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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Good-Bye Dark Skies in Eastern and Southern Utah
by Joe Bauman 01 Aug '13

01 Aug '13

We better prepare to lobby for some way to control the light pollution. If SLAS can't lobby under its bylaws, let's hope individual astronomers will. -- Joe ------------------------------ On Thu, Aug 1, 2013 8:47 AM MDT Don J. Colton wrote: >The lights and gas flaring in North Dakota will probably be mostly gone in >10-15 years after the wells are all drilled and hooked up - maybe much >sooner based on current drilling rates. Most oil pumping facilities have no >lights and gas flaring is very expensive so gas lines are usually hooked up >within a year. > > I would like to see some effort to mitigate the current problem sooner. >The drilling rigs and gas flaring are the main source of light. Some rigs >put out as much light as a small town. They could be easily retrofitted >with full cutoff lighting. Typically these wells flare about 300 MCF per >day which equates to a $1000 per day in lost revenue so the operator has a >great incentive to get a gas line installed. > >-----Original Message----- >From: utah-astronomy-bounces(a)mailman.xmission.com >[mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Joe Bauman >Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 7:13 PM >To: Utah Astronomy >Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Good-Bye Dark Skies in Eastern and Southern >Utah > >How horrible -- it's almost as bright as Chicago! If that comes to Utah, we >who need the dark night sky are doomed. Nowhere in the state will be free of >light pollution. And that reminds me: I just heard on one of the >public-service type radio broadcasts a doctor who was extremely concerned >about air pollution -- and he advocated moving the SLC-area refineries to >some remote location! Sure, let's just destroy every last pristine part of >the state with refinery air pollution and refinery light pollution and big >oil shale and tar sands industries. And then what would be so special about >Utah that any nature lover would want to live here? -- Joe > > > > >________________________________ > From: Kelly Ricks <kellyalenericks(a)gmail.com> >To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com >Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 5:38 AM >Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Good-Bye Dark Skies in Eastern and Southern >Utah > > >As another example of this issue, check out what happened to North Dakota >as demonstrated in a blog by Robert Krulwich: > >http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/01/16/169511949/a-mysterious-patch-of >-light-shows-up-in-the-north-dakota-dark > >My grandparents live right in the middle of this in (what used to be) the >little town of Tioga, and it's not only the natural darkness they've lost: >the whole region is now just one big messy sprawl of man-camps and >traffic-clogged country roads. There's hardly a spare hotel room within 200 >miles...unless you don't mind dealing with bed bugs. > >~Kelly > > >------------------------------ >> >> Message: 2 >> Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 18:37:44 -0600 >> From: Jay Eads <jayleads(a)gmail.com> >> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> >> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Good-Bye Dark Skies in Eastern and Southern >> Utah >> Message-ID: >> < >> CANCdW8d5aODF6M5pk+Dg9_JVK2HE2xLdL2SbxsGXUaPky9w5MA(a)mail.gmail.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> >> There is a good discussion over on Cloudy Nights on light pollution from >> fracking. Here on this map on this link: >> >> http://www.eia.gov/oil_gas/rpd/shale_gas.pdf >> >> The map prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Agency, delineates the >> extent of recoverable shale plays in the continental United States; >> anywhere in a shaded area will more than likely experience increase light >> pollution in the near future. >> >> In this link if you look at pictures 10 and 14 you can see what a well is >> like at night: >> >> http://www.uppergreen.org/interactive-map-pinedale-anticline.html >> >> As stated by a friend from the forum: >> >> "Elsewhere notice the fleet of Halliburton trucks serving one fracking >rig. >> Note other structures, such as the stations to reinsert toxic water; it >> cannot be used for cattle. The groundwater is contaminated and some >> companies now provide citizens with bottled drinking water. The ozone >> concentrations are higher than those in L.A. There are about 7,000 wells >> (gas) with 3,500 more on the way. >> >> This is only the tip of one iceberg. The Upper Green is at the top of what >> some call the Unita Basin, an area said (again, by some) to contain four >> time as much oil as Saudi Arabia--not what they have left, but what they >> had. As I've noted here before, all of eastern Utah is heading into The >> Great White Light, and that includes all our beloved red rock country with >> its many national parks. Anyone still want to retire to the Four Corners >> with their 36' dob? >> >> In your mind's eye, extrapolate what you see in the photos to an area all >> the way down to northern New Mexico and you can see why some of us are so >> concerned. Bloomberg reports that in five to seven years we will surpass >> Saudi Arabia in oil production. It's called the New American Gas and Oil >> Revolution. It will go on for a long time, folks, and will...well, you >know >> what it will do to visual astronomy." >> >> Look at the images for the Jonah Field . . . image those stretching from >> the Uinta Basin to southern Utah . . . >> >> http://www.uppergreen.org/interactive-map-jonah-fields.html >> >> Here is a link to the interactive map to the Upper Green (river) in >> Wyoming. >> >> http://www.uppergreen.org/interactive-map.html >> >> In Utah this will kill visual and imaging in the areas it is going to >> happen. >> >> >> >_______________________________________________ >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". > > >_______________________________________________ >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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Observing Thursday and Friday and Saturday
by Jay Eads 31 Jul '13

31 Jul '13

I am heading out tomorrow night Thursday) to either Vernon or to Pit n Pole. Anyone interesting in joining me and at what location would work better? Saturday will be the same, probably Pit n Pole on Saturday. If the weather is good next Monday through Wednesday I will be heading out to observe also. Let me know if you want to go. I'll be going after faint objects up in Cygnus. Jay

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Good-Bye Dark Skies in Eastern and Southern Utah
by Jay Eads 31 Jul '13

31 Jul '13

There is a good discussion over on Cloudy Nights on light pollution from fracking. Here on this map on this link: http://www.eia.gov/oil_gas/rpd/shale_gas.pdf The map prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Agency, delineates the extent of recoverable shale plays in the continental United States; anywhere in a shaded area will more than likely experience increase light pollution in the near future. In this link if you look at pictures 10 and 14 you can see what a well is like at night: http://www.uppergreen.org/interactive-map-pinedale-anticline.html As stated by a friend from the forum: "Elsewhere notice the fleet of Halliburton trucks serving one fracking rig. Note other structures, such as the stations to reinsert toxic water; it cannot be used for cattle. The groundwater is contaminated and some companies now provide citizens with bottled drinking water. The ozone concentrations are higher than those in L.A. There are about 7,000 wells (gas) with 3,500 more on the way. This is only the tip of one iceberg. The Upper Green is at the top of what some call the Unita Basin, an area said (again, by some) to contain four time as much oil as Saudi Arabia--not what they have left, but what they had. As I've noted here before, all of eastern Utah is heading into The Great White Light, and that includes all our beloved red rock country with its many national parks. Anyone still want to retire to the Four Corners with their 36' dob? In your mind's eye, extrapolate what you see in the photos to an area all the way down to northern New Mexico and you can see why some of us are so concerned. Bloomberg reports that in five to seven years we will surpass Saudi Arabia in oil production. It's called the New American Gas and Oil Revolution. It will go on for a long time, folks, and will...well, you know what it will do to visual astronomy." Look at the images for the Jonah Field . . . image those stretching from the Uinta Basin to southern Utah . . . http://www.uppergreen.org/interactive-map-jonah-fields.html Here is a link to the interactive map to the Upper Green (river) in Wyoming. http://www.uppergreen.org/interactive-map.html In Utah this will kill visual and imaging in the areas it is going to happen.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Interesting asterism
by Darin Christensen 31 Jul '13

31 Jul '13

Oops... butt messaging Sent from my Star Trek Communicator :-P Darin Christensen <darinc(a)comcast.net> wrote: > > >Sent from my Star Trek Communicator :-P > >Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > >> >> >> >> >>The marbles are almost gone from my bottle. >>------------------------------ >>On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 9:01 AM MDT Chuck Hards wrote: >> >>>I have to admit that I have no idea what the bottle with marbles is about, >>>Brent. Right over my head. >>> >>>It struck me this morning that the sky is much darker at 6:00 AM than it >>>was just 5 weeks ago. A few more weeks and we'll see red, orange and >>>yellow highlighting the mountains. >>> >>>On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 11:06 AM, Brent Watson <brentjwatson(a)yahoo.com>wrote: >>> >>>> Have you prepared the bottle with marbles in it yet? We're too youung to >>>> think about that. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>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". >_______________________________________________ >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] Interesting asterism
by Darin Christensen 31 Jul '13

31 Jul '13

Sent from my Star Trek Communicator :-P Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > >The marbles are almost gone from my bottle. >------------------------------ >On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 9:01 AM MDT Chuck Hards wrote: > >>I have to admit that I have no idea what the bottle with marbles is about, >>Brent. Right over my head. >> >>It struck me this morning that the sky is much darker at 6:00 AM than it >>was just 5 weeks ago. A few more weeks and we'll see red, orange and >>yellow highlighting the mountains. >> >>On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 11:06 AM, Brent Watson <brentjwatson(a)yahoo.com>wrote: >> >>> Have you prepared the bottle with marbles in it yet? We're too youung to >>> think about that. >>> >>> >>> >>_______________________________________________ >>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] Interesting asterism
by Joe Bauman 31 Jul '13

31 Jul '13

The marbles are almost gone from my bottle. ------------------------------ On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 9:01 AM MDT Chuck Hards wrote: >I have to admit that I have no idea what the bottle with marbles is about, >Brent. Right over my head. > >It struck me this morning that the sky is much darker at 6:00 AM than it >was just 5 weeks ago. A few more weeks and we'll see red, orange and >yellow highlighting the mountains. > >On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 11:06 AM, Brent Watson <brentjwatson(a)yahoo.com>wrote: > >> Have you prepared the bottle with marbles in it yet? We're too youung to >> think about that. >> >> >> >_______________________________________________ >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] Tube for sale
by Chuck Hards 31 Jul '13

31 Jul '13

I just called you and left a message. I'm interested in the tube. Thanks, C. On Jul 23, 2013 4:57 PM, "Siegfried Jachmann" <siegfried(a)jachmann.org> wrote: > > I have for sale an aluminum tube 14" in diameter, 10' long, suitable for a > 12" long focus telescope. I will not be using that myself for a telescope > as once planned. > > Siegfried >

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Persied Shower 1993
by D P Pierce 30 Jul '13

30 Jul '13

One of my favorite memories is the Persied meteor shower of 1993. Comet Swift-Tuttle had returned for the first time since its discovery in 1962 so everyone was expecting a great show. The moon phase was good. A crescent came up about dawn. About 300 watchers started the night on Little Mountain. Most were gone by midnight Fire balls were seen before total darkness! A half dozen of us organized so we could cover the whole sky. We had click counters keeping both hourly and accumulative counts. Between 2:00am and 3:00am we counted over 150 and a total of over 750 for the night! I remember meteorites splitting and then splitting again. Brent Watson, Patrick Wiggins, my wife Karen, and myself stayed till dawn. What a memory! Deloy

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Persied watch
by John M. Craig 30 Jul '13

30 Jul '13

I'm not sure how I so thoroughly misread the S&T mention of the *morning* of the 12th as being the best time for N. American observers. Leaving aside questions of the conversion of UTC to MDT, the IMO does say pretty clearly that: "The near-nodal part of the Â‘traditionalÂ’ maximum interval would be best-viewed from extreme eastern Europe eastwards across much of Asia, assuming it happens as expected." So, I guess we enjoy whatever we get on the night of the 11th/12th. In any case, I'm not sure we'll be available to join folks at SPOC. John

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Perseid shower
by daniel turner 30 Jul '13

30 Jul '13

Meteor showers, like comets, tend to be over promoted as an observing event. I've had people show up at sunset on the evening of a shower peak and ask "where are the meteors?" Then fifteen minutes later, their attention span expires and they are back in their car leaving as they phone all their friends telling them not to bother looking. These people have an expectation that the shower is an single point in time event and they expect it to be over in less time than a episode of their favorite TV show. The fact is that you can see Perseid and Leonid meteors for a week before and after the supposed "peak". And the peaks themselves are almost never noticeably more memorable than the rest of the shower. Like any astronomy observation, patience and perseverance are required to appreciate what's going on. So switch to decaf, slow down and spend some time to enjoy the event over it's full timespan. Even if the "peak" comes at noon local time, that just means you have two equally good evenings on either side of it. And a week before and after the peak you can notice the shower, if you can find the time to spend on it. DT

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