December 2011 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Comet Lovejoy: RIP (rest in pieces)
by Patrick Wiggins 18 Dec '11

18 Dec '11

Looks like Lovejoy is gone: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/LATEST/current_c3small.mpg patrick

4 5

Tasty Mars picture
by Patrick Wiggins 17 Dec '11

17 Dec '11

From today's Planetary Society blog: MalloMars Rover: Search for S'more Data http://www.planetary.org/image/mallowmarsy_1.jpg patrick

5 9

Lakeside Tonight
by Jay Eads 17 Dec '11

17 Dec '11

This is posted over at Astronomy in Utah for those interested and may want more details. Mat and I are going to Lakeside tonight and will observe until around 12:00a.m., just before the rise of the first quarter moon. If someone wants to tag along I have room upfront as does Mat. We are packing up at 2:30p.m. and leaving around 3:00p.m. If you aren't sure how to get there I can meet you right off Exit 62 at 4:00p.m. to 4:10p.m. and you can follow me to the site. Here are the directions and pictures on my blog. http://jaysastronomyobservingblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/saturday-is-lakeside… It is cold out there getting down to around 23 degrees F during observing time (Pit n Pole is getting down to 5 degrees F or colder right now) so if you come out, dress warm. We should easily get in 5 to 6 hours of good observing. Humidity is lower at Lakeside and I am taking my Coleman Heater and my single burner heater that attaches to a propane gas tank that you hook up to your grill. So it should be comfortable. Hope to see some of you there. -- Jay Eads

2 1

Rush Valley & Pit n' Pole the same?
by Patrick Wiggins 16 Dec '11

16 Dec '11

Looking on the SLAS website in the "Star Party Maps" section I see one listing for "Rush Valley" which takes me here: http://slas.us/maps/RVALLEY.HTM And another for "Pit 'n Pole" which takes me here: http://slas.us/maps/Pit%20%27n%20Pole.htm and a map pointing here: http://www.slas.us/images/maps/PitnPole.jpg Are they (Pit 'n Pole and Rush Valley) the same place? If they are should one of the two links be eliminated? Speaking of that part of the world, I was flying over it the other day and saw something I've always wondered about and got this picture: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/whatsthis.jpg I see them all over the place. What are all those light colored dots? Clear skies, patrick

7 8

Geminids Video
by Nancy Matro 16 Dec '11

16 Dec '11

Nice video of Geminids taken from high desert in California. http://vimeo.com/17861035 Nancy Matro

3 2

Utah Astro Deep Sky Observing List
by Jay Eads 15 Dec '11

15 Dec '11

Here is a link to Astronomy in Utah where the list Mat compiled, Utah Astro Deep Sky Observing List is found. http://astronomyinutah.forumer.com/the-utah-astro-deep-sky-observing-list-t… My son log on as a guest and downloaded it so it should be all fixed. -- Jay Eads

1 0

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Utah Astro Observing list
by Jay Eads 15 Dec '11

15 Dec '11

Joe, I touched on why I created the forums in an earlier post but I'll expand it here. I'm in class tonight so I may expand more on it later. First, the forums should be open to a guest. I'll have to go in sometime between now and Sunday and open it up . . . its probably a feature I just haven't clicked on yet in my large admin list. In terms of the board, I am tired of all the email I get from UtahAstronomy (yes, I contribute to that also) to the point that I was ready to quit a couple of times. I finally set it up to where I have to access the board to see or reply to a message. That has worked. In terms of the forum, I like that I can attach lists, which I have done on several observing lists, post on the subjects or read the subject/topics that interest me and ignore the others. I like the fact that someone could ignore me or I them if I want. For me personally, it is a much better system for communicating and discussing. It is also easier to search in my opinion and easier in a small group like this to find older posts. Finally, I can (if we can't I just have to allow it but I am pretty sure I can and I'll upload a sketch there) post images and pictures directly and with an attachments so I don't have to click a link to see an image. All in all, a better format so I'll be posting most of my stuff over there from now on and simply becoming a reader here including when and where I am observing. Class got out early (lucky me, I can go home and work on this large assignment now) so I'll see if I can let the board be visible to visitors. On 2011-12-14 22:09, Joe Bauman wrote: > Mat and Jay, You're both highly respected friends of mine so I certain you won't take this in a negative light. But since we already have the long-established and highly successful UtahAstronomy discussion group, why do we need another? And Mat, since members of UA contributed to your list, shouldn't it also be posted here in its final form? Thanks, Joe > > > > > Mat > > -----Original Message----- > From: utah-astronomy-bounces@??? > [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@???] On Behalf Of Chuck > Hards > Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 3:44 PM > To: Utah Astronomy > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Utah Astro Observing list > > Looks like you have to be a registered member to get access first. > None of the buttons were active for guest status. > > On 12/14/11, Hutchings, Mat (H USA) <mat.hutchings@???> wrote: > > I've posted the .xls version of the Utah Astro Observing list at the > > astronomyinutah forum. Here is the link: > > http://astronomyinutah.forumer.com/index.php > > <http://astronomyinutah.forumer.com/index.php> Then go to Deep Sky > > Observing, The Utah Astro Deep Sky observing list. > > > > Check it out, and while you are there, sign up as a forum member. > > > > The information contained herein may include trade secrets or privileged or > otherwise confidential information. Unauthorized review, forwarding, printing, > copying, distributing, or using such information is strictly prohibited and may > be unlawful. If you received this message in error, or have reason to believe > you are not authorized to receive it, please promptly delete this message and > notify the sender by e-mail with a copy to Central.SecurityOffice.Healthcare@??? > > Thank you >

2 1

ATM report for 12/10/11
by Hutchings, Mat (H USA) 15 Dec '11

15 Dec '11

The ATM session on 12/10 was productive. Charlie got some ideas for the lower pole clamps for his 13" f9 project. Jay brought pictures of an observing chair that he would like to make, it is a good looking design. I believe he got the image from the internet somewhere, perhaps he will post the link for that image. He also brought a propane heater which really took the chill off the garage! Josh had done some figuring on his 8" mirror and so we tested it and indeed, the Foucault test shows that the central hill is reduced. It is still around an 1/8th wave mirror, which is good, but I have a feeling he is aiming to improve that. We discussed strokes to work a high area around the 85% zone. He then started grinding the back flat on his 4" project (finder for a future 18" scope). The knife edge tester that Josh has made is by far the best I have ever seen. I am now officially envious. I continued polishing one of my 6" f8 mirrors on the machine. I still need to get the technique down for machine polishing because the mirrors come out very "zony" after polishing. To avoid the zoniness, I finish polishing by hand for around an hour which results in a good sphere with no zones. But would rather have the mirrors come out nice right off the machine. Glad to know there are still things I need to learn about making mirrors! Mat P.S. Not sure when the next ATM session will be because I am going to be on-call the weekend I would normally have it. Once I get it figured out, I will post the date. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This message and any included attachments are from Siemens Medical Solutions and are intended only for the addressee(s). The information contained herein may include trade secrets or privileged or otherwise confidential information. Unauthorized review, forwarding, printing, copying, distributing, or using such information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you received this message in error, or have reason to believe you are not authorized to receive it, please promptly delete this message and notify the sender by e-mail with a copy to Central.SecurityOffice.Healthcare(a)siemens.com Thank you

1 0

Utah Astro Observing list
by Hutchings, Mat (H USA) 15 Dec '11

15 Dec '11

I've posted the .xls version of the Utah Astro Observing list at the astronomyinutah forum. Here is the link: http://astronomyinutah.forumer.com/index.php <http://astronomyinutah.forumer.com/index.php> Then go to Deep Sky Observing, The Utah Astro Deep Sky observing list. Check it out, and while you are there, sign up as a forum member. Mat ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This message and any included attachments are from Siemens Medical Solutions and are intended only for the addressee(s). The information contained herein may include trade secrets or privileged or otherwise confidential information. Unauthorized review, forwarding, printing, copying, distributing, or using such information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you received this message in error, or have reason to believe you are not authorized to receive it, please promptly delete this message and notify the sender by e-mail with a copy to Central.SecurityOffice.Healthcare(a)siemens.com Thank you

8 16

Spectacular Sundiving Comet
by Patrick Wiggins 15 Dec '11

15 Dec '11

The following is from SpaceWeather.com. Let's hope it does get bright enough today and the weather cooperates. patrick SUNDIVING COMET: Comet Lovejoy is plunging toward the sun, and its ~200-meter wide core is vaporizing furiously as it approaches the hot star. So far the comet's brightness seems to be exceeding expectations. Indeed, there is a slim chance that the sundiver will brighten enough to be seen with the naked eye in broad daylight on Dec. 15th. Check http://spaceweather.com for further discussion and the latest movies from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. patrick

1 0