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

Another reason to take data
by Patrick Wiggins 08 Dec '09

08 Dec '09

In case anyone's looking for yet another reason to "take data", a few days ago the folks at Goldstone were planning radar observation of minor planet 2009 WV25 but found the its position was so poorly known they were not sure exactly where to point their equipment. So they sent out a request to the amateur community asking folks to find the little bugger and map its position. A number of us did so and today we received the following. So chalk this one up to yet another instance where amateurs helped the pros. patrick :) p.s. This kind of taking data (astrometry) is much easier than what I posted about a few days ago (photometry). On 02 Dec 2009, at 15:49, Lance Benner wrote: > Goldstone radar observations of near-Earth asteroid 2009 WV25 > this afternoon have been successful. We got strong echoes > within seconds and obtained a bandwidth consistent > with expectations given the rotation state and estimated > size of this object. > > We haven't measured the size yet but are configuring to > do so in the short time remaining on this, our only radar > track to observe this asteroid. > > Thank you very much to everyone who reported astrometry. > We used everything that had been reported up though today's > Daily Orbital Update (MPEC 2009-X03). Photometry reported in > the last two days shrank the 3-sigma plane-of-sky pointing > uncertainties from about 33 arcseconds to 5.6 arcseconds > and were critical to our ability to point. > > Prior to the radar observations, the 3-sigma > time delay uncertainty was about 18000 microseconds > (2700 km). After obtaining three Doppler measurements, we > reduced the uncertainty to about 180 microseconds (27 km), > an improvement by a factor of 100.

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Cheap meteor camera?
by Patrick Wiggins 07 Dec '09

07 Dec '09

I just came across this low light, wide angle, outdoor video camera and am wondering it anyone here has tried using one as a "meteor cam"? http://www.supercircuits.com/search?keywords=pc222 Basically mount it on the roof, start recording when it gets dark, shut it down when it starts to get light and then fast forward through the tape to see if it caught anything of interest. It's cheap enough to just buy one to see if it works but I thought before I do that I'd see if anyone here has already tried it. All opinions welcome, patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Just posted video processing tutorials
by Canopus56 07 Dec '09

07 Dec '09

Thanks, David. Wonderfully done. It is that grey point slider in PhotoShop that IMHO really makes the difference. It stretches between the black and grey point - apparently leaving the grey to white point alone. That way you can bring out the detail in the black-to-grey point zone without overexposing the bright foreground stars. - Kurt

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16 inch Lightbridge Used Thoughts?
by Jay Eads 05 Dec '09

05 Dec '09

Has anyone seen this ad on KSL.com (http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8880041&cat=&lpid= ). Doesn't seem like a bad deal IF the mirror is in decent shape (perhaps needs a cleaning) and a pole or two may need replacing. I thought about going by and taking a look but decided that with my back, a 16 is too big !). Anyway, any thoughts on it?

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Color Perception
by Dave Gary 04 Dec '09

04 Dec '09

Here’s an interesting link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051026082313.htm Dave Gary

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT-ClimateGate (Time to wrap up?)
by Gary Vardon 02 Dec '09

02 Dec '09

I wanted to point out that monitoring the Greenland ice sheet is of astronomical interest. In fact it is vital to view the earth from space to understand it. Sincerely, Gary Vardon The book DO It Right will help you understand vital ideas leading to your geater success. GO to PublishAmerica.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Nova in this evening's sky (Pictures)
by Jay Eads 02 Dec '09

02 Dec '09

Here is a image of a toolbox liner from Harbor Freight. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66948 which is on State St. and near 3900 South I believe in SLC. Patrick would that liner work? One could use the tool box liner to make a mod for carry a large tube, something like Scope-Totes. Go to Harbor Freight and buy a couple of padded nylon tool belts (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93887)and some of the non-slip liner for putting into tool drawers( http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66948) Get some nylon webbing and stitched in a hand hold in each belt. I cut some of the non-slip liner to match the width of the belts. The belts fit snugly around the tube and the non-slip stuff kept them in place. The web hand holds allow me to grab the scope in a couple of places on either side of the dob base and I don't have to reach out the full length of the tube to carry it. On a side note, if someone is looking to make some handles to carry a large tube or dob On 2009-12-02 00:17, Joe Bauman wrote: > Thanks Patrick, I'm so discouraged I've packed it in until Spring. Hey, can you let us see 'em when you've accumulated a week or so worth of nova photos? Sounds like blog fodder! Thanks, Joe > > --- On Tue, 12/1/09, Patrick Wiggins <paw@???> wrote: > > From: Patrick Wiggins <paw@???> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Nova in this evening's sky (Pictures) > To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@???> > Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 2:17 PM > > On 01 Dec 2009, at 10:23, Joe Bauman wrote: > > > Hi Patrick, I had the same awful problem last night -- frost! Today I'm buying a little hair dryer. Also, anyone have any suggestions about what to use for a dew shield? I bought something earlier but it's too rubbery to maintain a shape. Thanks, Joe > > There's always the store-bought plastic, electrically heated dew caps. > > But being the cheap skate I am I made my own out of the dark colored foam material mechanics use to line the bottoms of tool box shelves. It comes in rolls. Cut to the appropriate length and sew the ends together to form a tube. The fact it's foam keeps the weight down and also seems to help with insulation. > > I think I got mine at the downtown Sears (memory's fuzzy after all these years). > > Good luck, > > patrick > > > >

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT-ClimateGate (Time to wrap up?)
by Gary Vardon 01 Dec '09

01 Dec '09

Fellow SLASers, I would argue that aspects pf climate change are relevant to astronomers. To wit, satellite measurements of earth from space can cast light on the controversy embracing climate change. I attended a lecture about the thickness of the Greenland ice sheet in which satellite measurements of the gravity of the Greenland ice sheet showed that it was losing mass at the edges and gaining mass on top. It lost mass at the edges due to warming and gained mass on top due to more snow fall due warming leading to more precipitation. Sincerely, Gary Vardon The book DO It Right will help you understand vital ideas leading to your geater success. GO to PublishAmerica.

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No Sunspots
by Gary Vardon 01 Dec '09

01 Dec '09

Fellow SLASers, I have not seen any sunspots since July of 08. I check a few times a month. Sincerely, Gary Vardon The book DO It Right will help you understand vital ideas leading to your geater success. GO to PublishAmerica.

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