October 2005 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

beautiful meteor
by Thomas Sevcik 03 Apr '06

03 Apr '06

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Re: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Santa, I want a Canon 20Da for Christmas
by astrodeb＠charter.net 01 Nov '05

01 Nov '05

I looked at Mars through a new Takahashi TOA 130 last Wednesday night. The TOA 130 looks like a refractor on steroids. There is a big difference in price and bulk compared to my TV-102. My scope weighs 10lbs but the TOA 130 weighs in at 22lbs. As for refractors, I'll stick with the lighter 4 inch telescopes. Debbie > > From: Joe Bauman <bau(a)desnews.com> > Date: 2005/10/31 Mon PM 03:11:13 MST > To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Subject: Re: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Santa, I want a Canon 20Da for Christmas > > Now I know what I want Santa to bring -- an Astrophysics telescope! -- jb > > _______________________________________________ > 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] Santa, I want a Canon 20Da for Christmas
by astrodeb＠charter.net 31 Oct '05

31 Oct '05

Astrophysics 155 EDF refractor with a telecompressor. I think they were shot at f/5. > > From: Joe Bauman <bau(a)desnews.com> > Date: 2005/10/31 Mon PM 02:33:16 MST > To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Santa, I want a Canon 20Da for Christmas > > Those are amazing, Deb. What sort of telescope did he use? Thanks, 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: [Utah-astronomy] Mars
by Michael Carnes 31 Oct '05

31 Oct '05

Thanks for the pointers. I live right between Little C and Big C, but haven't headed up for observing. I usually see too much turbulence as indicated by cloud cover. But sometimes you just get desperate. -----Original Message----- From: Canopus56 <canopus56(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Oct 30, 2005 5:09 PM To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Mars --- Michael Carnes <MichaelCarnes(a)earthlink.net> wrote: > Kurt, just out of curiousity, where in the canyon do > you go? mc > > If the weather breaks, I'm trying for higher > > altitude, maybe in Big Cottonwood None of these are premium sites. I go there rarely, because of headlights on the road, because the Wasatch make their own weather, and because the mountains disrupt laminar wind flow aloft. But, if I want altitude and am not in the mood to drive - 1) Big Cottonwood - Redman Campground turn-off. 2) Big Cottonwood - If the Brighton ski resort lights are off, in any pocket in circle that does not have direct light. 3) Little Cottonwood - with a cheaper scope transported in a trash bag for dust protection - Albion Basin. 4) If the Millcreek Road is open, the Upper Little Water Parking Lot, for zenithal objects. Mars should also be visible there tonight, but the road signs say they lock the gate on Nov. 1, so who knows. 5) Emigration Canyon - Little Mtn. Pass. December and February are the best times because the light pollution is lower than in summer. I have seen the morning gegenschien in February at Little Mtn. Pass for several years. Also bright comets usually resolve well at the flats in Emigration at the turn-out 1/2 mile around the corner from Ruths. Most often for a quick look on brighter non-DSOs (planets and double stars), I go into the semi-dark pocket in East Canyon, into one of the turnoffs between the reservior parking lot and the gate on the East Canyon highway that they close during the winter. Otherwise and more often, it's the longer drive to the gravel pit road, the Unita's or the West desert. - Canopus56(Kurt) __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ 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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Santa, I want a Canon 20Da for Christmas
by astrodeb＠charter.net 31 Oct '05

31 Oct '05

Hi, I had to share these images by Chuck Vaughn that he posted on the digital-astro yahoo group. I used the Rosette Nebula image as my computer wallpaper. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did. "List, I'm starting to have to dodge clouds but I managed to sneak in a few new images. The Rosette Nebula http://astrophotography.aa6g.org/Astronomy/Astrophotos/rosette_20da.html A lot recorded in the blue and green channels so the color may be different from what you've seen before. Part of IC1805 http://astrophotography.aa6g.org/Astronomy/Astrophotos/ic1805_20da.html I took 24 exposures but 3 were lost to ground fog which is a pretty unusual occurrence up here on the hill. I had to remind myself what a dew heater was. :-) NGC7293 http://astrophotography.aa6g.org/Astronomy/Astrophotos/ngc7293_20da.html I was disappointed this didn't record more or that the resolution wasn't better. I guess I need to put the big scope on it. Chuck" Happy Halloween( beautiful skies today in St. George) Debbie

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Two more sats for Pluto?
by Patrick Wiggins 31 Oct '05

31 Oct '05

More in tomorrow's News, but I'm starting to see stuff on one of the newsgroups I'm on that the IAU is saying two additional satellites of Pluto may have been discovered. Just too bad Pluto is not a planet. :-) Neat! Patrick

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Phone
by Cynthia Blue 31 Oct '05

31 Oct '05

If anyone has Patrick's phone number (home or cell) would you please email me privately? I seem to have misplaced it. :) Thanks, Cynthia

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Franklin elementary star party - Postponed until next week
by Richard Tenney 31 Oct '05

31 Oct '05

Bill and others, We've decided to postpone the star party scheduled for tonight until next week, hoping for better weather. The tentative plan is for Wednesday November 2nd., and let's shoot for 6:30 pm this time (daylight savings will be over then), same location in Provo/South fork Canyon. Sorry for the late notice! Richard --- Bill Sprunger <bills(a)provo.edu> wrote: > Hi - > > It sounds like you feel it best to move it to > another night. We have a lot of volunteer help put > together and a lot of excited kids, but I'd really > like to have a good night for viewing. If the > forecast were to change before 3 o'clock, we could > still tell the kids it is on. But we'll trust the > forecast and cancel it for now. I'd love to try > again, perhaps next week? Most of our volunteers > could probably work on Wednesday again, or we could > re-organize for another day that would work for you > and the group. Let me know what you think. Thanks! > > Bill > > >>> Richard Tenney <retenney(a)yahoo.com> 10/26/05 > 10:11 AM >>> > Bill -- > > Tonight's forecast is for partly cloudy. Shall we > proceed with it (and likely reap disappointment), or > try again for another night? I need to get the word > out soon either way, so please RSVP ASAP. > > Tomorrow night is out for me, as is Friday. > > Call me if you want to discuss- > 722~7000 x308 @ work (Orem #). > > Richard > > --- Bill Sprunger <bills(a)provo.edu> wrote: > > > Thanks so much for the effort to put this together > > for us. The 26th would be great, and we could go > to > > the 27th if there is a difference in the weather. > > I'll start planning and organizing around the > night > > of Wednesday the 26th. Are there lights that > don't > > ruin night vision? Is there anything that we > should > > plan on preparing or bringing? Is there anything > > special that they will be seeing that we might > want > > to learn about in the next week? > > > > The kids (and teachers) are excited. Thanks > again. > > > > Bill > > > > >>> Richard Tenney <retenney(a)yahoo.com> 10/11/05 > > 9:37 PM >>> > > Bill, > > > > Sorry for the long delay; still at work (9:35 pm) > > and > > tired! > > > > I'm thinking let's shoot for either the 26th or > > 27th, > > whichever works better for you, and see if the > > weather > > cooperates! > > > > Keep in touch, > > Richard > > > > > > --- Bill Sprunger <bills(a)provo.edu> wrote: > > > > > Guess I should have considered the moon! Later > in > > > the month would work great, but I apologize, I > > > forgot all about UEA weekend, which is from the > > 19th > > > to the 23rd. The kids will be gone on their > break > > > and I don't think that would work. I am > supposed > > to > > > be in nashville on the 28th but could possibly > > make > > > it work. I know I suggested Fridays, but how > about > > > Wednesday the 26th? We could go any day that > week > > > other than friday and any day the next week. > That > > > time works wonderfully, and the place is > wonderful > > > as well. I'm sorry for the confusion on my > side, > > > and if we are putting anyone out. Again, thanks. > > > > > > Bill > > > > > > >>> Richard Tenney <retenney(a)yahoo.com> > 10/07/05 > > > 1:54 PM >>> > > > Bill, > > > > > > About all we're going to see next week is > > moonlight > > > :o) > > > > > > First quarter is Monday the 10th; Full moon is > the > > > following Monday (17). Last Qtr. is the > following > > > Tuesday (25th). I'm guessing you'll not want to > > go > > > very late with this, and so Friday the 21st is > > > probably the first best opportunity if we start > > > before > > > moonrise, say from 8-9:30? The place I was > > thinking > > > was the new park parking lot at the National > > Forest > > > Service trailhead, about 3 miles up South Fork, > > > IIRC. > > > > > > I'm personallly doing a private star party on > the > > > 28th > > > for Sundance, so the following friday (28) is > out > > > for > > > me, but I've gotten responses from at least 2 > > others > > > with telescopes, so we should have you covered > > > either > > > way if that's a better date. > > > > > > > > > That date/location sound okay to you, weather > > > permitting? > > > > > > > > > --- Bill Sprunger <bills(a)provo.edu> wrote: > > > > > > > Thanks so much for your reply. I'm excited > that > > > we > > > > can do this. I had in mind putting something > > > > together during this month (before it gets > > > > terrifically cold). South Fork would be > great. > > I > > > > am going to try to get all 60 of our students > > out, > > > > and probably 15 or so parents and 3 teachers. > > As > > > > far as dates, I think we would have a better > > > turnout > > > > of students if it was on a night after school. > > > > > Maybe a Thursday or Friday? We will take > great > > > care > > > > to have our students be cautious with the > > > equipment, > > > > and well-behaved. If it works for your > people, > > we > > > > could put everything together as soon as this > > next > > > > coming week. But we'd be able to work around > > your > > > > schedule. Once we have a date, I'll sign up > > > parents > > > > to drive the kids up, and we could work out > the > > > > details. > > > > > > > > Again, thanks. > > > > > > > > Bill Sprunger > > > > > > > > >>> Richard Tenney <retenney(a)yahoo.com> > > 10/06/05 > > > > 3:55 PM >>> > > > > Bill, > > > > > > > > I think we (UVAA) could come up with something > > for > > > > you. What date range do you have in mind, and > > how > > > > many students/parents are we talking about? > > Would > > > a > > > > trip up Provo/South Fork canyon work out ok as > > far > > > > as > > > > a "dark site" goes? > > > > > > > > Let me know and I'll put the word out... > > > > Regards, > > > > Richard Tenney > > > > > > > > --- Bill Sprunger <bills(a)provo.edu> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hi, > > > > > > > > > > My name is Bill Sprunger. I'm a sixth grade > > > > teacher > > > > > at Franklin elementary in Provo. I was > > looking > > > on > > > > > the internet for local astronomy groups. I > > > found > > > > > your name there. > > > > > > > > > > I'm trying to make some contacts in the > > > community > > > > > about getting my students, who are 11 and > 12, > > to > > > > > some kind of a star party where they can > > > > experience > > > > > the thrill of actually viewing and talking > > about > > > > the > > > > > night sky. Out of 60 students in our sixth > > > grade, > > > > 2 > > > > > or 3 have ever looked through a telescope. > > > > Although > > > > > I did a lot of viewing as a kid and have an > > 8" > > > > > dobsonian around, I am far from an expert on > > the > > > > > subject, and don't feel like I could do > > > something > > > > > like this on my own with only one scope. > Our > > > > school > > > > > could come up with a bus or parent drivers > to > > > get > > > > > out to someplace dark. If we could find > some > > > > > willing local folks to share their knowledge > > > (and > > > > > telescopes) with our students, we would be > > > > thrilled. > > > > > It would add a whole new dimension to their > > > > > learning. We may also be able to come up > with > > > > some > > > > > funds to reimburse local folks for their > > > efforts. > > > > > If you are able to help us in any way, or > > point > > > us > > > > > in the right direction, please let me know. > > > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > > > > > Bill Sprunger > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > > > > Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 > > > > > http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > > > Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 > > > http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > > Yahoo! Music Unlimited > > Access over 1 million songs. Try it free. > > http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited/ > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in > one click. > http://farechase.yahoo.com > > __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com

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Worst experience (was Profoundly Stupid)
by Chuck Hards 30 Oct '05

30 Oct '05

I'd have to say that my worst experience at the eyepiece didn't involve any drunks or other bystanders. I was a victim of my own carelessness. I had borrowed a friend's Nikon, and had it attached to my 8" Newtonian for some piggyback photography of comet West from Little Mountain- at this moment I can't recall if it was '76 or '77. It was February or March, and there was snow on the ground. Anyway, the clamp screw came loose and the camera crashed to the ground! I had to pay my friend the cost of a replacement lens- quite a chunk of change for a high-school kid. I then realized that the camera and lens were far more valuable than the telescope and mount it was attached to...and I didn't get any usable shots, to boot. :( __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Profoundly stupid?
by diveboss＠xmission.com 30 Oct '05

30 Oct '05

I'll tell you what Chuck, I used to go up the canyons when I got my first drivers license, but sitting there on the seat next to me wasn't some 8" Newtonian... It was a keg of beer and a little dish named Pat! ;) Quoting Chuck Hards <chuckhards(a)yahoo.com>: > > I'm going to assume that you didn't start doing this > decades years ago, setting-up your telescope as a ten, > eleven-year-old kid, driving up the canyon when you > first got your driver's license with your 8-inch > Newtonian in your mothers station-wagon, setting-up on > side roads, only to have "kegger" parties unload on > the road, blocking your only way back onto the > highway? Or drunken, stoned groups stumble onto your > set-up in the dark? Or neighborhood bullies try to > intimidate you early in the morning in the back alley, > away from the streetlight? Do you really want to start comparing life's experiences with others? As tough a life as I'm sure you think you've had up until now, with a job and a family to support, there will always be someone, somewhere, who has had, or, has it just a little bit worse... Someone perhaps who's lived a bit longer than you, who may have a few extra years of "life sucks" under their belt. Becareful who you choose to compare life's little scars with... ;)

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