First, thanks to Chuck for the explanation on how we hear hissing meteors.For those on the list who haven't as yet heard a meteor, as well as newbies to the night sky, there's a way to replicate the sound of a hissing meteor. First, you'll need a small paper clip ( 1 to 1-1/2 inches will do), some aluminum foil, and a book of matches (the cardboard kind thay you rip out of the holder). On a flat smooth surface, hold the large outer loop of the paper clip with a finger and lift the smaller inside loop with another finger so that it sits at a 45-degree angle. That becomes your "rocket launcher." Now cut a piece of aluminum foil (not the heavy duty kind) into a 1-inch by 1 inch square. Place the match head in the center and fold the foil in half over the match head. Take the length of the foil and wrap it around the match head, being careful not to make it too tight. Place your "rocket" on the tilted side of the paper clip and placed a lighted match below the "aluminum head" of your rocket until you see a wisp of smoke exiting the bottom of the foil. At this point, listen carefully as your rocket (or meteor if you prefer) makes a "hiss" as it launches like a model rocket. That's very, very close to what those two meteors sounded like back in my younger days. Some 40 years and countless meteor observations without hearing another one has gone by. But who knows, maybe one of you might get lucky with a little patience. Good hunting! Tom Sevcik
Tom. I think you need to demonstrate that at a SLAS meeting. It would liven things up. Contact Roger Fry. Grins Mark Sent from my iPhone On Mar 25, 2013, at 8:05 PM, Thomas Sevcik <sfv1ts@hotmail.com> wrote:
First, thanks to Chuck for the explanation on how we hear hissing meteors.For those on the list who haven't as yet heard a meteor, as well as newbies to the night sky, there's a way to replicate the sound of a hissing meteor. First, you'll need a small paper clip ( 1 to 1-1/2 inches will do), some aluminum foil, and a book of matches (the cardboard kind thay you rip out of the holder). On a flat smooth surface, hold the large outer loop of the paper clip with a finger and lift the smaller inside loop with another finger so that it sits at a 45-degree angle. That becomes your "rocket launcher." Now cut a piece of aluminum foil (not the heavy duty kind) into a 1-inch by 1 inch square. Place the match head in the center and fold the foil in half over the match head. Take the length of the foil and wrap it around the match head, being careful not to make it too tight. Place your "rocket" on the tilted side of the paper clip and placed a lighted match below the "aluminum head" of your rocket until you see a wisp of smoke exiting the bottom of the foil. At this point, listen carefully as your rocket (or meteor if you prefer) makes a "hiss" as it launches like a model rocket. That's very, very close to what those two meteors sounded like back in my younger days. Some 40 years and countless meteor observations without hearing another one has gone by. But who knows, maybe one of you might get lucky with a little patience. Good hunting! Tom Sevcik _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
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Tom is absolutely right that you can hear hissing meteors. It's not a joke. -- Joe ________________________________ From: Mark Shelton <astroshelton@yahoo.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 8:15 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Replicating a hissing meteor Tom. I think you need to demonstrate that at a SLAS meeting. It would liven things up. Contact Roger Fry. Grins Mark Sent from my iPhone On Mar 25, 2013, at 8:05 PM, Thomas Sevcik <sfv1ts@hotmail.com> wrote:
First, thanks to Chuck for the explanation on how we hear hissing meteors.For those on the list who haven't as yet heard a meteor, as well as newbies to the night sky, there's a way to replicate the sound of a hissing meteor. First, you'll need a small paper clip ( 1 to 1-1/2 inches will do), some aluminum foil, and a book of matches (the cardboard kind thay you rip out of the holder). On a flat smooth surface, hold the large outer loop of the paper clip with a finger and lift the smaller inside loop with another finger so that it sits at a 45-degree angle. That becomes your "rocket launcher." Now cut a piece of aluminum foil (not the heavy duty kind) into a 1-inch by 1 inch square. Place the match head in the center and fold the foil in half over the match head. Take the length of the foil and wrap it around the match head, being careful not to make it too tight. Place your "rocket" on the tilted side of the paper clip and placed a lighted match below
the "aluminum head" of your rocket until you see a wisp of smoke exiting the bottom of the foil. At this point, listen carefully as your rocket (or meteor if you prefer) makes a "hiss" as it launches like a model rocket. That's very, very close to what those two meteors sounded like back in my younger days. Some 40 years and countless meteor observations without hearing another one has gone by. But who knows, maybe one of you might get lucky with a little patience. Good hunting!
Tom Sevcik _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
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_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@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".
I personally would like to see more demonstrations of almost any kind that are astronomy related at SLAS meetings. I think demonstrations related to astronomy are hard to come by and I am a hands on kind of guy. I was not saying Tom was wrong, just that it would be fun to actually see it done. Mark Sent from my iPhone On Mar 25, 2013, at 9:24 PM, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman@yahoo.com> wrote:
Tom is absolutely right that you can hear hissing meteors. It's not a joke. -- Joe
________________________________ From: Mark Shelton <astroshelton@yahoo.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 8:15 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Replicating a hissing meteor
Tom. I think you need to demonstrate that at a SLAS meeting. It would liven things up. Contact Roger Fry.
Grins
Mark
Sent from my iPhone
On Mar 25, 2013, at 8:05 PM, Thomas Sevcik <sfv1ts@hotmail.com> wrote:
First, thanks to Chuck for the explanation on how we hear hissing meteors.For those on the list who haven't as yet heard a meteor, as well as newbies to the night sky, there's a way to replicate the sound of a hissing meteor. First, you'll need a small paper clip ( 1 to 1-1/2 inches will do), some aluminum foil, and a book of matches (the cardboard kind thay you rip out of the holder). On a flat smooth surface, hold the large outer loop of the paper clip with a finger and lift the smaller inside loop with another finger so that it sits at a 45-degree angle. That becomes your "rocket launcher." Now cut a piece of aluminum foil (not the heavy duty kind) into a 1-inch by 1 inch square. Place the match head in the center and fold the foil in half over the match head. Take the length of the foil and wrap it around the match head, being careful not to make it too tight. Place your "rocket" on the tilted side of the paper clip and placed a lighted match below
the "aluminum head" of your rocket until you see a wisp of smoke exiting the bottom of the foil. At this point, listen carefully as your rocket (or meteor if you prefer) makes a "hiss" as it launches like a model rocket. That's very, very close to what those two meteors sounded like back in my younger days. Some 40 years and countless meteor observations without hearing another one has gone by. But who knows, maybe one of you might get lucky with a little patience. Good hunting!
Tom Sevcik _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
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I'm still willing to do the laser pointer brightness comparison test that I offered the SLAS board about ten years ago, and was summarily refused at the time. I'd have to rebuild my test apparatus, since I threw it out when I was told that the club wasn't interested in a laser demo and brightness comparison of different brands and output ratings. It involves the audience rating beam visiblily only (the dots are projected into a light trap and are not visible) and ranking all the lasers accordingly, then the results are tabulated and revealed at the end of the test. Audience members do not know which laser is which before or during the test. They only get to see the beams, side-by-side, up to six at a time on my original test-stand. Were I to rebuild it, I'd probably go with 4 lasers simultaneously. Winners of each group of 4 would then go up against each other in a final round. SLAS members would be encouraged to bring their own laser pointers to see how they stacked-up against others in the marketplace. The SLAS president at the time told me "All laser pointers are the same." On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 9:48 PM, Mark Shelton <astroshelton@yahoo.com>wrote:
I personally would like to see more demonstrations of almost any kind that are astronomy related at SLAS meetings. I think demonstrations related to astronomy are hard to come by and I am a hands on kind of guy.
I like it. I am not on the board this year so I can not say what would be approved. After my last go around with the Chinese laser company this sounds interesting. When I belonged to the ham radio club, we had once a year meeting called home brew. It was fun and you never new what someone was going to bring to show. Some were good others not. Mark Sent from my iPhone On Mar 26, 2013, at 6:36 AM, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
I'm still willing to do the laser pointer brightness comparison test that I offered the SLAS board about ten years ago, and was summarily refused at the time. I'd have to rebuild my test apparatus, since I threw it out when I was told that the club wasn't interested in a laser demo and brightness comparison of different brands and output ratings. It involves the audience rating beam visiblily only (the dots are projected into a light trap and are not visible) and ranking all the lasers accordingly, then the results are tabulated and revealed at the end of the test. Audience members do not know which laser is which before or during the test. They only get to see the beams, side-by-side, up to six at a time on my original test-stand.
Were I to rebuild it, I'd probably go with 4 lasers simultaneously. Winners of each group of 4 would then go up against each other in a final round. SLAS members would be encouraged to bring their own laser pointers to see how they stacked-up against others in the marketplace.
The SLAS president at the time told me "All laser pointers are the same."
On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 9:48 PM, Mark Shelton <astroshelton@yahoo.com>wrote:
I personally would like to see more demonstrations of almost any kind that are astronomy related at SLAS meetings. I think demonstrations related to astronomy are hard to come by and I am a hands on kind of guy.
Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
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I've also got a handheld lux meter, so we can see what the different lasers actually put out in lux units, or lumens per square meter. This is for illumination only, it's not any kind of measurement of the power output of the laser diode in terms of milliwatts, which is how lasers are marketed and identified- not by the illumination they produce. But it does serve to illustrate differences between lasers of different power ratings since illumination (brightness) is related to diode power at visual wavelengths with these lasers. On Tue, Mar 26, 2013 at 11:36 AM, Mark Shelton <astroshelton@yahoo.com>wrote:
I like it. I am not on the board this year so I can not say what would be approved. After my last go around with the Chinese laser company this sounds interesting.
probably should have been called "Strange Brew"
As I recall, Mark, it tasted differently each year! 73
On 3/26/2013 11:36 AM, Mark Shelton wrote:
When I belonged to the ham radio club, we had once a year meeting called home brew. Mark
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Yes, demos would be great. Maybe someone from U of U Physics could present something. Would need to be careful with anything that produces smoke, though. Years ago when I was still with Hansen Planetarium I did such a demonstration in the church history building and ended up setting off the building's fire alarm system which, among other things, shut down the elevators. Kind of funny now but at the time there were a bunch of very annoyed people. patrick On 25 Mar 2013, at 20:15, Mark Shelton wrote:
Tom. I think you need to demonstrate that at a SLAS meeting. It would liven things up. Contact Roger Fry.
Grins
Mark
That is funny, I did something similar at the school I taught at. It was the last day of school and I always cooked steak and chicken for everyone after all the students were gone home. Well on this day I had a very large grill by the back door of the school and it was getting hot. Most of the time the air was going out of the building, this time it shifted and sucked BBQ smoke into the school. I set off the alarms and school ended 20 minutes early that year. That was a hard one to live down. Mark On Mar 25, 2013, at 10:19 PM, Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> wrote:
Yes, demos would be great. Maybe someone from U of U Physics could present something.
Would need to be careful with anything that produces smoke, though.
Years ago when I was still with Hansen Planetarium I did such a demonstration in the church history building and ended up setting off the building's fire alarm system which, among other things, shut down the elevators. Kind of funny now but at the time there were a bunch of very annoyed people.
patrick
On 25 Mar 2013, at 20:15, Mark Shelton wrote:
Tom. I think you need to demonstrate that at a SLAS meeting. It would liven things up. Contact Roger Fry.
Grins
Mark
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Anybody who has ever seen professors Ragsdale and Driscoll at the U give the annual Faraday lecture knows how enjoyable and interesting a science demo can be. Chemistry in this case. I saw it many times and knew what to expect from the demonstrations, but it was so much fun that it was never a letdown. Those two had their routine down pat, and worked well off each other. They could have done vaudeville. Alas, the pair retired from the lectures in 2004 and I think some new faculty are doing them now, but those two left some big shoes to fill. On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 10:19 PM, Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com>wrote:
Yes, demos would be great. Maybe someone from U of U Physics could present something.
what ever happened to the yearly "show and tell" and SLAS meetings?
Yes, demos would be great. Maybe someone from U of U Physics could
present something.
Would need to be careful with anything that produces smoke, though.
Years ago when I was still with Hansen Planetarium I did such a demonstration in the church history building and ended up setting off the building's fire alarm system which, among other things, shut down the elevators. Kind of funny now but at the time there were a bunch of very annoyed people.
patrick
On 25 Mar 2013, at 20:15, Mark Shelton wrote:
Tom. I think you need to demonstrate that at a SLAS meeting. It would liven things up. Contact Roger Fry.
Grins
Mark
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participants (7)
-
Chuck Hards -
erikhansen＠thebluezone.net -
Joe Bauman -
Larry Holmes -
Mark Shelton -
Patrick Wiggins -
Thomas Sevcik