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

Thank you on Ealing upgrades and repairs
by Canopus56 16 May '10

16 May '10

Thanks to Bruce and the SPOC committee for the Ealing focuser upgrade and maintenance on the digital setting circle measuring rotors. I used the Ealing last evening for about an hour to practice galaxy targeting but ending up staying on M65 and M66 under high-humdity water-vapor-obscured moderate-to-poor seeing. A stream of about six children and five adults cycled through the Ealing. The new focuser has a profile where the focusing tube is much closer to the Ealing base. Although kids still tended to try and put weight on the focuser, due to the focuser's lower horizontal profile, they could not get as much leverage in the second that it takes for an operator to wave them off. The fine focuser knob makes for smooth quick adjustment to a crisp image. One general public visitor commented that he did not understand why the 16 inch Ealing had such a better image than the larger Grim scope. But I suspect that, as a glasses wearer, he was able to get the Ealing into proper focus with the fine focusing knob but could not do so with the Grim. On setup, I aligned the Skywizard on Arcturus and did a Skywizard Find to Denebola - a 35 degree slew through a meridian swap. The Skywizard targeted to within 3/4 of a degree. After synching the Skywizard on Denebola (ST419), a 7 degree slew to M65 was within 1/2 degree - just on the edge of a 1/3 degree TFOV. I was unable to speed calibrate the Astrophysics controller. I believe this may be because the Ealing feels more unbalanced than I recall being in previous years, particularly on the declination axis. I understand from the SLAS board meeting this week that there was discussion of replacing another key component in quick-accurate targeting of the Ealing - the 4.25 inch Mak. My experience with the Mak was the same as on prior sessions. The TLM of 4.25 inch aperture is critical to accurate targeting of the Ealing. With 4.25 inches of aperture, most galaxy and globular faint fuzzies can just be seen in the Mak's 1.25 deg TFOV. If you center both the Ealing eyepiece and the Mak on a bright star (like Denebola) and then do a short slew to a target, seeing the faintly target in the 4.25 inch Mak is essential to quickly getting the target in the Ealing's 1/3 degree eyepiece field-of-view. In the other smaller aperture finders, their TLM is too low to see most galaxies or globulars. The problem with the Mak is that there is no way to smoothly and quickly make a finder centering adjustment by using a bright star to co-align it with the Ealing eyepiece. IMHO, if the proposal is to replace the Mak with a fixed refractor, maintaining the 4.25 inches of aperture with its higher TLM is essential along with the ability to smoothly recenter the 4.25 inch finder after a meridian swap. IMHO, having a seamless and smooth method of recentering the 4.25 inch finder is the higher priority fix than changing the Mak - which has an inherent mirror flop targeting error - to a refractor - which has no mirror flop error. Thanks to Dave B. for directing targets on the Grim and to Daniel T. for a quick galaxy and comet tour on his 16 inch DOB. Clear Skies - Kurt

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SLAS in Tribune
by Ann House 16 May '10

16 May '10

SLAS's star parties are mentioned twice in today's SLTribune. There is a great article in the Outdoor section with quotes by Rodger Fry and a mention of our ZAP grant. Thanks Rodger. Additionally, Lesley Mitchell, One Cheap Chick, writes about our free public star parties in her blog. -A

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Why astrophotography?
by M Wilson 16 May '10

16 May '10

I'm afraid I'm a little low tec when it comes to astro-photography. Like Daniel, I find what Tyler, David and Patrick do to be a little too expensive. Therefore, I'm limited to my Canon Rebel XTi and a simple zoom lens. While other SLAS members were at the Pit-n-Pole, Capitol Reef, SPOC or in Steve Fisher's yard, I ventured on over to a local public park to get this shot of the moon and Venus this evening. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3425

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Weekend Observing
by Jay Eads 15 May '10

15 May '10

Last night at the Pit I captured 10 more Herschel Galaxies and viewed some favorites. When I left (it did get dewy as it was the same day as a storm moving out) the summer Milky Way was extremely evident and beautiful, laying on its side and not straight up and down. I'm heading back to a dark site tonight, humidity is forecasted to be around 55% or so (I would expect 60%) so dewing shouldn't be a problem (but bring the dew heater if you need/have one always to be safe) if we get a spot up off the floor. Again, Lakeside or Rush Valley/Pit for me as I need that type of dark site for some of these Herschel Galaxies. I'll be leaving by 6:00p.m. so if interested contact me . . . On 2010-05-14 04:23, JayLEads wrote: > I know that SLAS has a party at SPOC but I am planning on Rush Valley/ > Pit n Pole on Friday and either that location or Lakeside (or the > hills to the west of that site) on Saturday night. If anyone is > interested in a darker site location and heading out let me know. I > know tomorrow night the skies don't look so good on Clear Sky Clock > at Camp Floyd until around 8:00p.m. and then clear skies. A couple of > us are meeting at the LDS Church parking lot on Friday at 6:00p.m at > Cedar Fort, right off Hwy 73. if anyone wants to meet up please feel > free. No matter what or where, lets hope for a tremendous weekend of > viewing or imaging! > >

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Laser at SPOC star party tonight
by Canopus56 15 May '10

15 May '10

Comet 81P/Wild plots to a 3.5 degrees west right ascension slew from iota Virgo. The last ICQ recent brightness report is 5-11 at 9.8. mags, 4 arcminute head size. It had a small tail on May 5. 10PM position is: J2000 RA: 14h02m53.25s DE:-04d59'54.0" Date RA: 14h03m25.76s DE:-05d02'52.5" 81P/Wild is the subject of today's (May 15) EPOD. http://epod.usra.edu/ - Kurt

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Star Parties Galore
by Steve FISHER 15 May '10

15 May '10

In addition to a new moon event at Capitol Reef, a special members only event at SPOC along with other club or individual events I am hosting an event in my driveway this evening. You are invited. Two years ago Bill Cowles purchased a Mallincam. It is still new in the box. Bill and I have committed to trying to get first light for the camera tonight. We will start setting up shortly after 5:00 PM this evening. No doubt a great deal of futzing and fiddling will follow. Hopefully latter in the evening we will have some images to share with my neighbors and any one who would like to stop by. If you are unable to make it to SPOC or any of the other events and would like to see Bill and I do our impersonation of people who know what they are doing we would love you to stop by. (address upon request) Soda, soda pop, pop along with soft drinks and Cola will be made available. If you have experience with the Mallincam we would really welcome you. Seriously though, if you are interested in Video Assisted astronomy for public outreach the Mallincam will work from my well lit front yard under the street light and even with a full moon. Hope to have you stop by. Steve

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Laser at SPOC star party tonight
by Patrick Wiggins 15 May '10

15 May '10

A friend of mine with an interest in lasers recently built a laser that will cut (burn?) through razor blades. He's going to bring it to this evening's SPOC star party. Could make for an interesting star pointer. As for the star party, the plan is to start with Sun viewing using the refractor and DayStar filter about 6 pm. We'll switch to daytime planet viewing with the refractor about 7 and then transition to a more normal star party at dusk featuring at least the Grim and Bogdan and maybe the Ealing. Hey, any maybe "someone" on this list who recently got a new wiz-bang mount will have it there too. :) Nice appearances by ISS and Atlantis are also on tap as well as an Iridium flare And since it is a SLAS event, "Advanced Training" will almost certainly follow the star party. See y'all this evening. patrick

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Shuttle Atlantis and ISS Obs Ops Friday May 14 to Sunday May 16
by Canopus56 14 May '10

14 May '10

There are bright overflights for Salt Lake City if Atlantis makes its final liftoff flight as scheduled on Friday. There is - in nautical twilight - a shuttle chase observing opportunity. May only be visually observable. Weather remains the main variable. Friday May 14 22:16 MDT (10:16 PM MDT) mag -3.5 Culminates az 222 alt 39 ISS Alone Saturday May 15 21:06 MDT (9:06 PM MDT) mag -4.1 Culminates az 34 alt 61 sun alt -6 Shuttle Chase ISS passes first Shuttle follows 12 minutes later Saturday May 15 21:18 MDT (9:18 PM MDT) mag -2.3 Culminates az 36 h 78 approach az 307 departs az 123 sun alt -7 Sunday May 16 21:30 MDT (9:30PM MDT) mag -3.2 Culminates az 222 alt 36 Shuttle Docked with ISS approach az 299 departs az 154 During this pass, during its dimmer phase nearer horizon, the Shuttle and ISS will pass within 3.8 degs of a crescent Moon. - Clear Skies - Kurt Related NASA Science News Article http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/13may_planetsands…

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ED refractor question
by Chuck Hards 14 May '10

14 May '10

Does anyone know if the Orion 100mm ED (old style) and Celestron C100ED (now discontinued) are in fact the same model telescope? TIA

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Sun Tunnel Site for Observing
by JayLEads 14 May '10

14 May '10

A question that I have a feeling some might know. The Sun Tunnel site that you go into Nevada and back into Utah to see, is that site or a site around it good for observing? I would like to take a look at these and possible spend the night observing and then camp in the back of my Pathfinder.

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