February 2009 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

New Images Posted to SLAS Gallery - M95 and M96 and Minor Planet Zeelandia
by Tyler Allred 24 Feb '09

24 Feb '09

Hi all. I just added two items to my SLAS gallery: 1st - An image of M95 and M96, two spiral galaxies in the Leo I group http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1013 (click for larger version) 2nd - An animation of minor planet (1336) Zeelandia crossing near M96. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1016 I caught Zeelandia while imaging M95 and M96 and contacted Patrick for help with identification. Patrick helped me find a database of minor planets to use with "The Sky 6", which is the planetarium software that I use for choosing imaging targets etc. Many thanks to Patrick! Cheers, Tyler PS - I hope to put a few faces with the names on Tuesday night at the SLAS monthly meeting. See you there. _____________________________________________

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Lulin -- obs report
by Jay Eads 24 Feb '09

24 Feb '09

Well, I went out tonight with the 7x35 and the 10x50 and my 14 year old son joined me as he stated "I want to see my first comet." We too had looked at Starry Nigh for position and it was rather easy to see. My son had to go first so he started at Saturn and went up to Chi Leonis and then over to 59 Leonis. Right above 59 Leonis there she was. My son got excited and was pretty happy even though it wasn't a whole lot to look at. He then gave me the 7x35 and he took a look in the 10x50. After looking at the Lulin in both in the 7x35 with averted vision I was able to make it out as a fuzzy. It kinda of reminded me of Hubble's Variable Nebula. More detail in the 10x50. Would love to set up one of the scopes but just can't with work in the a.m., a head cold to contend with and just being tired. Was it terrific? No. Was it worth having my son take a look and get excited. Yep. My son and I also spent about 30 minutes look at some of the Messier objects in Orion, Canis Major, and Puppis. My son also contrasted Rigel with Betelgeuse, since he enjoys contrasting stars. Then we went in. A quick and fun evening with binoculars shared with my son was worth it. I need to do a few more of those quick sessions with him with the binoculars, sometimes they are the best. No back to bed and take some meds to help this cold along. Clear skies to all. On 2009-02-25 02:46, Jim Gibson wrote: > I have mixed feelings about Lulin. The positive ones are that I enjoy being able to find it. It is a fast mover though. When I first started watching it, it was near Scorpio and now it is way the heck over in Leo and moving. So I like that challenge. > > The other side of the coin is that it hasn’t lived up to my expectations from what I have read as far as appearance and brightness that was expected, or as I may have read into the information that was available. From an urban backyard I could never find it with the unaided eye and even in binos it turned out to be fairly faint. > > > I have a neighbor who is a high school science teacher and I was waiting for Lulin to get spectacular so I could invite him and his students over for a look at it, but the spectacular part never happened. So, as far as asking someone to come over at 5:30 am to show them what was under spectacular in a 100mm APO I couldn’t get the courage to do so. > > So for me, I enjoyed it for the challenge, I enjoyed seeing something that wasn’t a gray fuzzy but had some interesting color to it. It isn’t something I would get someone out of bed for. > > Patrick or someone mentioned that there are usually 1 or 2 good ones a year. Lulin probably wan't one of them but it was fun for me to practice on. > > Jim > > > > > --- On Tue, 2/24/09, daniel turner <outwest112@???> wrote: > > From: daniel turner <outwest112@???> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Lulin -- obs report > To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@???> > Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 5:04 PM > > Howard: > > One of the best kept secrets about Utah is that a half tank of gas will get you > a pretty darn good dark site and back. A full tank will get you to a > spectacular site. But you have to be willing to leave behind your LazyBoy > reccliner and the TV remote. > > Another secret is about comets. While we only rarely have one bright enough to > see without optical aid, we quite often have them bright enough for binoculars, > and if you're willing to drag out an eight inch telescope, there are a half > dozen within reach almost always. Currently we have 2 binocular comets and 4 > more visible in an 8 inch SC. Monitor the comet observer's discussion group > on Yahoo and you will always be up to date about current targets. > > DT > > > --- On Tue, 2/24/09, Howard Jackman <sumoetx@???> wrote: > > > From: Howard Jackman <sumoetx@???> > > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Lulin -- obs report > > To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@???> > > Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 11:41 AM > > That's so interesting Chuck because I did the same last > > night around 1:30am from my backyard in West Jordan with the > > 15x70 binos and I found the view very fascinating > > (doesn't take much to impress me, can you tell I > > don't get out much?) Your description of it was spot on > > although it seemed much larger than M-13 to me. I enjoyed > > being able to view it in the same FOV as Saturn, and it was > > bright enough to remain visible even as clouds raced by in > > front of it. It seemed to me to be more diffuse and > > elongated than I had expected especially from left to right. > > I haven't looked at many pictures of it in the last few > > weeks so I was expecting a tighter fuzz ball. I wanted to > > grab some wide field photos but the wind was too much for my > > little tripod. > > > > Howard > > > > > > --- On Tue, 2/24/09, Chuck Hards > > <chuck.hards@???> wrote: > > > > > From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@???> > > > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Lulin -- obs report > > > To: "Utah Astronomy" > > <utah-astronomy@???> > > > Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 9:03 AM > > > I caught it in a 15x70mm bino last night from > > mid-valley, > > > between the > > > clouds. What a huge letdown. It looked like M-13 on > > a bad > > > night. > > > > > > I heard J. Kelly Beatty on NPR yesterday afternoon > > talking > > > about it. This > > > is one of those astro events that should NOT be > > publicized > > > too loudly. > > > > > > If you live in the sticks, your view is probably much > > > better, but since 90% > > > of the population lives where the light pollution is, > > most > > > people are going > > > to be underwhelmed- IF they even manage to spot this > > > non-event. > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > > > Utah-Astronomy@??? > > > > > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > > > Visit the Photo Gallery: > > http://gallery.utahastronomy.com > > > Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > > Utah-Astronomy@??? > > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > > Visit the Photo Gallery: http://gallery.utahastronomy.com > > Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com > > > > > > > >

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Lulin -- obs report
by Chuck Hards 24 Feb '09

24 Feb '09

You, my friend, have it TOO good! *:o) * On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 9:33 AM, Rob Ratkowski Photography < ratkwski(a)hawaii.rr.com> wrote: > Hi Chuck > > > We caught Lulin again on Saturday at 9:15 our > site has a rise to the east of about 15-20º so I > would suspect that Lulin was visible an hour > earlier.

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Spreadsheet for polar alignment
by Jerry Foote 24 Feb '09

24 Feb '09

Hi Kurt, Would you mind sending me a copy of your alignment spreadsheet? Thanks. Jerry Foote ScopeCraft, Inc. 4175 E. Red Cliffs Dr. Kanab, UT 84741 435-899-1255 jfoote(a)scopecraft.com

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I'm glad Bruce won
by Patrick Wiggins 24 Feb '09

24 Feb '09

I was scanning some pictures recently (I'm converting all my old slides, prints and negatives to digital files) when I cam across one from 1975 labeled simply "Potential astronomy site". I've posted it here: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/astrosite1975.jpg It's an aerial shot I took back when we were trying to decide where to put SLAS's observatory. Anyone recognize the area? I didn't at first but since my flight log indicated the flight originated in Bountiful and went to the old Tooele city airport I guessed it was probably somewhere out around the "Little Stonehenge" site near Grantsville. But looking at Google Earth I could not find anything out that way where the roads matched those in the picture. So I recreated the flight by starting at Bountiful airport and "flew" the most likely route I would have taken to Tooele. Eventually I did find it but only because the "end of a crescent wrench" shaped feature in the upper right of the photo still exists. Turns out we had been considering a site in the SL valley near 5600 W and 1400 S. Looking at what Google Earth shows in that area today, I'm glad we went with Bruce Grim's suggestion and located the observatory in Stansbury. patrick p.s. And for those who love to fly, here's a video I received today showing a "wheels up" landing as seen from inside the plane. For those who may not know the loud beeping sound is the warning one gets in a retractable gear aircraft when in the landing configuration but with the gear up. The text that accompanied the email indicated the pilot did not forget, rather there was a malfunction and the gear would not come down. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hMn7ZweF6s&feature=related

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Horsehead kit
by Patrick Wiggins 24 Feb '09

24 Feb '09

Tonight's sucker hole lasted just long enough for me to shoot a couple of color kits of the Horsehead Nebula. I've posted one at: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/HORSE2009FEB24.ZIP Contents: 5 clear (luminance) 2 green 2 red 3 blue 1 dark 1 flat for clear 1 flat for green 1 flat for red 1 flat for blue All images were auto-guided, binned 3x3 and exposed for 2'. Have fun! patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] I'm glad Bruce won
by Jay Eads 23 Feb '09

23 Feb '09

Patrick, Very impressed with the landing in the video! Thanks for sharing it! On 2009-02-23 23:58, Patrick Wiggins wrote: > The site in the picture is definitely around 5600 W and 1400 S in the > Salt Lake Valley (have a look on Google Earth). But you're right > about Bill's site being in the Cedar Valley. Bill went so far as to > form a non-profit corporation and had the site surveyed. But now it's > turned into Eagle Mountain. > > Clear skies, > > patrick > > > On 23 Feb 2009, at 08:52, erikhansen@??? wrote: > > >> Hi Patrick, > > > > I think that was a site Bill Kelly liked. It is about a mile east of > > Cedar > > Fort. As I remember we drove past the Sky Diving Airport in Cedar > > Valley > > to get there. > > > > Erik > >

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Spreadsheet for polar alignment
by Canopus56 23 Feb '09

23 Feb '09

Jerry wrote: > Would you mind sending me a copy of your alignment spreadsheet? Jerry, The spreadsheet, which just digitizes the spreadsheet in the 1991 S&T Sinnott-Baldwin article, can be downloaded from: http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/astromath/Polarmisalignmen… I will send you an article copy offline. Some qualifiers: 1) I consider it a dated technique. The spreadsheet seeks to progressively minimize polar alignment errors from the 1 deg range to a 3 arcmin error range by looking at the difference between measured and ephemeris star positions. This technique has been supplanted by polar drift alignment and polar drift alignment optimization tools built into, I understand, Maxim DL, and into K3CCDTools. Nonetheless, not finding a comparable spreadsheet anywhere on the web, IMHO the Baldwin spreadsheet was information worth preserving for future use by digitizing it, so I ported the article's spreadsheet formulas to Excel. 2) The Baldwin article has two principal residual applications, IMHO. a) The article and spreadsheet was a good learning exercise for studying the trignometry behind the fundamental astronomical spherical right triangle. I found standard texts on spherical trignometry to be a bit thick and uninteresting without some practical exercises. It's important to understand where all the gee-whiz computerized features in our modern telescopes come from, in order to properly understand the limitations of their use. I was reminded of this last Saturday when I update synched an alignment star in my hand controller that was a wee-bit too close in RA to only other alignment star in a two star alignment. I assume the sin or cos function failed as a result and on the next slew, the alt-az mounted scope started doing comical loop-d-loops before I could rip the power cord out. b) It is useful for high-precision alignment of GEM mounted scopes where the northern sky and Polaris is obscured from view, e.g. - the south facing backdoor of my apartment or both the SLAS Grimm and Ealing scopes which are blocked to a north Polaris view. Using Baldwin's spreadsheet, you can systemactically reduce the error in GEM polar alignment down to a range where the more modern technique of video or CCD camera assisted polar drift alignment can be done. But I do not use Baldwin's spreadsheet regularly for this purpose, only on those rare occassions if I am forced to by circumstances. (I'm just lazy. It is easier in north blocked locations to just set up an alt-az computerized goto, whose internal computer doesn't care if you can't see Polaris or not. -:)) Clear Skies - Kurt

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Three New Images Posted
by Tyler Allred 23 Feb '09

23 Feb '09

Hello SLAS, It is galaxy season, and I just added three new images to my website, including: M106 (shown during my talk last week), M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy), and M63 (the Sunflower Galaxy). Here is a link to the "Latest Images" page of my website, where you will find the new additions. Be sure to click on them a few times to see the full versions. http://www.allred-astro.com/gpage8.html I am headed out of town for a few days, but I will add these to my SLAS gallery when I get home. M51 and M63 were taken with my new Starlight Xpress SXVF-H16 camera, which I think I am really going to enjoy. These two images were collected on Thursday and Friday nights. The new camera has a square sensor shape which gives a different feel to the images. I included brief descriptions of the objects as well. Let me know what you think of this new batch of photons! :-) Cheers, Tyler _____________________________________________

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FocusMax
by Jerry Foote 22 Feb '09

22 Feb '09

Hi Joe, Your question about FocusMax and Vista brought to mind my first time using and installing FocusMax. There are three areas that can cause problems: 1. Not having ASCOM installed on your system. See http://ascom-standards.org/ for the latest version. 2. Not having either CCDSoft or MaxumDL installed and configured for your camera. 3. Not having either a RoboFocus or Optec TCF focuser installed on your telescope and the software installed and configured. Not having these will give an error. Larry Weber and Steve Brady have done a very nice job with this program. I have used it for about 5 years on both of my telescopes without any problem. The OS has been Windows 2000Pro and Windows XP Pro. I have not used FocusMax on a Vista machine but all of the above required software applications are Vista compatible so it should work. One problem that has plagued me when I need a serial port on my Vista Laptop is the USB to Serial adapter. Half of the ones I have tried are flakey. My best luck has been with one made by Cables Unlimited. "Your experience may vary" For those not familiar with FocusMax; Larry & Steve use an algorithm that all of us that have used with our eyes to focus a telescope, that is move the focuser in and out and observe the size of a star's image. When it is smallest the telescope is in focus. The major stumbling block for automating this procedure is how to measure the size of the out-of-focus star, particularly when it is so far out of focus that the secondary forms a shadow. Their method handles this very well. For a complete discussion of their method go to http://users.bsdwebsolutions.com/~larryweber/ITSPaper.htm One night when trying to deduce the focus drift with temperature on my 24", I ran FocusMax every five minutes and recorded the focus position and the temperature for the complete night. It was very revealing, not only for the drift but what time of night the focus position was the farthest from the start of the night (04:00 on a summer night). Jerry Foote ScopeCraft, Inc. 4175 E. Red Cliffs Dr. Kanab, UT 84741 435-899-1255 jfoote(a)scopecraft.com

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