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

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Gallery Thumbnail Aspect Ratio
by Joe Bauman 23 Mar '09

23 Mar '09

While we're at it this rainy day, could one of our experts fix the URL for the gallery, which appears at the bottom of each email? It's still for the old gallery. Thanks, Joe --- On Sun, 3/22/09, Naz & David <naz_david(a)msn.com> wrote: From: Naz & David <naz_david(a)msn.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Gallery Thumbnail Aspect Ratio To: "ZZ_Utah Astro List" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Sunday, March 22, 2009, 6:57 PM Perfect. Thanks Ken! Good cruddy weather day activity.... Cheers David On 2009-03-23 00:46, Ken Warner wrote: > Glad that worked. I changed the padding color to white. > > Ken > > -----Original Message----- > From: utah-astronomy-bounces@??? > [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@???] On Behalf Of Naz _______________________________________________ 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://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC informal member party 20090320 ZLM 5.6
by Jay Eads 22 Mar '09

22 Mar '09

Kurt, Thanks for the explanation and thanks for the link. Your site is quite informative and I've bookmarked it. Jay

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC informal member party 20090320 ZLM 5.6
by Canopus56 22 Mar '09

22 Mar '09

Chuck and Dan, I was good to see the both of you out there. We'll have to share a scope the next time. - Kurt

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Gallery Thumbnail Aspect Ratio
by Naz & David 22 Mar '09

22 Mar '09

Just getting around to loading images into my gallery. In this new version is it possible to change the thumbnail aspect ratio? I have the size set to 150pixels throughout but there does not seem to be any flexibility to deal with images with aspect ratios lager than a certain value - they get truncated on the longer dimension. I don't recall the old gallery having that problem? Cheers David

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC informal member party 20090320 ZLM 5.6
by daniel turner 22 Mar '09

22 Mar '09

Kurt: I thought the night was pretty good for the season of the year. Anytime you can get mostly clear on a moonless Friday night with no frost you sort of have to do something about it. The cool people at the west end were afflicted with mosquitoes and dated humor from last century. But it was good to be out with friends again. DT --- On Sat, 3/21/09, Canopus56 <canopus56(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > From: Canopus56 <canopus56(a)yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC informal member party 20090320 ZLM 5.6 > To: "Utah Astronomy List Serv" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009, 2:57 PM > > Jay, > > The SQM has a precision of 0.1 mags, and the underlying > documentation on the NinePlanets TLM charts (after McBeath) > have a precision around 0.3 to 0.4 mags. So there is > enough overlap from my SQM reading to get within your range > of 5.7 to 6.3. TLM at SPOC is variable by the time of > year. It is sensitive to atmospheric moisture, which is > higher in the spring. More moisture reflects more light > pollution from the ground. > > It may have been a measurement error on my part. I was > closer to the east end of the SPOC lot. There is a line of > poorly shielded street lights about 1/4 mile south of the > property that may have bled into the meter. Maybe I'm > misremembering, but these street lights seem to be new and > in any event could be corrected with a minor shield > addition. The SQM TLM reading might have been better if I > went into the "dark hole" at the west end of the lot where > all the cool guys hang out. But they wouldn't let me back > there. -:) > > I usually just like to post the TLM reading should anyone > desire to argue with their astronomy buddies about what > DSO's were visible and which weren't. > > Even so, the main show was that a good time was had by all. > March and April are usually pretty iffy in Utah, with high > winds aloft creating alot of sucker nights. By the time > you set up, a high cloud layer has blown in - seemingly out > of nowhere. So, I was happy to get in at least one March > night in with good seeing and transparency. May be one of > the few that we get over the next couple of weeks. > > - Kurt > > P.S. - > > My website on TLM measuring - > http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/plan/tlmnelm/LimitMagField… > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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://gallery.utahastronomy.com > Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com >

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC informal member party 20090320 ZLM 5.6
by Canopus56 21 Mar '09

21 Mar '09

Jay, The SQM has a precision of 0.1 mags, and the underlying documentation on the NinePlanets TLM charts (after McBeath) have a precision around 0.3 to 0.4 mags. So there is enough overlap from my SQM reading to get within your range of 5.7 to 6.3. TLM at SPOC is variable by the time of year. It is sensitive to atmospheric moisture, which is higher in the spring. More moisture reflects more light pollution from the ground. It may have been a measurement error on my part. I was closer to the east end of the SPOC lot. There is a line of poorly shielded street lights about 1/4 mile south of the property that may have bled into the meter. Maybe I'm misremembering, but these street lights seem to be new and in any event could be corrected with a minor shield addition. The SQM TLM reading might have been better if I went into the "dark hole" at the west end of the lot where all the cool guys hang out. But they wouldn't let me back there. -:) I usually just like to post the TLM reading should anyone desire to argue with their astronomy buddies about what DSO's were visible and which weren't. Even so, the main show was that a good time was had by all. March and April are usually pretty iffy in Utah, with high winds aloft creating alot of sucker nights. By the time you set up, a high cloud layer has blown in - seemingly out of nowhere. So, I was happy to get in at least one March night in with good seeing and transparency. May be one of the few that we get over the next couple of weeks. - Kurt P.S. - My website on TLM measuring - http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/plan/tlmnelm/LimitMagField…

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC informal member party 20090320 ZLM 5.6
by JayLEads 21 Mar '09

21 Mar '09

Erik or anyone, I've used this link http://obs.nineplanets.org/lm/rjm.html for determining limiting magnitude. I get between 5.7 and 6.3 using Leo, sometimes when conditions are good I get a 6.3 . I am assuming though that I have to be careful with this because I might see a 5.7 and another person at the same location could see a 6.4 or a 5.0 or 5.6? So in evaluating the site does it seem to work to those who have far more experience than I? I would have love to have been at SPOC last night but my son had a performance for a play he was in and that is the priority. I did set up with a 6.1 limiting magnitude last night and was able to have a blast in Coma Berenices and Virgo until around 4:30a.m. It is truly amazing how quickly time passes when one is engage with whatever one is doing in astronomy. Thanks, Jay

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SPOC informal member party 20090320 ZLM 5.6
by Canopus56 21 Mar '09

21 Mar '09

For the ten or so scopes that set up at SPOC last night, I took a ZLM reading with my Sky Quality Meter around 9:30pm. It was 20.15 mpsas which is about equal to a ZLM of 5.6. Clear Skies - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] LED suggestions
by JayLEads 21 Mar '09

21 Mar '09

Here are some other suggestions: This site shows one made for sketching but it would work for looking at a star chart(s): http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/archives/000331.html This is an expensive alternative but a LED Grill Light that clips should be able to be modified: http://www.target.com/gp/search/187-9735127-4599137?field-keyword Target's price is $49.99 while Home and Garden at Amazom.com has the same light for $19.75 and here is that link: http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Indust-GL-05-Basic-Grill/dp/B000TKRQEE/ ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1237649312&sr=8-6 Anyway, they are some alternatives. You might consider a book light with a clamp and modify that as well. http://books.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=book+lights Good luck with what you decide. Jay

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Of eggs and spring (channel 4 this evening)
by Jim Gibson 21 Mar '09

21 Mar '09

Patrick, You are getting close. You have to be at the equator, stand on your head, and twirl a hula-hoop. That will do it. Your hula-hoop will gyro it right up at attention. Jim --- On Fri, 3/20/09, Rodger C. Fry <rcfry(a)comcast.net> wrote: From: Rodger C. Fry <rcfry(a)comcast.net> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Of eggs and spring (channel 4 this evening) To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Friday, March 20, 2009, 3:46 PM Patrick, What if you stand on your head at the equinox, will you balence? Rodger Fry ----- Original Message ----- From: "Patrick Wiggins" <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> To: "utah astronomy listserve utah astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 3:40 PM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Of eggs and spring (channel 4 this evening) > Channel 4 is running a piece on their weathercast today at 6 and maybe 10 about the idea that eggs can be balanced on the equinox. > > We tried to do it in a light hearted way while still saying "it ain't so". > > patrick > > _______________________________________________ > 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://gallery.utahastronomy.com > 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://gallery.utahastronomy.com Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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