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

Winter Image Processing Challenge - NGC7331 and Stephens Quintent
by Canopus56 20 Dec '09

20 Dec '09

This directory - http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/astronote/photos/processing/ contains a fits image that I took on Dec 20 of NGC7331 and nearby Stephen Quintent using a GRAS New Mexico 14" robo-scope. It is dark and white flatted. Labeled jpg http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/astronote/photos/processing/20091220_… http://tinyurl.com/yckvy4d Fits http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/astronote/photos/processing/20091220_… http://tinyurl.com/yc3qnb6 If you hyper the fits, you'll see that the information for the full spiral of NGC7331 is there and more of the faint fuzzy detail in Stephen's Quintet. This trick, I think, is to darken the background will selectively increasing the galaxies using masks. This unprocessed fits is offered here as a December image processing contest. Who can make the best jpg out of raw fits? (I'll figure out what the prize is later.) Clear Skies - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Info sought on 2009 SLAS presenter
by Canopus56 20 Dec '09

20 Dec '09

Thanks to all for the tips. I tried scanning the NOVAs before posting but couldn't spot the name. - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Overwhelmed
by Canopus56 20 Dec '09

20 Dec '09

IMHO, we should probably close this thread out. It's getting too personal and probably should be discussed face-to-face rather than through the imperfect and impersonal medium of listserv-email. No intent to shut you down, Dan. Just something that is better discussed over a beer. Merry X-Mas and Clear Skies - Kurt

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Info sought on 2009 SLAS presenter
by Canopus56 20 Dec '09

20 Dec '09

Does anyone remember the name of the UoffU professor who made a presentation on cosmic ray observing during later 2008 or early 2009. He was using an enhanced radio meteor recording setup to capture nanosecond cosmic rays. The reason I am asking is that the professor said that he set up a local transmitter source somewhere out in Dugway to make the reflections. I would like to email him and ask him the frequency of his transmitter and to possibly use it as an emission source for my meteor radio observing stuff. - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Overwhelmed
by Canopus56 20 Dec '09

20 Dec '09

Troy wrote - > But, I am serious about the SPOC and SLAS stuff. > I don't feel welcome. I know SPOC is open to the public, > but the times I've gone I didn't feel like I > was part of the group. Troy, Just to confirm your experience, IMHO it is a problem that IMHO the club should work on. This also was my experience when first showing up to SLAS urban and SPOC star parties - club newbies will set up scopes and club members will not engage them. Although due to other personal commitments during 2009, I only went to one urban star party, in 2008 I went to several, specifically leaving my scope at home to do "newbie rounds" at star parties - that is figuring out who was new, saying hello, seeing if they needed help getting their scope going. At the one 2009 party that I went to - I saw exactly the same thing happened. There was an older couple who had setup an old Tasco manual EQ backwards and a lot of club members around them just staring at them. I found our president - Dave Bernson - who pointing a couple of members in the newbie's direction. After a few minutes several people were helping them out. IMHO, the club does need to do a better job on "newbie patrol" at club star parties and your point is well taken. Hopefully, your post here will encourage the club to address the matter. This public venue may not be the best place to air the matter. I suggest you call the SLAS club president and talk with him by phone. As to what you can do to make your social experience better, I found it useful when starting out to go to some of the club "advanced training" sessions at Denny's either after the star party or after the club's monthly meetings. Although like many clubs, these after star party sessions involve alot of testosterone laden "boys and their toys" new gear talk, its a good group that is easy to get to know. Taking telescope training at SPOC next spring is another good way to integrate socially into the club. Longer term social bonds typically grow from your "training buddies" during those sessions. This occurs in part because there is a learning curve in this hobby and your "training buddy" tends to be on the same point on the curve and is interested in the same things. Many of the club members have an ongoing astronomy relationship that covers 15 to 25 years. The effectiveness of this group of long-term friends is evidenced by all the club scopes out at SPOC. If you look at them closely, it's pretty amazing that it was all done with volunteer labor and shoestring donations. That can be a bit daunting when you are first entering the group, but is doable and little different from entering, for example, a new workplace. My closing question for you is what could the club do that would make new members' experience better? What you would like to have seen beyond the current practice of the club's roll call and introduction for new members at the monthly meetings? As to the content of this listserv and the SLAS, they are both "big tent" places catering to all experience levels. The only requirements are that 1) you are well-meaning, and 2) you have an interest in amateur astronomy. The etymology of the word "amateur" is from the French and Latin, from French and Latin: "am tor", lover, and from "am re", to love. If you love looking up, you are an amateur - but you already knew that - and you are welcome here. Clear Skies - Kurt P.S. - Utah Astro is not a SLAS newsgroup, although many SLAS members communicate here.

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Jup-Nep Conjunction within 1 deg tonight 6:30pm
by Canopus56 20 Dec '09

20 Dec '09

Although probably not observable from SLC, Jupiter and Neptune will have a conjunction tonight where they will be visible in a single e.p. view. At 6:30pm, Jupiter will be low in the southwest at: Azimuth :+217°01'Altitude :+26 - near the crescent Moon. Note per the BAA bulletin there will be three more of these conjunctions in 2010 and 2011 and then none until 2037. Clear Skies - Kurt ======================== Sun 12/20/2009 6:41 AM ====================================================================== BAA electronic bulletin No. 00458 http://www.britastro.org/ ====================================================================== The last of this year's three conjunctions between Jupiter and Neptune occurs tonight, Sunday, 2009 December 20. Neptune will be 0.6 degrees N of Jupiter, and thus in the same low-power telescopic field. A series of three conjunctions between planets is known as a "triple conjunction" and is quite unusual. The last occurred between Uranus and Neptune in 1993. There will be a series between Jupiter and Uranus in 2010/11 (2010 June 8 and September 19 and 2011 January 04), but then no more until 2037/38 when the pairing will again be Jupiter and Uranus. They only occur for superior planets. The nearer planet passes the more distant in the sky, retrogrades and passes it again, then passes for the third time in direct motion. The conjunction tonight will be best seen just after dark or in twilight. At 17:00 UT the planets will be about 25 degrees high just west of south. The occasion offers an excellent opportunity to easily identify Neptune. From east to west the Jupiter system will be seen as Io-Europa-Jupiter-Ganymede. (Callisto will be transit across the face of Jupiter and therefore possibly invisible). Neptune will be found approximately five times that system's width to the north of Ganymede. It will also be worthwhile to look at the configuration a day later on December 21 when the crescent Moon will be 4 degrees to the north of Jupiter, so all three bodies might be fitted in the same binocular field. These alignments will provide good subjects for DSLRs and other cameras used with telephoto lenses or small telescopes. Happy Christmas from me and the Council of the BAA. David Arditti d(a)davidarditti.co.uk ====================================================================== BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail: circadmin(a)britastro.org To unsubscribe please send an e-mail to circadmin(a)britastro.org Bulletin transmitted on Sun Dec 20 13:41:08 GMT 2009 (c) 2009 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/ ====================================================================== °41'

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Planet events
by jim Gibson 20 Dec '09

20 Dec '09

At about 5:25 PM local time tonight (Thur) Neptune and Jupiter should be able to be imaged in the same frame about 14 degrees west of the meridian, and about 35 minutes apart from each other. Mercury should be visible at that time low in the west. After the 7th of December the sun starts setting later (about 5:02PM tonight) but the sun won’t start rising earlier until after about the 7th of January that puts the shortest day of the year right in between the 2 events. Also, if we have clear skies, you may catch the new moon just ahead of Mercury. The moon will set about 6:11 PM and Mercury at 6:25PM Should be able to catch these events before you freeze you moons off ;-)

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Meteor pings
by Canopus56 19 Dec '09

19 Dec '09

Thanks, Stephen. I picked up an ICOM R1500 yesterday. If you have a moment would you please listen to this second follow-up file that includes three suspected weak detections using a whip antenna on 55.250 Mhz CW mode? There are three faint pings. http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/astronote/observed/Meteors/091219_3Ca… http://tinyurl.com/ygdg4fh To confirm, are these the meteor ping sound? - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Overwhelmed
by Canopus56 19 Dec '09

19 Dec '09

Troy, IMHO all good and reasonable criticisms and suggestions. I hope the club members will take them to heart. Give the club another try and I hope to see you when the next season opens. Clear Skies and Merry X-Mas. - Kurt

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2 light curves
by Patrick Wiggins 19 Dec '09

19 Dec '09

Joe was looking for information showing the nova fading so I put together a chart using my data: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/nova.jpg And speaking of light curves, here's the result of a recent collaboration I participated in with Paris Observatory on minor planet (234) Barbara: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/barbara.jpg One explanation of the odd shape of the curve is that it is actually a double minor planet. Clouds just moved in so I gotta go shut down now. :( patrick

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