deadline is tight. I might get in one or two quotes in the caption. Thank you again, Joe _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy

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ISS Challenge
by Patrick Wiggins 13 Aug '02

13 Aug '02

Last night's pass of the ISS was very easy to see. Too easy... For those up to a challenge, this evening (Tuesday) has the station passing over northern Utah a scant 15 minutes after the Sun sets. Will we see it? It'll be half way up the NE sky at 8:46 and setting just a bit south of due east at 8:50. Those with scanners and ham radio receivers can listen to the station as it passes over at 145.800 mHz. There will be another easy (boring?) pass tomorrow evening from 9:22 to 9:29. Good luck! Patrick

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Perseids
by Thomas Sevcik 13 Aug '02

13 Aug '02

Just got home here at 4:27 a.m. from Big Cottonwood Canyon. Seems the shower was on-and-off at times. Some were impressive - from long trails to bright orbs - even my kids were having fun! (which I didn't expect). The number of faint meteors might of edged out the bright ones. Not taking a count, I felt this was one of the better Perseid showers I've seen in regards to brightness. There was a number of good non-member meteors that showed up from our locations. Hope that some will show up in the photos I attempted. Tom _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

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Perseids
by David Bennett 13 Aug '02

13 Aug '02

I know it's a little overkill for the Perseids, but a few of us are headed up to Wolf Creek this evening with fairly minimal astro gear. Saturday night at Wolf we saw quite a few 1st and 2nd mag Perseids while stargazing. Anyone who wants to get out of the valley is welcome. dlb http://homepage.mac.com/dlbennett/

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Perseids
by Patrick Wiggins 13 Aug '02

13 Aug '02

Just came down from the roof for a break and it looks like the Perseids may be better tonight than last night's poor showing. Not much activity seen until about 12:45 am MDT. Then 14 within 10 minutes. Got a bit of astrometry to do but I'll be headed back up on the roof in another hour. BTW, did anyone see a shaft of light in the sky from 12:30 to 12:40. From here in Stansbury it started a bit north of east and I last saw it in the SE. Emerged from out of the gunk over SLC and reached about 60 degrees up. Patrick p.s. I think there are some folks at SPOC tonight. As one of the better meteors shot across the sky tonight I hear quite a cheer from the direction of SPOC.

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ISS and meteors tonight
by Patrick Wiggins 12 Aug '02

12 Aug '02

We've got a great pass of ISS on tap for this evening (Monday). 9:36 rise in NW 9:41 overhead 9:43 fades from view low in SE And despite what I just heard on tv, tomorrow morning's meteors the Perseids, not the Leonids... Patrick

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Kudos for ALCON 2002
by David Dunn 12 Aug '02

12 Aug '02

I would like to participate when you get John to come. I would also like to say that I totally enjoyed having John come to the star party. I enjoyed his stories and theories. I also appreciated the comments that he had on improving the telescopes. It was interesting to see all of us at Monte feeling the top and bottom of our tubes. I found it interesting that he had the same comment as Chuck H. had on observing galaxies at higher power. I tried using higher power on galaxies several times last week. I found that the seeing conditions needed to be real good for power to help make the image better. I also found that each galaxy had a different power that it looked best at. For example, you could throw 200X at M51 and it would make it look real good. M101 didn't look good at 200X, but looked better at 100X. When the seeing wasn't quite as good, adding power made the object more blurry. Dave -----Original Message----- From: Brent Watson [mailto:brentjwatson@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 3:07 PM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] Kudos for ALCON 2002 Dale, I understand you are not dissing John, but I thought someone needed to speak for him. Unfortunately, there is no URL nor written version of what he talked about. To find out more, you need to talk to him directly. He has also not worked out the math for his model, but would like someone to do it. We talked about that just before he left. I am going to see if I can get him back in town this winter for an intense mirror grinding/telescope making session. I talked with him about that and he is willing. I just need to get the rest lined up. We would do 10" scopes and they would be functional before the end of the class. Any interest? Brent --- Dale Hooper <Dale.Hooper(a)sdl.usu.edu> wrote: > I'm certainly not trying to dis John Dobson. I'm > definitely no physicist - so it takes some time to > think about the things he discussed and I'm still > "cogitating" over parts of it. I found his > discussion very intriguing. It would be interesting > to see his ideas in print because I'm sure that I've > forgotten much of what he discussed. Is there > perhaps a URL where his ideas can be found? > > However, for example, I think he still has issues > explaining the non-baryonic nature of about 96% of > the dark matter, and I believe he still has a > problem with either Olber's paradox or he ends up > with a "preferred observer" for our position in the > universe. > > That said, I think he's been one of the greatest > influences in amateur astronomy in our day. It was > especially exciting to get his input and listen to > him at the star party at Antelope Island. > > Thanks, > Dale. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Brent Watson [mailto:brentjwatson@yahoo.com] > > Sent: Monday, August 05, 2002 9:41 PM > > To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Kudos for ALCON 2002 > > > > > > > > --- Dale Hooper <Dale.Hooper(a)sdl.usu.edu> > wrote: > > > > > > P.S. I think John Dobson's theory has quite a > few > > > glaring holes - but, it sure was interesting > to > > > listen to the debate Saturday that it > spurred. > > > > > > John Dobson definitely has a unique personality, > but I > > must say that he thinks for himself. His views on > > Cosmology are somewhat unorthodox, as he is a > strong > > proponent of the Steady State model of the > universe. > > He is vastly outnumbered in his thought, but has > very > > good reasons for the theories he puts forth. I > > guarantee that he has spent an order of magnitude > more > > time thinking about the problem than anyone else I > > know. > > > > Dale, I wish you had taken the time to talk to him > > personally about his views, and challenged the > areas > > where you believe there are holes. He is open > minded > > when confronted with facts, and will carefully > > consider them. He will think for months and even > > years if necessary to reconcile facts with models. > > > Please take the time to talk one-on-one with him > next > > time you have a chance. He will listen to what > you > > have to say, and consider facts. > > > > He may appear to be self centered, but I believe > this > > comes from his long consideration of his > positions. > > When challenged, he is very self assured because > his > > theories are not just brought up on the spur of > the > > minute. He really hates the recognition and > credit he > > gets from the having a telescope named after him. > If > > he had his preference, he would spend his time > talking > > to people while showing them the wonders of the > > universe, especially the Sun, Moon, and planets. > That > > is the area he prefers to be involved in. > > > > I hope that at 86 years old I can think and move > as > > well as he does. I also wish that you all could > have > > been at my table for the stimulating discussion we > > had. > > > > Brent > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better > > http://health.yahoo.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > > Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > > > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > > > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.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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