May 2010 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Woops I forgot to add a subject line - M51 Luminance Image from last night
by Canopus56 05 May '10

05 May '10

Beautiful detail. - Kurt

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Scope Upgrade Advice
by JayLEads 05 May '10

05 May '10

Ok, now's the time. I am beginning the process to upgrade to what I hope is the first of second major purchases over the next five years in the hobby. This one will be a dob, and I'm looking for a truss design. I have a bad back, deteriorating disc at L5/S1 so weight is an issue. I know Ron Ford has Bill Cowles Coulter Dob for sale and I'll be sending him email to take a look at it, but is there any other recommendations (thoughts on Bill Cowles Dob)? Here is where I am leaning. I have a 10 inch so I think upgrading to a 12.5 won't give me much bang for my buck. So I'm thinking a 15 inch and I am willing to go used or new (probably prefer used). A used Starmaster or Teledit comes to mind. An Obsession 15 inch comes to mind but they do have a rep for the upper cage to be small causing in some scopes a vignetting issue. I have also thought of a used Discovery, I won't go new with them because of what is going on with that company lately or the Orion XXi14. The XXi14 I like because of the intelliscope feature, if I don't want to star hop I can simply input and go. So I would love input into these or other choices others may have: 15 inch Obsession 15 inch used Starmaster 15 inch Teeter (see Teeter Telescopes, they are back east) XXi14 Thougths? Thanks for the input ahead of time.

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Reminder - star party Friday (7 May), South Fork Canyon (I need help!)
by Richard Tenney 05 May '10

05 May '10

A reminder that UVAA is hosting a star party for Timpview High School students and guests this coming Friday (May 7) in South Fork Canyon (in Provo Canyon). I only have 1 person (besides myself) committed to bring a scope up that night, so I REALLY could use some help if you're otherwise planning to spend the evening on the couch! We could have as many as 100 people show up. Sunset is about 8:30, and should be fully dark by 9. I'm planning to set up about 8. Directions: >From the mouth of Provo Canyon (starting the odometer where 800 North in Orem Crosses over University Ave.) it's 5.8 miles to Vivian Park/South Fork, just right off the highway there. Drive South into South Fork Canyon (narrow, winding road that begins at Vivian Park) 3.25 miles (you'll drive past another nice park on the way) to where you see a brown "National Forest Access" sign -- turn (right) in here. This is a newer park -- drive up another quarter mile and the road ends in a nice big flat parking lot. The sky is fairly dark here despite a somewhat limited horizon. If you have questions or need to contact me, my cell is 801~380~3331 /Rich Tenney

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Virgo Supercluster Galaxies via GRASS Roboscope
by Canopus56 05 May '10

05 May '10

> Nice, Kurt. What's the size of the NM roboscope? Thanks, Joe Joe, They were taken with GRASS-5 except for M87, which was taken with GRASS-4. See the right-hand bar at url: http://www.global-rent-a-scope.com/ - K

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Virgo Supercluster Galaxies via GRASS Roboscope
by Canopus56 04 May '10

04 May '10

P.S. - And NGC4565 Edge on Spiral Virgo Zoomed http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3349 - Kurt

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The Sun - May 4 -
by Chuck Hards 04 May '10

04 May '10

Wow, lots of solar activity today. 2 sunspot groups, lots of large areas of plage and some faculae. Several decent prominences and many small ones all along the limb. There was even a complete arch on the western limb. There was a large area of "twisted" structure near the limb opposite the largest sunspot group. Shaped like an integral sign and a about 1/10" the sun's diameter in overall length. Both sunspot groups will still be visible tomorrow, weather permitting. The PST was showing fantastic detail on the solar disc itself, especially for the time of day of my observations- near 7 PM. The air was still and had been cleared by the front that moved through last night. My best views were with a UO 16mm Konig-II. In my 50mm white-light scope, using a Baader filter and 18mm Kellner gave the best views. Both sunspot groups and large plage areas were seen even in white light. The sun is finally waking up!

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Atlas or CGEM?
by Joe Bauman 04 May '10

04 May '10

Chuck, Could you send me your cell phone number? Thanks, Joe (josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com) ________________________________ From: Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Mon, May 3, 2010 10:15:52 AM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Atlas or CGEM? That's really kind, Chuck. I think Thursday would be better than Wednesday for me. Best wishes, Joe ________________________________ From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Mon, May 3, 2010 9:10:19 AM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Atlas or CGEM? Joe: Offices at 645 W. 200 North, North Salt Lake. Note that the address is not on the Salt Lake City grid, but in south Davis county, in the city of North Salt Lake. It does not share SLC's grid system. Take Redwood north until you cross over I-215 in south Davis county, toward the refineries. Continue north, past Center street, then turn right (east) on 200 north. Continue to 645 West and park in a visitor stall at Companion Systems. Call me on my cell phone once you arrive- we currently don't have a full-time receptionist. I will come over and get you. I work in a different building than our main offices, it's a large campus. Wednesday or Thursday afternoon this week is best for me. On 5/3/10, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Fabulous, Chuck! Could you send me the address, and tell me when it's OK to > come over? Many thanks, Joe > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> > To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Sent: Sun, May 2, 2010 11:52:20 PM > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Atlas or CGEM? > > If you can bring the rings and guidescope by my shop during the week, > Joe, I can help you. Should be a quick, easy fix. > > On 5/2/10, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> Hi Friends, I've been thinking about changing my 120 or 125 mm. guide >> scope >> rings for 105 mm. -- I have both styles. Back ages ago Guy put a dovetail >> bar on my telescope, and he machined my larger-size rings to fit onto a >> dovetail clamp thingy that fits the bar. He did it with the larger size >> because I thought my scope could accommodate a big guide scope. That was >> wrong; I have downsized the guide scope twice, and now I'm using a good 80 >> mm Orion ShortTube as guide. It seems right. But with all the gear I put >> on >> the telescope, it's so heavy that I have trouble with autoguiding. I'd >> like >> to switch the rings from the larger size to the 105 mm. size, which weigh >> a >> little less, as I figure every extra ounce hurts. But when I take the >> clamp >> thingy off the large rings and put them on the smaller ones, I had two >> problems. First, I discovered that Guy had wisely planed down the bottom >> of >> the ring so it fit the clamp well, and cored out a cone in each ring where >> the screw goes in, so that the screw fits tightly and the ring is flat on >> the clamp. Second, the smaller rings are not as thick as the big ones, >> which >> could allow them to wobble on the clamp. I thought about pounding some >> sort >> of metal shims in at the connecting point to keep them tight. >> >> What I'm wondering is, are there smaller dovetail brackets or clamps or >> whatever they are, that can fit the narrower rings? What should I do about >> stabilizing the clamps once they'r attached to the rings? Or is the small >> savings in weight not worth all the effort and mess? Any suggestions would >> be appreciated. >> >> Many thanks, Joe >> >> >> >> >> ________________________________ >> From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> >> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> >> Sent: Sun, May 2, 2010 5:56:14 PM >> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Atlas or CGEM? >> >> I found a video on You Tube that clearly shows the CGEM mount using >> the wide dovetail. >> >> I like this. I've always felt that the Orion narrow dovetail was >> anemic and prone to flexing. Were I to get this mount, I'd need to >> invest in wider dovetail bars, since I have a boxfull of Orion narrow >> dovetails. >> >> Has anyone tried the narrow-to-wide dovetail "Adapter"? >> >> >> On 5/2/10, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> Also, does anyone know if the Celestron and Orion dovetails are the >>> same? Or does Celestron use the wider one? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > _______________________________________________ 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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Shoot that sucker down!
by Chuck Hards 04 May '10

04 May '10

Time for the Air Force to try out some of it's Star Wars toys: http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20100503/sc_space/outofcontrolsatellitethreat…

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LRO Image Codes - Decoding
by Canopus56 02 May '10

02 May '10

Please disregard the last post. I misdirected it to the wrong newsgroup. - Kurt

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LRO Image Codes - Decoding
by Canopus56 02 May '10

02 May '10

I am working with some LRO images retrieved through the LRO image search interface at: http://wms.lroc.asu.edu/lroc/search with a view towards trying a SFD (spatial frequency distribution) measurements. But I am having some difficultly decoding the LRO image codes. Here are some samples: ProductId ImageType2 M116938683RE NACR EDR M116938683LE NACL EDR M116938683RC NACR CDR M116938683LC NACL CDR M116938632MC WAC_MONO CDR M116938632ME WAC_MONO EDR M116918329ME WAC_MONO EDR M116918329MC WAC_MONO CDR M116918246LE NACL EDR M116918246RE NACR EDR What do "RE", "LE", "RC", "MC", etc. and NACR, NACL, WAC_MONO and "EDR" and "CDR" mean. I haven't found FAQs on the LROC website site that provide a could decode. Anyone have any links or decode definitions on these? Thanks - Canopus56

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