July 2011 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC for 1 Neptune orbit? Also, from the funnies
by jayleads＠gmail.com 11 Jul '11

11 Jul '11

Question. How does this relate to going to SPOC and observing Neptune? Seems everytime this topic comes up we have people leave the board. I vote we get back to topic. Just my opinion. Patrick, I'd love to come out but class at 7:00a.m. comes early. This isn't turning out to be a fun summer. I hope others come out. Please let us know how it goes. Jay Sent from my LG phone "Don J. Colton" <djcolton(a)piol.com> wrote: >Jo, > >You still missed the point. In the Washington case, the teacher was not >fired for bringing up Genesis but for bringing up problems with standard >Neo-Darwinism posed by Stephen Jay Gould, the prominent Paleontologist. >Berlinski and Meyer do NOT discuss the bible or believe in a young earth. >Berlinski is an agnostic. > >-----Original Message----- >From: utah-astronomy-bounces(a)mailman.xmission.com >[mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Josephine >Grahn >Sent: Monday, July 11, 2011 1:04 PM >To: utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com >Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] SPOC for 1 Neptune orbit? Also, from the >funnies > >Just to a add to what Don said. As you can see from the link below, >the teacher was not fired for teaching that Darwin theories have >scientifically credible opposition, but for trying to put the story of >genesis in front of the class as an alternative view. I suspect that >we all would get just as upset if they taught the American Indian >views of the beginning of life, in science class, as a legitimate >alternative. I am fine with learning new science, and making >discoveries that that show us where the old science missed the boat. >The emphasis is on research and discovery. As soon as we make our >religious (God, idol, belief) a God of the Gaps, we diminish the value >of our beliefs, and the power of that which we believe in. > >Jo > >http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070325/NEWS0107/703 >250340/1001&nav_category= > >"On Wednesday, March 14, eight days into a new job teaching biology at >Sisters High School, Kris Helphinstine showed a class of freshman and >sophomore students pictures of naked corpses, a Nazi swastika and >Charles Darwin in a PowerPoint presentation. > >"What do these pictures have in common?" the 27-year-old part-time >teacher asked the 30 students. > >They listened as Helphinstine gave a roughly hourlong presentation, >explaining how the Third Reich perverted evolution and eugenics to >slaughter Jews and Gypsies in death camps to protect the "superior >race." > >On the Monday and Tuesday before giving the PowerPoint presentation, >Helphinstine had given the students supplemental material that >included an essay promoting creationism and links to >answersingenesis.org. > >That Web site is "dedicated to enabling Christians to defend their >faith, and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively." > >When parents found out, some quickly complained. As a result, >Helphinstine was put on leave Friday, March 16, and the Sisters School >Board voted to fire him last Monday. Only board member Steve Rudinsky >opposed the measure, saying the teacher should have received a second >chance." (And the article goes on...) > >Quoting "Don J. Colton" <djcolton(a)piol.com>: > > >> >> The Doonesbury cartoon, although funny, perpetuates the myth that >> Neo-Darwinism is settled science and that the opposition believes a fairy >> tale. Most of the new laws passed in several states allow the biology >> teachers or students to present other competing ideas to Neo-Darwinism. >In >> Washington State a biology teacher was fired for bringing up problems with >> Neo-Darwinism although he taught the theory in detail. >> >> Recent advances in information theory, a product to some extent of quantum >> mechanics, have called into question many of the cherished ideas of >> Neo-Darwinism. One of the main tenets of information theory is that in a >> closed system the amount of information cannot increase. David Berlinski, >a >> celebrated mathematician and an agnostic, wrote a seminal article called >> "The Deniable Darwin" in Commentary Magazine that was later developed into >a >> book by the same name. Stephen C. Meyer has written a recent >controversial >> book, "Signature in the Cell - DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent >Design" >> that raises many additional problems with Neo-Darwinism. >> >> Jun-Yuan Chen, Research Professor Nanjing Institute of Geology and >> Paleontology, said recently: "In China we can criticize Darwin but not the >> government. In America you can criticize the government, but not Darwin." >> >> I think we need to have a free and open exchange of ideas in high school >> biology as well as all other classes. Thomas S. Kuhn in "The Structure of >> Scientific Revolutions", notes how difficult it is for scientists to give >up >> cherished paradigms. >> >> Clear Skies, >> >> Don > > > >_______________________________________________ >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 > > >_______________________________________________ >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

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SPOC Wx tonight
by Patrick Wiggins 11 Jul '11

11 Jul '11

The weather here at SPOC is iffy at best. I just finished running Ian Glenn through Refractor Level 2 (congrats, BTW, to Ian for being the newest refractor operator) and Roger has the Grim open but it is mostly cloudy. Even had a few rain drops during class. I still plan on returning to SPOC shortly after midnight but I'd strongly suggest anyone planning on coming out ring me first (435.882.1209). Clear skies (please), patrick

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Total lunar eclipse APOD 7-12-2011
by Canopus56 11 Jul '11

11 Jul '11

Today's APOD: A Total Lunar Eclipse Over Tajikistan, a wide field time lapse of a recent total lunar eclipse, is worth watching. - Kurt http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html P.S. - Patrick, Although it looks cloudy tonight, yes, if you are going to open the refractor for Neptune 1 day, let me know when to show up.

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Three colorful double star images.
by Tyler Allred 11 Jul '11

11 Jul '11

Hi again all. I just added three images to my website that may be of interest to some folks. A few nights before ALCON, I tried imaging some colorful double stars. It was a first for me and my camera, although I have always enjoyed observing doubles. I chose three of my personal favorites: Albireo, Omicron Cygni, and 24 Coma. I picked these because they have stars with widely different colors. The three images are on my website. Be sure to click a couple of times to see the full versions. Cheers, Tyler LINK: http://www.allred-astro.com/gpage4.html

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Any interest in a SkyView Pro mount?
by Daniel Holmes 10 Jul '11

10 Jul '11

I'm looking at purchasing Don's Losmandy mount. (apologies for the weather). Anyway, if I buy it, I'll have to sell my Orion SkyView Pro mount. It's had the Intelliscope upgrade, and been a real performer at our public nights. It is not the GoTo version, but the PushTo... It's this one: http://www.telescope.com/Mounts-Tripods/Equatorial-Mounts-Tripods/Orion-Sky… I don't see the Intelliscope Upgrade kit anymore, just the GoTo kit... Is there any interest from those on the list to buy a used one? I haven't researched what I'd sell it for, but I need to balance the possibility of selling this mount to pay for the Losmandy. Thanks, Dan -- Daniel Holmes, danielh(a)holmesonics.com "Laugh while you can, monkey boy!" -- Lord John Whorfin

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NASA Administrator's Video About Final Shuttle Launch
by Patrick Wiggins 10 Jul '11

10 Jul '11

NASA Releases Administrator's Video About Final Shuttle Launch http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jul/HQ_M11-140_Bolden_Video.html BTW, it looks like Atlantis will not be visible from Utah during the current flight. patrick

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ATM at Mat's Saturday July 9th
by Jay Eads 09 Jul '11

09 Jul '11

I met to post this yesterday but I'll quickly post it now. I am in an intensive 2 week 2 class program right now and am in class as I type this. I'll be here until around 1:00p.m. today so I won't be able to make it. I have ordered all the stuff to make dew heaters (if you want to do this you can pay for materials when you make them, I ordered enough for about 4 scopes worth) but not all the parts will arrive until next week. We can do this in the August ATM project when life has slowed down for me at least. Sorry about the late notice on this. I also have purchased all the materials to make my new chair so that will be good. Still need to work on the mirror but there's been a complication with one . . . -- Jay Eads

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Weather at SPOC
by Jay Eads 09 Jul '11

09 Jul '11

Anyone know what the weather is like at SPOC? I feel the need to get away from all this course work for a while and was thinking of coming out for the star party. Clear Sky says it should be good until around 11:00p.m. but we've had thunderstorms and some rain this afternoon. Just checking. Jay -- Jay Eads

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James Webb Telescope in Danger/To be Canceled?
by Jay Eads 09 Jul '11

09 Jul '11

Not sure how many saw this one over at the Sky&Telescope sight: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/home/125133359.html "Yesterday the House Appropriations Committee unveiled its spending plan<http://appropriations.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=250023>for the coming fiscal year. Rather than adding the needed funds to speed JWST along, the cost-conscious Congress is looking to make deep cuts in the space agency's budget. It proposes to provide NASA with $16.8 billion in fiscal 2012 — $1.6 billion less than in fiscal 2011 and $1.9 billion below President Obama’s request. Worse, the House committee specifically calls for the termination of the JWST project." "It's a shocking and unexpected turn for the next step after Hubble, which is due to cease operations later this decade. "In these austere budget times, a cut to the request was widely expected, but not to this extent," notes Marcia Smith<http://spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl…>, a veteran space-policy analyst. The Committee is looking to make such deep reductions, in part, because Congress favors having NASA develop a new heavy-lift Space Launch System<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Launch_System>capable of sending crews beyond Earth orbit. The fiscal 2012 plan contains $1.9 billion to keep that program rolling." Looks like in the eyes of the House Committee that it is either Webb or a heavy launch vehicle system. What a shame it Webb is indeed canceled as they just finished polishing the mirror if I remember correctly. -- Jay Eads

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Ideas for ALCON article?
by Patrick Wiggins 09 Jul '11

09 Jul '11

List and SLAS member Joe Bauman (retired mild mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper) is writing an article for the next issue of the SLAS newsletter. If you have any ideas on what the piece ought to include please email them to Joe at josephmbauman(a)yahoo.com. Clear skies, patrick Nova Editor (aka Perry White?) :)

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