December 2014 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

My first EPOD
by Dion Davidson 22 Dec '14

22 Dec '14

Thanks to Patrick in particular and others on this group in general for the tips and example - I got my first EPOD yesterday! http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2014/12/winter-solstice-summer-solstice.html Dion

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Merry Christmas recipe
by Larry Holmes 21 Dec '14

21 Dec '14

Serve Eggs Benedict on a hubcap, 'cause there is no plate like chrome for the hollandaise! Couldn't resist. And a Happy New Year. 73 Sent from my iPad

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Catch a view of the Ha Sun today if you can
by John M. Craig 18 Dec '14

18 Dec '14

Just noticed it was going to be clear for a while and set up the Ha scope. Really great activity today on the surface (couple of kind of no-big-deal proms too). Catch a look if you've got the gear and can find a hole in the clouds to look through. For those who are interested in the details, there's a lot of really cool (huh!) stuff around ARs 12241 and 12242--and the rest of the sun seems to have more going on by quite a bit since I saw it last a few days back. (Although there was a flare in progress last time out--always neat to see.) Happy Solstice and associated Holidays to all, John

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Geminids in Kiribati
by Wayne Sumner 14 Dec '14

14 Dec '14

I watched the Geminids from midnight to 1 a.m. local time Sunday night and had a very nice display. I counted 15 meteors during that time under partly cloudy skies and a bit of light pollution. Three of the 15 were brighter than 1st magnitude. It is still weird to see Orion's belt at my zenith. Clear Skies, Elder Wayne Sumner -----Original Message----- From: Utah-Astronomy [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of utah-astronomy-request(a)mailman.xmission.com Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2014 12:00 PM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 142, Issue 27 Send Utah-Astronomy mailing list submissions to utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to utah-astronomy-request(a)mailman.xmission.com You can reach the person managing the list at utah-astronomy-owner(a)mailman.xmission.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Utah-Astronomy digest..." Today's Topics: 1. New App for Android from Heavens-Above (Jamie Bradley) 2. 2 Losmandy Mounts for sale (Tyler Allred) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 04:46:10 -0700 From: "Jamie Bradley" <astro(a)jamiebradley.com> To: <Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] New App for Android from Heavens-Above Message-ID: <001201d01793$8f404690$adc0d3b0$(a)jamiebradley.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" New App for android from Heavens Above Heavens-Above - December 12, 2014 Description When can I see the ISS? What's that light in the sky? The official Heavens-Above app provides you with precise pass predictions for the ISS, visible satellites, Iridium flares and radio satellites. Main features include: Free Version - Financed by adverts This version integrates unobtrusive advertisements to make it available for free. Get Heavens-Above Pro to remove the adverts. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.heavens_above.viewer Pro Version - No advertisements - $4.99 This version is free of advertisements. You can try the free version before buying this one. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.heavens_above.viewer_pro Live sky chart See what's in the sky above you right now or at a given moment. Pass predictions Get precise predictions for passes of the ISS and most visible satellites. Iridium flares See when Iridium satellites mirror the sunlight directly towards you, resulting in bright flares. Radio satellites Get passes for amateur radio satellites, complete with uplink and downlink information. All calculations performed locally Predictions are generated right on your phone so you only need a data connection every few days. Orbit and ground track See details about the orbit of any selected satellite rendered and with all relevant data. Satellite details Get detailed information about any satellite, as provided by our Heavens-Above website. Timeline Get a visual overview over passes and animate the position of satellites on the sky chart and on the ground track. Night mode An optional red on black color scheme to preserve your night vision. Tracker Easily find or identify any object in the sky by orienting your device towards it. Calendar Integration Quickly add interesting passes to your calendar so you won't miss them. ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 11:59:06 -0700 From: "Tyler Allred" <tyler(a)allred-astro.com> To: <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] 2 Losmandy Mounts for sale Message-ID: <009701d017d0$0b9d02a0$22d707e0$(a)allred-astro.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi all. I am selling my father's Losmandy mounts on Astromart, but thought I should give the locals a shot at them first. I have his Losmandy Titan with Gemini L4 mount that I will offer for something in the neighborhood of $4000 depending on the peripherals that go with it. I also have his Losmandy GM8 with Gemini L3, which is an excellent and portable little mount, for $1250 -ish, again depending on peripherals. Let me know if you are interested. Tyler ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php ------------------------------ End of Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 142, Issue 27 ***********************************************

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2 Losmandy Mounts for sale
by Tyler Allred 14 Dec '14

14 Dec '14

Hi all. I am selling my father's Losmandy mounts on Astromart, but thought I should give the locals a shot at them first. I have his Losmandy Titan with Gemini L4 mount that I will offer for something in the neighborhood of $4000 depending on the peripherals that go with it. I also have his Losmandy GM8 with Gemini L3, which is an excellent and portable little mount, for $1250 -ish, again depending on peripherals. Let me know if you are interested. Tyler

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New App for Android from Heavens-Above
by Jamie Bradley 14 Dec '14

14 Dec '14

New App for android from Heavens Above Heavens-Above - December 12, 2014 Description When can I see the ISS? What's that light in the sky? The official Heavens-Above app provides you with precise pass predictions for the ISS, visible satellites, Iridium flares and radio satellites. Main features include: Free Version - Financed by adverts This version integrates unobtrusive advertisements to make it available for free. Get Heavens-Above Pro to remove the adverts. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.heavens_above.viewer Pro Version - No advertisements - $4.99 This version is free of advertisements. You can try the free version before buying this one. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.heavens_above.viewer_pro Live sky chart See what's in the sky above you right now or at a given moment. Pass predictions Get precise predictions for passes of the ISS and most visible satellites. Iridium flares See when Iridium satellites mirror the sunlight directly towards you, resulting in bright flares. Radio satellites Get passes for amateur radio satellites, complete with uplink and downlink information. All calculations performed locally Predictions are generated right on your phone so you only need a data connection every few days. Orbit and ground track See details about the orbit of any selected satellite rendered and with all relevant data. Satellite details Get detailed information about any satellite, as provided by our Heavens-Above website. Timeline Get a visual overview over passes and animate the position of satellites on the sky chart and on the ground track. Night mode An optional red on black color scheme to preserve your night vision. Tracker Easily find or identify any object in the sky by orienting your device towards it. Calendar Integration Quickly add interesting passes to your calendar so you won't miss them.

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Nice, inexpensive eyepieces for sale
by Chuck Hards 11 Dec '14

11 Dec '14

I've got a pair of Edmund 28mm Plossl eyepieces up for sale on Cloudy Nights right now: http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/484554-pair-of-28mm-edmund-plossls/ These are not the RKE, they are the more recent true Plossl model. Hardly used, very nice eyepieces and priced under MSRP. These are great in a binoviewer. I'd much rather sell them to someone locally than ship them out. And I'll offer a five dollar discount to anyone local who buys them, since I won't have to mail them. Also selling a nice volcano-top 18mm unbranded ortho. Decades old but in brand-new condition. $50 on Cloudy Nights but $45 for a local sale. http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/483948-18mm-ortho/ Thanks!

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Google Logo
by Jamie Bradley 11 Dec '14

11 Dec '14

Awesome Google Logo subject today Dec 11, 2014

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] used telescopes on ksl.com
by Wayne Sumner 09 Dec '14

09 Dec '14

There are a couple of good deals on Orion XT8's in the $300 -$400 price range right now. Most of the "star party" telescopes in the Northridge High School observatory were bought on ksl.com. It takes patience and perseverance along with a good knowledge of telescopes to find them. That's where you guys come in! Good luck and clear skies! Elder Wayne Sumner in Kiribati -----Original Message----- From: Utah-Astronomy [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of utah-astronomy-request(a)mailman.xmission.com Sent: Monday, December 08, 2014 9:33 AM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 142, Issue 19 Send Utah-Astronomy mailing list submissions to utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to utah-astronomy-request(a)mailman.xmission.com You can reach the person managing the list at utah-astronomy-owner(a)mailman.xmission.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Utah-Astronomy digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Mother looking for a telescope for her daughter for Christmas (Rodger C. Fry) 2. Re: Mother looking for a telescope for her daughter for Christmas (Seth Jarvis) 3. Re: Mother looking for a telescope for her daughter for Christmas (Brent Watson) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2014 07:18:25 -0700 From: "Rodger C. Fry" <rcfry(a)comcast.net> To: <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Mother looking for a telescope for her daughter for Christmas Message-ID: <04f701d012f1$d52eb250$7f8c16f0$@net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I received an email from a mother who wishes to purchase a used telescope for her daughter for Christmas. If you have some equipment that you might be willing to sell to her, please contact her as follow: Kris Komarnitsky [komarkris(a)gmail.com] I have a 14 year old daughter who has shown a real interest in astronomy for about a year (she loved the new Cosmos series, has done hours of research on the web on her own, and can pick out some basic constellations in the night sky). I would like to get her a telescope for Christmas and was thinking that a used one would be best for her first one. I thought it might be a good idea to see if anyone in the SLAS had a good beginners telescope for sale since your members have a genuine interest in promoting astronomy and are unlikely to sell something that is damaged. Is there anyone you might be able to put me in contact with? Kris Komarnitsky Draper ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2014 15:32:21 +0000 From: Seth Jarvis <SJarvis(a)slco.org> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Mother looking for a telescope for her daughter for Christmas Message-ID: <D082D38133A6F148BF53199F8AD96D8568DB2AC6(a)SLCMAIL3.slcounty.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Here's the thing about used telescopes - they generally don't wear out. The telescope in your closet with a garbage bag over it as a dust cover isn't doing any more or less than when it's out under the stars. Good telescopes depreciate very little, and the legitimate secondary market for used equipment is generally the domain of experienced observers buying and selling items that rarely fit the needs of a true beginner. They're not especially cheap and you have to pay to ship them from somewhere. E.g.: http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/list.asp?classified_category_id=12 The telescopes for sale on ksl.com break down like this: 10% are OK quality with asking prices nearly as high as when they are new, and 90% are department store garbage that will cause a kid to decide that astronomy isn't really that interesting to them. These "telescopes" do more harm than good. I'd recommend that the mom consider giving her daughter a good set of 10x50 binoculars, a couple of good astronomy books and star charts, a good astronomy app for her phone (99% probably that a 14 year old girl will have a smartphone), take her to some SLAS meetings and bring her to a couple of planetarium programs. When she finds herself trying to see the Ring Nebula with her binoculars _then_ it's time to look for a telescope, at which point the used/new issue will be moot. Seth -----Original Message----- From: Utah-Astronomy [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Rodger C. Fry Sent: Monday, December 08, 2014 7:18 AM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Mother looking for a telescope for her daughter for Christmas I received an email from a mother who wishes to purchase a used telescope for her daughter for Christmas. If you have some equipment that you might be willing to sell to her, please contact her as follow: Kris Komarnitsky [komarkris(a)gmail.com] I have a 14 year old daughter who has shown a real interest in astronomy for about a year (she loved the new Cosmos series, has done hours of research on the web on her own, and can pick out some basic constellations in the night sky). I would like to get her a telescope for Christmas and was thinking that a used one would be best for her first one. I thought it might be a good idea to see if anyone in the SLAS had a good beginners telescope for sale since your members have a genuine interest in promoting astronomy and are unlikely to sell something that is damaged. Is there anyone you might be able to put me in contact with? Kris Komarnitsky Draper _______________________________________________ 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". ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2014 16:32:53 +0000 (UTC) From: Brent Watson <brentjwatson(a)yahoo.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Mother looking for a telescope for her daughter for Christmas Message-ID: <959014094.6771563.1418056373027.JavaMail.yahoo(a)jws10625.mail.bf1.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 The ring in binos? ?Hmmm. ?I have been successful buying used telescopes at pawn shops. ?I got a 10" meade dob for $95.00. ?Perhaps someone who knows telescopes could watch a couple of pawn shops. ? On Monday, December 8, 2014 8:33 AM, Seth Jarvis <SJarvis(a)slco.org> wrote: Here's the thing about used telescopes - they generally don't wear out. The telescope in your closet with a garbage bag over it as a dust cover isn't doing any more or less than when it's out under the stars.? Good telescopes depreciate very little, and the legitimate secondary market for used equipment is generally the domain of experienced observers buying and selling items that rarely fit the needs of a true beginner.? They're not especially cheap and you have to pay to ship them from somewhere. E.g.: http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/list.asp?classified_category_id=12 The telescopes for sale on ksl.com break down like this: 10% are OK quality with asking prices nearly as high as when they are new, and 90% are department store garbage that will cause a kid to decide that astronomy isn't really that interesting to them. These "telescopes" do more harm than good. I'd recommend that the mom consider giving her daughter a good set of 10x50 binoculars, a couple of good astronomy books and star charts, a good astronomy app for her phone (99% probably that a 14 year old girl will have a smartphone), take her to some SLAS meetings and bring her to a couple of planetarium programs. When she finds herself trying to see the Ring Nebula with her binoculars _then_ it's time to look for a telescope, at which point the used/new issue will be moot. Seth -----Original Message----- From: Utah-Astronomy [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Rodger C. Fry Sent: Monday, December 08, 2014 7:18 AM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Mother looking for a telescope for her daughter for Christmas I received an email from a mother who wishes to purchase a used telescope for her daughter for Christmas.? If you have some equipment that you might be willing to sell to her, please contact her as follow: Kris Komarnitsky [komarkris(a)gmail.com] I have a 14 year old daughter who has shown a real interest in astronomy for about a year (she loved the new Cosmos series, has done hours of research on the web on her own, and can pick out some basic constellations in the night sky). I would like to get her a telescope for Christmas and was thinking that a used one would be best for her first one. I thought it might be a good idea to see if anyone in the SLAS had a good beginners telescope for sale since your members have a genuine interest in promoting astronomy and are unlikely to sell something that is damaged. Is there anyone you might be able to put me in contact with? Kris Komarnitsky Draper _______________________________________________ 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". ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php ------------------------------ End of Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 142, Issue 19 ***********************************************

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Used starter scopes on KSL right now
by Chuck Hards 09 Dec '14

09 Dec '14

Nice 8-inch Meade Starfinder Dob on KSL right now for $200. About half the price of a new one. http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=32589715&cat=&lpid=7&search=telesco… Meade 4.5-inch alt-az Newtonian, $80 http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=32479033&cat=&lpid=13&search=telesc… Celestron 80mm refractor on EQ mount, $80 http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=32453649&cat=&lpid=14&search=telesc… 5-inch reflector on EQ mount, $125 http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=32344605&cat=&lpid=18&search=telesc… There are some higher-end scopes on there too. Some prices reasonable, some not. I found these using the search term "telescope". Be sure to carefully examine a used telescope before purchasing. Test it on a terrestrial target before purchasing. If it has a drive, make sure the drive works. Seller are often open to an honest offer somewhat under their asking price. It never hurts to dicker.

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