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

Another "Project Pix" (M-97)
by Patrick Wiggins 09 May '10

09 May '10

For the image processors on the list I've just posted some raw data for M-97: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/m97.zip Clear skies, patrick

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Come to SPOC
by Patrick Wiggins 08 May '10

08 May '10

Probably too late if you're not already here, but the skies here at SPOC this evening are really nice. And you should see Saturn! Very nice. And kudos to Joe and Jay for passing their refractor refreshers this evening. And now back to the Big Scope. patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Atlas or CGEM?
by Chuck Hards 08 May '10

08 May '10

I checked some on-line Pelican prices, but for the size I"m after, ~30" x 20" x 10", they are over $200 even discounted. I actually got the surplus aluminum medical case for $67 since I have a membership at sportsmansguide.com. My Tundra case was about a hundred bucks, 30 years ago when I bought it at Camera Den in SLC, and it's only the size of a small suitcase. But still in great shape! On 5/8/10, Rob Ratkowski Photography <ratkwski(a)hawaii.rr.com> wrote: > Hi Chuck > > I bought my case thru Boss Safety Products in OC,CA it was about $80 > but my wife brought it to Hawaii I'm not sure how big the CGEM is > so you may have a point but I have seen some big Peli cases for > fairly low prices on eBay and Craigs list.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Atlas or CGEM?
by Chuck Hards 08 May '10

08 May '10

Rob, I use a Tundra case for my eyepieces (similar to pelican) but I'll be damned if I can find one big enough for the mount for less than $250-$300. You must have bought yours some time ago, or the GP-DX is much smaller. The medical case is aluminum, plenty good for the mount. I'll buy foam sheets from the army-navy store on Redwood Road. Couple more bucks. On 5/8/10, Rob Ratkowski Photography <ratkwski(a)hawaii.rr.com> wrote: > Chuck > > For that price of a used medical chest check and see if you can > find a Pelican case way better and more convenient I have my > GP-DX in a Peli case, cost $80 NEW and it doesn't weigh 26lbs > > > > 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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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Atlas or CGEM?
by Canopus56 08 May '10

08 May '10

> Are you still using the 127mm refractor on it? Yes, but infrequently. It's remains my primary lunar scope. Right now I'm concentrating on using a 2008 Meade ETX 125 as my primary after work scope (whenever this solar minimum wet-weather pattern ends). > I greatly appreciate the offer to borrow your Atlas, but just a couple of hours of the two of us > using it at SPOC one night . . . Bill Cowles also shows up using an Atlas - although I seem to recall he has moved on to something else as his scope-de-jure. Others here may know. - Kurt

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Star party in Provo South Fork Canyon is a GO
by Richard Tenney 07 May '10

07 May '10

In case anyone cares to change their minds, the clear sky clock at BYU says it should be favorable for tonight last I checked (this morning). I'll be up in the canyon tonight (Friday) regardless. Help is always welcome! Clear skies, /R

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Project Pix part 2
by Canopus56 07 May '10

07 May '10

Patrick - Two quick processing attempts posted to the SLAS gallery. Patrick, I'll delete the pics in a couple of days. Wiggins' McNaught http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3378 Difference image, negative inverted on Wiggins' McNaught http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3381 (shows additional structure in core at comet head - 1) sunward pointing initial evaporative sphere and 2) initial trailing gas dust tail.) - Clear Skies - Kurt

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M-101 & M-97
by Patrick Wiggins 07 May '10

07 May '10

I spent most of the night finishing up the tests I've been running recently. But I had some dark time left when I finished that so I got an hour of 5 minute exposures of M-101 and 50 minutes of 5 minute exposures of M-97. All shot at f/5.5, unbinned (1x1) through clear filter. Here are a couple of quick and dirty versions (I've learned not to put much time into processing as other folks on this list do much better than I can <g>): http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/10197.jpg And for those who might want to try their had at working with the raw files here are the M-101 image, flat and dark files (about 59 MB): http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/m101.zip I'll remove those and post the M-97 data in a day or two (not enough room on the server for both sets). Well, light is starting to shine through the curtains. Time to turn in. It's been a great night! patrick

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The Pit is Calling . . .
by JayLEads 06 May '10

06 May '10

Humidity only around 50% in the early, early a.m. (between 4am and 6am) and it is looking good for tonight humidity wise. Winds are gusting to 22mph and that is a concern but they often drop after sunset. AccuWeather has it as a 8 out of 10 for viewing tonight: http://www.accuweather.com/us/ut/herriman/84096/outdoor-astronomy.asp and ClearSkyClock at Camp Floyd, http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/ CpFldPUTkey.html?1 shows good transparency from 8:00a.m. til 3:00a.m. So I'll gamble it. Hope others are going to get out tonight.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Virgo Supercluster galaxy imaging - some face-on spirals
by Canopus56 06 May '10

06 May '10

Joe wrote: > What about showing this to the club at one of the monthly meetings? Happy to do that. The UofU net is fast enough for real time downloading. On practical limitation is it would be something for next winter. The only active roboscope covering the west U.S. is in New Mexico via GRASS. That has the same observing hours as Utah. With summer hours now in effect, it will be daytime in both New Mexico and Salt Lake between 7:30pm and 9:00pm MDT until October or November. - Kurt

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