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

Northridge HS Obs opening - SLC Trib Art
by Canopus56 29 May '09

29 May '09

Wayne, Congratulations on the Northridge High observatory opening yesterday. I was not able to drive up last night but saw some TV news video on KSL. (The story was not posted as a vodcast on the KSL site by this afternoon.) It really was an impressive mount and scope. Great work in putting it all together and hats off the primary donors that made it happen. For suggestions on setting up a system for student check-out of gear, I'd suggest talking with Paul Ricketts at the UofU Astro Club. They manage student access to the five scopes on the roof of the U Physics building in support of the U's astronomy classes, e.g. - imaging and telescope operation. As previously mentioned in response to your posts, SLAS is the best for advice on running a training program. Clear Skies - Kurt

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yikes!
by Joe Bauman 29 May '09

29 May '09

Hi again, Wayne -- I didn't realize you're in Layton, so 8 a.m. would be pretty early for me. Any way we could do it Monday at a somewhat later hour than that? Thanks, Joe

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible project
by Joe Bauman 29 May '09

29 May '09

That's fine. Could you send me Northridge's locaton? Thanks, Joe --- On Fri, 5/29/09, Wayne Sumner <wsumner(a)dsdmail.net> wrote: From: Wayne Sumner <wsumner(a)dsdmail.net> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible project To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Date: Friday, May 29, 2009, 11:58 AM I have a funeral music rehearsal at 9 am tomorrow. Do want to try to meet at 8:00 am at the observatory at Northridge? Wayne A. Sumner Math/Physics/Astronomy/Engineering Boy's Tennis Coach Northridge High School Davis School District (801) 402-8610 >>> Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> 05/29/09 11:43 AM >>> Hi Wayne, I'm just back from the desert -- got in early this morning. Would you like to do our interview Saturday a.m.? If so, please send me the time and the location. Many thanks, Joe --- On Thu, 5/28/09, Wayne Sumner <wsumner(a)dsdmail.net> wrote: From: Wayne Sumner <wsumner(a)dsdmail.net> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible project To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Date: Thursday, May 28, 2009, 6:56 AM Patrick, This sounds like exactly the kind of project I could use with my students and our new observatory!! Even the data analysis and light curve plotting could be done with the right software in my computer lab, right? Keep me in mind. Today is our grand opening, and you are all invited this evening, of course. Thanks, Wayne A. Sumner Math/Physics/Astronomy/Engineering Boy's Tennis Coach Northridge High School Davis School District (801) 402-8610 >>> Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> 05/27/09 10:45 PM >>> Have you got a telescope and CCD camera and looking for a project? How's about working exo-planets? A few nights ago I finished a minor planet project I'd been working on for a few months and was looking for a project. So last night I tried making a light curve of TrES-3b transiting its parent star. This morning I sent Jerry Foote my data files and here's the curve he plotted: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/TrES-3b.jpg (thanks Jerry). Such transits happen almost ever night so there's almost always something to work. And it's fun to know that your work is actually contributing to science. And in last night's case it was neat to know that the transit I was imaging actually happened something like a thousand years ago. Any takers? 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://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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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible project
by Wayne Sumner 29 May '09

29 May '09

I have a funeral music rehearsal at 9 am tomorrow. Do want to try to meet at 8:00 am at the observatory at Northridge? Wayne A. Sumner Math/Physics/Astronomy/Engineering Boy's Tennis Coach Northridge High School Davis School District (801) 402-8610 >>> Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> 05/29/09 11:43 AM >>> Hi Wayne, I'm just back from the desert -- got in early this morning. Would you like to do our interview Saturday a.m.? If so, please send me the time and the location. Many thanks, Joe --- On Thu, 5/28/09, Wayne Sumner <wsumner(a)dsdmail.net> wrote: From: Wayne Sumner <wsumner(a)dsdmail.net> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible project To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Date: Thursday, May 28, 2009, 6:56 AM Patrick, This sounds like exactly the kind of project I could use with my students and our new observatory!! Even the data analysis and light curve plotting could be done with the right software in my computer lab, right? Keep me in mind. Today is our grand opening, and you are all invited this evening, of course. Thanks, Wayne A. Sumner Math/Physics/Astronomy/Engineering Boy's Tennis Coach Northridge High School Davis School District (801) 402-8610 >>> Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> 05/27/09 10:45 PM >>> Have you got a telescope and CCD camera and looking for a project? How's about working exo-planets? A few nights ago I finished a minor planet project I'd been working on for a few months and was looking for a project. So last night I tried making a light curve of TrES-3b transiting its parent star. This morning I sent Jerry Foote my data files and here's the curve he plotted: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/TrES-3b.jpg (thanks Jerry). Such transits happen almost ever night so there's almost always something to work. And it's fun to know that your work is actually contributing to science. And in last night's case it was neat to know that the transit I was imaging actually happened something like a thousand years ago. Any takers? 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://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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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible project
by Joe Bauman 29 May '09

29 May '09

Hi Wayne, I'm just back from the desert -- got in early this morning. Would you like to do our interview Saturday a.m.? If so, please send me the time and the location. Many thanks, Joe --- On Thu, 5/28/09, Wayne Sumner <wsumner(a)dsdmail.net> wrote: From: Wayne Sumner <wsumner(a)dsdmail.net> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible project To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Date: Thursday, May 28, 2009, 6:56 AM Patrick, This sounds like exactly the kind of project I could use with my students and our new observatory!! Even the data analysis and light curve plotting could be done with the right software in my computer lab, right? Keep me in mind. Today is our grand opening, and you are all invited this evening, of course. Thanks, Wayne A. Sumner Math/Physics/Astronomy/Engineering Boy's Tennis Coach Northridge High School Davis School District (801) 402-8610 >>> Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> 05/27/09 10:45 PM >>> Have you got a telescope and CCD camera and looking for a project? How's about working exo-planets? A few nights ago I finished a minor planet project I'd been working on for a few months and was looking for a project. So last night I tried making a light curve of TrES-3b transiting its parent star. This morning I sent Jerry Foote my data files and here's the curve he plotted: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/TrES-3b.jpg (thanks Jerry). Such transits happen almost ever night so there's almost always something to work. And it's fun to know that your work is actually contributing to science. And in last night's case it was neat to know that the transit I was imaging actually happened something like a thousand years ago. Any takers? 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://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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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible Project
by Jerry Foote 29 May '09

29 May '09

On 28 May 2009, at 07:28, JayLEads wrote: > Patrick et. al., > > Besides measuring the primary eclipse where the planet moves in front > of the star, being new I am just wondering if it is possible to also > do what Sptizer has done and measure the light emitted by a star alone > during a secondary eclipse when the planet passes behind the star? By > measuring the difference in light from when the planet moves in front > of the star to when it is moving behind the star couldn't one estimate > the amount of light that is coming from the planet, thus extending the > graph a little more? > > If I understand the linked graph it shows the light reduction from the > planet coming in front of the star. So by extending it and perhaps > repeating for verification of data one could determine how much light > the planet is putting out and I'm sure someone could then probably > make a correlation between the amount of light being put out and mass > (the greater the mass the more light it would put out and/or the > closer to the star in its orbit)? Perhaps I'm just loopy still from > having been so sick for the last week. Back to bed and the meds. Your approach is used when studying eclipsing binary star systems. However, as planets don't produce light but merely reflect light from their star, there would be no dimming of light from the system as the planet went behind it's parent star. Your comment does bring to mind a paper given by Jim Edwards at the recent SAS/AAVSO meeting in Big Bear. He proposed a possible optical SETI concept wherein we would be the receiver and other alien civilizations would be the transmitter. Specifically Jim suggested that were an alien civilization to send a high power laser operating at H-alpha in the direction of it's largest planets shadow as it swept the universe that if we were looking we would see an increase in brightness during the transit. And more importantly that blip in brightness at mid-transit would be recognized as an H-alpha emission and were the laser to be modulated it would be obvious that it was not a natural occurrence. He assumed that the alien intelligence and technical advancement were at the same level as our own. Further he showed that such a search for alien civilizations could be carried out by amateurs with amateur equipment. Jerry Foote ScopeCraft, Inc. 4175 E. Red Cliffs Dr. Kanab, UT 84741 435-899-1255 jfoote(a)scopecraft.com

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Mutual Eclipses of the Galilean satellites
by Canopus56 29 May '09

29 May '09

Example two Galilean satellites eclipsing each other on Spaceweather.com by Mike Salway (ultra-cool animated gif) http://spaceweather.com/swpod2009/28may09/Mike-Salway1.gif Because of Jupiter's position relative to the equniox this year, it will be possible to image eclipses of two Galilean satellites crossing each other. Background info and an empheris generator can be found at: IY2009 Info Page on mutual phenomena of Galilean satellites http://www.imcce.fr/hosted_sites/ama09/phemu09_en.html Ephemeris generator for mutual events http://www.imcce.fr/page.php?nav=en/observateur/campagnes_obs/phemu09/prog_… I have not plumed the ephemeris program to determine possible events applicable to Salt Lake City. - Clear Skies, Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible project
by JayLEads 29 May '09

29 May '09

Patrick et. al., Besides measuring the primary eclipse where the planet moves in front of the star, being new I am just wondering if it is possible to also do what Sptizer has done and measure the light emitted by a star alone during a secondary eclipse when the planet passes behind the star? By measuring the difference in light from when the planet moves in front of the star to when it is moving behind the star couldn't one estimate the amount of light that is coming from the planet, thus extending the graph a little more? If I understand the linked graph it shows the light reduction from the planet coming in front of the star. So by extending it and perhaps repeating for verification of data one could determine how much light the planet is putting out and I'm sure someone could then probably make a correlation between the amount of light being put out and mass (the greater the mass the more light it would put out and/or the closer to the star in its orbit)? Perhaps I'm just loopy still from having been so sick for the last week. Back to bed and the meds.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Possible project
by Wayne Sumner 29 May '09

29 May '09

Patrick, This sounds like exactly the kind of project I could use with my students and our new observatory!! Even the data analysis and light curve plotting could be done with the right software in my computer lab, right? Keep me in mind. Today is our grand opening, and you are all invited this evening, of course. Thanks, Wayne A. Sumner Math/Physics/Astronomy/Engineering Boy's Tennis Coach Northridge High School Davis School District (801) 402-8610 >>> Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> 05/27/09 10:45 PM >>> Have you got a telescope and CCD camera and looking for a project? How's about working exo-planets? A few nights ago I finished a minor planet project I'd been working on for a few months and was looking for a project. So last night I tried making a light curve of TrES-3b transiting its parent star. This morning I sent Jerry Foote my data files and here's the curve he plotted: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/TrES-3b.jpg (thanks Jerry). Such transits happen almost ever night so there's almost always something to work. And it's fun to know that your work is actually contributing to science. And in last night's case it was neat to know that the transit I was imaging actually happened something like a thousand years ago. Any takers? 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://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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Society for Astronomical Sciences meeting
by Jerry Foote 28 May '09

28 May '09

For those interested in astronomical science and pro-am collaboration, the link below will take you to a write-up of the meeting that was held last week in Big Bear, CA. http://www.scopecraft.com/SAS2009.pdf Jerry Foote ScopeCraft, Inc. 4175 E. Red Cliffs Dr. Kanab, UT 84741 435-899-1255 jfoote(a)scopecraft.com

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