December 2007 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

How to deflect an asteroid
by Patrick Wiggins 15 Dec '07

15 Dec '07

Japanese in one case and possibly Chinese in the other, but you'll get the point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ETStsw4pvc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4V93tm466U patrick p.s. After Kim's comments about observing in the cold I got this frosty picture as I was closing up the other morning: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/BRRR.JPG brrrrr...

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Re: Geminids
by Kurt Fisher 15 Dec '07

15 Dec '07

The shower peak was at 10:45am, today, Dec. 14. Historically, the Geminids rise faster than they fall, so the prevailing wisdom is that early last night (Friday, Dec. 14 at after midnight) would be the best peak time and this evening early morning (Saturday, Dec. 15 after midnight). Today, the NASA Fluximater was showing a zhr of 40 last night at around 1am and 20 tonight at 11:30pm MST from countryside locations. When I looked outside around midnight last night, it was not clear and did not clear up until this morning. Prospects look better tonight but the NOAA IR map shows another front rapidly moving in from the northwest. Eyeballing the chart, I figure it will be here around midnight and Moonset is at 10pm. So I'm sticking my head out of my den at around 10pm and like Punxsutawney Phil, if I don't see clear weather, I'm crawling back in for another six hours of sleep. - Kurt An S&T article http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/12207486.html Utah astro wiki entry with more links and info http://www.utahastronomy.com/Current_observing_events#Dec._15_3:15am_MDT_Ge… NASA meteor Fluximater http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/estimator.html _______________________________________________ Sent via CSolutions - http://www.csolutions.net

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Odyssey 1 (13.1" f/4.5)
by Naz & David 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

A colleague of mine at work has an Odyssey 1 (13.1" f/4.5) that he picked up second hand at the Hanssen Planetarium many years ago. He wants to sell it, preferably to someone local (its heavy, he says 120lb!). Can anyone suggest what it might be worth? A smaller Odyssey Compact (10.1" f4.5) recently sold for $245 + shipping on AM. Cheers David

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High Country News, Byrce & Dark Skies
by William Biesele 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Registration required for the whole article; or patience they drop the registration requirement after a few months http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=17396

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Geminids
by Kim 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Anyone know the forecast for Thursday night/Friday morning? I originally had hoped to go to St. George or another warmer spot for observing, but demands at home changed that scenario. If weather is clear, I’ll go somewhere with my arctic sleeping bag to observe and try to photograph the shower. Anyone else interested? Kim Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.31/1128 - Release Date: 11/13/2007 11:09 AM

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Geminids
by Kurt Fisher 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Kim, Background info the possible ZHR peaking at 3:15am MST Dec. 15 can be found in the utah astro wiki at: http://www.utahastronomy.com/Current_observing_events#Dec._15_3:15am_MDT_Ge… NOAA forecasts resources are: St George NOAA forecast http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=slc&smap=1&textField1=37… Friday Night partly cloudy low 25degF The KSL forecast for St. George http://www.ksl.com/?nid=88 Friday night partly cloudy; Saturday Sunny and clear. 46F high; 27F low. The NOAA front maps show a high stationed over Utah. 36 Hour NoAA front map http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/96f.gif 48 Hour NOAA map http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/98f.gif Bring back some photos. - Kurt _______________________________________________ Sent via CSolutions - http://www.csolutions.net

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Sunspot 978 12-14 to 12-17
by Kurt Fisher 14 Dec '07

14 Dec '07

Although in Dec., we only usually have about 6 days of useable observing time, if there is a break in the clouds during the daytime (like right now), giant sunspot 978 is will continue to be visible on the face of the Sun for three or four more days. Animation by Gary Palmer http://spaceweather.com/images2007/12dec07/978_anim2.gif?PHPSESSID=2k7ahe59… Spaceweather.com 12-13-2007 http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=13&month=12&year=2007 Today is the 35th anniversary of the last Apollo mission liftoff from the face of the Moon. - Kurt _______________________________________________ Sent via CSolutions - http://www.csolutions.net

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Meade question
by Chuck Hards 12 Dec '07

12 Dec '07

Hey, Rob, thanks. I was trying to have this scope running for the owner to use this month, but that's not going to happen. I have to make a couple of real eyepieces for it first. If you want to send just the equatorial head and motors (disassembled), I'd happily reimburse you for the postage. And I can always use another little counterweight. On Dec 12, 2007 10:19 AM, Rob Ratkowski Photography <ratkwski(a)hawaii.rr.com> wrote: > Aloha Chuck > > > You want a unit to work with?? I have one like you describe that > seems to work (gears turn) that I got from a fellow that "stored it > in the house". Mirrors are shot, rust and weeds in the tripod legs, > etc BUT the motor works and wasn't attached at all, just dust > covered. It's yours if you want. > >

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Back on the mailing list & a Meade question
by Chuck Hards 12 Dec '07

12 Dec '07

Hi everyone, I'm back on the list after a 3-month absence. I've been increidbly busy and nursing some injuries while off list- and still am, but I miss the astronomical thought every now-and-then and my schedule is going to lighten up soon. What did I miss while away? I have a problem that perhaps some of you can help with. I am attempting to ressurect a 12-year-old Meade 4.5" equatorial reflector for one of the owners here at work. It came to me partially disassembled with only one 6mm Ramsden eyepiece, plastic lens Barlow, (shame on you, Meade) and the electronic drive motor disconnected. I'm not going to get into the myriad shortcomings of design and construction- this telescope has no real reason to live other than it's sale generated some cash for Meade; it's a terrible telescope even fresh out of the box. I was going to offer the owner 20 bucks for it but after familiarizing myself with it, wouldn't take it for free. No lie, it's junk, a "trash telescope". I cleaned and re-aligned the optics, got the drive re-assembled and the motor re-installed, but it runs backwards! There is no external N/S hemisphere switch. There is no internal switch on the hand paddle; I have not opened-up the motor case yet because I don't want to deal with re-assembling a gear train if it all comes spilling out. The motor cannot be mounted on the opposite side of the worm. The plastic bracket will only fit on the eastern side. I've thought about changing the polarity of the battery pack, but intuitively that shouldn't work since it appears to be a pulsed electronic system. The red LED pilot light wouldn't even work if it was a case of reversed polarity. The hand controller uses a 9v battery, permanently connected to the motor housing with a phone-style cord & connector. There is also a separate pack using 10 AA cells that plugs into the motor housing directly. Now, get this: The drive motor works with the 9 volt battery in the hand controller, but not for long. Maybe 20 minutes to a dead battery. The motor runs backwards with the AA pack plugged-in and with no battery in the hand controller, the fast slew/slow buttons work fine. But with a battery in the hand controller AND the AA pack plugged-in, nothing works. This particular model does not seem to be supported by Meade anymore. I've found a similar telescope on their Website but this drive and control is no longer listed (I can see why). Any ideas? TIA! C.

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Golden Compass (Way OT)
by Patrick Wiggins 11 Dec '07

11 Dec '07

Way off topic to be sure but it's been so quiet here I thought I'd post something just to see if messages are going out. A few of us are going to see The Golden Compass this Thursday at the theater on 3300 S. State. 5:20 p.m. showing. Don't know much about it except that the previews look fun and that it seems to be stirring up a bunchy of controversy. Let me know if you plan on attending and we'll save you a seat. patrick

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