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

Re: [Utah-astronomy] solar eclipse details
by Joe Bauman 10 May '13

10 May '13

Most everybody has skydiving on their bucket list??? REALLY? If so, it better be the last thing on that list .... ------------------------------ On Fri, May 10, 2013 5:58 PM MDT Patrick Wiggins wrote: >Nice pieces but, no, nothing like the real thing. As a veteran of 5 total solars I can say that you don't just see an eclipse. Rather you experience it. > >I've a line in my public talks that goes something like "Most everyone has skydiving on their bucket list but you really need to add seeing a total eclipse of the Sun to that list". > >patrick > > >On 10 May 2013, at 17:43, Kelly Ricks wrote: > >> I came across this set of spectacular eclipse photos on an art blog this >> morning... >> >> http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/05/composite-image-of-the-moon-taken-fro… >> >> ...and I am wondering (for those of you who are fortunate enough to have >> observed a total eclipse): I've always heard that no photos ever do justice >> to the subtlety and detail of the corona that is actually visible to the >> naked eye. But do these photos get close? Also, can you really see surface >> details on the moon as it is in front of the sun...or is this just a >> benefit of this guy's photography method? Does the corona appear even more >> detailed in person, or do these photos show even more than is usually >> observable on site? >> >> Just curious... >> >> Thanks! >> >> ~Kelly > >_______________________________________________ >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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solar eclipse details
by Kelly Ricks 10 May '13

10 May '13

I came across this set of spectacular eclipse photos on an art blog this morning... http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/05/composite-image-of-the-moon-taken-fro… ...and I am wondering (for those of you who are fortunate enough to have observed a total eclipse): I've always heard that no photos ever do justice to the subtlety and detail of the corona that is actually visible to the naked eye. But do these photos get close? Also, can you really see surface details on the moon as it is in front of the sun...or is this just a benefit of this guy's photography method? Does the corona appear even more detailed in person, or do these photos show even more than is usually observable on site? Just curious... Thanks! ~Kelly

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Planets Aligning in the Sunset Sky
by Patrick Wiggins 10 May '13

10 May '13

I'll be including this in next week's News but thought folks here might want advance notice. patrick Planets Aligning in the Sunset Sky http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/10may_sunsettrian…

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Bortle Scale
by Jay Eads 10 May '13

10 May '13

Here is an article from Sky & Telescope on the Bortle System. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/darksky/3304011.html You can use a SQM and the following formula to determine the NELM of a site. Take the reading (the site out by Vernon averages 21.7 to 22.0, and subtract 8.8, divide by 2 and add .5 and you'll have a very close reading to the NELM of the site depending on the average. The Vernon site we use is around 6.9 to 7.0 depending on the season. I would assume SPOC would come in around 6.6 or so. The problem with the Bortle System and NELM is it can vary based on the observer and their experience, age and condition of their eyes.

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Dark Site Observing
by Jay Eads 10 May '13

10 May '13

A group of us will be heading out this afternoon/evening to the Forest Road 006 site south of Vernon tonight if anyone wants to join us. Coordinate are: 39.994437,-112.428331 or you can go to my Google Maps at https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=211755030117194028721.00049324662bf653… and go to Forest Road 006 Observing Site 3 or Site 1 and we'll be at one or the other. I'll be talking about the 20" and 36" scopes that are coming for my property out near this location besides observing. Thanks, Jay

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GRB
by Joe Bauman 10 May '13

10 May '13

I think this is Patrick's GRP .... Lucky guy! http://news.yahoo.com/record-breaking-star-explosion-most-powerful-ever-see…

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The Bortle Scale
by D P Pierce 08 May '13

08 May '13

This morning on H2 I watched a show about why we are afraid of the dark. It referenced the darkness of some different sites. I couldn't remember hearing of the term before and asked a few people at the SLAS board meeting tonight and they didn't reconize the term. I found this article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bortle_Dark-Sky_Scal So using these descriptions would SPOC be a 5? Deloy

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] GRB
by Joe Bauman 07 May '13

07 May '13

Then you'd be Patrick "Cosmic Catastrophe" Wiggins. But maybe some civilizations did get fried by it, ever so long ago. ------------------------------ On Tue, May 7, 2013 10:09 PM MDT Patrick Wiggins wrote: >Hi Mike, > >My understanding that some light is given off in all directions but that most of the light goes into two focused beams, one emanating from each pole. > >Someone from NASA/Goddard contacted me about this saying he thought a possible reason it was so bright was that we did happen to be in one of the two beams generated by the GRB. > >So I guess we're lucky it was not closer as a direct hit by such a beam from close up could end most life on Earth (and I'd just as soon my name not be associated with such a beam... <g> ). > >patrick > > >On 07 May 2013, at 06:43, M Wilson wrote: > >> I have a question. According to the article "The collapse of the star's core triggers jets of relativistic matter so powerful that they bore outward through the star and into the surrounding space." Are those jets of matter leaving the star in all directions or in just two (thru the former star's north and south magnetic poles)? I always thought it was the latter and, if so, that would mean that we were in the line of fire from one of those jets. > >_______________________________________________ >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] GRB
by Kelly Ricks 07 May '13

07 May '13

Hey Patrick, Just read the Sky & Tel article. Maybe it's not "your" GRB, but that looks like a pretty nice light curve that will likely get a lot of use from astronomers. The list of citations you'll be able to claim might prove to be formidable! Very exciting! ~Kelly

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GRB
by jcarman6＠q.com 07 May '13

07 May '13

Congrats Patrick. Nice write-up by Betty. So nice to read an article where the facts are straight. You were in the right place at the right time and smart enough to recognize the situation and continue to "snap" pictures and ha ve the software to get a research grade light curve. I'm not sure "amateur" qualifies sometimes with you and others in this situation, but you make amateurs everywhere proud.

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