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

Resend - Stephen Hawking vs Kurt Cameron: Heavenly Debate
by stormcrow60＠xmission.com 21 May '11

21 May '11

Weird... received a bounced email from the list. Not sure if my first post made it through, so if this is a repeat... sorry. Yeah, but Patrick, What if you are taken up in the rapture? Who will fly the plane? LOL. Jon Patrick Wrote: Today's the big day! On 19 May 2011, at 16:51, Spencer Ball wrote: Who started this heavenly thread????? That would be me. So I guess I'll add a related item I just heard on BBC about rapture insurance: http://eternal-earthbound-pets.com And by happy coincidence the end of the world just happens to coincide with International Learn to Fly Day (http://www.learntofly.org) so I'm looking to take someone up this afternoon who has never flown in a small plane before. Taking off from SLC International about 4:00 pm. Anyone care to come along and watch the world end from above? Cheers, patrick

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Stephen Hawking vs. Kirk Cameron: A heavenly debate
by Patrick Wiggins 21 May '11

21 May '11

Stephen Hawking vs. Kirk Cameron: A heavenly debate http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700136489/ patrick

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Panelist: SpaceX Costs Offer Hope For NASA
by Patrick Wiggins 21 May '11

21 May '11

A long URL but an interesting read: http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=n… patrick

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Today's Google a day
by Fletcher Gross 20 May '11

20 May '11

On page C13 of today's New York Times is a quarter page ad for Google (it also appears at agoogleaday.com) which poses the following question: A Viking was the first to photograph us, but our existence was foretold in literature by a Swift astronomer. Who are we? Presumably, the point of the ad is to encourage people to use Google to find various arcane facts. If you have forgotten the appropriate references ("Swift astronomer" is the give-away for me), I have put the answer at the end of this email after several spaces. I wonder though about the claim that a Viking was the first to photograph the objects in question. I would have inserted the words "up close" after the word "us". Fletch ANSWER: Phobos and Deimos, the 2 moons of Mars. Swift astronomer refers to the visit to Laputa in the 3rd part of "Gulliver's Travels," while Viking refers to the Viking spacecraft. Incidentally, no telescope large enough to detect these moons existed until at least 100 years after Swift's books. I believe he just made up some numbers to show that he was familiar with the recent astronomical results, in this case Kepler's laws. In order for Kepler's 3rd law to be applicable to the moons of Mars, there would have to be at least 2 of them. Most of the visit to Laputa is a satiric take on science in general.

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Doomsday Polka
by Patrick Wiggins 20 May '11

20 May '11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOQ_UgvhdGo Grins, patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Stephen Hawking vs. Kirk Cameron: A heavenly debate
by erikhansen＠thebluezone.net 20 May '11

20 May '11

>Patrick did, but todays Doonesbury is timely. http://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/ Who started this heavenly thread????? > > Nobody can offer proof either way about God. Not Hawking, Not Einstein, > Not > any religious leader. Each of us including Hawking believes what we > decide > to believe. Belief--Unbelief--Faith is a Decision. After that, all of > Hawking's, Dave Gary's or anyone's pronouncements, arguments are only > reasons for their initial decision to believe. With all of his > intelligence, Hawking has offered not any "evidence" at all either way. > All > of the smartest people in the world would not change truth, regardless how > intense their belief was, even if they all voted on it. God either > reveals > Himself, or He remains forever unknown. Until He provides proof, nobody > can > provide it either way. > > There is a passage, however, in the Old Testament, Isaiah, which does > plainly speak of a future time when "The LORD hath made bare his holy arm > in > the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the > salvation of our God." (Isa 52:10) If Isaiah is right, then God will > someday reveal Himself, and all of the Hawkings on this earth will then > "see." > > Spencer Ball > > > -----Original Message----- > From: utah-astronomy-bounces(a)mailman.xmission.com > [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Dave > Gary > Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 3:40 PM > To: Utah Astronomy > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Stephen Hawking vs. Kirk Cameron: A heavenly > debate > > I've never understood the distinction between the myths and superstitions > of > Bronze-Age, Jewish pastoralists and those of Hellenistic Greeks in terms > of > believability. YHWH seems to get pissed-off more frequently. A difference > for sure, but hardly a motivation for worship. Maybe Nick Bostrom is > correct. We're living in a simulation. It's as good an explanation as any > for the weird things people believe. In the simulation some were > programmed > to believe weird things, some were not. Both are wrong. > > > On May 19, 2011, at 2:41 PM, Julie Clyde wrote: > >> I just saw this quote on a friend on Facebook and thought it was funny, > and >> fit in with this topic. No offense intended to anyone! >> >> "Christianity - The belief that some cosmic Jewish zombie can make you > live >> forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him >> that >> you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your > soul >> that is present because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to > eat >> from a magical tree. " >> >> Julie >> >> On Thu, May 19, 2011 at 2:36 PM, <erikhansen(a)thebluezone.net> wrote: >> >>>> Well in Cameron's logic, he should have to prove there is a Heaven and >>>> a >>> "He-double toothpicks". >>> Cameron offers less proof than Hawking. >>> Hawking is saying he does not believe in Heaven but a soul can be >>> defined >>> in many ways. >>> >>> Who you do you believe a noted physicist or an actor? The actor saying >>> life just "appeared on earth" or the Hawking saying there were >>> precursors >>> to life on earth and the creation of the known universe. It is in its >>> root, the Creation vs Evolution debate. Science or Fantasy? >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> You sure like opening a can of worms don't you? Lol >>>> -Barrett >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: utah-astronomy-bounces(a)mailman.xmission.com >>>> [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of >>> Patrick >>>> Wiggins >>>> Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 12:34 PM >>>> To: utah astronomy utah astronomy listserve >>>> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Stephen Hawking vs. Kirk Cameron: A heavenly >>>> debate >>>> >>>> Stephen Hawking vs. Kirk Cameron: A heavenly debate >>>> >>>> http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700136489/ >>>> >>>> patrick >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> 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 >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> 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 >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 >

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Mars rover stereo
by Patrick Wiggins 20 May '11

20 May '11

Sitting here tonight just playing around with several recently released left/right pairs of images taken by the MER-B rover's pancam. Here's one that seems to work rather well: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/STEREO.JPG For those new to the list, a while back there was a thread about "seeing stereo" without having to wear special glasses. I think it was Chuck Hards who suggested looking at the pairs cross-eyeed. That creates a third image with the one in the middle being 3D. patrick

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Doonesbury this week
by Patrick Wiggins 19 May '11

19 May '11

http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/archive/2011/05/16 http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/archive/2011/05/17 http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/archive/2011/05/18 patrick :)

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Fw: End of the World Solar Party
by M Wilson 18 May '11

18 May '11

I was strongly considering attending this SLAS event, but then realized that I may well be dead and wouldn't be able to make it. :) ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: SLAS Announcements <announce(a)slas.us> To: Michael J Wilson <astro_outwest(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 6:36 PM Subject: End of the World Solar Party The Salt Lake Astronomical Society invites everyone to celebrate "The End of the World" while basking in the sun, and observing the dynamic face of our star at our FREE public sun gazing party, Saturday, May 21st, from 09:00 to 12:00. Our solar party location is Winchester Park, 1200 West (Murray Bluffs Drive), and 6400 South (Winchester Street). Safe, solar viewing equipment will be provided, courtesy SLAS volunteers. (WEATHER PERMITTING!)

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Memorial Day Weekend at Great Basin National Park
by Kelly_Carroll＠nps.gov 18 May '11

18 May '11

Troy, We offer free camping over the nights the programs are held, being Saturday and Sunday night, but I'd offer it for Friday as well. If you are coming it's best to let me know when and what you'll be camping in so I can get you a site. Best, Kelly Kelly Carroll Great Basin National Park http://www.nps.gov/grba/ Experience your America Today's Topics: 1. Re: Memorial Day Weekend at Great Basin National Park (Troy Davidson) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 16 May 2011 12:03:43 -0600 From: Troy Davidson <clandaith(a)gmail.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Memorial Day Weekend at Great Basin National Park Message-ID: <BANLkTi=eqFW2-rxaT4MwezNzsXparCjZDw(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Kelly, Is it free camping if you bring a scope for any of the star parties? So if I was to come on a Wednesday or any other Saturday, is it free camping? And if someone does plan on coming with a scope, should they contact you first to let you know they are coming so you can reserve a site for them? Thanks. ++++++++++++++++++ Troy Davidson, KF7MTE www.istroyworking.com

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