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

KSL tonight, SPOC tomorrow
by Patrick Wiggins 12 Aug '10

12 Aug '10

1) KSL is having me back on tonight from 9 to 10. 1160 on the AM radio dial. Come on all you shrinking violets, let's hear from you tonight. 2) The SPOC board decided at last night's meeting to open the SPOC grounds (not necessarily any of the scopes) for a Perseids watch tomorrow night from midnight to 3 am Friday. Weather permitting, of course. patrick

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Patrick
by Steve FISHER 12 Aug '10

12 Aug '10

Patrick, "smart enough to speculate". This could get legs. :) Steve

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Perseids
by Canopus56 12 Aug '10

12 Aug '10

This wikipedia article on the parent body of the Perseids - Comet Swift-Tuttle - gives some interesting background that may be of use at tonight's star party. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Swift-Tuttle I sat outside from 1:15am to 2:00am this morning from an urban SLC location. Relaxed in the night air and watched a one steradian region due east bewteen Per and Jupiter. For meteors saw: 1:41am One sporadic heading celestial west-to-east through Trapezium, mag 3, 8 deg smokey tail, reddish colored. 1:44am On radiant mag 2.5 from Mirfak to the Double Cluster, mag 2.5, 3 deg tail. 1:53am On radiant from Mirfak through Trapezium, mag. 3, 10 deg smokey tail. No detections on a video meteor setup with 0 mag photographic limit, south facing camera, 160 TFOV. Posted updated meteor radio reflection chart for Utah to the RMOB site: http://217.169.242.217/rmob/pages/liveradiometeorpage.php This chart is still dominated by the del Aqr shower peak at the beginning of the month. SLC meteor reflection counts from 8-7-2010 to 8-12-2010 (UT time) for 6, 7 and 8 UT (midnight, 1am, 2am MST). TimeDT 7 8 9 10 11 12 5-6UT: 74 76 103 93 85 55 6-7UT: 52 65 36 95 64 55 7-8UT: 59 92 52 82 27 88 8-9UT: 84 128 46 38 76 94 I generally use info like that shown in the table to guesstimate which hour would be the most likely to see the coming visual peak. Note the meteor radio reflections technique mostly counts meteors that have too small a mass to be observed visually. My station's meteor radio reflection spectrographs are showing many more larger, longer persisting meteor trails thant normal. The date of the peak distribution of these lighter particles is not the same as for heavier visual meteors. IMO Live visual observing count for last night is about 45 ZHR. - Clear Skies - Kurt

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Wolf Creek Friday
by Jay Eads 12 Aug '10

12 Aug '10

Clear Sky Clock, Satellite Imagery and NWS are all pointing to very good conditions this Friday up at Wolf Creek so I'm heading up. I'll leave the valley around 6:00p..m. to arrive around 7:30p.m. giving me a hour to set up before sunset. If anyone would like to join, as always, your welcome. After this I become more land locked to my three Rush Valley spots, my two spots up beyond Guardsman Pass (until snow hits) except for weekends. Hope to see a few people up there on Friday.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Perseids
by Canopus56 12 Aug '10

12 Aug '10

I. Miscellanous SLC Tribune Article Today Sheena MacFarland, Utahns might be able to catch a falling star this week SLC Trib 8-11-2010 http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50087211-76/sky-thursday-wiggins-able.htm… Reminder: There also is a five wide-angle planet conjunction and photo op on the western horizon at sunset. http://heliophysics.org/headlines/y2010/images/perseids/skymap_12aug10.gif II. Perseids Links: IMO Visual Live Meteor Count Perseids 2010 http://www.imo.net/live/perseids2010/ "The Perseids are one of the most exciting and dynamic meteor showers; producing fast-moving shooting stars throughout July and August. Based on IMO observations from recent years, we expect the "normal" peak of ~100 meteors per hour to occur in the night of August 12-13 between 18h and 7h Universal Time." IMO Shower Radiant Map http://www.imo.net/docs/images/per_map.png IMO Perseids Live Summary and Main Page http://www.imo.net/ IMO Twitter Live Updates http://twitter.com/IMOmeteors RMOB Live Radio Reflection Page http://217.169.242.217/rmob/pages/liveradiometeorpage.php Air Force Space Command Live Meteor Radio Reflection Live http://spaceweatherradio.com/ Brower's BC Canada Live Radio Reflection Page http://members.shaw.ca/jbrower/index.html III. Observing Report Observing Report: Little Mtn. SLC, UT NELM to northeasteast by east: 5.5. Observed 1 steradian bracketing Algol to Jupiter for 12:45am to 1:30am 8/11/2010. Max estimated expected visual count based on IMO current ZLM (for 6.0 ZLM) of approx. 25 with ending Algol altitude of 30 degrees: 25*cos(30 deg)*(1 str/2*pi str)= 3.4 Observed related to Perseid radiant: 12:55am MST mag -1, 10 deg tail above Hamil traveling south. 01:05am MST mag 4, 10 deg tail UMa and Cass, outside observing zone 01:13am MST mag 2, 5 deg tail above (in alt) Cass, outside observing zone Peripheral vision caught three near NELM limit in the observing zone but the meteors were too faint to call as a confirmed sighting. - Kurt

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Story of Survival
by Jay Eads 12 Aug '10

12 Aug '10

Saw this from another post and thought I would link it here. For those who braved Bryce this year, here is a story for you from 2007: http://www.astromart.com/articles/article.asp?article_id=582

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] USB eyepiece
by Raeburn Kennard 11 Aug '10

11 Aug '10

Troy Davidson wrote: I just saw this on ThinkGeek.com: http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/e19b/ It's a USB eyepiece. Here are the stats: * Attaches to any telescope * Adapter ring for 24.5mm and 31.7mm * Save 1280 x 1040 video or photos to your computer * Uses a 1/2 inch, 1.3 megapixel image sensor * Attaches via USB cable to your computer No, it's not amazing specs. But for $99, I might be willing to give it a try. Any thoughts, ideas, comments? This interests me. I have a Dob, and have never been able to take pictures through it. How does this device attach? Does it replace the eyepiece in the focus tube? Or does it fit over the top of the eyepiece? I assume it draws its power from the computer through the USB cord? Could its USB cord be attached to a digital camera, so that images could download to the camera media card? Has anyone ever used one on a Dob? Is it necessary to take long time exposures? Or does it capture the image immediately as seen by the human eye? Just some of my questions. Raeburn G. Kennard Kirton & McConkie 60 East South Temple, Suite 1800 Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801) 321-4867 direct telephone (801) 328-3600 main switchboard (801) 550-6143 cell (801) 212-2075 fax rkennard(a)kmclaw.com

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Skyline Drive
by Kim 11 Aug '10

11 Aug '10

Joe, did you make it to Skyline Drive the other day as you said you might? Just curious. If you did, what did you think? Kim

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Perseids
by Debbie 11 Aug '10

11 Aug '10

I was up in the mountains near Kolob Reservoir near Zion National Park last night. We saw several bright Perseids streak across the sky. One was really bright that it left a visible tail for at least a minute. Seeing was excellent till about 2pm when we decided to tear down equipment. I can't wait till Thursday for the real show. I looked at one double star through the 15". Gamma Delphinus was bright, well matched pair. Debbie On Wed Aug 11 12:29 , Jay Eads <jayleads(a)gmail.com> sent: >Kim, > >Could you post the directions again to Skyline Drive? I know you did once >but I'm having trouble finding the directions. Thanks! > >On Wed, Aug 11, 2010 at 11:32 AM, Kim kimharch(a)cut.net> wrote: > >> Last night Charlie Ford and I did a star party for a family camp held at >> our local BSA campsite. Sky was partly cloudy but cleared about 11:30. We >> left about 1:15. It became windy as the clouds cleared but was still rather >> warm at 7800 feet elevation. We saw perhaps 10 or 15 bright Perseids (first >> mag or brighter) and a handful of fainter ones. It got me excited to observe >> tomorrow night/Friday morning during the projected peak hours. The forecast >> is good for clear skies in Sanpete County and I still plan to go to the >> Skyline Drive site (elevation about 9800 feet). Anyone is welcome to join >> me. Charlie Ford may be there, as well. I will bring an 8-inch SCT to use >> during the evening hours but I’ll put it away after midnight to enjoy the >> shower. >> >> >> >> In past years from a Sanpete valley site (elevation about 6200 feet) I’ve >> observed over 90 Perseids per hour during the predicted peak hours, plus a >> half-dozen or so sporadics. I’ve made two, one-hour counts from >> approximately 1:00 to 3:00 AM, both last year and in 2008 (or 2007, I forget >> which). I consider myself to be a reliable observer yet my meteor counts >> have always been much greater than the usual numbers that are cited, 50 or >> 60 per hour for the Perseids. I had the same experience during the Geminid >> shower years ago at Rush Valley with Bill Kelley. On that occasion I >> observed about 110 Geminids during each hour of a two-hour count. Next to >> the Leonid storm of 2001 that Geminid shower was the best meteor shower I’ve >> observed. Anyway, I would appreciate company this year for the Perseids this >> Thursday night and (hopefully) for the Geminids in December. I’d like to >> confirm my results with other experienced observers. I don’t doubt my own >> experiences but I would like to have someone confirm what I’m seeing. I’m >> also planning to keep a DSLR camera set up for as much of the night as >> battery power will allow, and I may also use a 35mm SLR camera. >> >> >> >> The Skyline Drive site is about a two-hour drive from downtown SLC, maybe a >> bit less. The Perseid radiant itself may be affected by horizon sky glow >> from Utah County but by early morning hours it should be well above the >> horizon. The rest of the sky, of course, is very dark and perfect for meteor >> observing. Please, someone come join me for what looks to be a great year >> for observing the Perseids. I’ll bring the hot cocoa. >> >> >> >> Kim >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> > > > >-- >Jay Eads >_______________________________________________ >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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Perseids
by Kim 11 Aug '10

11 Aug '10

Last night Charlie Ford and I did a star party for a family camp held at our local BSA campsite. Sky was partly cloudy but cleared about 11:30. We left about 1:15. It became windy as the clouds cleared but was still rather warm at 7800 feet elevation. We saw perhaps 10 or 15 bright Perseids (first mag or brighter) and a handful of fainter ones. It got me excited to observe tomorrow night/Friday morning during the projected peak hours. The forecast is good for clear skies in Sanpete County and I still plan to go to the Skyline Drive site (elevation about 9800 feet). Anyone is welcome to join me. Charlie Ford may be there, as well. I will bring an 8-inch SCT to use during the evening hours but I’ll put it away after midnight to enjoy the shower. In past years from a Sanpete valley site (elevation about 6200 feet) I’ve observed over 90 Perseids per hour during the predicted peak hours, plus a half-dozen or so sporadics. I’ve made two, one-hour counts from approximately 1:00 to 3:00 AM, both last year and in 2008 (or 2007, I forget which). I consider myself to be a reliable observer yet my meteor counts have always been much greater than the usual numbers that are cited, 50 or 60 per hour for the Perseids. I had the same experience during the Geminid shower years ago at Rush Valley with Bill Kelley. On that occasion I observed about 110 Geminids during each hour of a two-hour count. Next to the Leonid storm of 2001 that Geminid shower was the best meteor shower I’ve observed. Anyway, I would appreciate company this year for the Perseids this Thursday night and (hopefully) for the Geminids in December. I’d like to confirm my results with other experienced observers. I don’t doubt my own experiences but I would like to have someone confirm what I’m seeing. I’m also planning to keep a DSLR camera set up for as much of the night as battery power will allow, and I may also use a 35mm SLR camera. The Skyline Drive site is about a two-hour drive from downtown SLC, maybe a bit less. The Perseid radiant itself may be affected by horizon sky glow from Utah County but by early morning hours it should be well above the horizon. The rest of the sky, of course, is very dark and perfect for meteor observing. Please, someone come join me for what looks to be a great year for observing the Perseids. I’ll bring the hot cocoa. Kim

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