November 2009 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

NASA Spinoffs Report 2009
by Canopus56 11 Nov '09

11 Nov '09

At http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/ Lists commercial applications created using NASA generated technology. - Kurt

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H.A. Rey's The Stars A New Way to See Them going out of print?
by JayLEads 11 Nov '09

11 Nov '09

A post over at Cloudy Nights reported that H.A. Rey's The Stars, A New Way to See them is going out of print after being available for 50 years. I contacted a local Barnes and Noble and they confirmed that the book is going out of print. I need to call back and find out if this is the older version or the updated version but the updated version is listed as out of stock by all B&N's in the area. If the book is being retired its a sad day to me. This was a book given to me, as I am sure most of us have a copy, when I was a kid by my father. It taught me the constellations and gave me an appreciation for the stars that has come out in this hobby as an adult. I remember that I went through the book and used it so much outside, and I lived in Illinois at the time, that tdew basically caused the pages to crinkle up. I received a Tasco spotting scope that I still have and works great as a result of learning these constellations and looked at some of the planets and the moon with that. As an adult I own two copies, one being the updated version with planet info through 2016. I was lucky I guess because last April I found it on clearance at a Borders Book Store in Las Vegas and picked up 3 extra copies thinking for a $2.00 each thinking I could give them away. IF the book is going away, I will have to keep some to hopefully share with my grandkids one day (though the planet information will long have gone by the wayside). Three other books from the 1950's, and though outdated, influenced my interest in space as a child. They were based on the Collier's articles featureing Von Braun's plans for manned space exploration. They were "Across the Space Frontier", "Conquest of the Moon", and "The Exploration of Mars". Wish I still had these but they got lost in the move from California to Utah in the early 1990's. So regardless if H.A. Rey's The Stars is going out of print, that news got me thinking to ask Is there a book or something from your childhood that made a major impact on your life and got you interested in astronomy?

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Gamma Virginis
by Debbie 07 Nov '09

07 Nov '09

Anybody know what the separation for Gamma Virginis will be in 2010? I had some fun splitting double stars the other night and would like to see this one again. I barely split Zeta Aqr which is about 2 arc seconds wide. The seeing was pretty good early in the evening but degraded later so I packed up and was home by 10 pm. Debbie

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Which Carbon Star Tonight?
by Debbie 05 Nov '09

05 Nov '09

If you are in the constellation Cepheus, don't forget Herschel's Garnet star or Mu Cepheus. It has a deep red color. I like the view in my 15" Obsession. Debbie On Wed Nov 4 9:02 , Fletcher Gross <gross(a)math.utah.edu> sent: >I'm really late but I would add S Cephei. Of the ones originally >suggested, I would choose 9 Piscium. T Lyrae and V Aquilae are both >excellent. > >Fletcher Gross > > > >>I know I'm late but I'd add v-aquilae...it's also a great star to >>star hop to if you're not running a goto. >> >>Dave Bennett >> >>On Nov 3, 2009, at 4:14 PM, Jay Eads wrote: >> >>>Thanks Rodger, I had forgotten about T Lyrae. We'll give that one a go! >>> >>>On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 4:04 PM, Rodger C. Fry rcfry(a)comcast.net> wrote: >>> >>>>Jay, My favorite carbon Star is t-lyrae. It is in a good position for >>>>viewing tonight (RA: 18:32:20.08 >>>>DEC: 36:59:56.2). Many astronomers feel that this is the reddest star in >>>>the sky and I agree. All carbon stars are variable and if you catch t-lyrae >>>>when it is dim, it is very red. >>>> >>>>This would be my carbon star target if I were there. >>>> >>>>Thanks, >>>>Rodger Fry >>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Jay Eads" jayleads(a)gmail.com> >>>>To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> >>>>Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 3:54 PM >>>>Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Which Carbon Star Tonight? >>>> >>>> >>>> Riverton High is having a star party tonight and I'm going to take my >>>>>daughter whose in the astronomy class and the instructor has invited me. >>>>>I'm taking the distance AoP kit with me to do but thought about >>>>>showing >>>>>some doubles since the moon is up. I'll probably stick with >>>>>Alberio and >>>>>Epsilon Lyrae. Then it hit me that perhaps a carbon star might be a good >>>>>contrast as well. Out of the following any that would just stick out? >>>>> >>>>>9 Piscium, TX Piscium >>>>> >>>>>Z Piscium >>>>> >>>>>S Sculptoris >>>>> >>>>>R Sculptoris >>>>> >>>>>I'm thinking Z Piscium. Would welcome any thoughts as I haven't >>>>>viewed >>>>>these yet. >>>>> >>>>>Thanks. >>>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>>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.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >>>>>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://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >>>>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://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >>>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://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >>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://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php >Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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Google Map online for Utah Amateur Astro Observing Sites
by Canopus56 03 Nov '09

03 Nov '09

Leveraging off of Jays work, I have prepared a public online Google map of Utah Amateur astronomy observing sites. (tiny url) http://tinyurl.com/ybds2rz (full url) http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=1102376669065045874… This Google map is public and may be edited by anyone with a Google account. I have not included Jay's driving directions or site comments. If anyone wants to add site description comments, e.g. - sky conditions or driving directions - please feel free to do so. If anyone would like to add the precise place marker for the Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Zions star party sites, it would be appreciated. If you do add sites, please remember to include the precise latitude and longitude coordinates in the message part of the placeholder. A consolidated Google Earth kmz file that contains the same data as the online Google Map version can be found at: http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/astronote/kmz/ in file UtahAmateurAstronomyObservingSitesC56.kmz (direct link) http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/astronote/kmz/UtahAmateurAstronomyObs… The web based Google Map interface is not designed to display layers. Layers typically are used to display light pollution maps. My data directory ( http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/astronote/kmz/ ) also contains a consolidated dark sky map layer collection for Google Earth in file: DarkSkyOverlays.kmz (direct link) http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/astronote/kmz/DarkSkyOverlays.kmz In Google Earth, the primary built-in light pollution layer can be loaded with the Layers option and the "Core" layer. Use the following hierarchial tree options: Primary Database --> Gallery --> NASA --> Earth City Lights Another source for another Google Earth kmz format file is: Defense Mapping Service Agency Consolidated Light Pollution Maps for 1992-2003 http://services.google.com/earth/kmz/night_lights_dmsp.kmz Clear Skies - Kurt

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Tonight's ISS lunar transit
by Patrick Wiggins 02 Nov '09

02 Nov '09

Well, I took test shots last night to determine the proper exposure but forgot that in the interim I had changed the ISO from 200 to 1,600. So tonight's shots are overexposed. But at least ISS is visible in both images: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=2654 Next time's I'll shoot test images a few minutes before... Cheers, patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Looked through an astrograph?
by Jerry Foote 01 Nov '09

01 Nov '09

Hi Patrick, As you may recall I had a 20" R-C when I lived in Salt Lake. This was at a time when CCD cameras were just coming out so I almost always used it with an eyepiece. The central obstruction isn't a problem except when the seeing is extremely good. I did shoot images with film and they came out good except for the slight field curvature due to the R-C design. With that said, taking a camera on and off for eyepiece use still will require you to align, focus and take new flats for the camera. The difference between running your C-14 at f/5 with a focal reducer and the 8" R-C at f/8 is only a couple of inches so the FOV would be about the same. And again with that said, a new telescope is always fun and often can't be justified on a logical basis. Good luck on your decision. Jerry Foote ScopeCraft, Inc. 4175 E. Red Cliffs Dr. Kanab, UT 84741 435-899-1255 jfoote(a)scopecraft.com

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NASA and Halloween
by Patrick Wiggins 01 Nov '09

01 Nov '09

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1504.html :)

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Site with good horizon to the east
by Canopus56 01 Nov '09

01 Nov '09

Michael, Tomorrow morning looks problematic due to weather. Here is where I would go, if I were going to try this: Mirror Highway Fee station N40d 37m 49.94s W111d 10m 55.82s Mirror Highway Equestrian Parking Lot N40d 35m 42.90s W111d 5m 41.61s Gravel Pit (Closed, can use entrance at State Route 189, on State Route 189 between Park City and Oakely ) N40d 44m 18.65s W111d 22m 41.78s These are all very cold sites (-5 to 0 degrees C) and would require due heaters, emergency gear, e.g. a down bag. Watch out for livestock (black dairy cows) and moose on the road. At 6am, the Virgo cluster is only at 12 degrees alt while the Sun is at -21 degs alt. This is a very narrow observing window against astronomical twilight, and again, problematic due to weather and for faint galaxies due to the low altitude and high atmospheric extinction. I'd wait for next spring. http://www.weather.gov/sat_tab.php?image=ir - Kurt

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Apollo 17 The Flag Still Stands
by JayLEads 01 Nov '09

01 Nov '09

Found this in several places on the web but will post a link to this site for two reasons: http://cumbriansky.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/flying-the-flag-for-apollo/ One, it shows the flag in the image. Two, for those who feel we faked the moon I love the poster down a ways with the Saturn V taking off and the caption, "ONLY A MORON . . . would think we fired off 12 of these monsters just for show. May have to see if I can round up that poster . . . cool on the flag still being up.

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