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

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Are we human because we gaze at thestars?(MostlyOT)
by Olhomorto＠aol.com 22 Aug '07

22 Aug '07

In a message dated 8/20/2007 6:19:27 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time, kimharch(a)cut.net writes: So, if a tree falls in the forest and there's no one there to hear it, does the forest exist? Did you mean does the tree exist? But either way, doesn't it have to exist because you just said it fell and you said it was in the forest, didn't you? (ha, ha). But I didn't mean to suggest that the "things" beyond the "barrier" do or don't exist. I was wondering what the Intelligent Designer could be thinking of if the Intelligent Designer creates things just for us but the things are beyond our ability to perceive? ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Are we human because we gazeatthestars?(MostlyOT)
by Gary Vardon 22 Aug '07

22 Aug '07

What is stupid about numbers? One has to be bright to understand number theory in depth, While it can and is argued that time began with the big bang one could also say that time went back infinitely far in the past even before the supposed big bang and extends infinitely far into the future impendent of the rest of the universe. -----Original Message----- From: Chuck Hards Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 8:14 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Are we human because we gazeatthestars?(MostlyOT) Time is a subset of the universe; numbers and imagination are human elements and can be considered co-sets of human stupidity. But you and Einstein can debate it next time you see him. On 8/22/07, Gary Vardon <gvardon(a)webtv.net> wrote: > > Isn't time infinite and what about numbers? > Imagination is infinite also. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Chuck Hards > Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 12:08 PM > To: Utah Astronomy > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Are we human because we > gazeatthestars?(MostlyOT) > > "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm > not > sure about the former." _______________________________________________ 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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Joanne's talk
by Kurt Fisher 22 Aug '07

22 Aug '07

Gary Vardon wrote: > <snip> So bottom line is Google away and you too can > deliver a talk to SLAS. I thought Joanne did an exemplary job and I enjoyed the presentation greatly. I'd ask that she would take a few moments to post an abbreviated table, based on the California and Carniege known exo-planet list, of stars with exoplanets that have Bayer or Flamsteed numbers. I have personally wanted such a reference list for use at star parties, but have never had the time to fully decode the HD numbers in the C&C list. One of the purposes of SLAS is to develop the astonomical skills of its members. I hope the club continues to encourage regular presentations by its members on any appropriate astronomy topic as a means of increasing the skill the level of its members, interspersed with the club's high-standard professional astronomer presentations. - Kurt _______________________________________________ Sent via CSolutions - http://www.csolutions.net

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Fwd: Looking for images for What's Up videos
by Richard Tenney 22 Aug '07

22 Aug '07

Anyone with images of the outer planets want to fill this request? Make sure your response is is to Ms. Jones and not the list... --- jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov wrote: > Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:15:00 -0700 (PDT) > From: jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov > To: retenney(a)yahoo.com > Subject: Looking for images for What's Up videos > --------------------------------- Hello Richard Tenney, For Septembe's "What's Up" video, I am looking for images taken of Uranus and Neptune. I'll focus on the 30th Anniversary of voyager, and luckily all the outer planets are visible in September. If you have any images, or know someone who has imaged these distant worlds, please send them to me this week, if you don't mind them being used in the JPL video. If you are referring to someone else's image, I'll need their contact information to ask for use permission. Thanks, everyone! PS - We had fantastic views of ISS/Shuttle last Friday night at Yosemite National Park's Glacier Point "Stars Over Yosemite" program. And last night, we had a great pass of the International Space Station then 10 seconds later, the Shuttle Endeavour, from Southern California. Jane Houston Jones Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205 Pasadena, CA 91109 Phone - 818-393-6435 Fax - 818-393-4495 jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov ____________________________________________________________________________________ Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. http://travel.yahoo.com/

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Are we human because we gazeatthestars?(MostlyOT)
by Gary Vardon 22 Aug '07

22 Aug '07

Isn't time infinite and what about numbers? Imagination is infinite also. -----Original Message----- From: Chuck Hards Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 12:08 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Are we human because we gazeatthestars?(MostlyOT) "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." "If I had my life to live over again, I'd be a plumber." --Albert Einstein On 8/21/07, Ann Blanchard <a.blanchard(a)ugs.utah.edu> wrote: > Nice quotes! I also remember appreciating the view of the universe in > Omar Khayyam's Rubaiyat, but unlike you, I can't remember the specific > ones this early in the day. > > _______________________________________________ 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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Joanne'stalk
by Gary Vardon 22 Aug '07

22 Aug '07

Joanne said at the end of her talk that she used Google as her research tool. Indeed, Google is a powerful research tool. I Googled Mars for example and found out about all sorts of neat stuff including videos on Youtube and Google Mars. So bottom line is Google away and you too can deliver a talk to SLAS. -----Original Message----- From: Chuck Hards Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 8:24 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Are we human because we gazeatthestars?(MostlyOT) "Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science." --Edwin Hubble "Progress is man's ability to complicate simplicity." --Thor Heyerdahl "Rules are made for people who aren't willing to make up their own." --Chuck Yeager "A scientist in his laboratory is not a mere technician: he is also a child confronting natural phenomena that impress him as though they were fairy tales." --Marie Curie _______________________________________________ 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] Are we human because we gazeatthestars?(IN THE LARGE PART OT)
by Naz & David 21 Aug '07

21 Aug '07

"For the modern counterparts of Gödel and Turing - the likes of Roger Penrose and Gregory Chaitin - intellectual certainty is a dead end. Serious thinkers are not afraid of uncertainty. For them a theory's uncertainty or incompleteness is not a failing but a positive and creative condition in its own right. The profound discoveries of modern mathematics and science show that life and thinking flourish only in the liminal and fertile land that lies between too much certainty and too much doubt. The art of scientific inquiry is to tack back and forth between the two." "Thinking flourishes in the land between certainty and doubt" "More than ever, science needs to remember the words of Bertrand Russell: "Uncertainty, in the presence of vivid hopes and fears, is painful, but must be endured if we wish to live without the support of comforting fairy tales... To teach how to live without certainty, and yet without being paralysed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing."" >From issue 2615 of New Scientist magazine, 04 August 2007, page 46-47

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Are we human because we gaze at the stars? (Mostly OT)
by Patrick Wiggins 21 Aug '07

21 Aug '07

+++++ Are we human because we gaze at the stars? Or do we gaze at them because we are human? Pointless really. Do the stars gaze back? Now THAT's a question. +++++ Just back from seeing a movie called Stardust. The above are the opening lines. Fun flick (provided you like movies where the gal gets the guy and the bad guys get their due) and great music. http://www.stardustmovie.com/ pw

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Are we human because we gaze atthestars?(MostlyOT)
by Olhomorto＠aol.com 21 Aug '07

21 Aug '07

Yes, those points sound reasonable. But on the other hand, consider the number of stars we currently estimate exist in the "known" universe. Isn't the number some incomprehensible (at least to me) number like 70 sextillion or something? They aren't all observable, or at least they weren't 20 years ago, and yet science still pursues extending its reach. Maybe that's an argument for the Intelligent Designer creating things "for us" that we can't see, but I don't think so because as commented earlier, their is a limit. Personally, I think it's more of an argument in favor of the Intelligent Designer creating other intelligent life throughout the universe. In other words, what may not be seen by us is still seen by others? ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

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SLAS private star parties
by Randall Peterson 21 Aug '07

21 Aug '07

We were curious about the SLAS private star parties - anyone have answers to our questions? Last time we were at SPOC the skies seemed pretty bright from all the new development, so we were hopeful that the private star parties were to some darker skies. We like the idea of having other folks around for camaraderie and safety. How many people attend, public or private land, darkness of skies, single v. multiple nights? Any info would be helpful. thx, Randy ____________________________________________________________________________________ Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us. http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7

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