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

Saturday Night at This is the Place
by Ann Blanchard 15 Apr '08

15 Apr '08

I wondered what impressions any of you had of star gazing from This is the Place? Craig and I went out Saturday and there was a large turn out of folks with scopes. There is a broad view to the west and they let us drive our cars right up to where we were viewing so we didn't have to haul things. I have to say first that I am a wimp about cold, so my view may not fit with others, but the wind blew all the time, and by 10:00 the two flags they had were waving at full tilt with the metal banging desperately into the polls. I was freezing, nose running constantly and my eyes watered from the wind so much I could hardly look through the scopes. I remembered that we had tried viewing once from Research Park and the wind in July made it uncomfortable, so I asked the very friendly volunteer from This is the Place if it was always windy like this and he cheerfully replied that it was. I had fun with the people there, but I really have no desire to go back again. Just curious what others thought. Ann M. Blanchard Executive Assistant to the Associate VP Undergraduate Studies 110 Sill University of Utah (801) 581-3188 a.blanchard(a)ugs.utah.edu

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] List Problems
by Patrick Wiggins 14 Apr '08

14 Apr '08

On 14 Apr 2008, at 13:29, Ann Blanchard wrote: > Is there anything I can do to get the astronomy list serve working > fully for me again? I miss about one in three of the posts (I’ve > discovered that from checking on the archives) and even the first > time I send a post, it doesn’t come to my e-mail, but if someone > responds to it, and I reply back, then that post of mine comes to > me. Any ideas, thanks! Hi Ann, I know what you mean. But, FWIW, I'm on several lists (over 20 at last count) and missed posts are not at all uncommon. I've gotten around the problem to some extent by subscribing two of my addresses and routinely checking the archive. But I realize many have only one address and/or are not obsessive compulsive enough (<grin>) to remember to frequently check the archive. On the up side, if a particular thread catches on you are sure to receive at least some of the traffic which could remind you to go to the archive. Cheers, patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Lunar X at Saturday's SLAS star party
by Canopus56 14 Apr '08

14 Apr '08

Chuck wrote: > Thanks, Kurt It's a good one to remember for the small kids at star parties. "Want to see the giants playing tic-tac-toe on the Moon?" -:) Kurt ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

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Lunar X at Saturday's SLAS star party
by Canopus56 14 Apr '08

14 Apr '08

At the SLAS star party on Saturday, the lunar asterism the Purbach cross (misidentified by me last night as the Janssen X) was particularly brillantly, illuminated and fully formed lunar "X" near the first quarter terminator when the terminator as at lunar colongitude 359 degs. The following LPOD was taken at first, quarter illumination and shows the lunar X: X Marks the Spot http://www.lpod.org/archive/LPOD-2004-08-29.htm LPOD Lunar X aricle http://the-moon.wikispaces.com/Lunar+X?f=print David Chapman's article on the Lunar X http://idisk.mac.com/chapmandave-Public/WernerX2.pdf This asterism is known by several informal names: the Purbach cross, the Lunar X and the Werner X. Werner is an unrelated fully illuminated crater with the Purbach cross immediately to the lunar northwest - giving the visual impression of an X-O on a tic-tac-toe board. The cross - which looks like an x-chromosone, is formed by the combination of common rim between Purbach, La Caille and Blanchinus. Although the Purbach cross has probably been observed by amateurs since the 1800s, this lunar asterism did not become well-publicized until 2004 by uber-amateur observer Carol Lakomiak. Part of the reason for the lunar x's relative obscurity is for a particular observing point, the Purbach cross is usually observable for only a few hours and then on only alternate lunar cycles or every 59 days. The Purbach lunar x is probably second in popularity only to the Hainzel triangle asterism (visible when terminator is near 24-30 deg west lunar long). - Kurt __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Lunar Graze Obs Opp SLC 4-13 9:48PM
by Canopus56 14 Apr '08

14 Apr '08

Not feeling well-enough to mount my 10" scope, I observed this event from the parking lot behind the Roasting Company coffee house about 100 meters north of 500 South and between 300 East and 400 South at approximately 325 East and 450 South in Salt Lake City. Not being experienced in lunar grazes, this was a proof of concept observation. The observed appearance and disappearance of the lunar graze was consistent with the Occult4 predicted graze map. The selected observing point was probably 100-200 meters too far southwest of the central grazeline. Observing report on lunar graze at: http://canopus56.wikispaces.com/20080413LunarGraze#toc18 Observed graze path image: http://canopus56.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/20080414LG_img22.jpg On the Moon generally, the Straight Wall was prominent. Rima Bradley was visible. The Sun angle brought out the buried inner ring of the Imbrium impact as a semi-circle on the Imbrium basin floor half transected by the terminator. - Kurt ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

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Lunar X at Saturday's SLAS star party
by Canopus56 14 Apr '08

14 Apr '08

Repost (Not sure if the listserv is working) At the SLAS star party on Saturday, the lunar asterism the Purbach cross (misidentified by me last night as the Janssen X) was particularly brillantly, illuminated and fully formed lunar "X" near the first quarter terminator when the terminator as at lunar colongitude 359 degs. The following LPOD was taken at first, quarter illumination and shows the lunar X: X Marks the Spot http://www.lpod.org/archive/LPOD-2004-08-29.htm LPOD Lunar X aricle http://the-moon.wikispaces.com/Lunar+X?f=print David Chapman's article on the Lunar X http://idisk.mac.com/chapmandave-Public/WernerX2.pdf This asterism is known by several informal names: the Purbach cross, the Lunar X and the Werner X. Werner is an unrelated fully illuminated crater with the Purbach cross immediately to the lunar northwest - giving the visual impression of an X-O on a tic-tac-toe board. The cross - which looks like an x-chromosone, is formed by the combination of common rim between Purbach, La Caille and Blanchinus. Although the Purbach cross has probably been observed by amateurs since the 1800s, this lunar asterism did not become well-publicized until 2004 by uber-amateur observer Carol Lakomiak. Part of the reason for the lunar x's relative obscurity is for a particular observing point, the Purbach cross is usually observable for only a few hours and then on only alternate lunar cycles or every 59 days. These images on Cloudy Nights nicely show the Purbach cross lunar X as also seen at the SLAS party. The second overlength url (Bill Weir's image) better shows the full "X" also seen at the SLAS star party. Dennis Fell http://www.spacealberta.com/moon/surface/wernerx.jpg Bill Weir http://rascvic.zenfolio.com/p566114947/?photo=h3E47C07F#1044889727 Jane Houston Jones http://photo.whiteoaks.com/2008-04-12-isan/slides/IMG_9833.html The Purbach lunar x is probably second in popularity only to the Hainzel triangle asterism (visible when terminator is near 24-30 deg west lunar long). - Kurt ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

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Lunar X at Saturday's SLAS star party
by Canopus56 13 Apr '08

13 Apr '08

After posting, I noticed these two images on Cloudy Nights that nicely show the Purbach cross lunar X as also seen at the SLAS party. The second overlength url (Bill Weir's image) better shows the full "X" also seen at the SLAS star party. Dennis Fell http://www.spacealberta.com/moon/surface/wernerx.jpg Bill Weir http://rascvic.zenfolio.com/p566114947/?photo=h3E47C07F#1044889727 - Kurt __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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SLAS School Star Party 4-14-08 - North Star Academy Driving Directions
by Michael Morrison 13 Apr '08

13 Apr '08

Hi, Here are the directions to get to North Star Academy from Erin Kirton. Get on the southern end of the Bangerter Highway and drive to the 2700 West intersection. Turn south at 2700 West and drive to 14010 South and turn right. Head west on 14010 South to the school at 2920 West. The school is on the north side of 14010 South. We will be setting up on the cement playground or the grass field to the east of the school building. The site has a good southern and eastern horizon, the low west will be behind the school building. The time is dusk until 10:00 p.m. Clear Skies, Mike Morrison

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ISS visibility (Was: Star parties this week
by Canopus56 12 Apr '08

12 Apr '08

Before last night's dramatic overpass, I checked the sky brightness at 10 minutes after dusk in anticipation of Sunday's overpass. IMHO, the sky brightness will be too great to observe the ISS transit Saturn on Sunday night. You might see part of the overpass in eastern sky on Sunday, but it may be too bright for even the mag -4.4. - Kurt __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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V2491 Cyg - nova observing op
by Canopus56 12 Apr '08

12 Apr '08

This one appears to have peaked at mag 8 per AAVSO recent observations. I didn't see anything last night down to mag 6 using small 10x50 binos. - Kurt __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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