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

Finding M81-M82 in the Coma Sculptor Group
by Canopus56 22 Apr '10

22 Apr '10

M81 and M82 northwest of UMa's big dipper asterim are showcase objects for which one can practice star hoping via bright locator stars using binos from a urban light polluted observing point. Showcase galaxy overview chart of UMa - Spring Orientation 41 deg north latitude http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3256 I like to star hop to M81-M82 from a west entry at omicron UMa (Muscida): M81-M82 finder chart in spring orientation for 41 deg north latitude http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3259 Using 5 deg binos under a light polluted mag 4.0 sky, from omi UMa the wing-v asterism anchored by pi2 UMa (SAO14616). Once the wing asterism is found, slewing to the west reveals a prominent triangle asterism anchored by rho UMa (SAO14742). Finally, single star 24 UMa (v4.6) is found. From 24 UMa, a right ascension slew of about 1 degree using a 1 degree TFOV telescope eyepiece should run across the M81-M82 galaxy pair. Showcase galaxies of Ursa Major provide an instructive lesson on 2D projections of objects on the celestial sphere verseus their actual 3D structure. M82, M82, M101, M108 and M109 all are physically within the constellation of UMa, they are members of different galaxy groups at different differences. M81 and M82 (and M51 and M101) - although in UMa - are part of the closer Coma Sculptor Galaxy Group and not the UMa Group - 3D Chart of the Coma Sculptor Galaxy Group Z-Y galactic plane view http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3244 Color coding - Dark Blue Local Group Red Coma - Sculptor Cloud Green - dark Leo Cloud Green - light Leo Spur Purple Triangulum Spur Teal Virgo Cluster and Southern Extension Yellow - dark Fornax Cluster and Eridanus Cloud Yellow - light Dorado Cloud Black Not coded in this view In contrast, UMa 108 and M109 are part of the much more distant Ursa Major Galaxy Group: 3D Plot of Ursa Major Group http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3262 Color coding - Red Ursa Major Cloud Red - light Ursa Major Southern Spur Green - dark Canes Venatici - Camelopardalis Cloud Green - light Canes Venatici Spur Purple Cetus - Aries Cloud Teal Virgo-Libra Cloud Yellow - dark Pegasus Cloud Yellow - light Pegasus Spur and Perseus Cloud Black Not coded in this view The star hop from omicron UMa is good after work practice with binos to prepare for finding M81-M82 with a telescope during a dark sky weekend. Clear Skies - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Ratkowski on EPOD
by Jay Eads 21 Apr '10

21 Apr '10

Luck had nothing to do with it! Tremendous. To perhaps add on to your post I was looking at the SOFIA images and an interview a BBC science reporter did with those on board SOFIA and felt they needed your photo and quick story to explain why they want to fly at over 40000 ft (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8636012.stm) . What I thought was really cool was watching this modified door from January open and close on the modified 747. Here is that link http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Movie/SOFIA/HTML/EM-0095-29.html and I thought that the photography was just downright cool! View it at the 18.5 MB if possible. On 2010-04-22 01:25, Rob Ratkowski Photography wrote: > I was lucky .......... > >

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Solar Dynamics Observatory - first light
by Chris 21 Apr '10

21 Apr '10

Interesting imagery here: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/Gallery/SDOFirstLight.html

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M-57 in daylight (!)
by Patrick Wiggins 21 Apr '10

21 Apr '10

http://tinyurl.com/2bmpdsr patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Observing report
by Debbie 21 Apr '10

21 Apr '10

Joe, I love barred spirals. Have you checked out M61 in Virgo? I think my favorite barred spirals are NGC 1097 in Fornax and NGC 1300 in Eridanus. They are often imaged by astrophotographers. I look forward to reading your article. Debbie On Sun Apr 18 22:58 , Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> sent: >Baby (my telescope) and I spent last night at the Wedge, Campground 7 as my favorite site was taken. Actually, I was lucky to find that place, with so many other campers present. The next campground, I think it was called 7A, had a huge house-size camper with sometimes squally kid, a generator and a barking dog -- but I drowned 'em out when I got my generator going. Temps dropped pretty swiftly but I was all right with a heavy jacket, parka and watch cap. The night was supposed to be clear, according to the NWS, but actually there was a dark cloud mass to the east and I suspect thin clouds overhead. It never got really dark, even after moonset. I attribute that to light bouncing off a cloud cover. But mostly the viewing was all right. I enjoyed studying the Ring Nebula (M57), the Dumbell (M27), M51, and a new favorite, M66. I could barely make out M100, a big face-on sprial galaxy in the Virgo Cluster; basically I saw only a vague oval mottling with my > least powerful eyepiece. I was taking a couple of preliminary luminance views of M66, a beautiful S of a barred spiral, when a breeze kicked up and bounced my scope around so badly that Igave up on longer exposures. I had trouble with balancing Baby with the guidescope refractor attached, with two CCD cameras and a finder scope. So it didn't track as well as it should have. But thanks to Steve Dodds' fine resurfacing of my secondary, and my cleaning the corrector plate, the telescope is delivering better views than ever. My generator either ran out of gas or gave up because it needed oil, and I turned in to sleep in the Jeep before dawn. I think I'll do a blog about M66 because barred spirals are so interesting. -- 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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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Ratkowski on EPOD
by Canopus56 21 Apr '10

21 Apr '10

Thanks, Jay. Rob is the head of the Haleakala branch of the Salt Lake Astronomical Society, runs the SLAS's amateur astronomer hostel near the beach on Maui and occasionally posts here. -;) Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Observing report
by Debbie 21 Apr '10

21 Apr '10

Joe, I love barred spirals. Have you checked out M61 in Virgo? I think my favorite barred spirals are NGC 1097 in Fornax and NGC 1300 in Eridanus. They are often imaged by astrophotographers. I look forward to reading your article. Debbie On Sun Apr 18 22:58 , Joe Bauman <josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com> sent: >Baby (my telescope) and I spent last night at the Wedge, Campground 7 as my favorite site was taken. Actually, I was lucky to find that place, with so many other campers present. The next campground, I think it was called 7A, had a huge house-size camper with sometimes squally kid, a generator and a barking dog -- but I drowned 'em out when I got my generator going. Temps dropped pretty swiftly but I was all right with a heavy jacket, parka and watch cap. The night was supposed to be clear, according to the NWS, but actually there was a dark cloud mass to the east and I suspect thin clouds overhead. It never got really dark, even after moonset. I attribute that to light bouncing off a cloud cover. But mostly the viewing was all right. I enjoyed studying the Ring Nebula (M57), the Dumbell (M27), M51, and a new favorite, M66. I could barely make out M100, a big face-on sprial galaxy in the Virgo Cluster; basically I saw only a vague oval mottling with my > least powerful eyepiece. I was taking a couple of preliminary luminance views of M66, a beautiful S of a barred spiral, when a breeze kicked up and bounced my scope around so badly that Igave up on longer exposures. I had trouble with balancing Baby with the guidescope refractor attached, with two CCD cameras and a finder scope. So it didn't track as well as it should have. But thanks to Steve Dodds' fine resurfacing of my secondary, and my cleaning the corrector plate, the telescope is delivering better views than ever. My generator either ran out of gas or gave up because it needed oil, and I turned in to sleep in the Jeep before dawn. I think I'll do a blog about M66 because barred spirals are so interesting. -- 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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Fw: Jasper Curve now $45
by Richard Tenney 21 Apr '10

21 Apr '10

In honor of, um, today!, we're offering the Jasper Curve at just $45 - that's more than 50% off the regular price! The Jasper Curve sets the standard for green lasers. Each Curve is microprocessor programmed to the exact legal limit of 4.99mw and produces a bright green beam that's visible up to 5 miles. To get your $45 Jasper Curve, just go to JasperLaser.com and place your order now because supplies won't last long! Best Regards, The Jasper Laser Team P.S. Visit Facebook.com/JasperLaser to become our Facebook fan. On May 25, we'll choose one lucky winner for a free 50mw Laser Module and Laser Pointer Kit! Visit our Facebook page for details. JasperLaser.com 4386 NW Crescent Valley Dr, Corvallis, OR 97330 — To order by phone call 877-388-7362

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Way to go Patrick!
by Steve FISHER 19 Apr '10

19 Apr '10

Once again great film of Patrick! I did record it on DVD should anyone wish to see it. Had Patrick had a bigger part I probably would have posted to Youtube. KSL says they are going to post a link to the diaper bag tests. I have not checked to see if it is there (yet). Not as spectacular as a bowling ball.

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A new animation / Also "Not a bowling ball this time"
by Patrick Wiggins 19 Apr '10

19 Apr '10

Some here might remember "The Great Bowling Ball Experiment" of a few years back: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/METEOR01.HTML Well, I got a call from KSL last week which led to a piece set to air tomorrow (Monday) on KSL channel 5's Studio 5 between 11:00 am and noon. This time we didn't use a bowling ball and this time we had a (brave) video guy down below. :) On another matter, there's a minor planet making a relatively close approach at the moment so after last night's star party and ATS I came home and shot a few dozen images of 2005 YU55 and assembled them into an animation. Lots of clouds as you'll see. Also a number of hot pixels that I may eventually remove. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=68&g2_page=4 Clear skies, patrick

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