March 2006 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Re: NASA budget cuts
by Chuck Hards 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

I heard a story and interviews pertaining to this on NPR Friday afternoon: http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1691_1.asp One wonders if the MRO data will be of any practical value by the time another lander- robotic or manned- touches the Martian surface. It seems that planetary science will be in the doldrums for a decade or two, in order to fund a shuttle that's only a few years from the scrap pile, and the ISP. But hey, that space station sure is spiffy, eh? We'll have a place to send a few wealthy space tourists on Russian and Chinese rockets. It's just as well there are no astronomy-related science-fair projects. There won't be any jobs for young astronomers anyway. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

2 1

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Notes on Patrick's 2006/03/10 News - NGC2841 - a UMa galaxy visible during March
by daniel turner 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

This is the one. He brought out the streamers of the super nova remnants. They they all point up out of the plane of the disk. I've a feeling that the camera technology isn't finished getting better. Pictures improve so fast that every year objects are being viewed with hardware that didn't exist the last time the object was visable. http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/NGC253JMS.html DT __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

2 1

Re: Science fair and Gas mileage
by Chuck Hards 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

Howard, thanks for the UofU science fair tip, I'll certainly try and steer Whitney in that direction. Were the drinking straws on your wind tunnel used as flow straighteners? I built a wind tunnel as a kid myself, but made a complicated cardboard grid for the purpose, wish I'd hit upon the idea of using tubes (straws), it sure would have been a lot less work. I used inverted, model airfoil sections, attached to a small postage scale with a balsa stick, and measured the pressure exerted on the scale, as an expression of "lift", for the various airfoils. Man, that takes me back- thanks for the trip down memory lane. > From: Howard Jackman <sumoetx(a)yahoo.com> > As a side note I remember my own 9th grade science > fair in which my friend and I built a wind tunnel > using a defunct fish tank, an old computer fan, a > bunch of straws and a bowl of dry ice. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

2 1

Notes on Patrick's 2006/03/10 News - NGC2841 - a UMa galaxy visible during March
by Canopus56 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

In Patrick's 2006/03/10 News, there is an article featuring NGC2841, a mag 9.9-10.3 galaxy (6.2" x 2") in the Leo Spur and UMa constellation: NGC2841: Galactic Chimneys Turn Up the Heat http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2006/n2841/ Although not visible in amateur visual wavelengths, the Chandra X-ray image of NGC2841 shows how supernovas generate hot gas chimneys and gas plumes that rise out of a galaxy's plane. The clouds then cool, condense and lose their momentum - and sometimes are drawn back down as high-velocity clouds. These high-velocity clouds then crash into the pre-existing molecular clouds in the galactic plane and initiate a new round of star creation. NGC2841, when the current Moonless dark-sky frame starts on March 17, will be favorably positioned for observing at 41N Lat ops. My observing planner spreadsheet is not showing the galaxy as being detectable in a mag 5.5 SPOC sky (object MPSAS is 21.66, a mag 5.5 sky is 20.1 MPSAS), but it is within the range of uncertainty. It may be necessary to travel to a darker sky site to view this galaxy. I haven't personally viewed this one, but the CDS-Aladin and NGC Project photos show it to be a nice-looking grand design spiral. The stats on galaxy NGC2841 for March 17, 2006: Object: NGC2841 Con: UMa PosJ: J092200.00+505812.0 PosAzA: Az054.57 Alt+65.24 on 2006/3/17 approx. 3:00-5:00 UTC (8:00-10:00pm) LHA: 327.19 on 2006/3/17 3:00 UTC Other pointing reference: Star HD080566, mag. 8.5 is within 1 deg. TypeSimbad: LIN TypeClark: Sb MagSimbad: 9.9 MagClark's Catalogue: 10.3 Computed MPSAS: 21.66 Distance: 12000kpc per Tully(1988a) Object cross-references: PGC026512 (for "The Sky" users) Clark 199 Herschel 205-1 Online pics and info: Simbad link: http://simbad.harvard.edu/sim-id.pl?protocol=html&Ident=NGC2841 NGC Project database: http://www.ngcic.org/ngcicdb.asp - Canopus56 (Kurt) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

2 3

Science Fair
by David Oreno 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

Speaking as a past member of your group and a retired teacher. I am very intrigued at the commotion of the last few days conserning global warming and the science fair in general. Why don't you, seriously, establish your own science fair to promote astrophysics,space exploration, and the many other related subjects. I am sure some of the NASA suppliers in the area would help with funds and prizes. Who knows, this may put your group into the public eye and swell your ranks until you have to break it into regions. What will it cost you? You could get a hall donated for the night and one of the aeronautics companies might donate the trophies.

2 1

Mars orbit confirmed
by Patrick Wiggins 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

MRO is now confirmed in Mars orbit. This is a great day for space exploration. Patrick p.s. Chuck, when does your kid sign up for Mars astronaut training? :)

1 0

MRO AOS
by Patrick Wiggins 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

MRO's signal has been reacquired. All appears well. Mars orbit achieved. Patrick

1 0

MRO LOS
by Patrick Wiggins 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

Signal has been lost (as expected) as spacecraft has passed behind Mars. End of MOI burn is predicted for 2:51 p.m. MST. Assuming the burn goes as scheduled MRO should reappear from behind Mars at 3:16 p.m. MST. Finger crossed... Patrick

1 0

MRO's MOI burn has started
by Patrick Wiggins 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

Mars Orbit Insertion burn lasts about half an hour. Last 6 minutes of the burn will happen out of radio contact. White knuckle time. The peanut jar is being passed at JPL (a tradition at this part of a mission). Patrick

1 0

Science fair and Gas mileage (Off Topic)
by Howard Jackman 10 Mar '06

10 Mar '06

I read today in the Tribune an article that supports Patricks findings on his gas mileage. (not that I don't trust you Patrick, but a little support always helps right?) Click&Clack (Car section) answered a question about Speed vs. Mileage and state that the average best MPG on cars is in the 45-55mph range, after you go over 55 mph you begin to lose the advantage of high gear/relatively slow running engine. Plus wind resistance increases as a square of the speed you are traveling so at 70 mph the wind resistance is nearly double as at 50mph. If I could only convince myself that moving so slowly was worth it! Maybe around the $3 a gallon point I guess. Also in the Tribune today (Close-up Jordan edition) was an article that Chuck might be interested in, I don't know if his daughter is old enough but the Utah Science Center and the UofU are looking for entries to the 2006 Science and Engineering Fair for students grade 5-12. They are also looking for Volunteer Judges and other Volunteer positions. The Fair will be March 30-31 at the Tower at Rice-Eccles stadium at the U. It's open to all students in the Salt Lake, Granite, Murray, and Tooele schoole districts. Charter, private aand home taught students are also encouraged to sign up. The link they give to sign up or get more info is http://www.utahsciencecenter.org/sciencefair. I belive the link to volunteer is also there. As a side note I remember my own 9th grade science fair in which my friend and I built a wind tunnel using a defunct fish tank, an old computer fan, a bunch of straws and a bowl of dry ice. We placed various objects inside to show the movement of the air over them,Blocks, modle cars, etc.. my F-16 model looked the best but the homemade wooden 'wedge'- really just a slightly curved airfoil was the least resistant. Of course we also had charts explaining airfoils, how planes are able to fly, the effect of a cars shape on its gas mileage etc. we took first but I don't remember ever being invited to compete at the district level, the best thing about the night however was when we shorted out the entire second floor when our hard wired fan's wires got crossed, I can still smell the burning rubber insulation and see the brief but very bright blue spark. Now that I think of it maybe that's why no invitation was made. Howard __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

3 2