March 2003 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

RE: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts
by Kim Hyatt 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

Thanks, Dale! -----Original Message----- From: Dale Hooper [mailto:Dale.Hooper@sdl.usu.edu] Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 11:18 AM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts You're in luck. The defacto standard for satellite tracking is Satellite Tracker ($20). It works with Ultima's, NexStarGPS's, LX200's, autostars. Its a great little program. Its Windows based - which may leave out some of you. You can find it at: http://www.heavenscape.com/ > -----Original Message----- > From: Kim Hyatt [mailto:khyatt@smithlayton.com] > Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 10:03 AM > To: 'utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com' > Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts > > > I'm not much of a computer whiz but I'd love to know if it's > possible to > program my computer and Celestron Ultima 2000 to track > satellites, the ISS > or space shuttles (assuming of course that they will eventually launch > again). Anyone out there with thoughts? > _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts
by Dale Hooper 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

You're in luck. The defacto standard for satellite tracking is Satellite Tracker ($20). It works with Ultima's, NexStarGPS's, LX200's, autostars. Its a great little program. Its Windows based - which may leave out some of you. You can find it at: http://www.heavenscape.com/ > -----Original Message----- > From: Kim Hyatt [mailto:khyatt@smithlayton.com] > Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 10:03 AM > To: 'utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com' > Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts > > > I'm not much of a computer whiz but I'd love to know if it's > possible to > program my computer and Celestron Ultima 2000 to track > satellites, the ISS > or space shuttles (assuming of course that they will eventually launch > again). Anyone out there with thoughts? >

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts
by Kim Hyatt 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

I'm not much of a computer whiz but I'd love to know if it's possible to program my computer and Celestron Ultima 2000 to track satellites, the ISS or space shuttles (assuming of course that they will eventually launch again). Anyone out there with thoughts? -----Original Message----- From: Dale Hooper [mailto:Dale.Hooper@sdl.usu.edu] Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 9:52 AM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts One of the funnest things that I've done here at work was to program an LX200 to track satellite launches at VAFB "on the cheap". Satellite tracking, in general, using two line element (TLE) files is also a lot of fun. BTW, I saw a "movie" of close to a full lunation like you were discussing - posted about a year or so ago. I'll search for the link. Clear and dark skies. > -----Original Message----- > > What other ideas can list members come-up with for > GoTo mounts, other than simply finding objects for > casual visual study? > > C. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Go-to scopes
by Dale Hooper 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

While I agree with much of what you say, in principle, I respectfully disagree with some of what you say in particular. We are part of a grand hobby that ranges from ATMing, binoviewing, and CCDing, to photometry, radio astronomy, and spectroscopy, etc., etc., etc. All of which we collectively call amateur astronomy. The point of this being that what is interesting to me in this hobby may not be of interest to all and certainly is not going to be of interest to some. Certainly, its good for just about everybody to know their way around the sky - it really does help give you a sense of the wonders. But, if someone decides they would like to spend less time star hopping and more time observing by either use of setting circles or a goto scope - I don't think its a fair assessment to say that they are missing out - unless "the hunt" is one of the things that is still motivating them. I would venture to guess that about 80% or more of the scopes at star parties (even after the public has gone) are looking at Messier objects or the planets. Now certainly, these are great things to look at. But, most of the people that live in somewhat light polluted, cloud infested lands (aka Utah) simply don't have the time to really ever see a lot of the other wonders out there without using setting circles or a goto scope. I spent several evenings at Monte Cristo last year looking at very faint planetaries and dark nebulae - that I just wouldn't have had the patience for without a goto scope. Also, I don't think its bad that someone would spend an hour looking for a particular object. They are usually the other 20% that are pushing their scopes to the hairy edge. Have you ever "visually" looked at Pluto? Anyone that can even find it at all - has my utmost respect. <g> I think my whole long drawn out point can be summarized with Nike's theme of "Just Do It". Clear and dark skies, Dale. -----Original Message----- From: Chuck Hards [mailto:chuckhards@yahoo.com] Sent: Sun 3/2/2003 11:47 AM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Cc: Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Go-to scopes --- Dale Hooper <Dale.Hooper(a)sdl.usu.edu> wrote: > I also find it a bit amusing that this kind of thing > always seems to go one way. I hear purists decry > use of goto scopes, but I never seem to hear people > with goto scopes complain about purists that spend > an hour or two to find one object - or that complain > when a purist comes over to look through the finder > of a goto scope to get some ideas about where to > look for something. Dale, I have never known anyone to take an hour to find an object. In that case I'd advise a larger telescope, better knowledge of the sky, or perhaps a GoTo mount if their budget will allow. Anyone who knows the sky well will not need a GoTo database for observing suggestions. Perhaps some of those putting-down GoTo just can't afford it. Understand that (most) folks who don't see the need for a GoTo aren't against technology for it's own sake. We know the joys of knowing the sky, and are trying to tell people that there is a more interesting, more fun, more meaningful way to find objects besides instant gratification. Something they can use when the GoTo isn't available, or the batteries die, or the darned thing just stops firing-up one day. We want folks to be able to continue down the road using the bicycle in the trunk, instead of just sitting by the side of the road waiting for the tow-truck when the car breaks down. I see the analogy as similar to teaching a new pilot to use the autopilot before he learns how to fly using the stick. Why put all of your observing "eggs" in one high-tech basket? An astronomer is someone who knows how to use telescopes to study the sky. A person who can only see objects that the telescope finds for him or her is a GoTo mount operator, a spectator more than a participant. And please don't take this as an insult, for it is not intended as such. I'm not saying "GoTo is without merit", I"m saying "the GoTo user is missing out on a big part of the payoff if it's their only instrument." Someone pointed out that GPS & GoTo have merits that I hadn't even thought of initially, namely daytime alignment & tacking. This alone would make it worth the money if someone did a lot of solar work from various locations. C. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Lunation animation
by RStmarie＠aol.com 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

In a message dated 3/3/2003 10:07:53 Mountain Standard Time, Dale.Hooper(a)sdl.usu.edu writes: > http://www.astrosurf.com/cidadao/animations.htm Good stuff Dale. Do I see libration in that animation of the moon?

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts
by RStmarie＠aol.com 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

Doesn't Barnard's Star move fast? Slides from over the years might show movement? Probably take many years slides.

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts
by Dale Hooper 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

One of the funnest things that I've done here at work was to program an LX200 to track satellite launches at VAFB "on the cheap". Satellite tracking, in general, using two line element (TLE) files is also a lot of fun. BTW, I saw a "movie" of close to a full lunation like you were discussing - posted about a year or so ago. I'll search for the link. Clear and dark skies. > -----Original Message----- > > What other ideas can list members come-up with for > GoTo mounts, other than simply finding objects for > casual visual study? > > C.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] In Defense of GoTo mounts
by RStmarie＠aol.com 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

Chuck, Neat idea about the movie of a full lunation! I remember a jerky little movie made from slides of the planets moving, over time, against a background of stars. I think we saw it in school (when they still showed films not video). The maker had several short clips of a planet doing its apparent reversal of motion, and then moving on. Stuff like that would really capture the imagination of people at star parties. It is hard to get excited about something that doesn't happen fast, but a movie does the trick. I guess the best lately were the movies of recent comet passes. Bob

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In Defense of GoTo mounts
by Chuck Hards 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

Although GoTo doesn't fit into my current observing program, many uses have suggested themselves during reflection, including: Patrol work. I believe the Center for Backyard Astrophysics uses Meade GoTo mounts for their Supernova & GRB searches. Working from a script, a GoTo would allow hundreds of target fields to be imaged in a single night. Also asteroid & comet discovery patrols. Variable-star work. Again, many fields can be imaged in one night. Remote operation. Any imaging program can be done with the operator not even present. Another idea I had recently was a time-lapse movie of a complete lunation- watching the terminator march across the moon's face, from as close to new as you can get until the waning moon gets too close to the sun to continue. GoTo mounts would facilitate groups of participants working together around the world to put the file together...as one team's observing location rotates out of sight of the moon, another site further west takes over. Slight "glitches" caused by parallax changes due to different latitudes of the teams could be minimized with image-manipulation software, likewise teams could be chosen as close to a common latitude as possible. Continuous imaging isn't required, but the frame rate required for a smooth movie remains to be seen. Similarly, a movie could be made by amateurs, of the sun in continuous rotation, something so-far only done by individual teams shooting only one or two frames per day, or by spacecraft not experiencing a day-night cycle. A much "smoother" movie could be made by teams around the world imaging in "shifts", no jumpy gaps due to nighttime. (Has anyone above the arctic or antarctic circles made continuous solar movies?) What other ideas can list members come-up with for GoTo mounts, other than simply finding objects for casual visual study? C. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/

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Re: Auto Find Feature that could still allow for equatorial rotation...
by John Renstrom 03 Mar '03

03 Mar '03

I have been doing a bit of research on the web and noticed that there are some Meade scopes that have what appears to be a wedge mount...I would like to get a scope that could allow for equatorial rotation but still maintain it's auto find features? I am heavily leaning towards a Nexstar 8 or Nexstar 11 for the ease of use and quality...However, I loose the auto find feature as soon as I put it on a wedge. >From all my research over the past few years, I have nailed down my buying decision based on the following priorities: #1 Ease of use (Auto Find Features)...This is absolutely the most important thing because this is my first scope. #2 Quality of image...I want to make sure I don't under buy...I am afraid I might get bored if the image quality isn't very good. #3 Photography...Long term goal. I would appreciate any opinions of other scopes that might meet my needs. Thanks, JohnRen

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