Sometimes, we have a lot of ornery people at SPOC R C Fry -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Joe Bauman Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 12:57 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC orrery Humm, interesting. Maybe a little plaque for each planet, flat on the ground, with an explanation. I'd advocating flat ones so that no one will stumble on them in the dark, and so that mowing machines can go over the ones on grass. -- Joe ________________________________ From: Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> To: utah astronomy listserve utah astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 6:16 AM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC orrery Some time ago the SPOC committee approved constructing a large orrery at SPOC.  It never got anywhere but since the clouds kept me from taking data I've been giving the idea of an orrery some thought tonight. I started with a Google Earth image of SPOC and the grounds around it upon which I placed circles, each 10 meters larger in radius than the first.  Then assuming the Sun in the center and Neptune at the edge 120 meters away I came up with a scale representing the average distances from the Sun and plotted each planet accordingly. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/spocorrery01.jpg Note that just as the real planets do not form a line from the Sun, neither do the planets in my design. Here's a closeup which better shows each planet's position. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/spocorrery02.jpg Just for laughs I wondered what size the Sun and planets would be to that scale.  If I got my numbers right the Sun would be about 37mm in diameter and the planets too small to see.  So if this project goes through the planets will have to have their own scale. As for the planets, I'm thinking something metal.  And you might notice I've placed all the planets on concrete thinking there might be some way to securely affix each planet such that it's not easily stolen. So, your opinions please. How to represent the Sun and planets?  What data should be provided?  How could they be made vandal resistant? patrick _______________________________________________ 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". _______________________________________________ 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".

Kevin Poe has plans for installing a permanent "Planet Walk" at Bryce where many of you have seen only temporary waysides before. The Planet Walk is a 1/10-billionth scale model of the solar system (one inch = 150,000 miles). Stansbury Park might be interested in making the SPOC orrery a similar community "planet walk" with the beginning at SPOC and other features (planets, asteroid belt, Kuiper Belt, Oort Cloud, etc.) found elsewhere in the community. On such a basis maybe the community would also help pay for it. Bryce's planet walk wayside exhibits will be 24x18 permanent post-mounted panels with an image and facts about each object/feature. I'm sure Kevin wouldn't mind sharing his expertise in at least explaining how our Planet Walk would be set up. Might even be willing to help, as this is just the stuff a good interpretive ranger does. :-) Kim -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Joe Bauman Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 12:57 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC orrery Humm, interesting. Maybe a little plaque for each planet, flat on the ground, with an explanation. I'd advocating flat ones so that no one will stumble on them in the dark, and so that mowing machines can go over the ones on grass. -- Joe

Is the sun marking at the refractor house?

Brent's suggestion sounds good. How about something set into the concrete?  Partial spheres could be

epoxied to the cement in the proper locations in proportionate size.

________________________________ From: Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> To: utah astronomy listserve utah astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 6:16 AM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC orrery

As for the planets, I'm thinking something metal.  And you might notice I've placed all the planets on concrete thinking there might be some way to securely affix each planet such that it's not easily stolen.

So, your opinions please.

How to represent the Sun and planets?  What data should be provided?  How could they be made vandal resistant? _______________________________________________ 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".