April 2013 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Spring observing challenge
by Chuck Hards 10 Apr '13

10 Apr '13

Venus was in the morning sky all winter. Currently behind the sun from our vantage point (keeping Mars company), it will be emerging into the evening sky soon and will remain an evening object through most of this year. Who will be the first to see it once it's far enough from the solar glare?

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Zhumell 20x80mm bino on sale
by Chuck Hards 10 Apr '13

10 Apr '13

Walmart currently has the Zhumell 20x80mm astro binocular on-sale for $99.98, regularly $149.99. This is on-line only, most stores don't carry them in stock. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Zhumell-20x80mm-SuperGiant-Astronomical-Binocular… 20x80mm is a terrific bino for astronomy, comets especially. I haven't checked around to see if this is an especially good price across the retailer spectrum, so YMMV. I just noticed it this morning while perusing WM.

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No L&O this time
by Joe Bauman 10 Apr '13

10 Apr '13

Drat, we can't make it to the Salt Lake Gastronomical Society on Saturday. One of my dearest old friends at the Drsrret News is turning 80 and we're getting together to honor her. Sorry, Joe

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Astronomy Day -April 20-
by Joe Bauman 10 Apr '13

10 Apr '13

Hi folks, Here are the rough notes I made before the taping. When I talked on the air I mentioned that the club is the recipient of a county ZAP grant and that we are reaching out to county residents, although I don't know how much of the interview they will run. I'll have a release out later today. Thanks, Joe Astronomy Day is Saturday, April 20; Astronomy Week starts the previous Monday, which is the infamous April 15. On March 17, we hold our regularly scheduled general meeting; the public is always welcome. The topic promises to be a thrilling one for anyone interested in the beginning or end of the universe, or anything in between. Dr. Zheng Zheng of the Universe will talk about “Cosmology, Large-scale Structure and Galaxy Clustering.” Talk about your ultimate questions. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the University of Utah’s Warnock Engineering Building, Room 105. Also, we are hosting two free public star parties during the week. On Friday, April 19 – if the weather allows – the star party will be at the Seventh Street Harmons store, 755 S. 700 East, Sandy, from dusk until 11 p.m. The next day, Astronomy Day -- also only if blessed by the weather sprites -- we’ll have a free public star party from dusk to 11 p.m.at the Stansbury Park Observatory Compex. It’s about eight miles toward Tooele from the Tooele Exit from I-80. The club will help to observe Astronomy Day at Clark Planetarium at the Gateway Mall. Seth – all ed dome shows including a large format program are $3; also, a telescope giveaway. SLAS will staff a booth in the lobby with information about astronomy and ways to join the club. You can expect to visit with at least one SLAS representative that morning, starting about 10 a.m. In addition, at the Natural History Museum of Utah early that afternoon of April 20, we will host a solar viewing party. The club will have some telescopes equipped with solar filters so the public can view the surface of the nearest star, the sun. The museum is at 301 Wakara Way. This will happen during the good viewing times from the museum’s Canyon Deck, from about noon to 2 or 3 p.m. ABOUT SLAS membership: Only $20 for the year for the whole family. Benefits: Guest Speakers and activities at monthly meetings Bi-Monthly Newsletter, The NOVA Liability Insurance at SLAS Activities Quarterly Newsletter of the Astronomical League, The Reflector Public and private Star Parties throughout the year Use of SLAS telescopes and equipment Shared interests and enthusiasm Telescopes (Use privileges available to members) (4) 8" Dobsonian telescopes (2) 6" Dobsonian telescopes (3) C-8 telescopes (1) 4" Criterion SCT Equipment and accessories (Available to members, special training, conditions and fees apply.) H-Alpha Solar Telescope, tripod, mount and misc. accessories. Stansbury Park Observatory Complex. Contact Rodger Fry For more information, such as details on how to reach observing locations, check out the club’s web site, http://www.SLAS.us. Also, you can find directions to the museum at its web site, http://www.nhmu.utah.edu. ________________________________ From: Ann House <ann(a)annhouse.org> To: Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Monday, April 8, 2013 1:30 PM Subject: Re: Fwd: [Utah-astronomy] Astronomy Day -April 20- Or before if you have it. The Community Calendar likes things a couple of weeks out. -A On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 1:24 PM, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > >Hi Ann, Yes -- I'll send it out as a SLAS blast. Thanks, Joe > > >------------------------------ > >On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 1:22 PM MDT Ann House wrote: > >>Joe, >> >>When you have the finished PR, will you send it to me so I can post it on >>the ZAP Community Calendar. >> >>-A >> >>---------- Forwarded message ---------- >>From: Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> >>Date: Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 12:48 PM >>Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Astronomy Day -April 20- >>To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com >> >> >> >> >>KRCL recorded a piece with me about Astronomy Day, which will be played >>periodically starting Wednesday, I think at :50 of the hour. The club has >>several activities planned, including a booth at the planetarium and sun >>viewing if possible (and if not, providing information) at the Natural >>History Museum of Utah. I am sending out a press release to our outlets and >>posting it in FB today. -- Thanks, Joe >> >> >>------------------------------ > >>On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 12:26 PM MDT Patrick Wiggins wrote: >> >>>On 08 Apr 2013, at 05:40, Chuck Hards wrote: >>> >>> Besides the scheduled star party at SPOC, is SLAS doing anything else for >>> Astronomy Day this year? (No goose-step marching around the telescopes, >>> please.) >>> >>>Well, in addition to the birthday you alluded to the 20th is also Weed >>Day. Hmmm, I wonder how that would effect ones ability to see fainter >>objects at the telescope. :) >>> >>>patrick > >>>_______________________________________________ >>>Utah-Astronomy mailing list >>>http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >>> >>>Send messages to the list to >>>Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com >>> >>>The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. >>> >>>To unsubscribe go to: >>>http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >>>Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on >>"Unsubscribe or edit options". >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Utah-Astronomy mailing list >>http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >> >>Send messages to the list to >>Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com >> >>The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. >> >>To unsubscribe go to: >>http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >>Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on >>"Unsubscribe or edit options". > >

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] ISON & Pan-STARRS tonight
by Joe Bauman 09 Apr '13

09 Apr '13

Still a neat comet picture, Patrick. Pan-STARRS looks better than it was when I glimpsed it. -- Joe ------------------------------ On Tue, Apr 9, 2013 10:42 PM MDT Patrick Wiggins wrote: >ISON's mini tail was fairly visible tonight: >http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/C_2012_S1.2013APR10.JPG > >Pan-STARRS' is just too low for my set up. Too fuzzy when so low in the sky with the fuzziness only made worse by the long (1,955mm) focal length I shoot at. Best to leave this one to those with short focal lengths and wide fields: >http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/C_2011_L4.2013APR10.JPG > >patrick >_______________________________________________ >Utah-Astronomy mailing list >http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > >Send messages to the list to >Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > >The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. > >To unsubscribe go to: >http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options".

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ISON & Pan-STARRS tonight
by Patrick Wiggins 09 Apr '13

09 Apr '13

ISON's mini tail was fairly visible tonight: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/C_2012_S1.2013APR10.JPG Pan-STARRS' is just too low for my set up. Too fuzzy when so low in the sky with the fuzziness only made worse by the long (1,955mm) focal length I shoot at. Best to leave this one to those with short focal lengths and wide fields: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/C_2011_L4.2013APR10.JPG patrick

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Astronomy Day - April 20 -
by jcarman6＠q.com 09 Apr '13

09 Apr '13

Joe, did you mean to say Dr Zheng was speaking on April 17th? or March 17th. Your post say March 17th. Mark, why or why did you go to the Y? Big Grins - Go UTES!!!

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Ison - Another Dud?
by Joe Bauman 09 Apr '13

09 Apr '13

I was not saying it's a dud (yet) -- I was responding to Deb's saying the article is interesting. -- Thanks Joe ------------------------------ On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 5:42 AM MDT Chuck Hards wrote: >Still a bit too soon to tell, Joe. I'm the world's biggest skeptic when it >comes to comet predictions (ok, second biggest behind you), but we're still >a long way from the main event. > >On Sun, Apr 7, 2013 at 6:11 PM, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > >> >> >> Yes, it certainly is. Thanks Debbie. >> >> >_______________________________________________ >Utah-Astronomy mailing list >http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > >Send messages to the list to >Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > >The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. > >To unsubscribe go to: >http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy >Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options".

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O2 and observing
by Patrick Wiggins 09 Apr '13

09 Apr '13

I seem to remember a report about someone breathing pure oxygen in an attempt (apparently successful) to see fainter objects through a telescope at night. Anyone else heard this? I'm thinking that if it is true I might bring my aircraft's portable oxygen system to SPOC and use it while using the Grim to see if it makes any difference. patrick

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O2 and Observing
by jcarman6＠q.com 09 Apr '13

09 Apr '13

Pretty sure I read Percival Lowell was on pure O2 when he was observing Mars. hmm, or was that pure CO2? Just in case, I'm eating carrots and broccoli over the next few weeks.

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