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

Observing Area in Wester Colorado
by JayLEads 21 May '10

21 May '10

Question for others here. Steve Coe a member of the Saguaro Astronomy Club an author is looking for a place to camp and observe in Western Colorado. Here is what he is looking for : "I am travelling in my RV this Summer and I am looking for a dark site in western Colorado. I know of the National Monument, but I would like to get a little further away from the lights of Grand Junction. I will need a road good enough for the Winnebago and my tow car. I am travelling with Tom and Jeannie Clark, the former editors of Amateur Astronomy Magazine. So, a nice, big, dark, easy to reach meadow would be great. Somewhere around Ouray, maybe." Just thought some with lots of experience here may have some insights.

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Jupiter's Stripes
by Dave Gary 21 May '10

21 May '10

Speaking of Jupiter's stripes.... http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/05/how-jupiter-got-its-stripes.h…

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Friday June 18, 2010 Ealing
by JayLEads 20 May '10

20 May '10

I just wanted to let others know that I signed up for the Ealing on June 18th, and I have asked Patrick to put a note in the news. If anyone is new like me with that scope and would like to come out and share time using it that night that is the purpose for signing up. IF anyone with experience wants to come out and aid in our further learning you are most welcome also. I figure with all the bad weather lately maybe by then we can get some observing time in.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Weekend observing
by Jay Eads 20 May '10

20 May '10

Conditions are good for open clusters and double stars, and of course for observing along the terminator. My visual DSO's are all galaxies right now on the H400 and the moon will impact that activity. If I had my key to the Bogdan and had signed up, it would be a good night to use it for some of these items. Thought of making a private viewing party at SPOC but probably too late. Anyone game for a few hours, give me a call or post. I'd come out for practice on the Bogdan or even the Ealing. On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 6:55 PM, Rob Ratkowski Photography < ratkwski(a)hawaii.rr.com> wrote: > Chuck > > it's winded out here the summit has been at 45mph all day w/ gusts to > 72mph as the moon marches towards brightness, it's time to do other things > so I'm heading to the surf tomorrow > > > > aloha > Rob > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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Weekend observing
by Chuck Hards 20 May '10

20 May '10

Tonight's the night for observing in northern Utah, as far as the next few days are concerned. The entire weekend is shaping up to be a total washout. If you can, get out there tonight or you'll have a full moon about the time time the weather settles-down again.

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OT: Central Air Conditioning
by Chuck Hards 19 May '10

19 May '10

I've spent the last 2 days successfully installing central air conditioning in my home, after 21 years with a swamp cooler. By doing it myself, my only costs were about $1500 in components and needed hardware, plus a few hundred bucks to a friend with an HVAC license to help install it and buy the parts for a lot less than retail. By my calculations, I saved at least $2000 over awarding the job to some AC company. While at it, I installed a digital, computer-controlled thermostat, as well as performing a thorough furnace/blower cleaning. I was willing to live with the swamp cooler for a few more years, if I could have diverted the money toward astronomy, but incredibly, my wife thought that air conditioning was a much better investment. Go figure!

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Another blast from the past
by Chuck Hards 18 May '10

18 May '10

Fellow old-timers, remeber this classic? http://cgi.ebay.com/Criterion-Dynamax-8001-8-Schmidt-Cassegrain-EXCELLENT-/… The SCT that never quite caught-on. The cardboard tube and Criterion's infamous failure to deliver probably had a lot to do with it. I once ordered a heavy-duty equatorial mount from them. After a nine-month wait, I cancelled the order, and called Tom Cave. The Astrola was delivered in three weeks.

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The "Mice"
by erikhansen＠thebluezone.net 18 May '10

18 May '10

Hi All, I recall a discussion about viewing the Mice in Coma Bern with the Grim. Last Saturday we looked at them with the Grim when they were close to the zenith. Everyone agreed that the central cores could be readily seen, it was at best a split decision wether the tails or connecting nebulosity could be detected. Erik

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] OT: Utah Geology Price Highway
by Canopus56 18 May '10

18 May '10

Thanks, Rodger. - Kurt

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OT: Utah Geology Price Highway
by Canopus56 17 May '10

17 May '10

I have submitted three draft EPOD entries related to the roadcut geology of Utah's Highway 6 between Spanish Fork and Price, Utah. http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/geology/PriceHighway6Geology.html http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/geology/PriceHighway6GeologyNo2.html http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/geology/PriceHighway6GeologyNo3.html - and am planning a fourth and final submittal concerning the Book Cliffs and the Helper Face of the Cliffs. EPOD contains one prior okay image of the Book Cliffs. See the prior EPOD 2006 entry: http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2006/09/book-cliffs-utah.html I have an image of the Helper Face of the Book Cliffs - http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/geology/BookCliffsHelperFace.JPG - but would like to use something more dramatic as the base EPOD image. If anyone has a blow-your-socks-of-image of the Books Cliffs, let's say along the Green River to Moab turnoff or near Woodside along the Mt. Elliott section, and would be interested in having the image used in a proposed EPOD submittal, please let me know. Thanks. Clear Skies - Kurt canopus56 at yahoo dot com Also - Astronaut Photography of the Earth - Book Cliffs at Green River, Utah ISS018-E-10341 http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/photo.pl?mission=ISS018&roll=E&frame=…

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