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

Monday night
by daniel turner 28 Jun '11

28 Jun '11

Made it out to Rush Valley briefly last night. It was COLD there, at least for late June. DT Time: 2011 June 28 0300-0600 UT.(Monday night MDT) Location: Pit and Pole Rush valley Equiptment: 10x50 and 20x80 binoculars contitions: clear calm and cool temp 70F at sunset fell to 50F by midnight. Transparency fair. Watched Mercury set in the twilight. Observers handbook said it was "south of Pollux". Found it in the twilight before Pollux was visable. Found Castor and two stars between the twins to confirm the identification. At 20x the planet was barely non-stellar. Looked at M104, M68, and M83 as these southern objects will soon be lost in the evening twilight. M68 is found by extending the east edge of the Corvus trapezoid down one length to an isolated star with a smudge to it's upper left. It took full astro twilight for this to be seen. Direct vision in the 20x80's and indirect but definite in the 10x50s. M104 is at the end of a copy of the Sagitta arrow to the upper left of Corvus. It was small and dim but direct vison in both the big and small optics. the orientation of the galaxy was obvious in the 20x80s. M83 from theta CEN scan north and west through a group of bright stars until you are half way to gamma CEN. Called the Southern Pinwheel it is large and spiral structure was dimly visable in the 20x80s. In the 10x50s it was dim but definite. Truly worth looking for with any optical system. Took some time to look at some old familiar friends. M107, M4, and M22 on the south horizon and M13 and m92 straight up overhead. Looked at two favorite binocular doubles. Theta SER and beta Cyg. Lastly I went looking for M80 by taking a zigzag starhop from Antares to sigma SCO to rho OPH to M80. found M80 in both optics but along the way I notice the nebulosity around rho OPH and could easily see IC4603 in the 20x80s.

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Pit n Pole on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and maybe Saturday?
by Jay Eads 28 Jun '11

28 Jun '11

I know its a work night, but since its my last week of school I can get out a few times this week. So tomorrow night (Monday) the wind will be up like tonight but I am heading to the Pit, there is no humidity for Monday night, well less than 25% and I am going to get some observing in. I am hoping to go again on Wednesday and again on Friday. So if you would like to join me out there let me know. Don't respond if you are going to ALCON, I'm jealous enough already. IF Saturday holds for next week I am willing to go to Lakeside if anyone is interested or the Pit again. -- Jay Eads

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From Brycet
by Mark Shelton 27 Jun '11

27 Jun '11

Hi All We are having a wonderful time at Bryce. Last Night the Sky was very dark and seeing was very good. I spent a good deal of the night studying the stars and where some of the major M's are located. Loved every minute. Hope to see Lots of you on Wednesday Weather is steller and could not be better. My wife and I are camped at Bryce Pines RV Park. We are in D3 Come on by and say hello. Mark

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Fwd: 10 Mobile Astronomy Apps for Stargazers
by Daniel Holmes 27 Jun '11

27 Jun '11

This came from a blog I read, thought it might be of some interest based on a few past emails... Dan Begin forwarded message: > From: Daniel Holmes <danielh(a)holmesonics.com> > Date: June 27, 2011 8:14:01 AM MDT > To: Daniel Holmes <danielh(a)holmesonics.com> > Subject: 10 Mobile Astronomy Apps for Stargazers > > One of the best parts of summer is sitting outside on a warm night, glass of wine in hand (or bar of dark chocolate, whatever your pleasure), good company by your side and nothing but brilliant sparkly stars above you. If you’ve ever had the good fortune of spotting a shooting star, you’ve witnessed an amazing display of light and cosmic energy. > > You always hear people talking about the relative insignificance of the human race in the grand scheme of the universe. That feeling is never more reinforced than when you start to explore astronomy and what really lies beyond our galaxy. > > Whether you’re a stargazer who can only point out the Big Dipper and Little Dipper, or whether you much prefer calling it Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the following 10 mobile apps can help you in your stargazing pursuits. > > > 1. Star Walk - 5 Stars Astronomy Guide > > > > > > > You look up at the stars, but you have no idea what you’re seeing – until now. Star Walk is an amazing app that lets you simply point your device to the sky and automatically map out the constellations. You can also track moving satellites, look at skies from nights past or the future and tap anywhere on the screen to get a star's exact position in the sky. (iOS) > > Cost: $2.99 > > > 2. SkySafari 3 Plus > > > > > Yes, it’s on the pricey side, but SkySafari 3 Plus is a great companion for any stargazing enthusiast. It contains an enormous database of constellations at your fingertips, with information about star coordinates, physical parameters, orbital parameters and more. Using the iPhone’s built-in gyroscope, you can find and search for anything in the sky, including planets, moons, asteroids, comets, named stars, brightest stars and much more. The developer of this app also provides an accessory to the app: SkyFi enables SkySafari 3 to work as a telescope controller. (iOS) > > Cost: : $14.99 (Depending on your astronomic knowledge, there are different versions. For fewer features, SkySafari Lite is $2.99; and for a whopping 500 MB, 15 millions stars, 740,000 galaxies' worth of information, SkySafari Pro is $49.99) > > > 3. Google Sky Map > > > > > This is a free app that also offers the ability to point Android devices to the sky and map out constellations. In addition, users can search for planets, grids, deep sky objects, and also use the search functionality to find something specific in the atmosphere. It provides a simple interface and is a great tool for identifying anything in the sky. (Android) > > Cost: FREE > > > 4. Astronomy Picture of the Day > > > > > Stuck at work and counting down the hours until nightfall? Astronomy Picture of the Day can tide you over until your date with the cosmos. The photos, hand-picked by NASA astronomers, are different each day and are accompanied by thorough descriptions. Shake your device for a random image, and even share that extra special photo of Saturn with a friend. (iOS and Android) > > Cost: FREE > > > 5. star3map > > > > > Here’s another great Android app for stargazing that offers similar functionality as some of the more feature-rich iOS apps. It includes constellation/satellite/planet tracking, as well as search functionality and social sharing. There’s also an Earth View mode that lets you see our planet from space with cool day/night shading, as well as viewing bands to determine when satellites are visible from where you are. > > Cost: $4.99 > > > 6. Nasa App HD > > > > > In addition to providing information and images about our universe, the NASA App HD offers cool features like live streaming of NASA TV, on-demand videos from NASA, current mission and launch information and more. There is also a detailed Satellite Tracker and data on current visible passes for the International Space Station in your region. (iPad) > > Cost: FREE > > > 7. SpaceMap > > > > > Remember the part about the human race's insignificance? Watching the intro video to this app makes that point abundantly clear. This app goes beyond what’s just in the sky above by placing it into the context of the entire solar system, galaxy and universe. It maps everything you want: 47,000 asteroids, 400 exoplanets, 5,000 galaxies – with amazing 3D effects and animation. SpaceMap provides an intuitive interface and visually stimulating experience that makes you feel intergalactic. (iOS) > > Cost: $5.99 > > > 8. Planets > > > > > This app gives you in-depth information on all the planets (with the exception of Pluto, poor guy). You can locate planets in either 2D or 3D mode and select different visibilities of the sky, such as X-ray, Infrared, Microwave and Radio. There is also a Globe function that lets you view a rotating 3D image of all the planets and the moon. (iOS) > > Cost: FREE > > > 9. Hubble Top 100 > > > > > The images included in the Hubble Top 100 app are as astounding and mystifying as the stars themselves. Taken directly by the Hubble telescope itself, the images feature breathtaking colors, lights and patterns of swirling gases and air. Information accompanies each photo, as well as a slideshow with techno-ish music to fuel your cosmic mood. (iPad) > > Cost: FREE > > > 10. Buzz Aldrin Portal to Science and Space Exploration HD > > > > > Who better to create an app about space than an astronaut himself? Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot on Apollo 11 and the second human to walk on the moon, has created this beautiful app that features a mix of personal perspective, commentary from NASA and a variety of other sources. The app features video, Twitter and news feeds and roundtable discussions on planetary exploration, space tourism, Hubble and anything else you’d want to know about space exploration. (iPad) > > Cost: $3.99 > > Image courtesy of iStockphoto, sololos > > More About: apple, astronomy, iphone, iphone apps, List, Lists, mobile apps, space > > For more Mobile coverage: > > Follow Mashable Mobile on Twitter > Become a Fan on Facebook > Subscribe to the Mobile channel > Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad > > > > > > > > http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mashable/~3/od5DX3ARm08/ > > > > Sent with MobileRSS for iPhone > > > -- Daniel Holmes, danielh(a)holmesonics.com "Laugh while you can, monkey boy!" -- Lord John Whorfin

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2011 Animations from 2011 JUN 24, 25, 26 & 27
by Patrick Wiggins 27 Jun '11

27 Jun '11

Morning, Glad to hear that Kurt was able to see 2011 MD this morning. Anyone else have any luck with it? Just hours from closest approach and it's quite bright and really moving fast. Unfortunately it will be daytime here when it's at it's closest approach so I wont get to see it then. Grumble. At any rate, what follows is a compilation of all my 2011 MD animations. Details for all animations: Paramount ME, C-14 operating at f/5.5, ST10-XME binned 3x3, -10°, clear filter. FOV ~18x26 arc minutes. North up, east to left. 2011 MD moves from upper left to lower right in all but the last two. 2011 JUN 24 40-60 second exposures, each taken 2 minutes apart, between 0716 and 0916 UT. Tracking sidereal rate. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-01.GIF 2011 JUN 25 45-60 second exposures, each taken 60 seconds apart, between 0644 and 0824 UT. Tracking sidereal rate. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-02.GIF 2011 JUN 26 29-60 second exposures, each taken 60 seconds apart, between 0814 and 0912 UT. Tracking sidereal rate. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-03.GIF 2011 JUN 27 30-5 second exposures, each taken 15 seconds apart, between 0637 and 0648 UT. Distance from Earth about 123,000 km. Tracking sidereal rate. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-04.GIF Same as above (2011MD-04.GIF) but plays faster. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-05.GIF 30-5 second exposures, each taken 15 seconds apart, between 0712 and 0723 UT. Distance from Earth about 117,000 km. Tracking approximate rate of 2011 MD. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-06.GIF Same as above (2011MD-06.GIF) but plays faster. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-07.GIF Clear skies, patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] 2011 MD incoming!
by Canopus56 27 Jun '11

27 Jun '11

>From the UofU South Physics Obs on a Meade LX200 10inch at 50 power, I visually saw 2011 MD streak across an 0.7 deg TFOV at the 1:00am ephemeris position for SLC. The asteroid was an unambiguous target in the 12-13 mag. range. It was really booking and only took about 4 to 5 secs to cross the eyepiece view. The NASA JPL NEO calculator estimates 2011 MD's relative velocity to the Earth at 17UT at 6.7 km/s. Clear Skies - Kurt

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2011 MD incoming!
by Patrick Wiggins 27 Jun '11

27 Jun '11

Moving much faster and speeding up. Also a lot brighter at about mag 15. Animations later this morning. patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] More on 2011 MD
by Canopus56 26 Jun '11

26 Jun '11

Ephemeris for tonight's flyby of asteroid 2011 MD from an SLC obs point from the NASA-JPL ephemeris applet. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi The observer to range is approx. 15,000km at 4:00UT (10pm) to 10,000km at 8:45UT (2:45am). UT, Tw, RA, Dec, Az, Alt, Mag 04:00 N 16 02 49.57 +25 49 56.0 129.8740 68.9844 15.29 04:15 N 16 01 37.97 +25 36 10.9 138.8332 71.0021 15.26 04:30 A 16 00 23.77 +25 21 43.4 149.4770 72.6007 15.22 04:45 A 15 59 07.03 +25 06 31.4 161.7312 73.6428 15.18 05:00 At 15 57 47.80 +24 50 32.5 175.0416 74.0051 15.15 05:15 15 56 26.14 +24 33 44.5 188.4086 73.6296 15.11 05:30 15 55 02.13 +24 16 05.0 200.8036 72.5524 15.07 05:45 15 53 35.82 +23 57 31.5 211.6143 70.8816 15.03 06:00 15 52 07.31 +23 38 01.5 220.7222 68.7484 14.99 06:15 15 50 36.65 +23 17 32.5 228.3076 66.2698 14.95 06:30 15 49 03.94 +22 56 01.6 234.6477 63.5365 14.91 06:45 15 47 29.24 +22 33 26.2 240.0102 60.6142 14.87 07:00 15 45 52.64 +22 09 43.2 244.6164 57.5493 14.83 07:15 15 44 14.21 +21 44 49.5 248.6387 54.3747 14.79 07:30 15 42 34.01 +21 18 41.8 252.2084 51.1137 14.74 07:45 15 40 52.10 +20 51 16.7 255.4250 47.7832 14.70 08:00 15 39 08.53 +20 22 30.4 258.3644 44.3957 14.66 Clear Skies - Kurt

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2011 Animations from 2011 JUN 24, 25 & 26
by Patrick Wiggins 26 Jun '11

26 Jun '11

Details for all animations: C-14 operating at f/5.5, ST10-XME binned 3x3, -10°, clear filter. FOV ~18x26 arc minutes. North up, east to left. 2011 MD moves from upper left to lower right. 2011 JUN 24 40-60 second exposures, each taken 2 minutes apart, between 0716 and 0916 UT on 2011 JUN 24. Pretty faint. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-01.GIF 2011 JUN 25 45-60 second exposures, each taken 60 seconds apart, between 0644 and 0824 UT on 2011 JUN 25. A bit brighter and moving a bit faster. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-02.GIF 2011 JUN 26 29-60 second exposures, each taken 60 seconds apart, between 0814 and 0912 UT this morning (2011 JUN 26). Much brighter and moving much faster. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/2011MD-03.GIF patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Help
by Canopus56 26 Jun '11

26 Jun '11

Jay, The Clear Sky Clock for SLC and the National IR map shows a cloud band moving through and clearing out at 1am. Clear from 1am till dawn. Lakeside is the same. - Kurt National IR http://www.weather.gov/sat_tab.php?image=ir SLC http://cleardarksky.com/c/SaltLakeUTkey.html?1 Lakeside http://cleardarksky.com/c/SLAS2UTkey.html?1

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