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Star Party in A.F. Canyon tomorrow (Friday)
by Richard Tenney 08 Aug '16

08 Aug '16

The new Utah Valley Astronomy Club (UVAC) is helping the rangers at Timp Cave National Monument and the U.S. Forest Service to host a star party in American Fork Canyon Friday (5th) evening. Attendees coming up just for the event are not required to pay entrance fees (unless you plan to camp). We'll be setting up (staring around 19:30) in the Pine Hollow Trail Head parking lot, located 2 hairpin turns past Mutual Dell in A. F. Canyon. If any list members want to participate, you are more than welcome! Forecast is partly cloudy, but we'll be there regardless. Hope to see some of you there! /Rich

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First come-first serve
by Thomas Sevcik 06 Aug '16

06 Aug '16

Greetings fellow SLASers, If you've been looking for a good deal, now is the time to check out our clearance of a number of eyepieces here at the Clark Planetarium. We have; (3) Orion Expanse Wide-Field 20mm, 1-1/4-in at 35% off. Was priced at $72.95, now $47.42! Also, (1) 15mm at the same price of $47.42. (1) Orion Long Eye Relief 18mm, 1-1/4-in at 50% off. Was priced at $99.95, now $49.98. Also, (1) 20mm at 50% off for the same price of $49.98. (2) Orion Edge-On Flat Field 27mm, 1-1/4-in at 50% off. Was priced at $104.95, now $52.48. (2) Orion Epic II 25mm, 1-1/4-in at 50 % off. Was priced at $99.95, now $49.98. (1) Orion Stratus 68 degree, 1-1/4-in, at 50% off. Was priced at $134.95. Now $67.48. Just marked-down today, and it's first-come, first-served. Celestron's new Astro-Fi should be arriving here around the middle of the month. Tom Sevcik

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The culprit
by Joe Bauman 03 Aug '16

03 Aug '16

It turns out that the censor was none other than out illustrious president, Joan Carman. Obviously she cannot abide any dissent or open discussion. To think that an officer of SLAS would stoop to silencing a dues-paying member of the club is appalling. She claims she sent me a note that she had kicked me out of SLAS Talk when it happened months ago but I never saw such a note. I am astonished at this abuse of power and will file a complaint with Facebook. Meanwhile, of course, I am unfriending her for this must unfriendly, nasty and uncalled-for action. -- the astonished Joe Bauman Sent from my iPhone

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Highly objectionable treatment
by Joe Bauman 03 Aug '16

03 Aug '16

Dear fellow Utah amateur astronomers, You should know about a despotism in our midst. I have been expelled, without explanation or notification, from the group SLAS Talk on Facebook. This is in spite of the fact that I am a dues-paying member of SLAS. I have a strong notion of who is the culprit, but won't name names yet. I want you to be on the alert about what may happen to you in case you draw the ire of any of certain petty people. More and more, the Salt Lake Astronomical Society is proving itself to be a good-ol-boy's club that is not particularly interested in free discussion or the enjoyment of ordinary members. Watch out, as anybody could be next. -- Joe Bauman

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L&O Thanks!
by Chuck Hards 02 Aug '16

02 Aug '16

Thanks to all who attended Saturday's luncheon. We had a great time! Sorry if there was some confusion on the start time, we'll be starting at 1:00 PM from now on. The restaurant is much less crowded and we got better service. The only downside is that the pie selection is pretty thin by that time. I'm thinking about Saturday Sept. 10th for the next one, no sun party that day. Let me know if that date works for everyone. Should be plenty of notice for those that need the time to adjust Saturday work or volunteer schedules.

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L&O Saturday July 30
by Chuck Hards 29 Jul '16

29 Jul '16

A reminder that the Liver & Onions Subcommittee will be having a luncheon this coming Saturday, July 30, at the Left Fork Grill, 68W 3900S in Salt Lake. We'll start at 1:00 PM to avoid the lunch rush. Bring something for show-and-tell if desired. The TRAX station is conveniently located a block or so west of the restaurant, and there's plenty of on-site free parking. There are no SLAS events scheduled during the day. If you haven't RSVP'd already, let me know before the end of the week. I need a head count in order to reserve our table. Take a break from this week's heat wave and join us for an hour or two, all are welcome. See you there!

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Moon grazes Aldebaran this morning
by Chuck Hards 29 Jul '16

29 Jul '16

Did anyone else watch the moon glide just under Aldebaran early this morning? It was a beautiful sight. We didn't get an occultation here but folks living in the Eastern US did, with a graze occurring for some. Aldebaran is a huge star, physically, so this was one of those rare opportunities to observe a star as a physical disk, rather than point source. If an observer was positioned just right along the graze line, the star would have been seen to dim slowly, as the disk of the star passed behind the lunar limb. Most stars just wink out immediately. The Moon will occult Aldebaran again on August 25th, this time in daylight.

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Liver & Onions Time Again
by Chuck Hards 18 Jul '16

18 Jul '16

I've been meaning to organize another L&O before now, but my work schedule has just been a killer this summer. I had to schedule vacation time to be able to attend the last two SLAS meetings! I'm assuming that everyone is too busy for next weekend, due to the state holiday, so I'm proposing either Saturday July 30, or Saturday August 6. There is nothing on the SLAS calendar for either day. Probably some private star parties since there isn't much of a moon either weekend, but no sun parties during the day. Check-in and we'll go with the majority. "Doesn't matter" votes usually defer to the earlier date in the event of a tie. Thanks!

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Star party in American Fork canyon this coming Friday, 1 July
by Richard Tenney 28 Jun '16

28 Jun '16

The Rangers of Timpanogos Cave National Monument and the Utah Valley Astronomy Club are hosting a star party Friday night. For those of you who can come up and bring a scope, or a pair of mounted binoculars, or a green laser and a knowledge of the night sky, please come and help support this effort. For everyone else, come and enjoy the night sky! Details: Date: Friday, July 1, 2016Time: Set up begins at 8:30 PM, event runs from 9:00 PM-11:00 PMLocation: Pine Hollow Trailhead (approximately 7 minutes & 4.5 miles up-canyon from the Timpanogos Cave National Monument Visitor Center on SR-92 in American Fork Canyon) Things to note:There will not be directional signage posted for the event along the route. There will, however, be signs in the Visitor Center windows and alongside the pullout for the Pine Hollow parking area. Visitors seemed to find us just fine last year without signage, so we’ve opted to keep things simple. Please encourage anyone you invite to plan their routes ahead of time.We are looking forward to this event being a fun, awe-inspiring star party. Additionally, we hope to deliver educational messages about the effects of artificial light at night and importance of darkness in our lives. We also aim to engage young people in light pollution awareness and star education through demonstrations and Junior Ranger activities. In essence, there will be a lot going on at this night skies event, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience in advance. Timpanogos Cave National Monument is so extremely fortunate to partner with Utah Valley Astronomy Club on these important and popular events. I attended a National Park Service night skies interpretation training at Arches National Park this spring, and as far as I can tell other parks do not have similar partnerships with local experts. We are truly grateful for the work you do to inspire wonder and encourage stewardship for the night skies at these events and throughout the year.

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Launch of the Utah Valley Astronomy Club Tonight!
by Richard Tenney 23 Jun '16

23 Jun '16

There is a new -- and soon to be fully functioning -- astronomy club in Utah County; the Utah Valley Astronomy Club (UVAC)! Check out the website: Utah Valley Astronomy Club | | Utah Valley Astronomy Club | | Tonight at 7pm in the basement auditorium of the Pleasant Grove Library (30 E. Center, Pleasant Grove), we will have our first public meeting. Clarence Spencer, an award-winning professional photographer, will present "Nightscapes: photographing the Milky Way with a DSLR camera". Free and open to the public. Come join us, become a member, and join our Facebook group: Security Check Required | | | Security Check Required | | | Hope to see you there!/Rich Tenney

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