March 2013 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

L&O meeting Saturday March 9
by Chuck Hards 04 Mar '13

04 Mar '13

A reminder that the L&O Subcommittee will be holding a meeting next Saturday at the Left Fork Grill in Salt Lake. Address: 68 W 3900 S Time: Noon We had considered starting at 11:00 AM, but the restaurant is too packed at that time and we probably won't get our usual long table. A noon start will still give attendees time to get in a couple of hours at the Natural History Museum sun party that afternoon, if desired. Bring an astro item for show-and-tell if desired, and be ready to have interesting discussions on any number of topics. See you there!

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Science Hobby Survey
by Kelly Ricks 04 Mar '13

04 Mar '13

Hello all, below is a survey originally forwarded to me through the astronomy club I am a member of here in Ohio, but I thought it might be fun to pass on to you guys as well. It's a study that is being conducted by North Carolina State University, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, and seeks to promote science hobbies, like astronomy, and to improve science education. It takes about five minutes or less to complete and involves a chance to win a Target gift card. The only questions of a "personal nature" they ask are your state and zip code. There are no questions asking for telephone numbers, email, address, income or etc. I had fun filling it out. Though I'm nowhere near the level of proficiency as many of you, participating in astronomy has affected my life a great deal. Best, ~Kelly <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> > <> <> > *Email to Survey Participants* > > Are you a science hobbyist? > > We need your help with a new National Science Foundation sponsored > research study that will investigate the characteristics and educational > experiences of people who are active in science hobbies. More and more > people are engaging in science hobbies; schools and science centers would > like to know more about the characteristics of science hobbyists and how > these organizations might better support hobbyists’ networking and > education. > > What will happen if you take part in the study? > > The information gained from this research can help science educators and > researchers understand how to better teach science in schools and museums, > and how to design better community-based science programs. Participation in > this study is voluntary. Information you provide will be anonymous. If you > complete the survey, you may elect to enter a drawing for a $100 Target > gift card. > > *Click on this link when you are ready to complete the survey:* > http://ncsu.qualtrics.com//SE/?SID=SV_7OOsR9G0Pkp5I2N > <http://ncsu.qualtrics.com//SE/?SID=SV_7OOsR9G0Pkp5I2N> > > <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> > <> <> > >

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Pan-STARRS update
by Patrick Wiggins 03 Mar '13

03 Mar '13

Comet Pan-STARRS (C/2011 L4) is now inside the orbit of Mercury and it is brightening as it approaches the sun. Observers in the southern hemisphere say the comet can be seen with the naked eye even through city lights. Currently, it is about as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper (magnitude +2 to +3). The comet could become even brighter when it moves into northern hemisphere skies in the second week of March. Checkhttp://spaceweather.com for current images and updates.

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2012 DA14 animation and Moon "stereo" images
by Patrick Wiggins 02 Mar '13

02 Mar '13

I've added one of my 2012 DA14 animations and the Moon images Rob and I took simultaneously here and on Maui. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=68&g2_page=8 patrick

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2012 DA14 parallax continued
by Patrick Wiggins 02 Mar '13

02 Mar '13

A second person sent me an image he took within seconds of the other two I montaged earlier. The new image now has the star field showing 2012 DA14 as seen from my observatory, one in SE Arizona and one also in SE Arizona but further south. Both the previous "2 position" and the new "3 position" images are on the SLAS Gallery here: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=68&g2_page=8 Now I guess I'll see about posting a 2012 DA14 animation and some of the Moon "stereo" images. patrick

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Ann House running for AL National Secretary
by Chuck Hards 02 Mar '13

02 Mar '13

I was surprised and pleased to see Ann's Candidacy Statement on page 19 of the current Reflector issue! I can't think of a more qualified person to hold this position in the Astronomical League. It would also be a good thing for SLAS, and Utah amateur astronomy as a whole, to have Ann on the inside at the highest levels of AL decision making. Ann is a true professional, extremely well-qualified, among the most intelligent people I know, and yet still a genuine, warm human being who cares deeply about others. Good luck Ann, and many thanks for your continued dedication and many years of hard work on behalf of amateur astronomy!

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Refitting a 6" f/8 Newtonian
by Chuck Hards 02 Mar '13

02 Mar '13

After 15 years, I finally started on a long-thought-out upgrade to my 6" f/8 Newtonian. This is the one that was featured in Sky & Telescope in March of 1999. I built it in 1998, one of a batch of two (I gave the other to a friend who did some CAD work for me, long before I went back to school to learn to do it myself). After 15 years, it needed some TLC, as well as a focuser upgrade. I am replacing the old 1.25" helical focuser with a Wyorock 2" low-profile Crayford. The focuser swap was easy and straightforward, just requiring a larger hole, with it's center moved towards the primary mirror 1/2" to put the prime focus where my eyepieces could reach it with the slightly taller Wyorock. The new hole completely engulfed the old hole. It also means making a new secondary holder since the old helical focuser had an integrated mount for a single-stalk secondary holder. Again, no big deal. I'm sticking with the single-stalk design although the new one will be screw-adjustable, rather than just bending the stalk as the old, traditional one required for collimation. I was disappointed to find that the self-adhesive flocking material that I had lined the inside of the tube with 15 years ago was pulling away from the tube interior wall. Over the years I'd re-stuck the odd corner that came unstuck with either double-sided tape or contact cement, brushed-on. But now large sections were coming free. It was time to re-line at least the top 1/2 of the tube. I had divided the tube into 3 sections, with glare baffles made of turned PVC. This allowed me to use 3 smaller pieces of flocking instead of one large one, which would have been a pain to install neatly. Glad I did that all those years ago. Even with a heat gun to soften the old adhesive, some of the flocking was stuck for good and only the top layer came away, leaving a paper layer. Grumble. Nothing is easy. My solution was to employ a wire-wheel brush on my pneumatic barrel grinder. Works great, just messy. I have to blow-out the tube interior after two or three minute work sessions, to remove the piles of shredded flocking and aluminum dust that accumulate. It's going to take a while, but will leave me with a fresh surface to attach the new flocking, after a thorough de-greasing. I think I may also install a new finder. The old one is a home-made 40mm job with a right-angle prism and glass reticle installed an old Edmund pre-RKE 28mm Plossl eyepiece. Thinking of a 55mm home-made finder with a commercial 27mm illuminated reticle eyepiece, in conjuction with either a mounted laser or reflex sight (red/green dot type). Stay tuned, photos when the refit is complete.

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Camperworld/astronomy
by Mark Shelton 02 Mar '13

02 Mar '13

Hi, This summer my wife and I will be camping a lot. I was wondering if there are any members of camperworld on this list? We have joined and like camperworld a lot. No I am not trying to sell anything. Mark Sent from my iPad

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ISON tonight (2013 MAR 02) / Mars comet
by Patrick Wiggins 01 Mar '13

01 Mar '13

No image reduction tonight. Skies are so good even these raw images look good. Nice little fuzzy tail sandwiched in between a couple of very faint stars. http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/temp/C_2012_S1.2013MAR02.JPG Regarding the Mars comet, there's some talk on MPML today that with new astrometric data coming in the miss-distance is increasing. patrick

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2012 DA14 parallax demonstration
by Patrick Wiggins 01 Mar '13

01 Mar '13

I recently posted a request on the Minor Planet Mailing List asking to hear from anyone who happened to be imaging 2012 DA14 at the same time I was. My hope was to find a picture taken at the same time as one of mine and to use the two images to show the effects of parallax. Happily a guy who had been using the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope in Arizona that night to shoot 2012 DA14 replied and we were able to determine that one of his many images had been taken within half a second of one of mine. The FOV of his image was smaller than mine so I had to do a bit of Photoshopping to align the two and then add a third image taken from the STScI Digitized Sky Survey to show context. I thought that since there is about 800 km between our two sites and 2012 DA14 was still pretty close (~210,000 km) I'd see some parallax but was actually surprised at how much: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=68&g2_page=8 Clear skies, patrick

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