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

SLC LDS Church to participate in Urban Lights Out Day Saturday 8:30PM
by Canopus56 27 Mar '09

27 Mar '09

In conjunction with http://www.earthhourus.org/ Sat 8:30pm Local Time - Clear Skies - Kurt ============================= From the Trib 3/27 http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12004849 Earth Hour puts focus on climate change Saturday Lights out LDS Church, Utah's capital city join worldwide event By Judy Fahys The Salt Lake Tribune Updated: 03/27/2009 11:18:54 AM MDT Many times the Las Vegas Strip and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don't see eye to eye, but they will this Saturday. During "Earth Hour," Sin City and the iconographic temple of the Saints go dark for 60 minutes beginning at 8:30 p.m. local time as part of the worldwide effort to focus on climate change. The World Wildlife Fund, organizer of Earth Hour, has signed up 2,400 cities in 82 countries. That's eight times as many participants as last year, when more than 36 million people took part. The lights-off hour is called a potent symbol of what can happen through collective action. "Climate Change is a growing international crisis no country can afford to overlook," said Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak. "Global warming negatively impacts the environment as well as the health and livelihoods of people worldwide. "Earth Hour heightens awareness and brings hope to the preservation of our shared planet's precious environment today and for generations to come." Salt Lake City will be participating by turning off the lights at the downtown City County Building. Marriott hotels worldwide will be a part, as will McDonald's, the National Geographic Society, Wells Fargo and other businesses. The lights on the Salt Lake Temple will be turned off 8:30 - 9:30 p.m., said LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter. But lights associated with public safety, including those illuminating the sidewalks and visitor centers on Temple Square, will remain on. "Prudent stewardship and wise use of resources are principles that Church leaders have emphasized throughout the history of the Church," said Trotter. "The Church encourages its members to join with their fellow citizens in supporting worthy programs that will make their communities better places to live and raise their families." fahys(a)sltrib.com

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Facebook?
by Richard Tenney 27 Mar '09

27 Mar '09

Anyone else here besides myself and David Dunn on Facebook? It's a pretty fun social network forum (and it's free). Might be nice to create a Utah-Astronomy group there too. Any takers...?

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Musing about light
by daniel turner 27 Mar '09

27 Mar '09

The nature of light is where we first ran into the strange world of quantum mechanics. The best way I've found to understand it is to consider emission and adsorption to be the realm of particles and everywhere in between light acts like waves. Einstein and Plank first demonstrated photons and their properties a century ago, yet all of optics has to do with the wave nature of light. I had a college physics course where we passed a laser through a pair of slits and noted the interference effects of light. Covering up one of the slits and the interference disappeared. Back to two slits, we cranked the light intensity down until the energy was so low that only one photon a time was in the space between the source and the screen. Then we carefully measured the flux at the target and by moving the detector around we could see that the interference pattern was still there. Each individual photon actually went through both slits and interfered with itself. Modern interference studies are done with light from two widely spaced telescopes that is combined into an interference pattern. Each photon recorded has passed through both Keck I and Keck II at the same time. DT

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Musing about light
by Joe Bauman 27 Mar '09

27 Mar '09

A few thoughts about the source of all our visual astronomy, light: http://deseretnews.com/blogs/1,5322,10000034,00.html?bD=20090326 Many thanks, Joe

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] LED suggestions
by Jim Gibson 27 Mar '09

27 Mar '09

Hi Chuck, I am glad it fits your needs. It is sure helpful to me. It has so many features I like. The brightness is adjustable, tilt to light up subject, duel switches for white/red light and best of all hands free. They advertise a 30 hour life span. I swear I have had mine go longer than that. Of course I use mine on low brightness and mostly the one red led. Yep, it’s a good one. I got my Digital Tracking System back from Losmandy and so I have been setting up all my equipment in my living room. I had to make myself a cheat sheet to be sure I get the procedure down for getting the scope, Canon XT, and Orion StarShoot Autoguider all working together. I have been tracking that street light down the block. So far it hasn’t moved. I have also been building a Dark Library of about 25 dark frames of different exposures and ISOs by temperature in increments of about 5 degrees. Then I make a master dark form those. 25 dark frames should give me 5x noise reduction. The other night before the snow came I set up in my backyard and took some flats. They are throw aways of course, but I wanted to go through the procedure and check out the flats. I won’t be able to do it at a star party because I have to hold up a florescent light in front of my flat mask. I need to get a light box. I am looking forward to putting that parallelogram together. I want to do the Messier list with the 25x100s for starters. I would like to hear what you have to say about the other items you have in transit. Jim

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Of photons and film (update)
by Joe Bauman 27 Mar '09

27 Mar '09

Nice work, Patrick. I am wondering if you could get the Schmidt camera to hold a chip instead of film .... Not to put down your film work at all, but it would be so much faster and you wouldn't need to worry about reciprocity failure with color film. Just a thought, Joe --- On Fri, 3/27/09, Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> wrote: From: Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)wirelessbeehive.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Of photons and film (update) To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Friday, March 27, 2009, 12:34 AM I had the slides at the SLAS meeting but Dave didn't have the projector for his usual slide presentation so I did not show them. And when I got home and inspected them at high magnification I discovered the stars were all perfectly round donuts. Grumble. Suspecting (hoping) it might have been a problem with the film holder I modified it and dug out some very old Tri-X (more flashbacks Chuck?) and shot 4 five minute unguided shots of the area around NGC-2683. Using chemistry I'd mixed years ago I processed one of the shots and while the old chemistry didn't work all that great it worked well enough to be encouraging. So I mixed up new chemistry (ah, the smell of stop bath) and tonight developed the other three images. Despite being frozen, the 20+ year old film had degraded a bit but worked well enough to show me the camera is still focused and producing sharp results. So I guess today I'll go buy a fresh roll of film and see what kind of results I get. Here BTW is a 1200 DPI scan of one of the images I developed tonight: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/ngc2683.jpg Remember that the original is a single frame of 35mm film. Even blown up to the full size of the monitor the stars are still tiny and well focused. Now if a nice, bright comet would just stop by... patrick On 15 Mar 2009, at 23:03, Patrick Wiggins wrote: > As I enter this I've got the clock turned back 10 years in my observatory and photons from M-42/42 are falling on film in my Schmidt camera. > > At least I hope that's the part of the sky I'm imaging. The camera has no viewfinder so one has to set it up, take a picture, develop the picture and then see where it's pointed. > > And I forgot just how big a pain it is to insert the film carrier. > > I'll be in SLC tomorrow and will see if I can find some place to process the film (Bill C., Does Inkley's still do E-6?). If nothing else, it'll be fun to walk into a camera shop and see the clerk's reaction to being presented with a roll of film. :) > > Hopefully I'll find some place and will be able to pick up the finished product in time for Tuesday's SLAS meeting. > > For those wanting more info on Schmidt cameras: > http://www.robertreeves.com/repair.htm > > Carpe Noctem! > > patrick _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Musing about light
by Joe Bauman 27 Mar '09

27 Mar '09

That's really a cool concept, Chuck! Thanks, Joe --- On Fri, 3/27/09, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> wrote: From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Musing about light To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Friday, March 27, 2009, 12:50 AM Insightful musings, Joe, thanks. Consider, too, that the photon that enters your eye, in many cases, is a tiny piece of the object you are looking at. It's been called the "Photon Connection" by others. Gazing up at M31 under a pristine desert sky, actual particles of M31 itself have entered your eyeball and are absorbed by your body. Photons from an entire galaxy of stars, winnowed and thinned by vast distance, still make it in small numbers. Like cosmic salmon, though many start the journey in all directions, only a few make it across the unimaginable intergalactic depths into the absurdly small aperture of your pupil. There they impact your retina and trigger neurons, bringing you a picture of their stellar birthplace, a community of suns absurdly distant in time and space. And yet, there it is. One can dissect the physical connection with physics and biology, attach caveats and conditions, but the poetry of the process is too elegant to permit it, in polite society. ;o) 2009/3/26 Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> > A few thoughts about the source of all our visual astronomy, light: > > http://deseretnews.com/blogs/1,5322,10000034,00.html?bD=20090326 > > _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Colorful Doubles - Mon to Cnc
by Jim Gibson 27 Mar '09

27 Mar '09

Kurt, Thanks for all the good work you share. I like doubles :>) Jim --- On Thu, 3/26/09, Canopus56 <canopus56(a)yahoo.com> wrote: From: Canopus56 <canopus56(a)yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Colorful Doubles - Mon to Cnc To: "Utah Astronomy List Serv" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Thursday, March 26, 2009, 12:21 PM The following list was originally proposed in early March 2009. Objects on this final list has been completely reviewed. The following is an observing list with respect to my continuing color-contrast-doubles urban-astronomy interest. Because of the deteriorating weather situation (at my local op) and the advancing first quarter moon, I've posted it before completing a review of the entire target list, so others interested in looking at a few targets can do so. For the Mon through Cnc frame, stars with good-to-showcase color contrast (plus bet Mon) are: eps Mon (yellow-tint blue) bet Mon (double white) 15 Mon (white-tint yellow) STF1019(white-blue) Herschel 3945 145G CMa Winter Alberio (yellow-blue) STF1183 (white green-blue-shade) zet Mon (yellow-grey) SAO98013 Center of M44 triple asterism SAO98020-SAO98021 Center of M44 quad iot Cnc Spring Alberio (yellow-blue) The entries start with SAO numbers because that is what I use in my GOTO hand-controller. I understand that both Meade and Celestron hand-controllers have the SAO list. Where an SAO number is not returned by a handcontroller, lookup and use the direct RA-Dec coordinates. This observing list was developed by reviewing color contrast double lists such as Mullaney, Haas and Belmont and then preparing a short list of candidate targets. The candidate list was then reviewed using a 4 1/4 inch short GOTO reflector from an urban light polluted site to determine the practicality of seeing the objects from an urban setting. This list was also expanded to include three prominent carbon stars in this observing frame. Because the portion of the night sky west from Orion is dominated by anti-spinward Orion-Cygnus Arm white OB stars, I wanted to fill-in with some more color. Clear Skies - Kurt MON TO CNC COLOR CONTRAST DOUBLES FOR URBAN SKIES (EAST ORI TO MON) ID SAO113810 Constellation Mon AltNames - Name - HD44769, HIP30419 CommentsSec eps Mon, 8 Mon, 4.4v, 6.5v, 12.1sep, 29pa, 2004,Haas:showcase yellow-lilac,A5IV,- RA 062346 Dec +043534 CommentsMisc - Observation note Showcase pair with contrast per Haas representation. A small gap with white primary and light blue fainter secondary. Very pleasing. Fairly close gap at 40x; wide pair at 100x. Nice pair. ID SAO95659 Constellation Mon Name - HD45725, HIP30564 AltNames bet Mon; 11 Mon; Herschel's Wonder Star CommentsSec 4.7v,5.2v,7.3sep,132pa,2000,Mullaney:blue-blue-blue,0.148kpc,B2 RA 062849 Dec -070158 CommentsMisc - Observation note At 40x appears as single star. At 100x, appears as an easy, split, two nearly equal white stars with a tiny, but distinct gap. A nice warmup for a start of this run with no color contrast. ID NGC2244 Constellation Mon AltNames Rosetta Neb Open Cluster CommentsSec - RA 063224 Dec +045200 CommentsMisc - Observation note Showcase cluster listed for completeness ID SAO114258 Constellation Mon Name - HD47839, HIP31978 AltNames 15 Mon; STF950 CommentsSec 4.6v,9.9vAa-C,16.6sep,14pa,2002,Haas:triple-lemon-white-with-silver,-,- RA 064059 Dec +095344 CommentsMisc At base of Christmas Tree Cluster FG 9.0v,10v,39.5sep,263pa,2002,-,-,- Observation note Two faint stars to the north of 15 Mon at the base of the Christmas Tree Cluster. 15 Mon is white. All three detectable at 25x. At 100x, lemon color of beta barely detectable. In 4.25 inch, thrid faint C star is barely detectable. Faint double to the east of 15 Mon and the triangular corner asterism at the east base of the Christmas Tree is STF952. Struve designations not consistent with Washington Double Star. Is a complex multiple system with two other embedded systems. That it is a complex system is its main attraction. STF951, also in cluster is a similar complex multiple star system. ID NGC2264 Constellation Mon AltNames Christmas Tree Cluster CommentsSec - RA 064106 Dec +095300 CommentsMisc - Observation note Showcase cluster listed for completeness ID SAO152363 Constellation Mon Name - HD53755, HIP34234 AltNames STF1019 CommentsSec 6.5v,9.6vAC,38.5sep,295pa,2004,Haas:whte-blue-triple,-,- RA 070550 Dec -103940 CommentsMisc Triple with AB 6.5v-10.1v,6.4sep Observation note Faint white primary with nice blue fainter secondary. Tertiary not visible. Nice contrast on the primary. ID SAO173349 Constellation Cma Name - HD56577, HIP35210 AltNames 145G Cma, Herschel 3945, Winter Alberio CommentsSec 4.2v, 6.8v,26.6sep,-,-,Showcase yellow-blue pair,-,- RA 0716.6 Dec -2319 CommentsMisc Winter Albireo Observation note Showcase case - exactly as the name implies. ID SAO115756 Constellation CMi AltNames alf CMi, 10 CMi, Procyon CommentsSec 0.4v,11.7v,148.4sep,p17a,1984,Smyth:yellow-white-several-small-stars,-,F5IV RA 073918 Dec +051330 CommentsMisc - Observation note Mullaney and Haas do not list Procyon as double - just a pretty star field per Mullaney. As Mullaney notes, this is a pretty field-of-view that we often do not take the time to appreciate, since it is an alignment star. But the Washington Double Star catalogue shows this as a complex mulitple star system. The more refined CCDM shows Procyon as a triple. CCDM07393+0514. ID SAO135505 Constellation Mon Name - HD67159, HIP39675 AltNames STF1183 CommentsSec 6.2v,7.8v,30.6sep,328pa,2004,Haas:lemon-white-with-green-white,-,B9.5IV RA 080627 Dec -091442 CommentsMisc - Observation note Showcase - nice bright white green-blue tint wide gap pair. Good color contrast. ID SAO135551 Constellation Mon Name - HD67594, HIP39863 AltNames zet Mon; STF1190 CommentsSec 4.4v,10.1vAB,33sep,105pa,1998,Smyth:yellow-gray-blue,-;G2I RA 080836 Dec -025902 CommentsMisc Triple AC 4.4,9.7v,64.7sep,247pa,2002 Observation note Secondary too faint to give good color contrast, but is pleasant system, easy to find. ID SAO97645 Constellation Cnc Name - HD68256, HIP40167 AltNames zet1 Cnc; 16 Cnc; STF1196AB CommentsSec 5.6v,6.6v,0.98sep,52pa,2000,Mullaney:triple-yellow-yellow-yellow,-,F7V RA 081213 Dec +173852 CommentsMisc West of M44 Observation note: Could only split 5.9" AB-C - at 100x. A nice white yellow pair. Excellent but not showcase. ID SAO97646 Constellation Cnc Name - HD68255, HIP40167 AltNames zet2 Cnc; 16 Cnc; STF1196AB CommentsSec 5.6v,6.6v,0.98sep,52pa,2000,Mullaney:triple-yellow-yellow-yellow,-,F8V RA 081213 Dec +173852 CommentsMisc West of M44 Observation note - Could only split 5.9" AB-C - at 100x. A nice white yellow pair. Excellent but not showcase. ID SAO98013 Constellation Cnc Name - HD73618, HIP42497 AltNames - CommentsSec 6.9v,11.9v1.4sep,292pa,2000,Belmont:yellow-orange-white-triple,-,Am RA 083956 Dec +193311 CommentsMisc In center of M44 Observation note - Obvious small triangle asterism off in one corner of central M44 field. Looks orange-blue-blue or yellow-lilac-lilac. This triple and STF1254 are good multiples to know about when presenting M44 at star parties. ID SAO98020 Constellation Cnc Name - HD73709, HIP42549 AltNames - CommentsSec 6.5v,9v,20.5sep,24pa,2000,Belmont:orange-white-quad,-,F2III RA 084021 Dec +194111 CommentsMisc In center of M44 Observation note - Could only make out three stars in quad - 6.0, 6.5 and faint 7.2. Some white-yellow contrast on 6.0-6.5, Mostly pretty due to setting in center of M44. ID SAO98021 Constellation Cnc Name - HD73710, HIP42549 AltNames STF1254 CommentsSec 6.0v,7.2v,10sep,25pa,2004,Haas:yellow-yellow-olive,-,F8V RA 084022 Dec +194012 CommentsMisc In center of M44 Observation note - Could only make out three stars in quad - 6.0, 6.5 and faint 7.2. Some white-yellow contrast on 6.0-6.5, Mostly pretty due to setting in center of M44. ID M44 Constellation Cnc AltNames - CommentsSec - RA 084024 Dec +194000 CommentsMisc - Observation note ID SAO80416 Constellation Cnc Name - HD74739, HIP43103 AltNames iot Cnc; 48 Cnc; Spring Albireo; STF1536AB CommentsSec 4.2v,6.6v,30.5sep,307pa,2000,Belmont:yellow-blue,0.1kpc,G8Iab RA 084642 Dec +284536 CommentsMisc - Observation note - Showcase obvious yellow-blue Alberio look-alike. ID SAO61125 Constellation Cnc Name - HD75959, HIP43721 AltNames 57 Cnc; Struve (STF)1291 CommentsSec 6.1v,6.6v,1.4sep,316pa,2000,Mullaney:yellow-yellow,0.112kpc,G7III RA 085415 Dec +303446 CommentsMisc N.e. of iot Cnc Observation note - No color contrast but good nearly equal white-white pair for split test of small refractor. ID SAO98230 Constellation Cnc Name - HD76221, HIP42549 AltNames X Cnc; AAVSO0849+17 CommentsSec 6.2v,Mullaney:Stellar ruby RA 085523 Dec +171353 CommentsMisc Red carbon variable Observation note - Showcase nice deep orange color. ================== Some supplemental suburban-rural sky doubles with color contrast - too faint for urban skies ID SAO152427 Constellation CMa Name - HD54361 AltNames W CMa CommentsSec 6.7v, carbon star RA 070803 Dec -115522 CommentsMisc - Observation note - Nice deep dark orange color. Recommend as suburban-rural target; not urban target. ID SAO80425 Constellation Cnc Name - HD74857 AltNames gam Cnc; 43 Cnc; STF1967; Asellus Borealis CommentsSec 4.7v,8.1v,106.3sep,66pa,2000,-,0.050kpc,A1IV RA 084715 Dec +213235 CommentsMisc - Near M44. Recommend for suburban-rural skies. Not urban target. Observation note - (From suburban skies) Bright white A star with superwide faint sea blue companion. Companion may not be observable from urban setting. ID SAO61177 Constellation Cnc Name - HD76813, HIP44154 AltNames sig01 Cnc CommentsSec 5.7v,10.2vAC,77sep,24pa,2003,Haas:triple-yellow-gray-gray,-,A8 RA 085933 Dec +322507 CommentsMisc - Recommend for suburban-rural sites. Not urban target. Observation note - (From suburban site). White-faint blue primary. Probably not visible from urban site. ================= This post is a continuation of my posts that concerning on my current observing focus: "after-work urban-astronomy". Urban astronomy focuses on using easily set up GOTO scopes across for seasons to view astronomical objects from urban light-polluted skies. As opposed to deep sky object emphasis, urban astronomy concerns bright objects visible with small apetures e.g. - open clusters, double stars, planetary and solar system objects. Having family, friend and work obligations like the rest of you, I will try to limit referenced targets to those observable prior to local midnight. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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Of photons and film
by Patrick Wiggins 27 Mar '09

27 Mar '09

As I enter this I've got the clock turned back 10 years in my observatory and photons from M-42/42 are falling on film in my Schmidt camera. At least I hope that's the part of the sky I'm imaging. The camera has no viewfinder so one has to set it up, take a picture, develop the picture and then see where it's pointed. And I forgot just how big a pain it is to insert the film carrier. I'll be in SLC tomorrow and will see if I can find some place to process the film (Bill C., Does Inkley's still do E-6?). If nothing else, it'll be fun to walk into a camera shop and see the clerk's reaction to being presented with a roll of film. :) Hopefully I'll find some place and will be able to pick up the finished product in time for Tuesday's SLAS meeting. For those wanting more info on Schmidt cameras: http://www.robertreeves.com/repair.htm Carpe Noctem! patrick

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BYU Astrofest, Saturday 16 May
by Richard Tenney 26 Mar '09

26 Mar '09

BYU AstroFest From: "Heather Jones" <denebstarlight(a)yahoo.com> To: uvaa(a)mailman.xmission.com BYU will be hosting AstroFest on May 16, 2009, in celebration of The International Year of Astronomy. This free event will include planetarium shows, evening star parties, demonstrations, interactive activities, and displays for all ages! If you would like to get involved in AstroFest please contact me by e-mail; my address is: denebstarlight(a)yahoo.com Thank you! Heather P. Jones

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