December 2004 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Re: Dark-Sky site
by Chuck Hards 15 Dec '04

15 Dec '04

Just for the record: It is probably not a good idea to discuss SLAS fund allocations in this forum, before the idea has been taken to the general membership and reveiwed by club executives. Especially considering the history of the Dark Sky site issue. The club is committed to the SPOC site for the forseeable future and should act according to that committment. Tooele & Stansbury residents will have to decide where they stand on the issue of ecconomic growth and the light pollution it brings, and how they as residents will act on that stance. It is pretty clear that the skies out there will be deteriorating rapidly in the next few years if development contiunues at current levels. I am not so sure that a club-sponsored dark site is the best idea; a privately-owned co-op may be a better solution. Share owners could of course bring guests and there could be scheduled "club nights" just to be inclusive, but most members will not be regular users of a remote site. Many things need to be discussed by the involved parties before any property is purchased or leased. Our immediate concern as SLAS members really should be the completion of the SPOC facility this year, refractor house included. Many people have given a lot of time, money, materials, blood, sweat, and tears to this and it will soon be time to enjoy it, for as long as the sky stays reasonably dark. Discussion of a dark-sky site should be ressurected in SLAS, and private individuals can pursue a site independantly for now, but we have to finish what we started first. I like to play Devil's Advocate, but I'm not in a hurry to change things just for the sake of change. I do like to know where I'm going, however, and have reasonable expectations of what I'll find when I get there. Another 6 cents worth. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Wal Mart / Dark Sky Security / Bad Day
by Michael Carnes 15 Dec '04

15 Dec '04

Maybe you should paint "AWACS" on the side of your plane... > From the look of this photo, you were taking a practice run. > Thinking of what a bowling ball might do? Nah, just doing aerial recon. Guy can then use the data and take care of any "situations" from the ground... :-) Patrick _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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Wal Mart / Dark Sky Security / Bad Day
by Patrick Wiggins 15 Dec '04

15 Dec '04

The new Wal Mart distribution center was mentioned here earlier. FYI, here's what it looks like (through today's haze). FWIW it's located on the far west side of the Tooele valley. http://www.trilobyte.net/paw/temp/TEMP001.JPG As for Dark Sky site security, one could do like this guy near Grantsville and put in a mote. :-) http://www.trilobyte.net/paw/temp/TEMP002.JPG And as long as I'm showing pictures, here's one showing someone's bad day (result of the pilot getting the flap thingie mixed up with the gear thingie). http://www.trilobyte.net/paw/temp/TEMP003.JPG Patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Comet Machholtz
by astrodeb＠charter.net 15 Dec '04

15 Dec '04

I found this picture on my digital-astro group. It really does have a tail. http://members.dodo.net.au/~erwinvandervelden/Temp/machholz.jpg Debbie > From: Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)trilobyte.net> > Date: 2004/12/11 Sat AM 01:19:48 MST > To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Comet Machholtz > > astrodeb(a)charter.net wrote: > > > > ...Anyway, I found this big, bright round fuzzy object about > > the size of Omega Centauri. I'm not kidding, this thing is big. > > It was bigger and brighter than I had expected to see it. I > > thought "wow, this thing is going to only get brighter next > > month". I couldn't detect a tail but I'm thinking I should > > go east of town next time to a truly dark site and take some > > photos of this comet. It did not disappoint me. It is going > > northward more each night and the show will get better from now on. > > > > Debbie > > I just had a go at the comet here in Stansbury. Debbie was right. > > I started with naked eye but some thin clouds to the south hid the comet > from view. However, with cheap 7x35 binoculars it was very easy to see, > despite the clouds. > > If it's this good now I can only drool at the thoughts of what it might > be like at its brightest. > > Patrick > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com >

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Re: Tooele racetrack
by Chuck Hards 14 Dec '04

14 Dec '04

Wow, 2 digests in one day! Fighting light pollution in Tooele is probably a lost-cause; the area is growing very quickly and whomever tilts at that windmill will certainly be in for a fight. The area needs ecconomic development and an increase in their tax base, in order to provide services for the increasing poplulaion. I know many residents, and all, (except for one or three in Stansbury ;), are in favor of ANY and EVERY business that wants to locate there. Several people whom I work with here in Davis county bought houses in Tooele even though they have incredibly long commutes that can be dangerous at certain times of the year (I just can't understand the "bedroom community commuter" mentality. In my book you live close to where you work, it just makes too much sense ecconomically and environmentally). The place will not get any dimmer at night any time soon, even massive activism will at best only slow the brightening. This is going to give the "Dark-sky site" faction a boost in SLAS and perhaps it's time to listen to them. It would be nice to be able to find a place with decent skies that will stay that way for a few decades at least, after our own time with the facility is over... Now SPOC has served a wonderful purpose and will continue to do so for years to come, but the writing is on the wall. In five, ten, fifteen years, it will be as if it were located in Murray and then it's planets and the moon only, and you don't need huge scopes for that. Maybe it's time to plan that next-generation observatory, and look away from the population centers...perhaps be JUST A LITTLE selfish with our hobby? Is there room for a dark-sky observatory for members for whom public outreach is only a secondary (or, ahem, "tertiary") consideration? My 6 cents. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Dress up your holiday email, Hollywood style. Learn more. http://celebrity.mail.yahoo.com

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on my way to the geminids
by daniel turner 14 Dec '04

14 Dec '04

Last winter I discovered the virtures of a charcoal fired hibatchi. The fire is RED and won't hurt your night vision. I'm on my way to the Gravel Pit tonight. I've found that the low valleys like Rush Valley and Lakeside are cold, and often fogged in during the winter months. I'm looking to get up into the warmer inversion layer and above the fog. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

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Light pollution, race tracks and such.
by Michael Carnes 14 Dec '04

14 Dec '04

It just occurred to me that a natural ally for us might be the Audubon Society. Salt Lake is a major flightway for gazillions of migratory birds. Not only do diminishing wetlands (race track and parking lots) cause diminishing bird populations, but there also seem to be some indicators that abundant artificial lighting screws up birds' navigation systems. Just a thought.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Dark-Sky site
by Michael Carnes 14 Dec '04

14 Dec '04

Hear, hear. Your words are true, Chuck. But the development around Tooele will go on, no matter what. SPOC is a great outreach site and can continue to do that job for years and years. After the refractor house is up and the 32" solidly on its mount there will be some time to think long-term. --------------------- Our immediate concern as SLAS members really should be the completion of the SPOC facility this year, refractor house included. Many people have given a lot of time, money, materials, blood, sweat, and tears to this and it will soon be time to enjoy it, for as long as the sky stays reasonably dark. Discussion of a dark-sky site should be ressurected in SLAS, and private individuals can pursue a site independantly for now, but we have to finish what we started first.

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Re: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Dark-sky site
by astrodeb＠charter.net 14 Dec '04

14 Dec '04

It looks like a 2 1/2 hour drive from St. George. Not bad. Debbie > > From: Joe Bauman <bau(a)desnews.com> > Date: 2004/12/14 Tue AM 11:00:01 MST > To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Subject: Re: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Dark-sky site > > Since this is 10 miles or more from that highway, that's good in > terms of no headlights. But I can't figure out how to reach it by > vehicle. The map I have shows the power line going out to the > substation a few miles away but not the line that goes to the radio > tower -- though I'm sure there must be one. And there are several > small roads in the region but it's impossible to tell much about them > by my map. The seller hasn't responded to my question about access. > -- Joe > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com >

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Re: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Dark-sky site
by astrodeb＠charter.net 14 Dec '04

14 Dec '04

I agree with Chuck. I think SLAS should consider other sites as well. Take your time to find the RIGHT dark site. Debbie > > From: Michael Carnes <moogiebird(a)earthlink.net> > Date: 2004/12/14 Tue AM 10:16:03 MST > To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Dark-sky site > > Not to mention that it could represent a partial redirection of SLAS funds, effort and focus. Pretty easy to get folks P.O.'d if we didn't talk it over. > > >Lots of things to consider, care should be taken to > >find the RIGHT sight. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com >

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