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

beautiful meteor
by Thomas Sevcik 03 Apr '06

03 Apr '06

2 1

Today's NASA Briefing
by Patrick Wiggins 03 Feb '05

03 Feb '05

Two things of note out of today's briefing. 1) The briefer noted they have received 132 reports of found debris in CA, 130 in AZ and 9 in NM but that none had been confirmed. He made no mention of Utah. 2) The picture mentioned in the Aviation Week article was shown. Some of the media has been playing it up as being "hi resolution". Don't know that I'd call it hi-res but it does show the shape of the orbiter and maybe there's "something" with the left wing but the image is so pixcelated it's hard to say for sure. No doubt the picture will be all over the TV tonight.

6 19

New Saturn Picture
by Siegfried Jachmann 27 Oct '04

27 Oct '04

Joe, I see it the same way and wondered the same thing even before reading your post. The ring is not parallel with the belts. I'm also wondering where the top of the planet disappeared to. Siegfried Jachmann Family History Network Comptroller 801-553-8881

6 9

moon photo
by Joe Bauman 28 Oct '03

28 Oct '03

Hi Friends, if anyone is interested, here's a view I took of the moon through my little 8" Thursday night -- I would love to know what star that is by the right. It's similar to the photo the Deseret News ran with my article about the eclipse, because our photographer shot through my telescope. But this is one I took with a different DN digital camera than the one he was using. It's part of a series of views I made. Once I get a freeware stacking program working better, I may be able to provide a much nicer view. Best wishes, Joe Joe Bauman science & military reporter Deseret News bau(a)desnews.com (801) 237-2169

3 3

15x70's are back
by Richard Tenney 06 Oct '03

06 Oct '03

FYI Although the Sportsman Guide 15x70 Galileo binoculars were out of stock when I sent the last emailing out about them, a list member checked back today and they are in stock again. The total with ground shipping is $82.45 Chuck Hards also informs me that he still has 2 sets of Solar Filters for these babies leftover from his last e-bay auction; $25 a pair (it's a steal). -Rich __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. http://search.yahoo.com

7 9

Patrick's letter to the editor in S&T
by Chuck Hards 22 Jul '03

22 Jul '03

Patrick, I hope the sending institution had the good sense to insure the package! Or perhaps the collection as a whole was covered? What a story, I can just picture your face as you opened the box. Any other fallout you care to relate? Was the person who packed the box permitted to live? I bet you've got dozens of stories...could you be persuaded to write them up for NOVA occasionally? :) Chuck __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com

3 2

by Joe Bauman 03 Jul '03

03 Jul '03

Jim Stiley asked about my problems with my Meade LX200GPS 12" at Wolf Creek. I sent him this note, actually thinking it was going out to the whole list, but I guess it didn't. So here it is for the list, in hopes you all could respond to an idea I am mulling over about how to get my telescope on my Supewedge, at the end. Okay, true confessions, Jim. I'm turning pink over all my stupid goofs. I used my Superwedge and failed to realize I needed to put it into polar mode to work. Then when Don (I think it was) kindly pointed it out and I took half the night to figure out how to do that, it wasn't working properly because I didn't align it correctly. I misunderstood the instructions when it said not to use the handbox to align it on Polaris, so just aimed at it without using the handbox -- when I should have put it in the "home" position and then aimed at at Polaris by adjusting the mount, not the aim. I believed I compounded everything by getting the correction for magnetic declination on the wrong side of north, so instead of correcting, it made everything twice as far off! Finally, in the morning I discovered that the top bolt was not screwed in at all tight, leaving the base at an angle to the Superwedge, so the latitude had to be off just because of that if for no other reason. That's not to say mislaying my distance glasses and stumbling around in the dark a long time searching for them. These are difficulties that I won't have much trouble overcoming, I believe. What's much, much worse is that the telescope is too darn heavy for me to lift onto the Superwedge. I had no trouble lifting it from the back of the Jeep onto the tripod without the Superwedge, but the wedge adds a lot of height and puts the connection at a bad angle, instead of lying flat on the tripod. I had purchased some big cinderblocks from Buehner Block so I could stand on them and lift them onto the wedge, I thought, but that didn't work. It was still high and I was on the wrong side to lift it easily and I would have had trouble fitting the bolt into the slot with one hand while holding the telescope by the other. In this regard a competing wedge design is far superior as it has a small lip at the bottom, which is apparently where you can set the 'scope in place momentarily. I needed help to lift the telescope onto the wedge. Then I needed more help to put the two other bolts in place, because it was impossible to delicately slide something that heavy, and I needed help to lift it while I aimed it better. Also, I was afraid to try and lift it off. I thought if I loosened the bolt and held it with one hand, as I did with my Celestron 8", it would be too heavy to hold, even though the other hand would be gripping the handle. So I got it down by putting a blanket on the ground and heavy foam packing material on the blanket, then lowering the telescope onto the foam. Once on the ground, it was easy to unbolt. Here's what I am pondering, and I hope it's not a ridiculous idea. Maybe it's wrong and dangerous and I shouldn't do it. But I have been thinking about setting up the tripod and Superwedge, getting them aligned and level, then pounding a bunch of rebar and tent stakes into the ground, against the inside of two of the legs so they won't slide if I tip it. Then I would tip it over onto packing foam on the ground, where I would attach the telescope. Next I'd tip it back upright. If it was too heavy to do by hand, and I doubt it would be, I could use a tow-strap harness and pull it up using the Jeep. How does that sound to you all? Best wishes, Joe PS: Here's a story from today's paper with some quotes by our friends about the delights of star-gazing: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,510036458,00.html Joe Bauman science & military reporter Deseret News bau(a)desnews.com (801) 237-2169

4 9

Mars
by Barney B. 01 Jul '03

01 Jul '03

Is anyone getting any surface detail on Mars when using a C-8 scope? I've tried 130 power 162 power and 285 power with no success...well maybe I can see just the slightest hint of color change at 162 At 285 it's just an orange blob. This was at 4:30 A.M. last Saturday from Southeast SLC. Barney B.

6 5

Re: 15x70mm binos for sale
by Chuck Hards 30 Jun '03

30 Jun '03

Thanks to all who responded. The binos have provisionally been sold, but as the first responder has not replied yet to my request to seal the deal, they just might go to the next person in line if he/she delays much longer. Offers will be extended strictly in order of receipt in my "IN" box. If you have already contacted me, stay tuned as you might get lucky. Hopefully we can get these to their new owner (whomever that may turn out to be) before the weekend. Chuck __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com

1 0

Telescope Making Class offered
by Richard Tenney 30 Jun '03

30 Jun '03

This is a class being taught (for a fee) by John Zeigler, a local telescope maker, for anyone interested. This is not affiliated with SLAS or UVAA. I've seen samples of this guy's work and he's terrific. -Rich ================================== Telescope Making Class We will be having a FREE Introductory Telescope Making class on Saturday, July 12, 2003. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at Pioneer Hall (1140 W. 7800 S.) in West Jordan. At the FREE introductory class we will introduce you to the basics of telescope making, how a telescope works, different telescope styles, assemblies, and mounts. The FREE class on July 12th has no cost or obligation. This is an informational class only, and everyone is invited to attend. We will also be giving you information about our Extended Telescope Making Course. For those who want to learn more in depth techniques to build your own telescope. Each participant of our Extended Course will have the opportunity to build a complete telescope with a 6" to a 16" primary mirror depending on your skills and desires. The Extended Course is a combination beginning and advanced class. We will provide hands on instructions for mirror grinding, building sonotube and truss tube style telescope assemblies, and building a dobsonian mount for your telescope. So if you have ever been interested in building your own telescope, please attend our FREE introductory telescope making class on July 12th. For additional information, email us at john(a)johnstelescopes.com and see www.johnstelescopes.com ----------------------- Thank You. John R. Zeigler __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com

2 1