September 2006 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

10x70 binos for $40
by Richard Tenney 23 Sep '06

23 Sep '06

A colleague at work showed me a Harbor Freight ad in a newspaper yesterday for 10x70 binoculars priced at $39.95 I don't know if all the stores carry them, or how good they might be, but at that price I imagine it's pretty hard to go too wrong with them. Just an FYI... Rich __________________________________________________ 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] Re: New Pretty Picture of NGC7380 details?
by Tyler Allred 22 Sep '06

22 Sep '06

Patrick, I took a look at the fits file that you directed me to and I don't believe that the image is actually a raw fits. I expected to see an image where only the stars are visible in the raw file, and the detail must be brought out by stretching. It appears to me that it has already been stretched to show dim details, but has washed out the core in the process. Some software automatically stretches images, without user input, by adjusting the white and black points. MaxIm does this for the screen view, but does not actually alter the data in the file. Other programs actually alter the saved data. Is it possible that you are inadvertently stretching the fits file before saving it? Tell me again please... what software you are using? I'll bet there is tons of detail in the core of the image in the "true" raw fits file. I can't be sure, but I doubt that you are really saturating the core area in your exposure. Take a look and let me know what you find. Tyler

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] New Pretty Picture of NGC7380 details?
by Tyler Allred 22 Sep '06

22 Sep '06

Joe, I would enjoy doing a MaxIm imaging session with you. Perhaps we can talk Patrick into an evening that works for all three of us. The focusing method you refer to is known as a Hartmann Mask, and I think they work pretty well for planetary imaging etc. But for critical focus on a fast newt like my F3.3 Epsilon, some type of software is extremely helpful. IMHO Cheers, Tyler _________________ Joe wrote: <Tyler, I would love to attend a session on maxIm, since I own a copy. <Also, what do you think about a simple focusing aid where three holes in a <cardboard mask are used to make the star images converge? I forget the <name of this device but I made one and it seems to work well. 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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Pluto funnies
by Patrick Wiggins 22 Sep '06

22 Sep '06

http://www.comics.com/comics/workingdaze/archive/images/workingdaze20027145… http://www.gocomics.com/foxtrot/2006/09/14 Anyone have any others? pw

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News, 21 SEP 2006
by Patrick Wiggins 21 Sep '06

21 Sep '06

News, Thursday, 21 SEP 2006 ASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis Set for Landing Today The Space Shuttle Atlantis, led by Commander Brent Jett, is scheduled to land at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. today, Thursday, Sept. 21. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/sep/HQ_06319_atlantis_landing.html +++++ Ground-Piercing Radar on NASA Mars Orbiter Ready for Work NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has extended the long-armed antenna of its radar, preparing the instrument to begin probing for underground layers of Mars. http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/newsroom/pressreleases/20060919a.html +++++ Greetings to Earth....From the Cassini spacecraft! As the Sun slipped behind Saturn last week, I caught a glimpse of something familiar behind the planet's rings -- a pale blue dot that I recognized as Earth. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia08324.html +++++ NASA Rover Opportunity Takes First Peek Into Victoria Crater http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2006-111 +++++ Scientists Discover New Ring and Other Features at Saturn Saturn sports a new ring in an image taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on Sunday, Sept. 17, during a one-of-a-kind observation. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2006-110 +++++ Ground-Piercing Radar on NASA Mars Orbiter Ready for Work NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has extended the long-armed antenna of its radar, preparing the instrument to begin probing for underground layers of Mars. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2006-109 +++++ To Be or Not to Be: Is It All About Spinning? Thanks to the unique possibilities offered by ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer , astronomers have solved a 140-year-old mystery concerning active hot stars. http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2006/pr-35-06.html +++++ Teachers In Space Two more companies say they are setting aside seats in their yet-to-be-built suborbital craft to give teachers a free ride to the edge of space. http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/09/20/4507.aspx +++++ Arctic Summer Ice Anomaly Shocks Scientists Satellite images have shown for the first time dramatic openings in the ArcticÂ’s perennial sea ice pack... http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEM7ZF8LURE_index_0.html +++++ Solar-B Â– A New Solar Mission To Study the Dynamic Sun A new Japanese-led solar mission with ESA participation is preparing for launch on 23 September 2006. http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM9ZE8LURE_index_0.html +++++ Station Crews Brief Media on NASA TV The NASA astronauts, Russian cosmonauts and spaceflight participant aboard the ISS will participate in a news conference Friday, September 22. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/sep/HQ_M06150_ISS_TV.html +++++ India Space Agency Dreams Of Lunar Ice Mines India Has a date with the moon in 2008. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/India_Space_Agency_Dreams_Of_Lunar_Ice_Mi… +++++ ************************************************** ************************************************** Free Telescopes For SLAS Members SLAS has several scopes available for free, long term loan to current SLAS members who have belonged to SLAS for at least 30 days. http://slas.us/membership_benefits.htm +++++ Images and Data From Cassini-Huygens At:s http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/latest/index.cfm http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-releases.cfm +++++ Information On The Mars Rovers At: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html +++++ SLAS 2006 Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/LOCAL.HTML +++++ SLAS 2007 Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/LOCAL2007.HTML +++++ SSA / UMNH 2006 Southern Utah Public Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/STARPARTIES.HTML +++++ ************************************************** News is being sent to you because of your affiliation with the Salt Lake Astronomical Society or because you are subscribed to the Utah Astronomy Listserve. To unsubscribe please send your request to paw at wirelessbeehive dot com. Check out my NASA Solar System Ambassador web site at: http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky and mirrored at http://utahastro.info/ For astronomy clubs in Utah see: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/UTAHCLUBS.HTML For the Utah Astronomy Listserve see: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy ************************************************** -- Patrick Wiggins NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah & NE Nevada paw at wirelessbeehive dot com http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky http://utahastro.info/ 435.882.1209 801.918.9092

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Help for a school star party
by Richard Tenney 21 Sep '06

21 Sep '06

I got a call today from an elementary school that wants me to do a star party for the 6th graders down here in Utah Valley. I thought we would host it in Provo Canyon's South Fork Canyon (in the parking lot of the newer park about 4 miles up), weather permitting. They want to do it on Oct. 11th, which is a Wed. night from 8-9 or so. Anyone on the list able to make it and help out? There are 79 students. I don't know how many will actually come, but we can expect parents, siblings, etc., so we need several scopes! Please let me know by Monday so I can give him a yea or nay... Thanks, Rich __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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(no subject)
by Tyler Allred 20 Sep '06

20 Sep '06

Hello all. I just uploaded another image that I took in recent weeks. It is of the Cocoon Nebula, IC5146. I hope you like it. Here is a link to the small version. Click the image for a larger version. http://tinyurl.com/n8x5j Cheers, Tyler

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New ISS and Atlantis pictures
by Patrick Wiggins 20 Sep '06

20 Sep '06

Some nice shots of the ISS (complete with new solar panels) and shuttle Atlantis. Both taken during the current mission. ISS: http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/158165main_s115e06732_hires.jpg Atlantis: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-115/hires/iss013e798… pa

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] 25x100 binos for sale
by Wayne Sumner 20 Sep '06

20 Sep '06

Hi Patrick, Do you know how many millimeters of eye relief the 25x100's have? I'm very interested. Thanks, Wayne A. Sumner Math/Physics/Astronomy/Engineering Boy's Tennis Coach Northridge High School Davis School District (801) 402-8610 >>> paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com 09/19/06 4:25 PM >>> Just to make the $70 price of Chuck's 11x80s look good I'll note that I still have the 25x100s I bought in January and used only once (once was enough to tell me they are much bigger than what I had imagined). Here's Chuck's description from last January: "FOTAR 25x100mm binocular BAK-4 prisms, alloy aluminum body, individual eyepiece focus, multi-coated optics, long eye-relief, integral tripod adapter (the same type as above). These are the identical OEM binocular as the Celestron 25x100mm and Apogee 25x100 bino." I'm into them a tad over $200 but I like round numbers so let's just say I'm asking an even $200. pw _______________________________________________ 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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New Pretty Picture of NGC7380
by Tyler Allred 20 Sep '06

20 Sep '06

Hi all. I finally got a chance to image last night and picked an obscure target: NGC7380. It turned out pretty nice. This image is a combination of Ha and RGB data. The star field is really colorful on this one. Here is a link to the small version: http://tinyurl.com/qpv5x Here is a link to the full version: http://tinyurl.com/qmhac Cheers, Tyler

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