Well, I wish I had gone out after all. It sounded like you had fun, some public showed up after I got an article in the Trib, and I didn't go to sleep until midnight! I was sleepy at 7pm, but then I don't know what happened. I got a second wind, I guess. From the city it sure looked like a star party would have been a bust and that you wouldn't have stayed out there for long. Interesting to see your laser research with Bruce. As I am not an engineer, I wouldn't have ever thought about boosting the voltage. What fun you have and I do hate to miss fun. What did your family do for two hours? Patience, patience, I guess... Guess what? I posted a note on Utah Astronomy yesterday with a link to the article in the Trib - and I never saw it. Did you see it? Maybe there is some truth to your claim that we are not getting posts. -A On 4/14/07, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
Ann:
I went out for 2 hours, a hole opened-up overhead so the general public attendees got to see Saturn. It looked too iffy to me, too, so I didn't even take a scope of my own.
Bruce and I did some laser experimenting on the workbench in the Refractor House equipment bay. No other lasers showed-up while I was there so we went with what I brought with me. Bruce and I both called the Beta laser easily the brightest beam, hands-down. The Lucky Duck was an obvious #2, the Computer Geeks laser a distant 3rd. We aimed them at the wall inside as well as at the open sky.
Bruce then suggested upping the voltage to see what would happen. I used the Computer Geeks laser as guinea-pig. We added a third AAA cell, using a length of solder as a jumper. On the meter, we gained 2000 lux in brightness, say close to 25% for a 33% increase in voltage. We didn't keep it on long at the higher voltage and I didn't risk my higher-priced lasers.
I do want to do this again with more lasers. 3 of them mounted on the test-stand and aimed at the sky simultaneously was a pretty cool sight! The stand will hold six, I can't wait to see that.
Gmail.... At least I got my own posts back almost immediately. Still nothing at AOL. I tried my Yahoo address again but since the confirmation email didn't come through I'm not going to use it. I just hope that Gmail doesn't eventually get the glitch that both aol and Yahoo have had at different times. Someone else suggested it too, I think it was Cynthia- thanks to both of you!
On 4/14/07, Ann House <ann@annhouse.org> wrote:
Oh, you went gmail. Let me know if it makes a difference for you!
I have just now decided not to go out. I woke up at 5 this morning,
taught
a 4 hour class from 8-noon and am just now feeling it. Sorry. Can we hook up another time??
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