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

First Data
by Jim Gibson 15 Mar '09

15 Mar '09

On Feb 20th I had my first simi-successful try at imaging M42; imaging anything really. Unlike Tyler who can produce a beautiful portrait by the next day I have been trying to process the data this whole time. The data were certainly not on Allred standard savings time. It has been a good learning tool for me though. I won’t bore you with all my failures and only say that of the data I planed to collect (5, 15, 30, 60, 420 second data) I only collected 5, 15, and 30 second data at ISO 400. I planed on doing some at ISO 800 but my batteries objected. Due to processes within my control I failed to set up the camera correctly and the 60 and 420 second data. They turned out to be more 30 second data. All the data were collected from a backyard in Orem, with a Canon Rebel XT, prim-focus on an Orion 100mm ED. I subsequently broke a pin on my Losmandy input jack and have not been able to collect more data as yet, but plan to in the future. I specifically picked M42 for the challenge of overcoming the Dynamic range problem. I should have started with something easier for my first attempt at deep sky imaging but I was determined (bull headed). I am still not satisfied with it. It appears too red to me, but I will keep playing with it. When I get my Digital Drive System back from Losmandy I will try to collect more data; maybe just 600 sec data. I tried to collect 6 sub sets of each category, but only about half turned out good enough to use lacking star trails. If anyone is interested in the Photoshop masking process to overcome the Dynamic range problem, I used Jerry Lodrigus’ technique that you can see at: http://www.astropix.com/HTML/J_DIGIT/LAYMASK.HTM I posted my image at: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1303 Jim

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Shining a light on Wayne Sumner
by Chuck Hards 15 Mar '09

15 Mar '09

Friday I got the nickel tour of Wayne Sumner's very high-tech, modern classroom/lab/shop facility at Northridge High, including an impressive collection of telescopes used for teaching astronomy. Wayne teaches math, physics, astronomy, engineering, and tennis at Northridge, and if every high-school teacher had his enthusiasm and drive, we would see far more students going into these fields in college and professionally. Wayne is an asset to the local astronomical community and deserves recognition for his efforts. His enthusiasm is infectious; as he puts it, "I *GET* to teach astronomy!" accompanied by a huge grin. I wish my own daughter's school had such faculty and facilities. Wayne, thanks again for the tour, and I hope I didn't embarrass you by calling everyone's attention to the stellar job you are doing as an educator and friend of astronomy. You journalists on the list, here's a worthy blog topic for you- give Wayne a call.

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UFO alert!
by Kim 15 Mar '09

15 Mar '09

I was just doing some work outside when I noticed a bright object directly above my house. At first I thought it might be Venus, but it was so bright that I knew it couldn’t be, and it was in the wrong location in the sky. I soon noticed that it was moving in a northeasterly direction, much more slowly than an airplane, and it appeared to be perhaps three or four thousand feet above me (my best guess). I grabbed my 9x2.5 binoculars, all that I could get to quickly, to see if I could identify the object. It was whitish, with no obvious shape – in fact, it looked like it was continually changing shape or tumbling as I watched it, for perhaps one or two minutes. >From where I was observing, it passed behind the house at an apparent altitude of about 20 degrees, but by the time I moved so that I could continue watching, it seemed to have vanished. I couldn’t relocate it. Obviously, Earth is under attack by unknown alien forces, so I recommend that everyone take appropriate action. Guy, get out your largest weapon. (Kidding…) I really am baffled by what I saw, and I have only one working theory: Perhaps it was a partially deflated and falling weather balloon. I simply couldn’t see enough detail to identify it. If anyone else saw it, or has any other ideas, let me know. This is only my second bona fide UFO sighting. However, let me be clear: My definition of a UFO is something that flies and that is unidentifiable by those who observe it. I DO NOT believe that extraterrestrials ever have or ever will visit planet Earth. My first UFO sighting was at night, of a greenish object visible in the west from Rush Valley. It was likely a flare of some kind in use at Dugway by the military, but since it was moving in the sky and I couldn’t identify it – voila! a UFO. OK, now we can all go back to debating global warming. Kim No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.557 / Virus Database: 270.11.10 - Release Date: 3/10/2009 12:00 AM

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UFO's ?
by erikhansen＠TheBlueZone.net 15 Mar '09

15 Mar '09

Bob wrote: I would rather debate this than Global Warming. It's much more interesting and the sides are not divided along party lines. You will probably find a UFO discussion also divided among party line. I found this in an article: "A 2007 Gallup poll found that the average level of worry about the impacts of global warming among Republicans was 34%, compared with 59% among independents and 75% among Democrats. In the following year, Republicans grew less convinced that humans were causing global warming. This political divide lay along a line that more generally separated people according to their feelings about authority, individual responsibility, risk-taking and other personal issues. But it also depended on national political circumstances and history (in the United Kingdom, Conservatives in the tradition of Margaret Thatcher criticized the Labor government for doing too little about global warming). Each side found confident endorsement of its views in its favorite media, where exaggerated pronouncements served to attract and retain an audience by conforming to that audience's prejudices." Perhaps this sums it best: "As the Wall Street Journal reported, "The global-warming debate is shifting from science to economics... The biggest question going forward no longer is whether fossil-fuel emissions should be curbed. It is who will foot the bill for the cleanup." A wise corporation would take the lead in discussing just which business operations should be taxed or regulated. If youre not at the table, the Journal remarked, youre on the menu." Erik

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Birding with Alpine
by daniel turner 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

Slas member Alpine Stringham invited me out for a day of birding. It was a plesant afternoon ride around the wetlands of the lake. It's a good way to spend a cloudy winter day. DT http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1294 http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1297

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Kim's UFO
by Stephen Peterson 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

My first UFO sighting was in Sacramento about 1956. Big bright object moving slowly and apparently high. Got my 4 inch Dynascope out only to clearly see a huge plastic weather balloon complete with payload, so now it was an IFO. Do people really think that aliens would travel for years and not introduce themselves? On the other hand if they intercepted our TV news programs....

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Hand guiding for paraplegics
by Jim Gibson 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

I have been trying my hand at hand-guiding. There has to be a Chuckism in there somewhere. Hand guiding for paraplegics or something. Anyway I took a 15 Second shot piggyback while guiding through the 100mm with a 6mm lens. A Seattleite just happened by and you can see how shaky my hand is…hehe. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1249&g2_imageViewsIndex=1 I tried it on a Chuck Hard’s weightless mount this time. I think I have better control with it than trying to hand guide the GEM. One thing that throws me off though is that the image is back wards in the eyepiece so when I adjust the scope to keep the image centered I go the wrong way. It takes some getting used to. I had to set up the shot so that I was always pushing on the scope in one direction. If I got too far out then I just stop and wait for the star to catch up. I made the shot at 70mm, f/5 for 15 sec. If I back off to about 50mm I think I could do better and maybe I could go longer. Oh yeah, the other problem. It is a good thing I am doing this in my backyard. I would hate to drive out to the Pin ‘n Pole and then discover my problems. I planned how I was going to frame the shot ahead of time to include all of the Orion asterism only to discover that I had attached my camera to the mount ring. When I rotated the scope to frame the shot the camera stayed put; duh! I guess I have to buy another set of rings. Such is the life of an old dog trying to learn new tricks. Jim

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"Hockey Stick Graph"
by erikhansen＠TheBlueZone.net 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

Here is the graph I would like to see refuted. http://www.aip.org/history/climate/xmillenia.htm Erik

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Making the data fit
by Jim Gibson 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

Patrick, Just for fun, here is your color data with Tyler’s Luminance data. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1247 8>)

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Help Search for Beagle 2
by Patrick Wiggins 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

If you've got some extra time here's your chance to help in the search for Beagle 2: http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_010667_1920 patrick

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