[Utah-astronomy] Possible August 2017 Solar Eclipse Flight

20 May 2015

      I would like to organize a rented jet flight for the August 21, 2017 Solar Eclipse. In August there is a good chance that the skies will not be overcast in Wyoming that the center of the eclipse will travel through. But if by some chance the eclipse window becomes overcast, an eclipse flight would overcome the problem, by flying above the clouds. I was on an eclipse flight in 1979. The skies over the Pacific Northwest was completely overcast at the time. From the air, above the clouds, we had the unique privilege of watching the Moon's shadow approach our flight path. I think we had about 50 people onboard, and each ticket cost about $250 at that time. When I looked for a possible jet rental for the eclipse, I was quoted about $1500 per seat for 50 passengers. It would be nice if we could find a connection, maybe via a Boeing sponsorship, to make the flight possible at no more than $300 per ticket. Any comments on this possibility? 

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From: utah-astronomy-request@mailman.xmission.com
To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com
Sent: Wed, 20 May 2015 12:16:47 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 147, Issue 26

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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Today's Astro Trivia Question (Joe Bauman)
   2. Re: Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 147, Issue 24 (Chuck Hards)
   3. Re: Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 147, Issue 24 (Richard Tenney)

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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 19 May 2015 21:54:44 +0000 (UTC)
From: Joe Bauman <josephmbauman@yahoo.com>
To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com>
Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Today's Astro Trivia Question
Message-ID:
	<1063686540.2188381.1432072484284.JavaMail.yahoo@mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

Finder scope for use with a telescope whose sun filter makes it difficult to find the sun?

      From: Larry Holmes <larry@kijoda.com>
 To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> 
 Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 1:26 PM
 Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Today's Astro Trivia Question

On 5/19/2015 6:03 AM, Chuck Hards wrote:
...
Who can identify this item, and what it was used for?? Rich is disqualified
because we've already discussed it privately.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii24/JethroTull1958/ATM/Observer20001_zps...
Good luck!
? ? I believe it was an early prototype by a noted ATMer.? Possibly 
used by Jethro Tull to check out the ladies in the 3rd floor balcony.? 73

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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 19 May 2015 16:29:09 -0600
From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com>
To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com>
Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 147, Issue 24
Message-ID:
	<CAHmuOYrP9z1Yx-z8Y-8DMke5fRxPC11-T5HBBHSMzWj3tnQ-1w@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

And we have a winner!

This little telescope was sold for Operation Moonwatch, in which
amateur astronomers worldwide were enlisted to help track artificial
satellites and better determine their orbits.  It was a direct result
of Cold-War tensions at the time.

Many different commercial variations of the little telescopes were
sold, and plans were published for home-made versions, as well.
Oriented north-south and with a scale to read-off altitude, teams
would time when an artifical satellite would cross the meridian, and
note it's elevation.  The data was then given to the government who
would refine the orbits of the Soviet and American satellites.

Read more about the program:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Moonwatch

I've wanted one of these little things for years and finally found one
on eBay recently.  My example is in very good, practically new
condition, and is one of the smallest units marketed.  Examples ranged
from 30mm aperture up to nearly 5 inches.  This one has a compass
(still works amazingly well) as well as altitude and azimuth scales.
All of the Moonwatch scopes used a mirror for a right-angle
configuration, so operators could sit-down while using them.  Some
placed the mirror ahead of the objective and resembled a table-top
microscope.  Most commercial units, imported from Japanese companies,
looked like my example.

Pretty neat little piece of history.

On 5/19/15, Stephen Peterson <scpki7l@gmail.com> wrote:
...
Scope used to track Sputnik?
Steve P
------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Wed, 20 May 2015 16:16:23 +0000 (UTC)
From: Richard Tenney <retenney@yahoo.com>
To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com>
Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 147, Issue 24
Message-ID:
	<1187961093.3568499.1432138583563.JavaMail.yahoo@mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

If an amateur was "enlisted", does this mean such a scope was given to them by the federal government, or enlisted as in "buy this little scope and help us defeat the Russkys!"? ?If the latter, how much did it cost for an interested party to help out?
I'm also curious about the quality of the optics/workmanship (hard to tell from the photo).
Regardless, thanks for sharing this bit of historical trivia Chuck!
/R.
      From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com>
 To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> 
 Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 4:29 PM
 Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 147, Issue 24

And we have a winner!

This little telescope was sold for Operation Moonwatch, in which
amateur astronomers worldwide were enlisted to help track artificial
satellites and better determine their orbits.? It was a direct result
of Cold-War tensions at the time.

Many different commercial variations of the little telescopes were
sold, and plans were published for home-made versions, as well.
Oriented north-south and with a scale to read-off altitude, teams
would time when an artifical satellite would cross the meridian, and
note it's elevation.? The data was then given to the government who
would refine the orbits of the Soviet and American satellites.

[Utah-astronomy] Possible August 2017 Solar Eclipse Flight

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