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

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Latitude/Longitude list
by Joe Bauman 17 Jun '09

17 Jun '09

Hi Chuck, I have some for my own favorites, like the Wedge Overlook, which is 39.06 N, 110.44 W. You can find almost any location by checking out the U.S. Geographic Nameserver at http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=116:1:3028946113452536. Best wishes, Joe --- On Tue, 6/16/09, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> wrote: From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Latitude/Longitude list To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 7:47 PM Does anyone have a list of the local (Utah) observing sites with their respective latitudes and longitudes? I've been using the app. in Google Maps to find them, but it's time consuming. I'm hoping somebody has already done the legwork. If not, I may just bite the bullet and buy a GPS. I'm getting disconcertingly lazy, the older I get. Harrumph. _______________________________________________ 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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Latitude/Longitude list
by Chuck Hards 17 Jun '09

17 Jun '09

Does anyone have a list of the local (Utah) observing sites with their respective latitudes and longitudes? I've been using the app. in Google Maps to find them, but it's time consuming. I'm hoping somebody has already done the legwork. If not, I may just bite the bullet and buy a GPS. I'm getting disconcertingly lazy, the older I get. Harrumph.

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ISS and STS-127 Solar Transits
by Jared Smith 16 Jun '09

16 Jun '09

Hi all! First post here. Thanks for providing this venue for sharing one of my passions - http://smithplanet.com/astro Assuming STS-127 gets off the ground tomorrow, it looks like we should have some good, early morning observations of it and ISS over the next couple weeks. I checked CalSky for sighting times and found that ISS will transit the sun at both 6:22am and 12:41pm on the 18th near Snowville in Northern Utah. Now the shuttle will not yet be docked to ISS at that time, but it should be no more than a minute or two behind ISS, which should almost certainly provide an opportunity for observing one or two shuttle transits of the sun also - though the centerline location may be slightly different. We will know better once we get orbit data on STS. Anyway, I thought I'd pass this along if there are any solar astronomers/photographers out there that might want to try their hand at catching an ISS and possibly a very rare shuttle transit - something akin to http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/3531410425/ Jared Smith

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] LCROSS media notes
by Canopus56 16 Jun '09

16 Jun '09

============== June 18, Thursday - NASA TV Coverage Starts 11am PDT, 12PM MDT, 2PM EDT (18UT) 2 p.m. [EDT] - LRO/LCROSS Launch Coverage and Commentary (Launch Opportunities are at 5:12, 5:22 and 5:32 p.m.) - KSC (Public Channel) Source: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html ============== NASA TV - http://www.nasa.gov/ntv ================= June 15, 2009 Update The LRO and LCROSS launch was moved to June 18 to accommodate space shuttle Endeavour's June 17 liftoff. If Thursday's liftoff of LRO and LCROSS is postponed 24 hours, the launch times Friday are 6:41 p.m., 6:51 p.m. and 7:01 p.m. Saturday's opportunities are 8:08 p.m., 8:18 p.m. and 8:28 p.m. [On June 18] There will be three launch opportunities from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 5:12 p.m., 5:22 p.m. and 5:32 p.m. EDT. Source: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/launch/index.html ================= June 18, 2009 Launch coverage at Ames Research Center in the Bay Area of Northern California beginning 1pm PDT (2pm MDT) for launch at 2:12pm PDT (3:12 MDT) (5:12 EDT) Members of the public are invited to the Ames Exploration Center at 1:00 p.m. PDT on June 18, 2009 to view the live televised launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS – two missions that will return to the moon during the year that NASA celebrates the 40th anniversary of Apollo. The LCROSS mission, managed by NASA Ames Research Center, will seek a definitive answer about the presence of water ice at the lunar poles by impacting on the moon’s surface. The launch will be preceded by informative, non-technical talks about the mission. More information: NASA's return to the moon will get a boost in June with the launch of two satellites that will return a wealth of data about Earth's nearest neighbor. Using a suite of seven instruments, LRO will help identify safe landing sites for future human explorers, locate potential resources, characterize the radiation environment and test new technology. LCROSS will use the spent second stage Atlas Centaur rocket in an unprecedented way that will culminate with two spectacular impacts on the moon's surface. In addition to looking for the presence of water, LCROSS also will increase knowledge of the mineralogical makeup of some of the remote polar craters that sunlight never reaches. The satellite represents a new generation of fast development, cost capped missions that use flight proven hardware and off the shelf software to achieve focused mission goals. The spacecraft will launch together June 18 aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with the first launch opportunity at 2:12 p.m. PDT. Two subsequent launch opportunities are at 2:22 p.m. PDT and 2:32 p.m. PDT. The launch will be preceded by special programming that begins at 1:00 p.m. PDT. Featured speakers include Dr. Michael Bicay, Director of Science at NASA Ames, who provide information about the LRO/LCROSS mission; Dr. David Morrison, Senior Scientist and Interim Director of the NASA Lunar Science Institute, who will discuss the science of the mission and the implications of finding water; and Dr. Steven Zornetzer, Associate Director at NASA Ames. Launches are subject to change. For current information on the launch status, and for more information about LCROSS, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/main/ Source: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/events/2009/06-18-09.html

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Solar activity
by Canopus56 16 Jun '09

16 Jun '09

I haven't had the time to go out at noon, but Spaceweather and SOHO are showing many good prominences over the last few days. IME (in my experience) prominences are best visible within an hour either side of solar transit - which means taking a peek at lunch hour during the work week. - Kurt SOHO Pic http://spaceweather.com/images2009/16jun09/latest_eit_304.gif?PHPSESSID=is0… Spaceweather June 15 - amateur time lapse movie of currrent large prominence http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=15&month=06&year=2009

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Titan Shadow Transit
by Joe Bauman 16 Jun '09

16 Jun '09

I just got it. D'OH! --- On Tue, 6/16/09, Troy Davidson <clandaith(a)gmail.com> wrote: From: Troy Davidson <clandaith(a)gmail.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Titan Shadow Transit To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 10:27 AM The sad part is it took me a few seconds to get that. I was thinking real hard what the heck reyelid and leyelid was. I guess that's what I get for waking up so early. ;) hehehe ++++++++++++++++++ Troy Davidson On Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM, Rodger C. Fry<rcfry(a)comcast.net> wrote: > Troy, > > I saw the shadows of reyelid and leyelid at 5:00 AM this morning. > > Some of us must be more dedicated than others. > > Rodger > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Troy Davidson" <clandaith(a)gmail.com> > To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 9:10 AM > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Titan Shadow Transit > > > What! I was looking at Saturn around 10:15 just to see how the rings > looked. I didn't even know Titan was transiting. I would have payed > more attention to Saturn. DOH! > > On a side note, I did see Io and Ganymede's shadows on Jupiter at 5 > this morning. > > ++++++++++++++++++ > Troy Davidson > > > > On Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 8:52 AM, Don J. Colton<djcolton(a)piol.com> wrote: >> >> Did anyone else see the Titan shadow transit last night. I set up my 8" >> Celestron Ultima about 9:30 PM. I couldn't see it at the beginning around >> 9:40-10:00 PM, but it was easily visible at 320X and 400X by 10:30 PM and >> I >> observed it until about 11:00 PM. It was barely visible at 160x, but very >> easy at 320X. >> >> The shadow was just above the rings. >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________________ 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] Astronomical Bulletin Board
by Canopus56 16 Jun '09

16 Jun '09

Good calendar list. NASA's PR machine has really been going into high gear lately - not a negative thing IMHO. Here's the NASA LRO intro trailer - which plays more like a movie trailer made by George Lucas: http://tinyurl.com/kuwtpa Half way through this, I expected to see the Death Star or the Enterprise D swing on screen. Clear Skies - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Solar activity
by Richard Tenney 16 Jun '09

16 Jun '09

LOL, out of the frying pan into the fire - with no sign of the Utah monsoon season letting up a bit, it's time for me to fly to Sweden tomorrow! No more nighttime for me for the next few weeks (not that I'm complaining or anything... ;) Hej då! --- On Mon, 6/15/09, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> wrote: > From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Solar activity > To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Date: Monday, June 15, 2009, 10:18 PM > Three tiny prominences on the solar > limb hardly signal a return to activity > (even though they were all about the size of the earth), > but at least it's > something. Perhaps something is about to rotate into > view. Stay tuned! > (etalon joke). > > On Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 9:33 PM, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> > wrote: > > > Look like it's still a minimum? -- Joe > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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Astronomical Bulletin Board
by Joe Bauman 15 Jun '09

15 Jun '09

With apologies to Patrick's News, this blog is a bulletin board of things astronomical: the SLAS meeting tomorrow, the Bryce festival, launch and impact of LCROSS and a new show about LCROSS at Clark Planetarium. http://www.deseretnews.com/blogs/1,5322,10000034,00.html?bD=20090615] Thanks, Joe

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Solar activity
by Joe Bauman 15 Jun '09

15 Jun '09

Look like it's still a minimum? -- Joe --- On Mon, 6/15/09, Rodger C. Fry <rcfry(a)comcast.net> wrote: From: Rodger C. Fry <rcfry(a)comcast.net> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Solar activity To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Date: Monday, June 15, 2009, 9:17 PM Chuck, I was about to set up the clubs PST this evening because for the first time in weeks it is clear skies. I decided not to after visiting the SOHO site which showed the same old image that we have seen for the past year. Glad to hear that you made the effort and it turned out good. I might have to try this tomorrow morning if it is still clear. Rodger ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Hards" <chuck.hards(a)gmail.com> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 8:23 PM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Solar activity > I took the PST out in the back yard a little while ago, to check the sun > before it got too low and dipped behind the neighbor's trees. > > Well, whatdya know! A group of 3 little prominences on the limb. A spike, > a broad feather, and a thin tendril. All three slowly morphed for the > fifteen minutes I watched them. My best views were with a 16mm Erfle and > 12mm Konig, no Barlow. No obvious active regions were noticed on the solar > disk itself. > _______________________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________________ 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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