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

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Status of Gravel Pit
by Canopus56 09 Aug '10

09 Aug '10

Thanks, Ann. - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Last night
by Jay Eads 09 Aug '10

09 Aug '10

Just in case no one around here new, Nate is one of the newer members of Utah-Astronomy and SLAS. He purchased my XT8 with a 9x50 RACI, Telrad, 25 & 17mm Sirius Plossls. Laser Collimator, a copy of Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders and putting up with me for two hours worth of going over the scope to learn to collimate and how to align the finders and view. He deserves a purple heart just for having to put up with me eh? Welcome Nate to Utah-Astronomy. On 2010-08-09 10:45, Nate Jackson wrote: > Wasn't bad. It was actually warmer than I had expected. Lightning storms to the > North and West. (I was able to get some good photos of that). Jupiter was big > and bright and awesome! > > >

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Status of Gravel Pit
by Canopus56 09 Aug '10

09 Aug '10

What is the current accessibility status of the Gravel Pit? Thanks - Kurt

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Camp Hobé Benefit Concert Aug 30!
by Ann House 09 Aug '10

09 Aug '10

SLAS has supported Camp Hobe through the years. They still send me emails. Thought I would pass this on as it is a good opportunity to take in some entertainment and to give to a good cause. -A ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Christina Beckwith <Christina.Beckwith(a)hsc.utah.edu> Date: Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 8:19 AM Subject: Camp Hobé Benefit Concert Aug 30! To: "wapitimama(a)camphobekids.org" <wapitimama(a)camphobekids.org> Hey Supporters! You’re invited to come hear some great music and support Camp Hobé. Kilby Court is hosting a concert on August 30 (7PM – 9:30PM) to benefit Camp Hobé. This event is being held in memory of Thomas Nielson, a past camper and counselor. Kilby Court is an all-ages venue located at 741 South Kilby Court (330 West). Tickets are $10 at the door and 100% of proceeds go to Camp Hobé. Performers will include GABRIELLE GIOFFRE, CODY RIGBY, SINK THE SEAS, and THE DIRECTION. You can also find the event on Facebook if you want to check it out there http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=108607652528564. Please pass this on to your friends, colleagues, and families. Thanks! Chris Chris Beckwith (aka Wapiti Mama) Executive Director, Camp Hobe' PO Box 520755, SLC, UT 84152-0755 wapitimama(a)camphobekids.org<https://www.umail.utah.edu/owa/UrlBlockedError.aspx>/ 801-631-2742 Note: We take your privacy very seriously. This email has been blind-copied to protect your confidentiality, and we never sell or give out your email address to anyone outside Camp Hobé. We also don’t want to send people emails they do not want. If they no longer with to hear from us, just let us know (reply to this email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line) – we’ll take you off our list right away although we’ll be sad to see you go.

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Wolf Creek Friday night
by Fletcher Gross 09 Aug '10

09 Aug '10

Despite the poor weather forecasts, I decided to have faith in the Clear Sky Clock and go to Wolf Creek. I also wanted to see what it was like since I had never been there before. Am I glad I went! I arrived at 6:30, set up my equipment and waited for Venus to appear. One of my hopes (the only one not fulfilled) was to see all the planets (including Pluto) in one night. This required aligning quickly on Venus and then finding Mercury. I found Venus at 9:00 which gave me plenty of time to go to Mercury. Unfortunately, there was a band of low clouds in the west which made that impossible. By the time the clouds had dissipated, Mercury had set. I did manage to find all the other planets (including Pluto) by the time I was through. Initially, there were clouds in the west which moved to the North and prospects seemed dubious. After the first few planets, I stuck to objects in the South only to discover that by about 10:15, all (and I do mean all) the clouds had disappeared. The sky was clear and dark and compared with the best nights at Bryce. I was like a kid in a candy store. There was some wind which could have made photography impossible but it didn't affect visual work. The winds would alternate between gusts and quiet; I would just wait for the quiet times. For example, I had a very clear view of Jupiter without its Southern Equatorial Band while the other one was clearly defined. I saw so many good things that I won't try to list them all. The view of the Swan Nebula (M 17) was as good as any I have ever had. For the first time, I was able to make out the North America Nebula (of course for the nebulae, I used filters). Also for the first time I can remember, I could see the Double Cluster with my naked eye. Almost all my viewing was with my 10" SCT but I also brought some 10x50 binoculars and the view of the Andromeda Galaxy, M 31, through the binoculars was simply spectacular. Every cluster, whether open or globular, was at its finest. As is my personal preference, I looked at several carbon stars. The best was S Cephei with V Aquilae close behind. Normally T Lyrae would be with them but for the last few months, it has had less color than usual. Other carbon stars that showed well were TX Piscium and VX Andromedae. I saw flashes undoubtedly due to lightning in the distance but they were so far away that I couldn't hear any thunder and at no time was there any threat of rain. When I finally got too tired to go on, some clouds began to creep in but by the time, I was in bed, the clouds had disappeared again. As far as I can tell, the seeing was good the entire night. When I woke up at 5:00, Orion was just coming over the horizon and I was tempted but was too tired to look at it. All in all, a terrific night. I'm sorry more people didn't come (there was one other observer), especially as tonight looks dreadful. Fletch

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Last night
by Nate Jackson 09 Aug '10

09 Aug '10

Wasn't bad. It was actually warmer than I had expected. Lightning storms to the North and West. (I was able to get some good photos of that). Jupiter was big and bright and awesome!

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Last night
by Nate Jackson 08 Aug '10

08 Aug '10

Just out in the yard. Was able to see Jupiter and Moons. Going to attempt Lakeside tonight. Even if it is just to camp!

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Last night
by Craig Smith 08 Aug '10

08 Aug '10

It looked like it was clearing last night when I went to bed ('early') -- did anyone go out?

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Lakeside Saturday Night
by Jay Eads 07 Aug '10

07 Aug '10

No Lakeside as the forecast has changed. Next weekend looks much better so . . . I am probably going to try for Wolf Creek or another site on Tuesday and Wednesday and then next Friday hit another site before a Public Star Party on Saturday. On 2010-08-07 05:10, Jay Eads wrote: > Clear Sky Clock is showing Lakeside as a decent place to observe from > on Saturday. Very good to excellent transparency, a blip right now on > at 7:00p.m. with clouds but otherwise just fine for clouds. Seeing is > poor to okay probably due to water vapor in the air and humidity never > is suppose to raise its ugly head. Here's the clock: > > > http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/SLAS2UTkey.html?1 > > I have left the SLAS map on my blog along with pictures and a link to > SLAS gallery of images to go with the map so you know where your > going. There will be a 25' Obsession owned by Bryan Wheeler and then > a friend of mine (not Joe who is my friend ;) ) doing > astrophotography and another friend who with me will be doing visual > observing. > > So if your not doing anything, and the observing bug has you as summer > begins to enter its last legs, feel free to come on out and join the > throng. I'll be at the Flying J at the Exit 99 off I-80 West bound > around 6:30 p.m. or so and will leave there around 7:00p.m. or sooner > if no one has said they are going to meet me there. > > Here is a link to my blog so I don't have to repost everything. Hope > to see a few of you there. > > http://jaysastronomyobservingblog.blogspot.com/ > > I'll probably go back on Sunday night, stay over til Monday as the > forecast is looking quite good out there. Here is the mesonet > information (I find the station called I-80 and Grassy to give similar > data to the site). > > http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/gmap/ > > Note the temperature and the dew point on the graph (get the graph by > clicking on the site and it comes up below) are very far apart. I > still may try Wolf Creek next Friday or Saturday. > >

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Lakeside Saturday Night
by Jay Eads 07 Aug '10

07 Aug '10

Clear Sky Clock is showing Lakeside as a decent place to observe from on Saturday. Very good to excellent transparency, a blip right now on at 7:00p.m. with clouds but otherwise just fine for clouds. Seeing is poor to okay probably due to water vapor in the air and humidity never is suppose to raise its ugly head. Here's the clock: http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/SLAS2UTkey.html?1 I have left the SLAS map on my blog along with pictures and a link to SLAS gallery of images to go with the map so you know where your going. There will be a 25' Obsession owned by Bryan Wheeler and then a friend of mine (not Joe who is my friend ;) ) doing astrophotography and another friend who with me will be doing visual observing. So if your not doing anything, and the observing bug has you as summer begins to enter its last legs, feel free to come on out and join the throng. I'll be at the Flying J at the Exit 99 off I-80 West bound around 6:30 p.m. or so and will leave there around 7:00p.m. or sooner if no one has said they are going to meet me there. Here is a link to my blog so I don't have to repost everything. Hope to see a few of you there. http://jaysastronomyobservingblog.blogspot.com/ I'll probably go back on Sunday night, stay over til Monday as the forecast is looking quite good out there. Here is the mesonet information (I find the station called I-80 and Grassy to give similar data to the site). http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/gmap/ Note the temperature and the dew point on the graph (get the graph by clicking on the site and it comes up below) are very far apart. I still may try Wolf Creek next Friday or Saturday.

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