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Good News!
by Patrick Wiggins 28 Feb '02

28 Feb '02

I don't have all the details but I thought y'all might like to know that SLAS has received another multi-thousand dollar donation for SPOC 2. I should have the details tomorrow and will report same in tomorrow's "News" along with news on our experiences with the Coronado solar filter a few of us used at SPOC yesterday. Cheers! Patrick :-)

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Re: Dark sky site
by Chuck Hards 27 Feb '02

27 Feb '02

Didn't Dr. Mayer pass away a year or three ago? (I believe he was a surgeon, thus explaining the RR Patrick mentioned) I wonder if Polaris has a waiting list for new members? Or can a current tenent bequeath his or her spot to someone in particular? Anybody in current contact with a Polaris member? At the other extreme, there is that subdivision in Florida that is for astronomers exclusively. Complete homes and yards, and local ordinances that strictly control outdoor lighting. Jack and Alice Newton now over-winter there every year. Ive heard of similar neigborhoods for wealthy pilots (A high-school friend married well, and now lives in such a neighborhood in Virginia). Instead of an alley behind the row of houses, there is a grass runway, and hangers instead of garages. Chuck

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Dead Horse Point Star Party
by David Dunn 27 Feb '02

27 Feb '02

OAS is holding a Star Party/Messier Marathon at Dead Horse Point State Park on nights of March 15 & 16 and all of you are welcome to attend. We have reserved the group campsite so you can stay there or get your own campsite. This is an area that has a nice dark sky so that if it is clear we should get some great observing. > A Messier Marathon is an all night Star Party where you can try to look at > all the Messier objects that are up on the night that you are observing. > Between March 15 and April 1 the Sun is in an area of the sky that doesn't > have any Messier objects so it should be possible to view them all. > > You don't have to participate in the Messier Marathon in order to attend > the Star Party. I would like to see this be a fun weekend of observing > similar to our summer campouts. I plan to go on the trip even if the > weather is not good for the star party. There are several National Parks > and Monuments in the area that we can visit. > > Directions: > http://www.mapquest.com/ > I ran a MapQuest trip for Moab (which is near Dead Horse Point). > Driving to Moab from Layton via US-6 is 257.85 miles and will take about 6 > hours, 24 minutes. > Take I-15 South to exit 261 (Price/Manti) (72 miles) > US-6 through Price to I-70 (127 miles) > I-70 East exit 180 (Moab) (24 miles) > US-191 (13 miles) > US-313 (Dead Horse Point State Park) > > Here are some links to web pages for the parks in the area. > Dead Horse Point http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/parks/www1/dead.htm > Arches http://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm > Canyonlands http://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm > Natural Bridges http://www.nps.gov/nabr/index.htm > Hovenweep http://www.nps.gov/hove/index.htm > > I hopes to see everyone there. > > Thanks. > David Dunn > 801-961-3253 >

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Bill Kelley
by Chuck Hards 25 Feb '02

25 Feb '02

I got a couple of emails from Lois Kelley over the weekend (some of you who know the Kelleys probably did, also) to the effect that Bill is home from the hospital, and doing better. Please keep Bill in your thoughts and prayers, and join me in wishing him a speedy, complete recovery! Chuck

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Big binos
by Chuck Hards 21 Feb '02

21 Feb '02

Someone posted recently that Sportsman's Guide was out of the Bear brand 15 x 70's, and would not be re-stocking. This is true, a person here at my work experienced the same thing. They are gone for good. Those who bought them, congratulations on getting them while the getting was good! All is not lost. Apogee is selling the Galileo brand 15 x 70 at a "closeout" price of $119.95 + shipping. Not quite as good as $97, but still an excellent price for a 70mm binocular. They appear to be a clone of the "Bear" brand, probably made at the same Chinese factory, to the same specs. Apogee's website: www.apogeeinc.com orders: (toll-free) (877) 923-1602 info: (815) 568-1988. email: apogee(a)mc.net I am not affiliated with Apogee Inc. in any way. I MAY sell one of my pair of Bears at the swap meet. Haven't decided yet. Bring a hundred bucks if interested, just in case! Chuck

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Opinions, please
by Chuck Hards 21 Feb '02

21 Feb '02

I'm making the solar-filter cell for the 37" right now, and I would like some input from the list: In white-light solar mode, the big scope will have a 12" off-axis mask to accomodate the filter. I had planned on using Baader material, based on my own experience with it. (This mask can also be used without the filter at night, for unobstructed viewing when seeing won't support full-aperture). This is the groups last chance to change my mind, if anyone knows of a better filter material. We can get a glass filter if it truly yields a better image than Baader material. Let me know! Thanks Chuck

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] What's wrong here
by Josephine M. Grahn 20 Feb '02

20 Feb '02

At 04:09 PM 2/19/2002 -0700, you wrote: >Sorry, I don't get Patrick's news. Just the list posts. Chuck, try looking at picture no. 004 on this page. : http://planet.state.ut.us/slas/spoc/SPOC2BUILD05.HTML Its easy, when you get both sets of Patricks messages, to forget that some people don't. Even so, you would have had to follow Patricks links to find the phrase "What's wrong here" Brent's posting was a little cryptic :) Jo Grahn

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] What's wrong here
by Grahn Family 20 Feb '02

20 Feb '02

Brent, It just gave us an interesting puzzle. Broke up an otherwise monotonous day :). Jo At 07:07 AM 2/20/2002 -0800, you wrote: >Cryptic??? Moi???? Can't be!!!! > >Sorry for responding on the list. I thought Patrick's >news went to all on the list. I'll be more careful in >the future. > >Brent >

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First light
by Patrick Wiggins 19 Feb '02

19 Feb '02

Hi, More in tonight's "News" but just though y'all might be interested to know that we had first light at SPOC 2 today. Speaking of "News", is there anyone on this list that is a member of an astronomy club in Utah that is not receiving "News" but would like to? If so, just let me know. Cheers! Patrick :-)

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Saturn
by Chuck Hards 14 Feb '02

14 Feb '02

Neat high-resolution ground-based image of Saturn on the S & T website. There is a tiny black spot approximately centered on the pole, the news article says it has been confirmed visually at Pic du Midi in France. IIRC, Pic uses a telescope in the 1-meter class. Have any locals seen this black dot? Imaged it? (Remember what black dots on gas giants turn into, according to Arthur C. Clarke? And it's not even 2010 yet!) Chuck

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