February 2003 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Origin of the Moon
by Marilyn Smith 17 Feb '03

17 Feb '03

The February issue of Discover magazine has an article exploring theories of the origin of the moon. Describing one impactor theory, the article says: "The mega-meteor is so huge it takes half an hour to plow fully into the planet (earth)." Wow. That would have given someone enough time to go grab the Nikon to squeeze off a few shots. Bob Grant

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Binopalooza
by Kim Hyatt 17 Feb '03

17 Feb '03

There is a nice Forest Service campground right by the hightway, about 2 miles below the top of the ridge where we usually set up. I believe there is a group site, and of course there are primitive toilets, but the campground is in a poor location for observing (high horizons). Dave Bennett has posted a map - I believe it is on the SLAS website. -----Original Message----- From: Chuck Hards [mailto:chuckhards@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, February 17, 2003 2:12 PM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Binopalooza Right now, all sites are under consideration. Any facilities there these days? I haven't been there in 17 years. C. --- Kim Hyatt <khyatt(a)smithlayton.com> wrote: > Chuck and others - have you considered Wolf Creek > pass for a binopalooza? > Especially if it's held later in the year, Wolf > Creek is a dynamite site. > Last year Dave Bennett and I were able to drive up > there in late May (as I > recall). > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day http://shopping.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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Comet Catcher
by Greg Taylor 17 Feb '03

17 Feb '03

I recently aquired an old celestron comet catcher for use as a super finder on the big scope that I am building. After a few minor repairs, it works very well. My only quam is that the corrector plate is uncoated. Is there anywhere quasi-local where I could get at least a magnesium flouride coating put on it? Greg --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Some recent postings
by Chuck Hards 17 Feb '03

17 Feb '03

--- Jim Gibson <xajax99(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > Chuck > Nobody takes you serious! Well, that sure explains a lot! ;) C. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day http://shopping.yahoo.com

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Binopalooza
by Kim Hyatt 17 Feb '03

17 Feb '03

Chuck and others - have you considered Wolf Creek pass for a binopalooza? Especially if it's held later in the year, Wolf Creek is a dynamite site. Last year Dave Bennett and I were able to drive up there in late May (as I recall).

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miscellaneous
by Kim Hyatt 17 Feb '03

17 Feb '03

I've been away from my desk at work and unable to respond to some of the comments I've seen posted until now. Chuck, I find your knowledge of astronomy, your enthusiasm for our "sport" and your construction and observing skills to be staggering (makes me jealous). I hope neither you nor anyone else who chooses to comment on this site will take offense as did one recent respondent. I'm confident that I have never read anything to which most persons would take offense. I've long noted in my years of SLAS membership that you have to take some people with the proverbial salt grain or you just can't have any fun. Regarding the "strange lights" observed by Garth Evans - this sounds suspiciously like an observation of anticrepuscular rays, or rays of light visible during twilight hours that appear to converge on the horizon opposite the sun at the anti-solar point. Crepuscular rays are those that appear to rise above the horizon before sunrise or after sunset just above the point where the sun will rise or has just set. They are usually caused by clouds beyond the horizon and are simply the clouds' shadows on the atmosphere. On rare occasions when atmospheric conditions are right, these rays can be easily traced across the entire sky to the opposite horizon. I have photographed them only two or three times - some of these photos I've shared at SLAS meetings. If the atmospheric physics are not well understood, they can truly appear "strange." (Please, no offense, anyone.) Incidentally, observations of crepuscular and/or anticrepuscular rays are also indications of a not-too-transparent sky, and even though the sky may be otherwise clear, transparency can be dramatically reduced. Kim A. Hyatt, AIA SL&A Architects 331 South Rio Grande, Suite 304 Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 801.322.5550 x122

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Another Moon site
by Patrick Wiggins 17 Feb '03

17 Feb '03

On the subject of Moon sites, here's one I've found useful: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/research/lunar_orbiter Patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Moon watcher
by UTAHDEB＠aol.com 16 Feb '03

16 Feb '03

I was also a "lunar snob" until I bought my refractor in Nov 2001. I look at the moon in a different light now. Sometimes I even observe under full moon although my targets are different than when I observe under new moon. Debbie

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Moon watcher
by Jim Gibson 16 Feb '03

16 Feb '03

To all: I have found the moon to be totally fascinating. My 5" meade does a fine job of letting me investigate many of it's features. I just ran across this link and find it very valuable: http://www.lunarrepublic.com/atlas/index.shtml Hope you enjoy it. Jim --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day

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Palomar Gobular Clusters
by UTAHDEB＠aol.com 16 Feb '03

16 Feb '03

Does anybody know of any articles in S&T on the Palomar Globular clusters? I'm looking for new projects to do and I was thinking about tracking down all fifteen globular clusters. I'd also be interested in any information on the Arp galaxies. Thanks, Debbie

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