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

BLM vs. Sun Tunnels
by Kurt Fisher 20 May '07

20 May '07

Patrick wrote: > BLM to sell leases near earth-art project Perhaps our Utah Division of Arts and Museums, which has the power to purchase (with the approval of the Utah Arts Council Board) and to add important Utah art works to the Utah State Alice Art Collection, could "buy" the tunnels from the BLM for a token amount of $1 and move them to another appropriately desolete state "facility" - a remote state owned parcel. The Governor's 2008 budget shows the Division with a budget of $6.7M. I assume the tunnels would work as currently aligned (to the compass points and with holes in the tubes to certain zenith constellations) if they are simply moved in latitude. Personally, I like the tunnels. http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/UT3126/ - Kurt _______________________________________________ Sent via CSolutions - http://www.csolutions.net

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Moon-Venus pic
by Kurt Fisher 20 May '07

20 May '07

Kim wrote: > I would appreciate any tips on how to capture Earthshine > without washing out the rest of the photo. Anyone? The very best pictures that I have seen along this line are by Pete Lawrence. Unfortunately, I believe he used the photoshop trick - exposing each separately and then pasting Venus into the Earthshine photo. - Kurt _______________________________________________ Sent via CSolutions - http://www.csolutions.net

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BLM vs. Sun Tunnels
by Patrick Wiggins 20 May '07

20 May '07

BLM to sell leases near earth-art project http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_5925073 pw

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Moon-Venus pic
by Kim 20 May '07

20 May '07

I posted a photo to my album of last night's Moon-Venus conjunction: http://www.utahastronomy.com/Kim/Moon_Venus_1_5_19_07. I would appreciate any tips on how to capture Earthshine without washing out the rest of the photo. Anyone? Kim

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Moon and Venus 5-19-07 pics uploaded
by Howard Jackman 20 May '07

20 May '07

I've uploaded a few pictures of last nights very nice pairing of the Moon and Venus. I almost missed it all together being busy with tilling and planting a garden until well past 9pm last night. I was able to only quickly set up my camera on a tripod and the 15x70 binos and snap a few quick pictures through the binos EP. A less than ideal situation to be sure, but the pictures came out OK I guess, wish I could've gotten the big scope out and done it right I've always wanted to catch the 2 crescents side by side. http://www.utahastronomy.com/Howardj?page=4 Take a look, sorry they're not great but I had fun looking at it nonetheless. Now if only this back-ache from that stupid tiller would go away! Howard ____________________________________________________________________________________Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. http://mobile.yahoo.com/go?refer=1GNXIC

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17.5" Scope update
by Chuck Hards 19 May '07

19 May '07

Well, it's been a while, but I have made steady progress on the 17.5" f.4.5. I uploaded some new shots to pages 5 and 6 of my Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com/Chuck?page=1 The clamp-ring mold worked well. Although 4 parts are visible in the photo, I molded 5 so I'd have a spare if one turned-out poorly, but they all seem to be perfect copies of the master pattern. Next week I will finish the machining and bodywork and mount up both pairs on the main tube for final fit checks and adjustments, if required. They will be felt-lined on the completed telescope, and will allow tube rotation as well as longitudinal balance. I can then make my final decision on the length of the bridge plates (the side plates that join the front and rear clamp ring assemblies). A PVC radius block spacer will provide the interface between the curved rings and the flat plates, in 4 locations. The fiberglass tube turned-out well. There was a bit of pre-release around the fan pocket and access door, necessitating some minor bodywork, also the rough interior of the Sonotube was of course transfered to the tube, but this was expected and dealing with it is straightforward. Only elbow grease and a long sanding block are needed to eliminate all the minor tube imperfections prior to painting. I like the looks of a traditional white tube, with black trim. Any structural metal parts (aluminum) will be given a high polish, hardware will be stainless steel for corrosion resistance. I still need to make master patterns for the end ring and back cover plate. These will give the tube a professional, finished appearance, streamlining the tube as well as adding stiffness near the spider. The entire tube will be closed when not in use, keeping dust away from the optics. The primary and secondary mirrors will also have their own close-fitting covers. The primary cover is removable through the lower access door. So-far, so-good. Stay tuned.

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Wide-angle photo op Moon 2deg of Venus Sat 5-19 sunset
by Kurt Fisher 18 May '07

18 May '07

There is a wide-angle photo op to photograph the Moon and a bright Venus on Saturday, May 19. At sunset, they will be within 2 degrees of each other. See details at: http://skytonight.com/observing/ataglance - Kurt _______________________________________________ Sent via CSolutions - http://www.csolutions.net

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Fwd: Flaming Gorge
by Richard Tenney 18 May '07

18 May '07

--- Clark Hall <pilot(a)ubtanet.com> wrote: > From: "Clark Hall" <pilot(a)ubtanet.com> > To: "'Utah Valley Astronomy Association'" > <uvaa(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 16:39:56 -0600 > Subject: RE: [UVAA] Star party in Provo Canyon > (South Fork) tomorrow > (Friday)night > > The recreation director for Flaming Gorge National > Recreation Area contacted > me about doing some star parties this summer. We > have set the following > dates 6/22; 7/20; 8/10. If anyone would like to > come and set up I would > appreciate some help. The location will be at the > Boot Leg amphitheater, > near Flaming Gorge Lodge. > > The Ranger at Red Fleet State would like to set up a > couple of parties for > this summer. Is anyone interested? > > Clear Skies and Dark Nights, > Clark Hall > ____________________________________________________________________________________Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links. http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesearch?refer=1ONXIC

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Private Star Parties
by James Colwell 17 May '07

17 May '07

Deb, what is this? First I have hear of it. Jim > From: astrodeb(a)beyondbb.com> To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 17:29:18 -0400> Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] Private Star Parties> > It does not look good for Friday, but how about Saturday night? It's a little too > > hot here down in St George. I could use some cooler weather and dark skies up north.> > > > http://cleardarksky.com/c/SpnsFkUTkey.html?1> > > > How far is is Mount Pleasant from St George? I have to be back by 1:30pm Sunday > > afternoon.> > > > Debbie> > > > On Thu May 17 15:04 , 'Kim' <kimharch(a)cut.net> sent:> > > > >As a matter of fact, there is a great site about 4 miles away - the backyard> > >of the house we rented for two years. I just spoke with the owner, and he> > >would allow us to use the yard and the bathroom in the house (it isn't yet> > >occupied). The house is near the mountains, so the eastern horizon is> > >elevated a bit, but not too much so. You can see a photo that I took of the> > >Milky way shortly after we moved to get a sense of how dark the skies are:> > >http://www.utahastronomy.com/Kim/Sagittarius_Milky_Way_1_001. The yard is> > >large and should accommodate a dozen or so scopes. Only problem is there is> > >no tent camping, but there is a generous gravel area for parking a trailer> > >and we are welcome to throw a sleeping bag on the ground if we need to> > >crash. The owner also requested that there be no consumption of alcoholic> > >beverages, nude dancing around the campfire, burning man (or woman) rituals,> > >and that we generally behave ourselves. The elevation is about 6500 feet, so> > >it can get cold, but it is rarely windy. The house isn't heated, but at> > >least we could get in out of the cold to warm up if needed. Power is also> > >available for anyone who needs it. I offered to pay for the use of the> > >place, but the owner said it would probably be OK without paying anything.> > >Let me know.> > >> > >Another possibility is an elevated site (maybe a hundred feet or so) on a> > >small hilltop, also nearby. Seeing may be better there, but there are no> > >amenities. I think there would also be room for a dozen scopes. The access> > >road is a bit steep and probably not suitable for trailers. If you wish,> > >I'll check into using that site. > > >> > >Anyone have a handle on the weather forecast for this weekend? > > >> > >Kim> > >> > >-----Original Message-----> > >From: utah-astronomy-bounces+kimharch=cut.net(a)mailman.xmission.com> > >[mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces+kimharch=cut.net@mailman.xmission.com] On> > >Behalf Of Don J. Colton> > >Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 1:56 PM> > >To: 'Utah Astronomy'> > >Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] Private Star Parties> > >> > >Do you have a site that is close to your house several of us could come> > >to. The Wedge is quite a bit farther and Skyline would probably be> > >pretty cold. It would be nice to get a good dark eastern horizon.> > >> > >> > >_______________________________________________> > >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> > > > > > > _______________________________________________> 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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Comet Lovejoy / M-87 optical jet
by Kurt Fisher 17 May '07

17 May '07

Patrick wrote: > So then I went to the The STScI Digitized Sky Survey > and downloaded one of their images of M-87 and > saw no jet there either. So I'm guessing getting > the jet's picture is not easy. That is such an intriguing question I went and tracked down a web answer and was given this link to an amateur image of the jet in M87: http://astronomy-mall.com/Adventures.In.Deep.Space/m87jet.htm Healy used a "Meade 16-inch at f/6, 30 minute exposure with the ST-8 CCD, and processed in MaxIm DL 2.0 using 'digital development' a process like unsharp masking which greatly reduces the enormous range of contrast between the jet and the halo." - Kurt _______________________________________________ Sent via CSolutions - http://www.csolutions.net

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