October 2010 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Patrick gets around!
by Joe Bauman 02 Oct '10

02 Oct '10

Hi all, I'm a member of the SBIG discussion group, which just had this posting. Obviously, people around the world are impressed with Patrick's comet pic. -- Joe --- On Fri, 10/1/10, Rogelio Bernal Andreo <rba(a)deepskycolors.com> wrote: From: Rogelio Bernal Andreo <rba(a)deepskycolors.com> Subject: Re: [SBIG] Re: 103P/Hartley 2 To: SBIG(a)yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, October 1, 2010, 5:03 PM > http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/103PHARTLEY20101001.GIF > This was posted on the MPML group #24282 by Patrick Wiggins. Now that was nice! Thanks for posting! Steve, "clear skies" would be "cielos despejados" but we usually just wish each other "buenos cielos" which literally means "good skies" :-) Cheers, Rogelio __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (8) Recent Activity: New Members 6 New Files 2 Visit Your Group MARKETPLACE Stay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get the Yahoo! Toolbar now. Get great advice about dogs and cats. Visit the Dog & Cat Answers Center. Hobbies & Activities Zone: Find others who share your passions! Explore new interests. Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use . __,_._,___

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My trip to the planetarium
by sfisher01＠comcast.net 01 Oct '10

01 Oct '10

Ok, maybe I'm just grousing but I thought I would post my experience from yesterday. I had reason to be downtown at the Gateway Center. I thought after my business was done around noon that I would walk over to the Clark Planetarium. I walked in the front door to find them busy putting up displays etc. and very busy. I thought nothing of it and of course went over to the dusty telescope display. I was looking at the Orion XTG in a 10". No not my kind of scope but I have to admit that a 10" goto for $1,095.00 is unbelievable in my opinion. While I was looking and kind of laughing about all the dust on the displays a young man walked up to me in a Clark shirt and asked if I was "with the conference group". I said no, I was "just looking at telescopes" and "thinking about going to a show". He told me in no uncertain terms that the planetarium was "closed to the public" and that I would "have to leave". I simply said "OK" and proceeded to exit. I looked back over my shoulder as I went out the main entrance door at the hours posted on the door and found that I was within their normal hours of operation. Still walking around and quite a walk to the west I found a small A-frame sign stating that the planetarium was closed until 5:30 PM. The sign was in an alcove far from the front entrance. Actually it was next to the alcove where the downtown people leave their whiskey bottles. I couldn't help but turn and take a cell phone picture of the sign with the empty half gallon whiskey bottle in the same frame. Someone who has dealings with them may want to suggest to the planetarium that there may be some things they can do to improve their public perception. Maybe a little training for the security forces and maybe a little trip around the building to police the empty bottles before the public and the private party show up. Me, I have just decided that it will be a cold day in hell before I make a planned trip back. I may stop again but only if I am in the area. Now if I can just find a place to post this story with the picture I took. I'm just sayin'. Steve

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Comments to Daniel
by Kim 01 Oct '10

01 Oct '10

Wow, I really screwed up. My apologies to both Daniel and everyone on this list. I meant that last post to go directly to Daniel, and him alone, but I forgot to change the address. I am red-faced and chagrinned. To paraphrase Rhett Butler, I apologize to everyone for all of my many faults. Daniel, I am truly sorry. Kim

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] My trip to the planetarium
by sfisher01＠comcast.net 01 Oct '10

01 Oct '10

I guess I will have to apologize for posting this. I did not realize that there had already been a thread discussing my trip to the planetarium yesterday. I will look more deeply into the archives before posting again. Nate, I have enjoyed your company at the public and private gatherings we have attended together in the last two months since you joined the club. I believe you to be a fine young man and an asset to both SLAS and here on Utah Astronomy. I'm not sure how old Kim is but he is closer to my generation than yours. I'm sure of that. We come from a generation where "The customer is always right". It has been twisted now days to as you say "The customer is always the customer". I'm not saying you are wrong or that Kim and I are right but I can tell you having grown up in the Food Service Industry in the 60's and knowing people from retail who made less than me and took much more abuse than I did that serving people had an entirely different meaning then than it does now. I get sick to my stomach when I go get my car or truck serviced and they announce over the loud speaker that there is a "guest" waiting. I am NOT a guest at the dealership. I AM a customer and I want to be served and get a fair value for my money. No more no less. When I got home from my first club meeting I felt as though I had spit up in my mouth. Thanks to Bill Cowles, Siegfried and Patrick and a few others for helping me feel more welcome at events that followed. I can't help but think that I have been responsible for turning a few people off myself when I was in the middle of alignment or learning a new routine on my equipment and someone attending their first event asked me a question and my response may have been curt or abrupt. I'd love to get them back and apologize but that's not likely to happen. I can only try to do better in the future and I will. I would have guessed that this is a wonderful venue to discuss star party etiquette and welcoming people to astronomy, SLAS or other clubs and Utah Astronomy as well as discussing astronomy the science. Am I wrong? Steve ----- Original Message ----- From: "daniel turner" <outwest112(a)yahoo.com> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Friday, October 1, 2010 5:53:24 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] My trip to the planetarium Yes. Kim. In addition to attending most public SLAS events in the last 7 years, I also go to observing sites that are not SLAS events over the last 16 years. I meet many people who quit SLAS or who never bothered to join after attending a few events. I always ask them why. Many of them tell me EXACTLY why they do not belong. Often at great length. My point is that we already have had a long running thread on the list about the evils of the Planetarium. It went nowhere and solved nothing. We don't need to do it again. DT --- On Fri, 10/1/10, Kim <kimharch(a)cut.net> wrote: > From: Kim <kimharch(a)cut.net> > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] My trip to the planetarium > To: "'Utah Astronomy'" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Date: Friday, October 1, 2010, 4:18 PM > Daniel, I've been involved with SLAS > for over 22 years. Until I moved to > Sanpete I probably attended SLAS public star parties as > regularly as anyone, > sometimes going an entire season without missing a single > event. I've never > heard a complaint from our guests, either during or after a > star party. I > have to question if you know of even a few, if any, who > have had bad > experiences at SLAS events. Please, be honest: Do you > really know of > "dozens" of such people? > > Kim > > > -----Original Message----- > From: utah-astronomy-bounces(a)mailman.xmission.com > [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] > On Behalf Of daniel > turner > Sent: Friday, October 01, 2010 4:42 PM > To: Utah Astronomy > Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] My trip to the planetarium > > I know of dozens of people who have had very unplesant > experiences from SLAS > members or at SLAS events. Recounting them all would > be really boring. > > Every one has an occasional bad day. It's best to be > big enough to overlook > it. > > And we've done it all before many times so it's down right > tiresome. > > This is very much a "glass house" moment. > > DT > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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] My trip to the planetarium
by sfisher01＠comcast.net 01 Oct '10

01 Oct '10

Kim: Thanks for your thoughts. I'm just getting tired of waiting in long lines and being on hold for an extended period of time just to give people my money. I had thought about the SLAS gallery but somehow it just didn't seem right. I'll e-mail you a copy off list if you like. Steve ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kim" <kimharch(a)cut.net> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Friday, October 1, 2010 4:24:17 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] My trip to the planetarium Steve, I don't think you're grousing at all. There's no excuse for the kind of behavior that you encountered. I agree with you: service shouldn’t be a department, counter or single person. Sadly, these days the customer is seldom right. Why don't you post the pic to the gallery? (I'd love to see it.) Kim -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces(a)mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of sfisher01(a)comcast.net Sent: Friday, October 01, 2010 2:17 PM To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: [Utah-astronomy] My trip to the planetarium Ok, maybe I'm just grousing but I thought I would post my experience from yesterday. I had reason to be downtown at the Gateway Center. I thought after my business was done around noon that I would walk over to the Clark Planetarium. I walked in the front door to find them busy putting up displays etc. and very busy. I thought nothing of it and of course went over to the dusty telescope display. I was looking at the Orion XTG in a 10". No not my kind of scope but I have to admit that a 10" goto for $1,095.00 is unbelievable in my opinion. While I was looking and kind of laughing about all the dust on the displays a young man walked up to me in a Clark shirt and asked if I was "with the conference group". I said no, I was "just looking at telescopes" and "thinking about going to a show". He told me in no uncertain terms that the planetarium was "closed to the public" and that I would "have to leave". I simply said "OK" and proceeded to exit. I looked back over my shoulder as I went out the main entrance door at the hours posted on the door and found that I was within their normal hours of operation. Still walking around and quite a walk to the west I found a small A-frame sign stating that the planetarium was closed until 5:30 PM. The sign was in an alcove far from the front entrance. Actually it was next to the alcove where the downtown people leave their whiskey bottles. I couldn't help but turn and take a cell phone picture of the sign with the empty half gallon whiskey bottle in the same frame. Someone who has dealings with them may want to suggest to the planetarium that there may be some things they can do to improve their public perception. Maybe a little training for the security forces and maybe a little trip around the building to police the empty bottles before the public and the private party show up. Me, I have just decided that it will be a cold day in hell before I make a planned trip back. I may stop again but only if I am in the area. Now if I can just find a place to post this story with the picture I took. I'm just sayin'. Steve _______________________________________________ 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] My trip to the planetarium
by sfisher01＠comcast.net 01 Oct '10

01 Oct '10

I've heard that as well but this had nothing to do with that relationship. I was just one guy making a trip to the planetarium. It would be unacceptable behavior for a restaurant, bar, service station, (is there such a thing) grocery store, movie theater or whatever. I'm amazed now days by the corporate types and others who sit around a complain about how bad the economy is and can't figure out how to make things better. Like I said "I was just one guy" but if they treat me that way they are treating everyone that way and then wonder why business is down. Ok, I admit it is my age, but in my world customer service is not a department. Steve ----- Original Message ----- From: "Debbie" <astrodeb(a)beyondbb.com> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Friday, October 1, 2010 2:28:53 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] My trip to the planetarium I've heard relations between SLAS and the Clark Planetarium have been cool in the past. I don't get it but that is what I've heard. Debbie On Fri Oct 1 14:16 , sfisher01(a)comcast.net sent: > > >Ok, maybe I'm just grousing but I thought I would post my experience from yesterday. > >I had reason to be downtown at the Gateway Center. I thought after my business was done around noon that I would walk over to the Clark Planetarium. I walked in the front door to find them busy putting up displays etc. and very busy. I thought nothing of it and of course went over to the dusty telescope display. I was looking at the Orion XTG in a 10". No not my kind of scope but I have to admit that a 10" goto for $1,095.00 is unbelievable in my opinion. > >While I was looking and kind of laughing about all the dust on the displays a young man walked up to me in a Clark shirt and asked if I was "with the conference group". I said no, I was "just looking at telescopes" and "thinking about going to a show". He told me in no uncertain terms that the planetarium was "closed to the public" and that I would "have to leave". I simply said "OK" and proceeded to exit. > >I looked back over my shoulder as I went out the main entrance door at the hours posted on the door and found that I was within their normal hours of operation. Still walking around and quite a walk to the west I found a small A-frame sign stating that the planetarium was closed until 5:30 PM. The sign was in an alcove far from the front entrance. Actually it was next to the alcove where the downtown people leave their whiskey bottles. I couldn't help but turn and take a cell phone picture of the sign with the empty half gallon whiskey bottle in the same frame. > >Someone who has dealings with them may want to suggest to the planetarium that there may be some things they can do to improve their public perception. Maybe a little training for the security forces and maybe a little trip around the building to police the empty bottles before the public and the private party show up. > >Me, I have just decided that it will be a cold day in hell before I make a planned trip back. I may stop again but only if I am in the area. > >Now if I can just find a place to post this story with the picture I took. > >I'm just sayin'. > >Steve >_______________________________________________ >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] My trip to the planetarium
by Debbie 01 Oct '10

01 Oct '10

I've heard relations between SLAS and the Clark Planetarium have been cool in the past. I don't get it but that is what I've heard. Debbie On Fri Oct 1 14:16 , sfisher01(a)comcast.net sent: > > >Ok, maybe I'm just grousing but I thought I would post my experience from yesterday. > >I had reason to be downtown at the Gateway Center. I thought after my business was done around noon that I would walk over to the Clark Planetarium. I walked in the front door to find them busy putting up displays etc. and very busy. I thought nothing of it and of course went over to the dusty telescope display. I was looking at the Orion XTG in a 10". No not my kind of scope but I have to admit that a 10" goto for $1,095.00 is unbelievable in my opinion. > >While I was looking and kind of laughing about all the dust on the displays a young man walked up to me in a Clark shirt and asked if I was "with the conference group". I said no, I was "just looking at telescopes" and "thinking about going to a show". He told me in no uncertain terms that the planetarium was "closed to the public" and that I would "have to leave". I simply said "OK" and proceeded to exit. > >I looked back over my shoulder as I went out the main entrance door at the hours posted on the door and found that I was within their normal hours of operation. Still walking around and quite a walk to the west I found a small A-frame sign stating that the planetarium was closed until 5:30 PM. The sign was in an alcove far from the front entrance. Actually it was next to the alcove where the downtown people leave their whiskey bottles. I couldn't help but turn and take a cell phone picture of the sign with the empty half gallon whiskey bottle in the same frame. > >Someone who has dealings with them may want to suggest to the planetarium that there may be some things they can do to improve their public perception. Maybe a little training for the security forces and maybe a little trip around the building to police the empty bottles before the public and the private party show up. > >Me, I have just decided that it will be a cold day in hell before I make a planned trip back. I may stop again but only if I am in the area. > >Now if I can just find a place to post this story with the picture I took. > >I'm just sayin'. > >Steve >_______________________________________________ >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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Capitol Reef and Colorado Plateau Night Skies Event
by Ann House 01 Oct '10

01 Oct '10

Fellow astronomers, Please take note of the invitation to the Heritage StarFest. They are hoping to see many there. -A [image: NPCA header]<http://my.npca.org/site/R?i=T2i2nAJwXFtXvnm3xm1EwQ..> [image: Night Sky] Dear Bill, You're invited to join NPCA for the 1st Annual *Heritage StarFest* outside Capitol Reef National Park! Events include family astronomy activities, SKYLAB, telescopes, constellation "tours" and more. Be sure to come visit us at the NPCA table to learn more about the importance of night skies to our national parks. * WHAT:* *Heritage StarFest<http://my.npca.org/site/R?i=hLwOO96u9V5GHKyCEXYw_w..> *, Capitol Reef and Colorado Plateau Night Skies Event *WHEN:* Events will take place on Friday, October 8 & Saturday, October 9. Please click here <http://my.npca.org/site/R?i=CeqSkUyikTck_9PhbEjWEA..>for a schedule of events. *WHERE:* Lyman Park, Lyman, Utah<http://my.npca.org/site/R?i=wiYO5ZODSx_aGbNJhoxdjg..> *WHO:* NPCA, the International Dark Sky Association, Colorado Plateau Chapter, and local businesses. *CONTACT:* Please contact NPCA's Karen Hevel-Mingo if you have any questions at khevel-mingo(a)npca.org. We hope you can join us at this special event. Sincerely, [image: karen] Karen Hevel-Mingo Program Manager Southwest Region NPCA | 1300 19th Street, NW | Suite 300 | Washington, DC 20036 | 800.NAT.PARK | npca(a)npca.org [image: Powered By Convio]<http://my.npca.org/site/R?i=kSF2AxZ1syMeLob8dOuung..>

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Comet Hartley
by Patrick Wiggins 01 Oct '10

01 Oct '10

Tonight I noticed I'd just passed 103 nights of imaging in my observatory this year. 103 reminded me of Comet 103P/Hartley (yeah, my mind is wired weird). So to commemorate the event I shot a series of 13 ten second exposures of the comet each spaced 5 minutes apart between 0901 and 1004 UTC (0301-0404 MDT) and strung them together in an animation. Specs: C-14 @ f/5.5, ST-10 binned 3x3, C filter, FOV ~ 18' x 26'. North is up, east to the left. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/103PHARTLEY20101001.GIF I didn't do anything "heroic" to the raw files other than apply a master dark and master flat and remove several hot and cold pixels. If anyone would care to have a go at bringing out more cometary structure I'd be happy to email them the originals. patrick

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Heritage StarFest
by stormcrow60＠xmission.com 01 Oct '10

01 Oct '10

Hi All, I did not see anybody post about this. This is an event co-sponsored by the NPCA http://www.heritagestarfest.com/home Jon

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