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

Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Rainbow pics from Friday night storm
by Canopus56 27 Jun '09

27 Jun '09

Patrick wrote: > What is the building with the green dome? Shriner's Hospital at the corner of 11th Ave and Virgina. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1275+N+Virginia… Joe asked: > I know about Alexander's Ragtime Band, but not Alexander's dark band .... What is it? The views are excellent! -- Joe http://www.atoptics.co.uk/rainbows/adband.htm "The sky between the primary and secondary bows is noticeably darker than elsewhere. Alexander of Aphrodisias first described the effect in 200 AD and it now carries his name. Light rays undergoing a single reflection in raindrops form the primary rainbow or brighten the sky inside it. Rays reflected twiceare deviated to form the secondary bow or brighten the sky outside. Raindrops along lines of sight between the two bows cannot send light to your eye and so the sky is darker there." From Les Cowley's _Atmospheric Optics_ website. Wikipedia Entry on Alexander's Band http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander's_band (Note the three light-ray traces for the primary and secondary rainbows traveling through a spherical raindrop at the right-hand corner of the page.) My pictures where taken with a cheap $50 point and shoot that I carry in the truck. My pictures are not well focused like Cowley's great images that also show the dramatic detail in background clouds. It was a very dramatic afternoon and evening with the monsoon down pour. There were many photos of this rainbow on the 10pm local newsshows. I have been trying to get a good Alexander's Band picture for a number of years. With the drought pattern for the last few years I haven't been too successful. Now with this wet weather pattern year, things came together in terms of a bright primary and secondary rainbow that persisted for 15 minutes, and I finally got a good image. To the naked eye, the dark band is not that distinct. The effect really shows up in the raw camera image and a little mid-range filter post-processing makes Alexander's dark band pop out in the final posted version. I saw a bunch of reservations for all the scopes at SPOC last night but was too tired to drive out. Since things cleared out between 10pm and 11:30pm, I hope everyone had a good time. - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Rainbow pics from Friday night storm
by Joe Bauman 27 Jun '09

27 Jun '09

I know about Alexander's Ragtime Band, but not Alexander's dark band .... What is it? The views are excellent! -- Joe --- On Sat, 6/27/09, Canopus56 <canopus56(a)yahoo.com> wrote: From: Canopus56 <canopus56(a)yahoo.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Rainbow pics from Friday night storm To: "Utah Astronomy List Serv" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Saturday, June 27, 2009, 12:10 AM http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=2094 Includes double rainbow with distinct Alexander's dark band. No PhotShop panorama. - Clear Skies - Kurt _______________________________________________ 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] Solar activity
by Canopus56 27 Jun '09

27 Jun '09

Lunt solar systems - the designer-inventors of the Coronado PST - went on after Meade bought the PST to design a new line. This is what they would have done next if Coronado still independent: Lunt Solar Systems website (not well designed) http://www.luntsolarsystems.com/ I haven't seen one, but a Lunt is now buzzed on most solar newsgroups as the new hot solar scope. Maybe someone else in the club has bought one. Lunt solar scopes are carried by the usual suspects - OPT http://www.optcorp.com/Manufacturer.aspx?mid=246 Woodland http://telescopes.net/doc/2600/cat/1100/by/manufacturer $750 for 60mm of aperature instead of 40mm at $550 for the PST. - Kurt

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LCROSS acquisition imaging of spacecraft 6-27 to 7-2
by Canopus56 26 Jun '09

26 Jun '09

(Kaf note: Probably a cloud-out considering the current weather pattern and too early in the morning, but here's more local info on attempting to image the LCROSS spacecraft.) http://canopus56.wikispaces.com/LCROSS_Cruise_Orbit The above page provides local circumstances information for attempting imaging of the LCROSS-Centaur spacecraft during a limiting observing window from June 27 through July 2 in the early morning hours. Initial LCROSS orbit one imaging opportunities are limited by a rising first quarter Moon. Only small 1 hour windows occur each night after the Moon sets and with the LCROSS spacecraft being between 30 and 20 degrees above the local horizon. Illuminated fractions during this window range from 20% to 40%. LCROSS will be at a distance similar to the Moon itself. The magnitude of the object is unknown. It may not be visible. The purpose of LCROSS amateur imaging is to determine if the spacecraft can be tracked by amateur class observers in a manner similar to minor planet body J002E3 - an Apollo 12 booster that was imaged by amateurs in 2002. The local circumstance information is based in the planned LCROSS orbit from a Horizons generated ephemeris for W110 N41 - Salt Lake City, Utah. The apparent position of LCROSS is topocentric sensitive - as is the Moon at a similar distance. Nonetheless, the charts may provide useful guidance of other Intermountain and Pacific CONUS zone observers. An alt-az overview chart is presented first, followed by nightly equatorial 5 degrees charts, and ending with the source ephemeris table. This local circumstances page supplements the general cruise orbit discussion at: http://groups.google.com/group/lcross_observation/web/finders-cruise-orbits - Clear Skies - Kurt

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Proceedings of the 2009 SAS available online
by Canopus56 25 Jun '09

25 Jun '09

The 2009 Proceedings of the 28th Annual Symposium of Telescope Science of the Society for Astronomical Sciences held May-19-21 at Big Bear Lake, CA is now available online. http://www.socastrosci.org/Files/SAS_Proceedings_2009.pdf (252Mb) This years symposium was a joint meeting of the Society for Astronomical Sciences (SAS) and American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). Society's main page http://www.socastrosci.org/ Table of contents Submitted Papers Aavso Long-Period Variable Section Update Kate Hutton, Mike Simonsen 1 Bl Eri: A Contact Binary System Lee Snyder 5 The Addictive Properties Of Occultations John Menke 9 High Resolution Asteroid Profile By Multi Chord Occultation Observations Scott Degenhardt 19 Lightweight Mirror Developments Russell Genet, Andrew Aurigema, Steve Badger, Mel Bartels, K. Lisa Brodhacker, Rodolfo Canestrari, Peter Chen, Mike Connelley, David Davis, Mauro Ghigo, Greg Jones, Tong Liu, Eric Mendez, Giovanni Pareschi, Terry Richardson, David Rowe, Josh Schmidt, Kiran Shah, Efrain Villasenor 27 Optimizing Opto-Mechanical Performance Using Simple Tools And Techniques Tom Krajci 35 Enhancements To The Sentinel Fireball Network Video Software Wayne Watson 43 Sloan-R' Photometry Of Comet 17p/Holmes Beyond 3.8 Au: An Observing Methodology For Short-Period Comets Far From Perihelion Richard Miles 51 Spectrashift Exoplanet Transit Search Project: 40,000 Light Curves And Counting Thomas G. Kaye, David Healy 63 Thinking Out Loud: An Optical Seti Campaign Suitable For Amateur Astronomers? James Edwards 67 The Early History Of Photometric Observations Of Asteroids Made At Table Mountain Observatory James W. Young, Alan W. Harris 77 What’s Next In Asteroid Photometry? Gary A. Vander Haagen 85 Slow Rotating Asteroids: A Long Day’s Journey Into Night Brian D. Warner 91 Extending A Spectroscopic Survey Of Main Belt Asteroids With Micro Telescopes: A Proof Of Concept Project Robert Stephens, Ralph Megna 101 Revisiting The O’connell Effect In Eclipsing Binary Systems Nicholas J. Wilsey, Matthew M. Beaky 107 Using A Web Cam Ccd To Do V Band Photometry Rev. Paul Temple 117 Intrinsic Variability Of Beta Lyrae Observed With A Digital Slr Camera Donald F. Collins, Anesh Prasai 121 An Intensive Ccd Photometry Campaign To Observe Dw Ursae Majoris David Boyd, Boris Gaensicke 129 New Observations Of Three Lyra Variables Jerry D. Horne 137 Epsilon Aurigae, 2009: The Eclipse Begins – Observing Campaign Status Robert E. Stencel, Jeffrey L. Hopkins 149 Epsilon Aurigae Hydrogen Alpha Emission Line Variation: The Horn Dance Jeffrey L. Hopkins, Robert E. Stencel 157 The 2009 Eclipse Of Ee Cephei: An Educational And Collaborative Journey John Pye, Lauren Elder, Jeff Hopkins 171 The Lightcurve Of Uz Sge Robert K. Buchheim 181 Poster Presentations Photometry Of Variable Stars Using A Lensless Schmidt Camera Jeff Horne 191 Over-Contact Binary Gr Tauri Lee Snyder 197 Data Mining Techniques Applied To The Gnat Library Archive Erin M. Craine, 201 Time Delay Integration: A Wide-Field Survey Technique Robert La Pointe, E. Hill, L. Leimer, K. Mcmillian, A. Miller, A Prindle 207

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A Unified Quantum Theory
by Patrick Wiggins 25 Jun '09

25 Jun '09

One of our fellow UA subscribers wonders if this piece on Unified Quantum Theory would be appropriate for News. I figured I'd post it here first: http://tiny.cc/GPA6h Read with caution. ;) patrick

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New blog re. badly aligned telescope and Jupiter
by Joe Bauman 24 Jun '09

24 Jun '09

Hi, if anyone's interested, here's my latest blog, about an astronomy trip this week to the San Rafael. Many thanks for any looks and comments! -- Joe http://www.deseretnews.com/blogs/1,5322,10000034,00.html?bD=20090624

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Buoyancy aside...
by Patrick Wiggins 24 Jun '09

24 Jun '09

On 24 Jun 2009, at 09:57, David Rankin wrote: > From: David Rankin <David(a)rankinstudio.com> > Date: 24 June 2009 09:57:05 MDT > To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Buoyancy aside... > > > I guess to respond to the list you just "reply" > > I thank Patrick for the invite :) > > And Joe for the compliment :) > > I am looking forward to being back up that way come August. Should > be able to attend some star parties and get to some meetings. > > Cheers, > > David > > Joe Bauman wrote: >> >> I did mean David. I was still a little groggy from my trip, and >> thinking about writing a note to a friend of mine named Rich while >> I was admiring David's photos. Sorry. -- Joe (I think)

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Buoyancy aside...
by Joe Bauman 24 Jun '09

24 Jun '09

I did mean David. I was still a little groggy from my trip, and thinking about writing a note to a friend of mine named Rich while I was admiring David's photos. Sorry. -- Joe (I think) --- On Wed, 6/24/09, Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> wrote: From: Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Buoyancy aside... To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 5:03 AM Hi Joe, On 23 Jun 2009, at 18:26, Joe Bauman wrote: > Really, really nice, Rich! -- Joe Ummm, did you mean David? It was his images I was referring to (BTW, David just joined us here on this "venerable" list). patrick > --- On Mon, 6/22/09, Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> wrote: > > From: Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> > Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Buoyancy aside... > To: "utah astronomy listserve utah astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Date: Monday, June 22, 2009, 9:32 PM > > The buoyancy of Meade scopes aside <g> I've been looking at David's astroimages and was surprised to see they were not taken with some fancy, giga-cost CCD imager but rather with a DSLR mounted inside a homemade cooler box. > > I especially like his Horsehead and Rosette images: > http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=2060 > http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=2078 > > Looks like he's going to give the other photographers on the gallery a fun run for their money. > > 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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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Buoyancy aside...
by Joe Bauman 24 Jun '09

24 Jun '09

Really, really nice, Rich! -- Joe --- On Mon, 6/22/09, Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> wrote: From: Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Buoyancy aside... To: "utah astronomy listserve utah astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Monday, June 22, 2009, 9:32 PM The buoyancy of Meade scopes aside <g> I've been looking at David's astroimages and was surprised to see they were not taken with some fancy, giga-cost CCD imager but rather with a DSLR mounted inside a homemade cooler box. I especially like his Horsehead and Rosette images: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=2060 http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=2078 Looks like he's going to give the other photographers on the gallery a fun run for their money. 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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