From: owner-utah-astronomy-digest@lists.xmission.com (utah-astronomy-digest) To: utah-astronomy-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: utah-astronomy-digest V1 #34 Reply-To: utah-astronomy-digest Sender: owner-utah-astronomy-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-utah-astronomy-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk utah-astronomy-digest Friday, March 30 2001 Volume 01 : Number 034 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 16:02:43 -0600 From: Joe Bauman Subject: Re: (utah-astronomy) Joe Bauman If you can get a map and draw the exact direction, I can do the same (with a possibility of a few degrees' error -- I didn't have the telescope pointing at it that moment). Maybe we can triangulate and find a chunk of the thing. And maybe it burned up completely in the atmosphere. But it looked big, and while a ridge prevented my seeing it go all the way down, I wouldn't be surprised if it hit the ground. Please let me know what you come up with. You could just send me a note about compass heading from such-and-such a place. I will do that too. -- Joe - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 15:15:14 -0700 (MST) From: David Moulton Subject: Re: (utah-astronomy) Gravel on the floor light in the sky If that evening hadn't been so painful, it would have been hilarious. I felt like such a sucker for having sat through hours of budget talks, been given a few seconds to talk, and then been summarily dismissed. I don't suppose it will be quite so funny when the crime rate goes up... dave Quoting Richard Tenney : > Daniel, > > I and a few others tried to lobby the Orem City > Council last year to make some good lighting choices. > They not only ignored most of our recommendations, > they basically proved that they could care less about > reasonable input (effective lighting, cost efficiency, > etc.) in favor of aesthetics ("white lights are > prettier!") and ignorant paranoia ("more light == > safety"). I for one am fed up with every singe one of > them. Oh, they talked the talk of being concerned > about "dark sky sensitive" in their approach to > blanketing the city with lights, but when it came > right down to the vote they waffled on every single > item of concern we expressed to them. I have never > been more disgusted with a group of elected officials > than I was that night. While lobbying is a good idea, > be aware of the ignorant and self-serving bone-heads > you are up against. > > You know, with all this talk about conserving energy > in the west IN LIGHT OF California's energy crisis > (pun intended), you would think that someone would get > the idea that all those wasted photons streaming into > space from the ridiculous application of needless > outdoor lighting would prompt more cities to get rid > of all those lights that burn all night for no good > reason. Streetlights at busy intersections, > crosswalks, sure, but if you've ever driven thru Sandy > city or down University Ave. in Provo near BYU the > waste and ineffeciency boggle the mind. > > My 2 cents, > > -Rich > > > --- Daniel Hanks wrote: > > We're currently in the process of purchasing a home > > in Orem, and the > > culdesac where we'll live looks like it will be > > lovely for backyard > > stargazing. There are no street lights in the > > circle, and light from > > neighboring houses is minimal, so our backyard is > > wonderfully dark at > > night. > > > > But, to my dismay, my brother-in-law informed me > > that there is currently a > > project underway to "provide" street lights for all > > of Orem. Has anybody > > heard of this? If this is the case, I'd love to > > organize a group of > > concerned citizens and lobby or whatever for > > "responsible lighting" as > > mentioned in the article. > > > > Anybody know more about this? > > > > -- Dan Hanks > > > > On Sun, 25 Mar 2001, Patrick Wiggins wrote: > > > > > Friday, March 23, 2001 > > > > > > Longing for a darker night > > > > > > Mass. officials moving to control growing light > > pollution > > > > > > By Beth Daley, Boston Globe Staff > > > > > > Every night, it takes less than a second for the > > "light trespassers" to invade > > > Michele Girard's property in the town of Harvard. > > A 150-watt glare from a nearby > > > floodlight. A bright glow from Ayer street lights. > > When it's foggy, the entire > > > sky reflects a pinkish hue from all the parking > > lot lights in the region. > > > > > > "When I wake up in the night I wonder if it's > > daylight and it's only 1 a.m.," > > > said Girard, a mother and dark sky lover. "I can't > > believe how much light is out there." > > > > > > Harvard is one of a growing number of communities > > in Massachusetts enforcing > > > rules to stop the "light pollution" that is > > running rampant across much of the > > > state. Tired of all the glare and the wasted > > energy from beaming light into the > > > sky, towns from Plymouth to Townsend are requiring > > outdoor lights to be equipped > > > with shields so they only shine down where the > > people are. > > > > > > Now, a group of astronomers, homeowners, > > outdoorsmen, and starry sky lovers > > > believe this may be the year the Legislature > > finally passes a law requiring new > > > state-funded lights to have the glare-reducing > > shields. It's their ninth try, > > > but they say the evidence has never been stronger: > > The law would cost no money, > > > save energy, cut road glare, and allow people to > > better see the stars that have > > > inspired everything from religion to navigation. > > > > > > "We think this year is the year," said state > > Representative James Marzilli Jr., > > > an Arlington Democrat who filed the bill. He > > testified on the bill, which faces > > > no organized opposition, last week before the > > Legislature's Energy Committee. > > > "It saves energy. How can you argue with that?" > > > > > > The view from any airplane window illustrates the > > problem: Most street and > > > parking lot lights shine up as much as they shine > > down. No one thought much of > > > light pollution years ago and engineers designed > > lights for parking lots, parks, > > > and streets based on a philosophy that more light > > meant more safety. Bright > > > lights also lure customers to stores and > > restaurants, which explains the > > > enormous light poles along highways. > > > > > > Astronomers have long complained that their starry > > gazes were compromised by the > > > steady expansion of well-lit suburbia. But now > > even in rural homes, residents > > > are getting irate at the outside lights that > > brighten their bedrooms when all > > > the inside lights are out. And outside, the lit-up > > night obscures the stars and > > > the Milky Way's misty band. > > > > > > "When we were young, we were able to walk out into > > our backyards and step into > > > the universe," said Bob Crelin, a Branford, Conn., > > father and amateur > > > astronomer. He was so disgusted with the light > > pollution when he tried to show > > > his daughter the Milky Way that he began fighting > > to replace light with night. > > > Now, he runs workshops and counsels towns across > > New England on how to fight > > > light pollution. > > > > > > "In the 100 years or so since we've had electric > > lights, we've made children's > > > imaginations as small as the manmade boundaries > > around them," he said. > > > > > > In some places, laws to preserve the dark sky are > > coming into vogue. The > > > Tucson-based International Dark Sky Association > > has doubled membership in the > > > last 16 months to 6,200 members in 69 countries. A > > Dark Sky Reserve has been > > > established in Canada, and New Hampshire is > > considering dark-sky legislation. In > > > Massachusetts, light pollution laws have been > > passed in numerous communities, > > > including Townsend, Lynnfield, Plymouth, and > > Boxborough. Harvard has had one for > > > years, in large part because of an astronomy > > observatory there. > > > > > > Most of the laws would do what the dark sky > > supporters propose: Make the light > > > shine down. The 50 percent of light lost to the > > heavens is recouped and the > > > bulb's wattage can be cut in half to save > > electricity. The International Dark > > > Sky Association estimates that the United States > > wastes about $1.5 billion a > > > year in electricity bills to shine light toward > > the heavens. > > > > > > All this information frustrates the Massachusetts > > dark sky brigade. While > > > supporters can't find anyone who is opposed to it, > > the bill has never gotten out > > > of committee. Even public safety officials say > > it's not a bad idea -- as long as > > > the lights light up parking lots and streets > > adequately. The Massachusetts > > > Medical Association endorsed the bill, saying > > elderly people with cataracts > > > would benefit from the cut in glare. > > > > > > In Harvard, residents say limits on outdoor light > > save a little sanity, too. > > > Many say they moved to Harvard for the peaceful > > nights and hold dearly to their > > > no-glare, low-light laws. But as more brightly lit > > towns build up around them, > > > residents are intent on taking back the night. > > > > > > "There is so much light pollution," said Girard. > > "And while I'm not complaining > > > about lighting, it begs the question of how much > > light is enough? How much light > > > do we really need?" > > > > > > ) Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company. > > > > > > - > > > To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email > > to "majordomo@xmission.com" > > > with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of > > the message. > > > For information on digests or retrieving files > > and old messages send > > > "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in > > your message. > > > > > > > > > - > > To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email > > to "majordomo@xmission.com" > > with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of > > the message. > > For information on digests or retrieving files and > > old messages send > > "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in > > your message. > > > > > > ________________ > > Email Forwarding Service Brought To You By: > > http://www.bn3.com. > > We can let you become anybody@anyplace.com. FREE, In > > 5 minutes! > === message truncated === > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ > > - > To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to > "majordomo@xmission.com" > with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. > For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send > "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. > David Moulton dmoulton@rocketmail.com Carpe Ductum - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 15:25:55 -0700 (MST) From: David Moulton Subject: Re: (utah-astronomy) Joe Bauman I only saw it at the last second, followed by the flashes. From what I remember, Rich, it was on nearly a straight line from the house thru your scope. Perhaps slightly south. I remember two flashes in rapid succession. I should add that Phil's house is a great place to observe, at least as good as Mark's was. This may have something to do with the fact that you can see Mark's old house from Phil's yard ;) Phil's house blocks many of the yard lights that were seen from Mark's. Many thanks to Phil and his family. dave Quoting Richard Tenney : > Joe, > > Since I didn't see the actual meteor, I personally > didn't get a reading, but I know at least two people > standing by that did see it go down (all I saw was the > sky light up with what looked like lightning flashes). > I suspect they might remember approx. where it went > down in relation to the mountain we were looking over. > Glad you confirmed at least what we saw. > > Rich > > --- Joe Bauman wrote: > > Hi, I saw it and I recorded a direction. It was > > about 10:10 or 10:12 p.m., > > and I wrote down coordinates from where I saw it > > near Antelope Spring. Did > > you get a reading on it? Thanks, Joe Bauman > > > > > > > > - > > To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email > > to "majordomo@xmission.com" > > with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of > > the message. > > For information on digests or retrieving files and > > old messages send > > "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in > > your message. > > > > > > ________________ > > Email Forwarding Service Brought To You By: > > http://www.bn3.com. > > We can let you become anybody@anyplace.com. FREE, In > > 5 minutes! > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ > > - > To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to > "majordomo@xmission.com" > with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. > For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send > "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. > David Moulton dmoulton@rocketmail.com Carpe Ductum - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 14:40:42 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Tenney Subject: (utah-astronomy) Fwd: The 113th Annual Meeting of The Astronomical Society of the Pacific - --0-76065818-985732842=:81254 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline Note: forwarded message attached. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/?.refer=text - --0-76065818-985732842=:81254 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Apparently-To: retenney@yahoo.com via web12901.mail.yahoo.com X-Track: 1: 40 Received: from 209.10.227.228 (HELO s2.bn3.com) (209.10.227.228) by mta416.mail.yahoo.com with SMTP; 27 Mar 2001 14:14:26 -0800 (PST) Received: (qmail 3729 invoked by uid 508); 27 Mar 2001 22:07:38 -0000 Delivered-To: m13840-rtenney@uvaa.org Received: (qmail 7676 invoked from network); 27 Mar 2001 21:51:21 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO dfwns01.algx.net) (216.99.225.30) by s2.bn3.com with SMTP; 27 Mar 2001 21:51:21 -0000 Received: from aspsky.org (aspsky-org-1726.customer.algx.net [216.203.253.178]) by dfwns01.algx.net (8.9.1/8.9.1) with ESMTP id LAA28951; Tue, 27 Mar 2001 11:41:58 -0600 (CST) Message-ID: <3AC0D00C.1D1E73D8@aspsky.org> Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 09:38:20 -0800 From: Marilyn Delgado Organization: The Astronomical Society of the Pacific X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.5 [en] (Win95; I) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Ogden Astronomical Society , Salt Lake Astronomical Society , Utah Valley Astronomy Association Subject: The 113th Annual Meeting of The Astronomical Society of the Pacific Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Length: 2712 AN EXCITING ASTRONOMY EVENT IN ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA The heavens are coming to Earth in St. Paul, Minnesota from July 13-15, and you are invited! This year’s annual meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) features a star party, two CCD workshops conducted by Richard Berry, an astronomy expo, and public talks by renowned astronomers, writers, and astronauts, including David H. Levy and Alex Filippenko. The 113th Annual Meeting of The Astronomical Society of the Pacific, UNIVERSE 2001, begins on the evening of Friday July 13, with a star party at a dark sky site hosted by the Minnesota Astronomical Society and the ASP. On Saturday, July 14, former Astronomy magazine editor Richard Berry, author of The CCD Camera Cookbook and co-author of the new Handbook of Astronomical Image Processing, will conduct two workshops on CCD imaging: one geared for beginners, the other for more advanced operators. On Saturday and Sunday, July 14-15, the Universe 2001 EXPO weekend will feature an exhibit hall filled with astronomy merchandise, including telescopes, photography supplies, software, books, and T-shirts. The exhibit hall will also feature booths for on-going and future NASA missions. There will also be book signings and drawings for astronomy-related prizes. The public talks will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Speakers include writer and comet discoverer David H. Levy; astronomers Alex Filippenko, Virginia Trimble, Alan Dressler, Jeff Hester, Andrew Fraknoi, and Robin Canup; astronaut Claude Nicollier; Astronomy and Discover magazine columnist Bob Berman; and amateur astronomer and author William Sheehan. Join people from around North America in this national astronomy festival at the Radisson Riverfront Hotel, 11 E. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota 55101, 651-292-1900, from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. A Universe 2001 EXPO weekend pass is only $20. The costs for Richard Berry’s CCD workshops will be $20 for each or $35 for both. For information and to register (space in the CCD workshops is limited), visit http://www.aspsky.org/meetings.html Meeting cosponsors include Astronomy Magazine, Astronomy.com, and the University of Minnesota’s Department of Astronomy. Other sponsors include the Chandra X-ray Center, the Minneapolis Planetarium, the Science Museum of Minnesota, the Minnesota Astronomical Society, and The Teaching Company. We hope that you can place an announcement in your organization’s newsletter, and we encourage you to link from your website directly to our Meeting site at the address above. ________________ Email Forwarding Service Brought To You By: http://www.bn3.com. We can let you become anybody@anyplace.com. FREE, In 5 minutes! - --0-76065818-985732842=:81254-- - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 01:52:38 -0700 From: Patrick Wiggins Subject: (utah-astronomy) News Those who can safely observe the Sun should cast an eye that way soon as there is a huge sunspot cluster visible, the largest this correspondent has ever seen. http://sohowww.estec.esa.nl/data/realtime/javagif/gifs_small/20010328_0136_mdi_igr.gif +++++ Bruce Grim, Siegfried Jachmann & Patrick Wiggins spent part of today (Tuesday) picking up some $6,000 worth of steel security doors and associated hardware from BMC West for SPOC 2. Living up to his reputation, Siegfried convinced the good folks at BMC to part with their $6,000 worth of equipment for barely $1,700. http://planet.state.ut.us/slas/SPOC/SPOC2BUILD03.HTML +++++ SLAS member Roger Butz has a new toy: http://planet.state.ut.us/slas/ROGERB/ROGERB.HTML Let's hope he'll share at upcoming star parties. +++++ Planetarium library seeks a $20.00 donation to cover the renewal of Amateur Astronomy Magazine (a particular favorite of SLAS members at monthly meetings). Care to donate. Please contact Patrick Wiggins at p.wiggins@m.cc.utah.edu. +++++ The recent call for possible names for the Big Scope slated to be installed in SPOC 2 netted the following from SLAS member Roy Lacy: > Harmon's Observatory Telescope --- HOT > Harmon's Observatory Reflector Telescope --- HORT > Stansbury Harmon's Observatory Telescope --- SHOT > Stansbury Harmon's Observatory Reflector Telescope --- SHORT > Stansbury Park Observatory Reflector Telescope --- SPORT > Big Stansbury Park Observatory Telescope --- Big SPOT Any other ideas out there? +++++ From Los Angeles Times, 25 March 2001 Charles K. Johnson, irrepressible advocate and president of the International Flat Earth Society for nearly three decades, has died. He was 76. Johnson died March 19 in Lancaster, near Hi Vista, where he had moved the iconoclastic society's headquarters in 1972 after he succeeded the late Samuel Shenton of Dover, England, in the presidency. +++++ One in a Trillion: The World's Only Space Junk Survivor http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DailyNews/spacejunk_survivor_010322.html +++++ - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 08:34:30 -0800 (PST) From: Chuck Hards Subject: (utah-astronomy) Light Pollution reduction efforts There was some discussion here recently on the seeming futility of educating local government on the problems of light pollution. I believe that SLAS is a member of IDA (International Dark-Sky Association) and several local amateurs are individual members (your writer included). This organization is a powerful ally in these efforts. When dealing with governmental officials, the only way to approach the issue is on a financial basis, and security. It must be presented as a case of energy efficiency and dollars wasted, and the fact that more light has no correlation to increased security. Esoteric matters such as sky visibilty and damage to species are a wasted effort with these Cro-Magnons. (That old, worn phrase "what matters most, people or animals?" is a bunch of crap. People don't understand the interdependence of the ecosystem, and the fact that when enough non-human species are lost, people will follow in short order. Keeping diversity high is the best guarantee of human survival, and the general public probably won't realize this until we are dying in the streets in huge numbers.) Approach the security issue properly armed with statistics from security agencies, and lighting designers and manufacturers, which indicate that glare from over-illumination, or improper lighting, actually enhance the criminals ability to perpetrate their crimes. Harsh, bright lights actually reduce visibility in most cases. If you are frustrated dealing with local authorities, before you throw your hands up in disgust, go to the IDA website: www.darksky.org and check out the materials they have available. Progress is being made all over the country, and world, for that matter, and the IDA has some powerful ammunition in the fight. I also have back issues of the newsletter available for the past two years, and I believe that SLAS has copies, as well. (Patrick, what does SLAS have on-file?) Good luck, don't give up the fight. When properly armed with indisputable facts, your leverage is increased dramatically. Chuck __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/?.refer=text - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 11:12:26 -0700 (MST) From: David Moulton Subject: Re: (utah-astronomy) Light Pollution reduction efforts I fully agree with what Chuck has to say here. I would emphasize that having good data, and especially alot of it, is crucial when going to a meeting such as the one we attended in Orem. There were several, clearly underinformed and beligerant, residents that would have eaten us alive if we had suggested that streetlights contribute to crime (a notion I fully agree with). But, if one is prepared with numerous, quality numbers, that argument can be won, IMO. In reference to the IDA, Sky and Tel quite often spotlights items from the IDA site. I remember a recent article about a government funded study showing that streetlights did at least nothing to prevent crime, and sometimes 'helped'. I have personally decided that about the only option I have now is to do everything I can to keep them off of my own street. I've got to get my neighbors to buy into that. dave Quoting Chuck Hards : > There was some discussion here recently on the seeming > futility of educating local government on the problems > of light pollution. > David Moulton dmoulton@rocketmail.com Carpe Ductum - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 13:26:35 -0800 (PST) From: Chuck Hards Subject: (utah-astronomy) Big sunspot Thanks for notifying us of that sunspot group, Patrick. I keep a pair of 10 x 25 binos in my desk at work, and during a break period this afternoon, I improvised a solar viewer using one side of the binos and a carboard box, with one side cut open and a piece of white paper taped down on the inside as a viewing screen. The bino eyepiece stuck through a hole in the other end. I propped it up on a crate and a two-by-four. I obtained a nice little solar image about 1.25" across, and the spot was plainly visible when the sun was between clouds. Several smaller groups were also seen by myself and my co-workers. We also used a welder's helmet with a #14 filter for a non-magnified view. The spot was easily seen with the unaided, filtered eye. I'm going to get out the Baader filter and a bigger scope for sure when I get home this afternoon, if the clouds continue to dissipate. Don't miss this huge group. It really is the largest spot group that I, at least, have seen since the last solar max a decade ago. Neat stuff! Chuck __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/?.refer=text - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 21:03:18 -0700 From: Patrick Wiggins Subject: (utah-astronomy) News (includes an aurora alert) AURORA ALERT! Note that this one mentions northern Utah: *** POTENTIAL FOR HIGH ACTIVITY EXISTS *** VALID BEGINNING AT: 00:00 UTC ON 30 MARCH VALID UNTIL: 19:00 UTC ON 01 APRIL HIGH RISK PERIOD: 30 - 31 MARCH (UTC DAYS) MODERATE RISK PERIOD: 30 MARCH - 01 APRIL PREDICTED ACTIVITY INDICES: 50, 50, 20, 15 (30 MARCH - 02 APRIL) POTENTIAL MAGNITUDE OF MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY: MODERATE TO HIGH ESTIMATED OPTIMUM OBSERVING CONDITIONS: NEAR LOCAL MIDNIGHT AURORAL ACTIVITY *MAY* BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM OREGON TO NORTHERN UTAH TO NORTHERN COLORADO TO NEBRASKA TO NORTHERN MISSOURI TO ILLINOIS TO NORTHERN KENTUCKY TO VIRGINIA TO MARYLAND. +++++ This aurora report from long distance (Quebec) SLAS member Alain Bergeron: I drove from Quebec City (46.8N, 71.2W) to Ste-Flavie (48.6N, 68.2W) last night and saw a fairly bright aurora for the second half of the trip (from about 0130 to 0330 UT). Nothing outrageously spectacular, but nice nonetheless, covered the sky from NW to NE, and about 5 to 30-40 degrees above the horizon, with faint greenish colour. We have some mid to high-level clouds coming in now, but I hope there will be some breaks to the North tonight, and see what may be a spectacular display! +++++ Congrats to Majestic Elementary school in N. Ogden for constructing this large, outdoor solar system model: http://planet.state.ut.us/gifs/MAJESTIC01.JPG http://planet.state.ut.us/gifs/MAJESTIC02.JPG +++++ Space Pioneer Raushenbach Dies, Tuesday March 27 12:48 PM ET MOSCOW (AP) - Boris Raushenbach, a rocket scientist who helped the Soviet space program photograph the dark side of the moon, died Tuesday, Russian news reports said. He was 86. Raushenbach's success as a space pioneer came despite Soviet authorities, who became suspicious of Raushenbach's German heritage during World War II. Raushenbach worked on the Soviet space program during its heyday in the 1950s and 60s, when the country sent the first satellite and first human into space. +++++ Professor Phil Charles of the University of Southampton is part of an international team which has discovered a stellar mass black hole -- the first ever found in our galactic halo. This region of space lies above and below the main spiral arms of our galaxy, thousands of light years above the Milky Way galactic plane. +++++ The launch of NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey is scheduled for Saturday, April 7, at 11:02 a.m. EDT. Liftoff will occur aboard a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle from Pad A at Space Launch Complex 17, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. A second launch opportunity exists thirty minutes later at 11:32 a.m., if necessary. Should launch be delayed by 24 hours, the two launch times available on Sunday are 10:29 a.m. and 11:29 a.m. EDT. The planetary launch window extends through April 27. +++++ A giant comet in the distant reaches of our solar system has an extremely large, elongated orbit that can't be explained by the gravitational pull from the giant planets in their current positions. The finding is the first solid evidence that a big planet once roamed the farthest outskirts of the solar system; maybe Neptune, before it settled down, the researchers say, or a mysterious, Mars-sized planet that could still be lurking there. +++++ - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Mar 01 08:41:05 -0700 From: skylinc Subject: (utah-astronomy) MYSTEROUS PLANETS PATRICK GAVE US SOME NEWS: A giant comet in the distant reaches of our solar system has an = extremely large, elongated orbit that can't be explained by the = gravitational pull from the giant planets in their current positions. REPLY: Are there any other explanations? How do they know it has always been = in orbit? Maybe this is it's first time around. MORE NEWS: The finding is the first solid evidence that a big planet once roamed = the farthest outskirts of the solar system; REPLY: Just because they can't explain it using the giant planet=B9s = positions doesn't constitute SOLID evidence. MORE NEWS: maybe (OR MAYBE NOT) Neptune, before it settled down, the researchers = say, (I hope they are not referring to 3rd graders), or a mysterious, = Mars-sized planet that could still be lurking there. (WHERE?) REPLY: If this somehow predicts a Mars-sized planet lurking somewhere = unknown - then how can they figure out that the current planet=B9s = positions can't explain the so called extremely large orbit of this = comet. If they can use their minds and computers to figure this out, = they should be able to predict where a "Mars-sized" planet should be = lurking. This may not be "Bad Science", but if this tidbit is all we have to = go on - I don't know what else to call it. There has to be more or less to the story. I'd love to hear more than = a tabloid headline. Is there any more? Ray Harmon The Pseudo Philosopher - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 08:25:25 -0800 (PST) From: Chuck Hards Subject: (utah-astronomy) "Weightless" mount & bino brackets The last unit of my current "run", it turns out, will not accommodate the telescope that the original buyer wanted to mount on it, so he is going to wait for a custom unit later this year. (His tube O.D. is about 3/16" too large) That makes this one available; there are no names on my waiting list as of now for a standard "Weightless" mount. I'll bring it to the swap-meet/sun party next month, if it doesn't sell first. Max. tube OD is 4.75" on this model. Also, I will have at least six of the heavy-duty aluminum binocular brackets that some of you saw this past winter. These mount most any binocular with a front-hinge tripod socket to a standard tripod; a lot more ecconomical than a parallelogram-mount, and takes up less space in the car. Can also be used with many parallelogram mounts that do not come with a bracket. Two sizes available as of now, a tall bracket for large binos (60mm+), and a standard for 35mm-56mm. More rugged than commercial brackets, lower cost, too. For the do-it-yourselfers, I'm preparing a construction article on how to make one at home with a table saw, drill press, and grinder or sander, and will distribute the article free of charge, or perhaps see if it's possible to publish it in a local club newsletter. (Too short for S & T). Thanks! Chuck __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/?.refer=text - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 09:52:17 -0700 From: "Wayne Sumner" Subject: Re: (utah-astronomy) "Weightless" mount & bino brackets Chuck, I'm interested in one of your heavy duty binocular mounts. I have a = pair of 15 X 70's I need to mount. Will you have them at the swap meet = also? Thanks, Wayne Sumner - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 16:22:06 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Tenney Subject: Re: (utah-astronomy) "Weightless" mount & bino brackets Chuck, I'd like to post it (construction notes) on the UVAA page when done. Thanks for sharing! - -Rich - --- Chuck Hards wrote: > The last unit of my current "run", it turns out, > will > not accommodate the telescope that the original > buyer > wanted to mount on it, so he is going to wait for a > custom unit later this year. (His tube O.D. is > about > 3/16" too large) That makes this one available; > there > are no names on my waiting list as of now for a > standard "Weightless" mount. I'll bring it to the > swap-meet/sun party next month, if it doesn't sell > first. Max. tube OD is 4.75" on this model. > > Also, I will have at least six of the heavy-duty > aluminum binocular brackets that some of you saw > this > past winter. These mount most any binocular with a > front-hinge tripod socket to a standard tripod; a > lot > more ecconomical than a parallelogram-mount, and > takes > up less space in the car. Can also be used with > many > parallelogram mounts that do not come with a > bracket. > Two sizes available as of now, a tall bracket for > large binos (60mm+), and a standard for 35mm-56mm. > More rugged than commercial brackets, lower cost, > too. > For the do-it-yourselfers, I'm preparing a > construction article on how to make one at home with > a > table saw, drill press, and grinder or sander, and > will distribute the article free of charge, or > perhaps > see if it's possible to publish it in a local club > newsletter. (Too short for S & T). > > Thanks! > > Chuck > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. > http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/?.refer=text > > - > To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email > to "majordomo@xmission.com" > with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of > the message. > For information on digests or retrieving files and > old messages send > "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in > your message. > > > ________________ > Email Forwarding Service Brought To You By: > http://www.bn3.com. > We can let you become anybody@anyplace.com. FREE, In > 5 minutes! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/?.refer=text - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 18:17:27 -0600 From: Joe Bauman Subject: Re: (utah-astronomy) "Weightless" mount & bino brackets Chuck, call me if I can quote you re. sunspots -- I got a couple photos I may use in tomorrow's paper. I'm at 801 237-2169. thanks, Joe Bauman - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 21:21:53 -0700 From: Patrick Wiggins Subject: (utah-astronomy) Sky on fire now! I was about to send the following when I went out to look at the sky. Lots of red to the north. Looks like we've got us an aurora! +++++ Space Weather News for March 31, 2001 http://www.spaceweather.com A relatively dense and strongly magnetized interplanetary shock wave hit Earth's magnetosphere at ~0100 GMT on March 31st (8 p.m. EST on March 30th). Strong geomagnetic activity, including mid-latitude auroras, are likely to follow. Visit http://www.SpaceWeather.com for details and updates. +++++ See SLAS member Brandon Neff's images of the huge sunspots that have been visible the past few days. http://planet.state.ut.us/slas/neff/neff.html - - To unsubscribe from utah-astronomy, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe utah-astronomy" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ End of utah-astronomy-digest V1 #34 *********************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.