December 2008 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

M57 +73PSW-3
by daniel turner 27 Mar '13

27 Mar '13

Mark your calendar for early evening May 7. Their will be a close encounter between the Ring nebula and periodic comet 73P. The comet will be close to earth so its exact position in the sky will depend stongly on your location on the globe. Go to spaceweather.com and use the link at the bottom of the page for "Observable Comets". 73p is in the list and includes orbital elements and a link for daily ephemerides. DT __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

8 8

First Light Image with ASA N8 - M81 and M82 in Ursa Major
by Tyler Allred 05 Jan '09

05 Jan '09

Hello all. I managed to get everything to work last night and, despite the poor viewing conditions, I got a few frames with the Astro Systeme Austria N8 astrograph that I have been struggling with in recent weeks. Here is a link to the first light image: M81 and M82 in Ursa Major. I choose them because they were bright enough to show through the high haze that seemed to be everywhere last night. This is a combination of 10 3-minute luminance frames, and 3 each 5-minute RGB frames. The camera is also new to me: it is an older Finger Lakes CM-10, which has the same chip as the SBIG ST10 (KAF-3200XME). The camera is very sensitive, which I really like. but it blooms, which is a real pain! I used a new autoguider from Orion through a Borg 60 guide scope, and the guiding setup seems to work well. Everything in this imaging train is new for me, except the old standby Losmandy G-11 mount, which I have had for years. Here is the link: http://71.18.228.62/images/M81LRGB.jpg Be sure to click on the image to view the full sized version. I am pretty happy with this for a first light image, but I am hoping to get the stars much tighter on a better viewing night. Questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome. Happy New Year!! Tyler _____________________________________________

9 38

Thomas Harriot - first reported astronomical telescope use
by Canopus56 31 Dec '08

31 Dec '08

In the December 2008 issue of the J. Br. Astron. Assoc., historian Allan Chapman << url: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Chapman_(historian) >> presents a telescopic drawing of the Moon dated July 26, 1609 by early English astronomer Thomas Harriot. The drawing is no _Sidereus Nuncius_, but is noteworthy in that it predates Galileo's earliest reported use of a telescope to view astronomical objects. Chapman places Galileo's first astronomical use of a telescope in late November or December 1609. IMHO, Harriot's lunar drawing is very crude and does nothing to displace the preeminance of Galileo's more detailed drawings and analysis in _Sidereus Nuncius_. Galileo also was the first to publish. Harriot's drawings were unpublished. The earlier Harriot observation is also mentioned in the online Galileo Project Timeline of Galileo's life. << url: http://galileo.rice.edu/chron/galileo.html >> Harriot's July 26, 1609 drawing can also be viewed at the Galileo Project website. << url: http://galileo.rice.edu/sci/harriot_moon.html >> Chapman also reviews the ambiguous evidence supporting the existance of the English Diggs reflector telescope. Chapman conludes the Diggs scope probably did not exist. Clear Skies - Kurt Chapman, A. Dec. 2008. Thomas Harriot: the first telescopic astronomer. J. Br. Astron. Assoc. 118(6):315-325. P.S. - The J. Br. Astron. Assoc. article is a version of lecture given by Chapman in Dec. 2007. This may be old news and not new news to some. This (Dec. 2008) was the first time I ran across this reference.

8 15

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Good Night Observing Ending with a Nice Meteor
by zaurak＠digis.net 31 Dec '08

31 Dec '08

Jay, The Astronomical League gives recognition for completing Caldwell list as well as the Herschel 400. Below is a link to the Caldwell list you may find more user friendly. 220 years ago today Caroline Herschel was injured helping her brother William observe. Perhaps this is why more women don't do astronomy. BTY, Mercury is 1.3 degrees left of Jupiter at sunset tonight. Happy New Year All and go Utes beat Bama , Erik http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/caldwell/cldwlist.html --- outwest112(a)yahoo.com wrote: From: daniel turner <outwest112(a)yahoo.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Good Night Observing Ending with a Nice Meteor Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:58:47 -0800 (PST) Jay: Two more very important lists need to be mentioned. You may already have them. The Jay Eades to-do list can be printed out and kept with the telescope gear. As things get checked off they can be moved to another list, The Jay Eades life time list. This last one can be as simple or complex as you like. It can start with a text file that grows into a spread sheet maybe evolving into a full blown relational database. These personal lists are what we work with during blizzards and daylight, and they are the most satisfying lists of all. DT --- On Wed, 12/31/08, daniel turner <outwest112(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > From: daniel turner <outwest112(a)yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Good Night Observing Ending with a Nice Meteor > To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 1:52 PM > Jay: > > There are a couple of 110 lists that are an easier > transition than the jump the Herschel 400. > > http://seds.org/messier/xtra/similar/sac110bn.html > > This "best of the NGC" list is all visable from > Utah, the southern most being Omega Centari which can be > seen from Rush Valley. > > http://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/caldwell.html > > The Caldwell list is all sky and would require a trip down > under to complete, but the first half is visable from here > and worth the effort. > > Be aware that there are several versions of the H400. Some > one Scandinavia rewrote the list to be more friendly to the > northern European observer and published the ammended list > under the same name. So if you google up the list you may > not get the "official" one. Someone else came up > with a second 400 for those who had done the first 400. > > DT > > --- On Tue, 12/30/08, Jay Eads <jayleads(a)gmail.com> > wrote: > > > Just in case anyone can't tell my goal is to > complete > > the Messier > > badge for next year's award and I'm doing > pretty > > good with 45 items > > bagged. I also do hit some of the more interesting > > NCG's and will > > probably try to get the Hershel 400 after that. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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://gallery.utahastronomy.com > Visit the Wiki: 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://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com

1 0

Good Night Observing Ending with a Nice Meteor
by Jay Eads 31 Dec '08

31 Dec '08

Well, conditions were not awful tonight, or I just wanted to be out I suppose. I spent time trying to find M33 and even with a narrowband filter I'm either going to need help or I need to get to a darker sight than my house (which is about 6.3 limiting magnitude for me). I also took a gamble and though I found the location for M74, I could not get it. I thought that with averted vision I could possibly see it, but that just might be me doing the Little Engine That Could (I think I can . . . ). I then went over and bagged M77 and took about an hour to record observations and sketch it at 21mm, observed it with my 13mm Stratus and then focused and sketched at 9mm. After M77 I went to M44 and then to M67. I sketched both using the 21mm Stratus. By this time though I had tried on two items, and bagged 3 with sketches and observations, my dob was frosting over pretty good, as was the rest of my equipment and though I had hoped to spend sometime sketching M42, and bagging three more Messier objects tonight, alas, that will have to wait. I decided to pack it in and my son and I took in the dob and then after we had everything but my stool and my observing table, when I saw coming out of the west and heading east a very bright orange meteor (time was approx. 12:10a.m. on December 31, 2008). I'm not the best at estimating but it was between the size of Venus and Jupiter as it came in and had a tail going back at least 10 degrees (estimate using my fist). It flew over my house and then broke apart just to the east of my home. My son was pretty stoked as it was his first meteor that close and that bright. Guess I need to show him a comet one day. Just in case anyone can't tell my goal is to complete the Messier badge for next year's award and I'm doing pretty good with 45 items bagged. I also do hit some of the more interesting NCG's and will probably try to get the Hershel 400 after that. It will take me longer as I usually spend 45 minutes to over an hour per item as I record my observation, make sketches or whatever else. Nice to have a good night. I need to look into making a dew heater for my dob's I guess. I saw one over at Sky and Telescope that didn't seem to much to make. Anyone have experience with that or recommend another one that I can make (or purchase if the CFO/CEO of the house approves the amount)?

6 6

Re: [Utah-astronomy] A snack in Gemini before bedtime
by zaurak＠digis.net 31 Dec '08

31 Dec '08

I do like Sissy Haas's as she does include other peoples descriptions of double stars. I do find it hard to see some of the colors she describes, although she is much more practiced at observing them than most amateurs and certainly me. I do find my self describing them like the male brain does. I understand colors that can be seen vary among individuals. Her book "Double Stars for Small Telescopes" is excellent and I do recommend it. Anyone ever see pink and blue in the trifid nebulae? I have a few times. Erik. --- chuck.hards(a)gmail.com wrote: From: "Chuck Hards" <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] A snack in Gemini before bedtime Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:51:03 -0700 The difference between the male and female brain when at the eyepiece: Haas (who is a woman, if anyone was wondering): "brilliant, lemon-white, tangerine, amber, sun yellow, delicate, topaz, citrus orange, dusky...) Kurt: "resolved, easy, bright, yellow, faint, blue", (and a surprising) "yellow-ivory." *;o) * _______________________________________________ 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://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com

1 0

Poor seeing tonight
by Patrick Wiggins 30 Dec '08

30 Dec '08

Sitting in my library tonight I succumbed to the siren song of the first clear night skies in days so I opened the observatory and shot some pictures of a couple of targets of opportunity. It quickly became apparent the jet stream must be screaming overhead (later confirmed). The stars were were so bloated I decided working on today's issue of News would be more productive. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/POORSEEING001.JPG Maybe next time, patrick

6 11

ATM alert
by Chuck Hards 30 Dec '08

30 Dec '08

For you telescope makers, Surplus Shed now has the 127mm f/5.5 acrhomatic objectives back in-stock: http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/l3968.html $139.00 + $5 shipping. This is NOT an APO or ED objective, and at f/5 will display some color fringes on bright objects. However, it will excell on deep-sky objects and make a magnificent large finder for a big Dob. It comes with a cell. The price is outstanding and I have to thank the underpaid Chinese craftsmen who produced it. It is a full 5" clear aperture lens and an American made equivalent would cost seven or eight times the price. HURRY. Surplus Shed sold out of these in a matter of hours last time they got some in.

1 2

Re: [Utah-astronomy] A snack in Gemini before bedtime
by Canopus56 30 Dec '08

30 Dec '08

Thanks, Chuck. Ran my planned list of Gemini doubles targets except the last target 30 Gem. There are corrections to errorenous SAO numbers below. Please disregard the prior list as a bad version. Visibility of each target is noted below. Best easy colorful doubles targets on this list were OSS 134 in M35, 15 Gem, 16 Gem (single), 18 Gem, 20 Gem and eps Gem. Finished up with the Winter Alberio (SAO 173349 in CMa). Transparency: SAO Scale - 1. Light water vapor at altitude ZLM: 17.9 mpsas; 3.9v Op: Aves, SLC, UT Scope: 114mm f/9 1000mm fl short tube refractor at 40x and 66x (25mm and 15mm) Clear Skies - Kurt Gemini after-work colorful doubles observing list (with Kurt's observing notes in ZLM 3.9 sky) (Extended objects included only for reference/GOTO targeting purposes) Id SAO Characteristics | Notes (Beginning at north-east corner of Gemini box traveling south.) Castor ----- AC 71" 1.9, 3.8 Triple wide-field. Haas: Showcase pair lemon-white. Mullaney: blue-white binary with 3rd orange star; compare diamond white with orange Pollux, bet Gem. Dist. 15.6 parsecs. Kurt: Resolved without colors; subtle triangle asterism del Gam 79274 5.8" (2003) 3.6, 8.2 Wesat, Wesat. Haas: Brillant white, yellow. Belmont: yellowish/blue. Dist. 18 parsecs. Kurt: Locate by named star id. Not resolved Eskimo Neb -- NGC 2392 38 Gem 96265 7.3" (2004), 4.7, 7.8 Haas: Showcase . . . lemon white/grey snowball. Kurt: Not resolved M35 -- NGC 2168. Per French at p. 54, contains Otto Strueve 134. OSS 134 78038 31", 7.6, 9.1 French: golden/bluish. Bright pair off-center in M35 open cluster. Kurt: Easy yellow/blue pair. Second best of the Gem colorful doubles. Targeted M35 to locate. Distance to double must be less than M35, the most distant open cluster in the Outer Arm. (Turning west along southern "feet" of Gemini box.) mu Gem 78297 2.9v Waypoint star in this list. Dist: 71 parsecs 15 Gem 78395 25.4" (2002) 6.7, 8.2 Haas: Tangerine orange/bluish red. [6.2v] Amber 16 Gem is at edge of field. Belmont: yellow/blue; orange/orange. Kurt: Yellow orange/blue orange. Subtle dim colors. Third best of the Gem colorful doubles. 16 Gem 78402 6.2 Haas: [6.2v] Amber 16 Gem is at edge of field of double 15 Gem. Kurt: Yellow bright waypoint star per Haas. 18 Gem 78423 nu Gem. A-BC 116.6" (2002), 4.1 8.0 Haas: Grand sight! A brillant Sun-yellow star with a small blue companion super-wide apart. Kurt: Yellow ivory / blue. Best of the Gem colorful doubles. 20 Gem 95795 19.7" (2002) 6.3, 6.9 (optical double) Haas: Unequal-gloss white. Mullaney: yellow-white/bluish. Kurt: Nearly equal yellow-white / bluish gam Gem 95912 Alhena. 145", 1.9, 11.2; 143.5", 1.9, 10.9 (Wide triple, faint) Haas (Webb): Pretty field. Kurt: Locate by named star id. Could resolve 11.2 and 10.9 stars without color after consulting position angle chart. Alhena is surrounded by an asterim of four stars at around 40 arcmins arranged in a square. Pleasing. (Turning north of gam Gem on west side of Gemini box to above Pollux.) eps Gem 78682 Mebsuta. 110.6", 3.1, 9.6 Dist: 231 parsecs Haas: Sun yellow with speck next to it [at low power]. Belmont: yellow/yellow. Dist: 28 parsecs Kurt: Locate by named star id. Bright yellow with faint blue companion. Pleasing. pi. Gem 60340 Triple. AB 19.3" (1998), 5.1, 11.4 AC 92.0" 5.3, 10.4 Haas (Smyth): "Delicate triple star . . . topaz yellow; bluish; dusky". Belmont: orange/bluish triple. Dist: 172 parsecs. Kurt: Could not locate due to too close to zenith. GOTO would not drive there. (Returning south of gam Gem on west side of Gemini box.) ksi Gem 96074 Xi Gem. Alzier. Waypoint star. 30 Gem is in field. 30 Gem 96051 27.2" (1904), 4.5, 11.1 Haas: Difficult but striking. . . . citrus orange that shows a ghostly speck of light at the edge of its glow. Kurt: Did not try this session. Cone Neb. NGC 2264, NGC 2261?, Caldwell 49 Sources: Belmont Society. 2008. Belmont Society Colorful Double Star List. url: http://www.jouscout.com/astro/belmont/belmontd.htm (last accessed Dec. 29, 2008) French, Sue. 2005. Celestial Sampler. Sky & Telescope Pub. Haas, Sissy. 2006. Double Stars for Small Telescopes. Sky & Telescope Pub. Mullaney, James. 1998. Celestial Harvest. Dover.

2 1

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Poor seeing tonight
by Jay Eads 30 Dec '08

30 Dec '08

I'll still probably try going out as I'm not sure when I'll be able to again. Then again I have 3 weeks off the last 2 weeks of Jan. and the 1st week of February so maybe I'll get lucky. I'm fearful that the January inversion will be in full force by then. I may have to look at head south for a Friday and Saturday . . . Jay On 2008-12-30 21:23, Joe Bauman wrote: > Well, rats! Thanks, Patrick and Chuck. -- Joe > > --- On Tue, 12/30/08, Patrick Wiggins <paw@???> wrote: > From: Patrick Wiggins <paw@???> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Poor seeing tonight > To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@???> > Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 2:20 PM > > http://www.wunderground.com/US/Region/US/JetStream.html shows it's > still lurking nearby, somewhat north. > > Looks like it'll be pretty good for Jerry and Cindy. Maybe you could > set up in their backyard? > > patrick > > On 30 Dec 2008, at 10:36, Joe Bauman wrote: > > > Patrick, What's the jet stream doing tonight? Today is so clear and > > fine that I'm hoping I can find somewhere to set up tonight, not too > > far from home. Thanks, Joe > > > > >

1 0