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

New planetary mnemonic / Bryce report
by Patrick Wiggins 25 Aug '06

25 Aug '06

A friend at JPL sent me this: My Very Educated Mother Just Said, "Uhhhh, No Pluto." pw :) BTW, I just got back from my lecture/star party at Bryce last night (many thanks to Ann House for helping out with very little notice). The Milky Way is nothing short of incredible from down there. Straight overhead and stretching from south to north, horizon to horizon. And you should see the Sagittarius region from down there. Wow! It was hard to concentrate on the rest of the sky with our home galaxy taking such obvious center stage.

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Moon & Venus
by Chuck Hards 24 Aug '06

24 Aug '06

The thin crescent moon above Venus made a beautiful pair before dawn this morning. Tomorrow (Tuesday) should be even better, as the moon will be much closer to Venus, and even thinner. Watch Venus slide south with increasing rapidity over the next several weeks, following the sun's seasonal migration as it quickly decreases in declination. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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News, 24 AUG 2006
by Patrick Wiggins 24 Aug '06

24 Aug '06

News, Thursday, 24 AUG 2006 Wispy Dust and Gas Paint Portrait of Starbirth This active region of star formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud unveils wispy clouds of hydrogen and oxygen that swirl and mix with dust on a canvas of astronomical size. http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/2006/41 +++++ NASA Names New Crew Exploration Vehicle Orion NASA announced Tuesday that its new crew exploration vehicle will be named Orion. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/aug/HQ_06299_Orion_announced.html +++++ Meteor Mystery Solved In 1967, NASA's Mariner 4 spacecraft was hit by a surprising flurry of meteoroids. Where did the meteoroids come from? http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/23aug_mariner4.htm?list864576 +++++ Spirit Discovers New Class of Igneous Rocks During the past two-and-a-half years of traversing the central part of Gusev Crater, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has analyzed the brushed and ground-into surfaces of multiple rocks... http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20060823a.html +++++ Space Station Set for Massive Expansion The launch of the next shuttle on Sunday will mark the beginning of a busy construction period on the station and will double its power supply. http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn9806-space-station-set-for-massi… +++++ NASA Announces Space Shuttle Web and TV Coverage NASA TV and the agency's home on the Internet will provide extensive coverage of the Space Shuttle Atlantis mission STS-115 to the International Space Station, scheduled for a Sunday, Aug. 27 launch. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/aug/HQ_06298_115_web_coverage.html +++++ NASA Galaxy Hunter: Huge Black Holes Stifle Star Formation Supermassive black holes in some giant galaxies create such a hostile environment, they shut down the formation of new stars... http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2006-101 +++++ China, Russia Plan Joint Mission to Mars China and Russia plan to launch a joint mission to Mars in 2009 to scoop up rocks from the red planet and one of its moons, a Chinese scientist said on Wednesday. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=049671E28A386427E43… +++++ Close-Up on Cuvier Crater Ridge This high-resolution image, taken by the SMART-1 spacecraft, shows the young crater Â‘Cuvier CÂ’ on the Moon. http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMOB7BUQPE_index_0.html +++++ ************************************************** ************************************************** Free Telescopes For SLAS Members SLAS has several scopes available for free, long term loan to current SLAS members who have belonged to SLAS for at least 30 days. http://slas.us/membership_benefits.htm +++++ Images and Data From Cassini-Huygens At:s http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/latest/index.cfm http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-releases.cfm +++++ Information On The Mars Rovers At: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html +++++ SLAS 2006 Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/LOCAL.HTML +++++ SSA / UMNH 2006 Southern Utah Public Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/STARPARTIES.HTML +++++ ************************************************** News is being sent to you because of your affiliation with the Salt Lake Astronomical Society or because you are subscribed to the Utah Astronomy Listserve. To unsubscribe please send your request to paw at wirelessbeehive dot com. Check out my NASA Solar System Ambassador web site at: http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky and mirrored at http://utahastro.info/ For astronomy clubs in Utah see: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/UTAHCLUBS.HTML For the Utah Astronomy Listserve see: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy ************************************************** -- Patrick Wiggins NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah & NE Nevada paw at wirelessbeehive dot com http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky http://utahastro.info/ 435.882.1209 801.918.9092 +++++ ************************************************** ************************************************** Free Telescopes For SLAS Members SLAS has several scopes available for free, long term loan to current SLAS members who have belonged to SLAS for at least 30 days. http://slas.us/membership_benefits.htm +++++ Images and Data From Cassini-Huygens At:s http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/latest/index.cfm http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-releases.cfm +++++ Information On The Mars Rovers At: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html +++++ SLAS 2006 Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/LOCAL.HTML +++++ SSA / UMNH 2006 Southern Utah Public Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/STARPARTIES.HTML +++++ ************************************************** News is being sent to you because of your affiliation with the Salt Lake Astronomical Society or because you are subscribed to the Utah Astronomy Listserve. To unsubscribe please send your request to paw at wirelessbeehive dot com. Check out my NASA Solar System Ambassador web site at: http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky and mirrored at http://utahastro.info/ For astronomy clubs in Utah see: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/UTAHCLUBS.HTML For the Utah Astronomy Listserve see: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy ************************************************** -- Patrick Wiggins NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah & NE Nevada paw at wirelessbeehive dot com http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky http://utahastro.info/ 435.882.1209 801.918.9092

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No-mail option
by Chuck Hards 23 Aug '06

23 Aug '06

Just a note to inform my list friends that while still officially a list member, I am using the "no mail" option for a while, while working on some projects and issues. I won't receive list posts, so email me privately if desired. Thanks! -Chuck Hards __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Completely OT -- American history
by Olhomorto＠aol.com 23 Aug '06

23 Aug '06

Hi Joe. I enjoy history, and I think I would enjoy reading your file. Mike Bailey

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Zodiacal light
by Kim 23 Aug '06

23 Aug '06

I remember reading about the "false dawn" in a novel about Africa when I was a child, but I'd never seen it until I became educated as an amateur astronomer about 20 years ago. I love seeing the ZL in the mornings in the fall, when the Pleiades appear to be enveloped in its glow. My most memorable observation of the ZL light occurred in the fall at the Wedge Overlook a few years ago. The sky was unusually dark and transparent, even for central Utah. As the ZL first became visible in the pre-dawn sky, I noticed that it wasn't simply the usual cone of brightness that I'd seen before; it was possible to trace a band of light all the way across the ecliptic, including a discernible brightening at the anti-solar point, the Geggenshein, my first observation of that phenomenon. Dave Bernson was with me, and of course, it was nothing new or unusual for him. It was he who identified the anti-solar point and the Geggenshein, and I later confirmed it at home on my star atlas. Alas, I think it was also the last time that I've seen the Geggenshein.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] News, 22 AUG 2006 -Dark Matter-
by Michael Carnes 22 Aug '06

22 Aug '06

>But I don't believe I've heard of the coathanger >phenomenon. Fill me in please?? The coathanger phenomenon has to do with a critical mass, only loosely defined. If a coat closet has a number of hangers below critical mass, each time you visit the closet there will be fewer coathangers. Conversely, if the number of hangers is above critical mass, then they will apparently multiply without human intervention. At critical, mass the number of hangers remains roughly constant (although something akin to Hawking radiation may cause the number of hangers to vary slightly, hinting at the underlying instability). I have to admit that I haven't studied this recently, and my own experience goes back to the time of wire coathangers. With the increasing popularity of plastic coathangers, the theory may need adjustment.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] News, 22 AUG 2006 -Dark Matter-
by Michael Carnes 22 Aug '06

22 Aug '06

>NASA need not have looked to the furthest reaches of >the cosmos. My wife independently discovered dark >matter. > >She says that she can't eat a 4-ounce piece of cake >because she'd "gain five pounds". > It can't be a complete theory until it covers the coat-hanger and sock-drawer phenomina.

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News, 22 AUG 2006
by Patrick Wiggins 22 Aug '06

22 Aug '06

News, Tuesday, 22 AUG 2006 Welcome New SLAS Members Rick & Linda Kirkland Glen Stevens Jason Watson +++++ SLAS Meeting Tonight Nominations for next year's board will be taken and UVSC's Nal Morris will discuss archaeoastronomy at Utah's Parowan Gap. Meeting starts at 7:30 pm in the Salt Lake County Government Center's north building, located at 2001 S. State Street in SLC. http://slas.us/displayevent.asp?EventID=812 +++++ Attention SPOC Users The Service Agency has decided to no longer lock the gate. SLAS members are asked to please not lock the gate. +++++ NASA Finds Direct Proof of Dark Matter (Thanks to Joe Bauman for passing this on.) Dark matter and normal matter have been wrenched apart by the tremendous collision of two large clusters of galaxies. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/aug/HQ_06297_CHANDRA_Dark_Matter.html +++++ NASA Finds Direct Proof of Dark Matter This composite image shows the galaxy cluster 1E 0657-56, also known as the "bullet cluster." http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2006/1e0657/ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/2006/39/ +++++ Opportunity Observes 'Isabela' Opportunity is healthy and on the road to "Victoria Crater." Spirit drove 35.67 meters from "Beagle Crater" to a small sand dune, or ripple, to examine the dune with the robotic arm. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol907 +++++ Spirit Checking 'Korolev' Spirit is healthy and continues to make progress on its winter science campaign. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_spiritAll.html#sol929 +++++ Cape Canaveral's Got Competition. Cape Breton is going to enter the space race. http://planetspace.org/lo +++++ NASA Invests In Private Sector Space Flight NASA is making an unprecedented investment in commercial space transportation services with the hope of creating a competitive market for supply flights to the International Space Station. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASA_Invests_In_Private_Sector_Space_Flig… +++++ Opposition Surge on the B Ring Two images of Saturn's A and B ring showcase the opposition effect, a brightness surge that is visible on Saturn's rings when the Sun is directly behind the spacecraft. http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/image-details.cfm?imageID=2238 +++++ Engineers Studying Spitzer Anomaly Engineers are studying data returned by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, to determine what caused the observatory to enter safe mode on Friday... http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media/happenings/20060821/ +++++ STS Update http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/status-20060821.html +++++ ELV Update http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2006/elvstatus-… +++++ ************************************************** ************************************************** Free Telescopes For SLAS Members SLAS has several scopes available for free, long term loan to current SLAS members who have belonged to SLAS for at least 30 days. http://slas.us/membership_benefits.htm +++++ Images and Data From Cassini-Huygens At:s http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/latest/index.cfm http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-releases.cfm +++++ Information On The Mars Rovers At: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html +++++ SLAS 2006 Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/LOCAL.HTML +++++ SSA / UMNH 2006 Southern Utah Public Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/STARPARTIES.HTML +++++ ************************************************** News is being sent to you because of your affiliation with the Salt Lake Astronomical Society or because you are subscribed to the Utah Astronomy Listserve. To unsubscribe please send your request to paw at wirelessbeehive dot com. Check out my NASA Solar System Ambassador web site at: http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky and mirrored at http://utahastro.info/ For astronomy clubs in Utah see: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/UTAHCLUBS.HTML For the Utah Astronomy Listserve see: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy ************************************************** -- Patrick Wiggins NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah & NE Nevada paw at wirelessbeehive dot com http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky http://utahastro.info/ 435.882.1209 801.918.9092 +++++ ************************************************** ************************************************** Free Telescopes For SLAS Members SLAS has several scopes available for free, long term loan to current SLAS members who have belonged to SLAS for at least 30 days. http://slas.us/membership_benefits.htm +++++ Images and Data From Cassini-Huygens At:s http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/latest/index.cfm http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-releases.cfm +++++ Information On The Mars Rovers At: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html +++++ SLAS 2006 Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/LOCAL.HTML +++++ SSA / UMNH 2006 Southern Utah Public Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/STARPARTIES.HTML +++++ ************************************************** News is being sent to you because of your affiliation with the Salt Lake Astronomical Society or because you are subscribed to the Utah Astronomy Listserve. To unsubscribe please send your request to paw at wirelessbeehive dot com. Check out my NASA Solar System Ambassador web site at: http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky and mirrored at http://utahastro.info/ For astronomy clubs in Utah see: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/UTAHCLUBS.HTML For the Utah Astronomy Listserve see: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy ************************************************** -- Patrick Wiggins NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah & NE Nevada paw at wirelessbeehive dot com http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky http://utahastro.info/ 435.882.1209 801.918.9092

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Nominations (was Re: Way OT)
by Michael Carnes 21 Aug '06

21 Aug '06

> I've lived in the north, am pretty liberal >(at least compared to Guy and Siegfried) and been a veggie for years and >I've been allowed to sit on the board a number of times >(http://utahastro.info/temp/SLASBOD.XLS) Hmm. For the next building at SPOC, whaddaya think about the "Hillary Clinton Visitor Center"? The "Al Gore" weather station could be attached to the outside. Guy and Siegfried could head up the fundraiser. Sorry. Just couldn't resist.

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