Re: [Utah-astronomy] Best place to see Mercury from SLC area?
Hi Richard, Actually no, it is not at Morton Salt, that is exit 84 - too bad Google doesn't show the exit numbers. The next one west is 77 for SR 196 headed south, and the next is Delle (little more than a gas station) at exit 70, and finally ... Exit 62 is where I-80 is going northwest and then makes a nearly 90 degree turn to going southwest. Zoom in until you can clearly see the I-80 emblem on the exit 62 bridge over the freeway. Follow the line of the bridge to the northwest about 2.5 times the width of the interchange to a pair of Panaramio photo markers just beyond a dirt road running SW to NE. If you see only one, zoom in a bit more. The photo at the left marker is looking east and the photo at the right is looking west. Note the unobstructed horizon in that photo. All that remains of the beacon is the concrete slab with an arrow point on each end pointing out the air route between San Francisco and Salt Lake City. That slab of concrete is barely discernible right beside the north side of the kink in the dirt road SSW of the right hand Panaramio marker. Another good spot is on the south side of the freeway at the same exit. In a zoomed in image, follow these directions to drive to the telephone relay tower: Cross the bridge to the south side and go just past the off- and on-ramps then turn sharply right. Follow the gravel road down to the old highway 40. Turn left on old 40, go under the railroad, follow the long gentle curve to the left and just after old 40 becomes straight again, turn right on the main gravel road headed south. Follow this well-traveled gravel road, bearing left at the only branch, up to the relay tower. This is probably way more than you wanted to know, but if you still have questions, just ask. Ed ------------------------- On Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:03:15 -0600 [07:03:15 PM MDT] garrard55@xmission.com wrote Thanks, Ed. I'm looking on Google Earth and not sure I'm finding it. Is it the exit by the Morton Salt plant? or...?
If you can see Venus, you can see Mercury. Mercury is just above and a bit south of Venus. I don't believe you need any special place to view it. I have been watching it from my family room windows in Bountiful. From: Ed <utnatsedj1@xmission.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2013 10:36 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Best place to see Mercury from SLC area? Hi Richard, Actually no, it is not at Morton Salt, that is exit 84 - too bad Google doesn't show the exit numbers. The next one west is 77 for SR 196 headed south, and the next is Delle (little more than a gas station) at exit 70, and finally ... Exit 62 is where I-80 is going northwest and then makes a nearly 90 degree turn to going southwest. Zoom in until you can clearly see the I-80 emblem on the exit 62 bridge over the freeway. Follow the line of the bridge to the northwest about 2.5 times the width of the interchange to a pair of Panaramio photo markers just beyond a dirt road running SW to NE. If you see only one, zoom in a bit more. The photo at the left marker is looking east and the photo at the right is looking west. Note the unobstructed horizon in that photo. All that remains of the beacon is the concrete slab with an arrow point on each end pointing out the air route between San Francisco and Salt Lake City. That slab of concrete is barely discernible right beside the north side of the kink in the dirt road SSW of the right hand Panaramio marker. Another good spot is on the south side of the freeway at the same exit. In a zoomed in image, follow these directions to drive to the telephone relay tower: Cross the bridge to the south side and go just past the off- and on-ramps then turn sharply right. Follow the gravel road down to the old highway 40. Turn left on old 40, go under the railroad, follow the long gentle curve to the left and just after old 40 becomes straight again, turn right on the main gravel road headed south. Follow this well-traveled gravel road, bearing left at the only branch, up to the relay tower. This is probably way more than you wanted to know, but if you still have questions, just ask. Ed
I concur, Brent. In fact, at our last two school star parties in May, we were able to see the three, tho w/quite a bit of separation. I missed being able to see them at their conjunction as I could not leave the house. Drat! 73 -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Brent Watson Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2013 8:17 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Best place to see Mercury from SLC area? If you can see Venus, you can see Mercury. Mercury is just above and a bit south of Venus. I don't believe you need any special place to view it. I have been watching it from my family room windows in Bountiful. From: Ed <utnatsedj1@xmission.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2013 10:36 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Best place to see Mercury from SLC area? Hi Richard, Actually no, it is not at Morton Salt, that is exit 84 - too bad Google doesn't show the exit numbers. The next one west is 77 for SR 196 headed south, and the next is Delle (little more than a gas station) at exit 70, and finally ... Exit 62 is where I-80 is going northwest and then makes a nearly 90 degree turn to going southwest. Zoom in until you can clearly see the I-80 emblem on the exit 62 bridge over the freeway. Follow the line of the bridge to the northwest about 2.5 times the width of the interchange to a pair of Panaramio photo markers just beyond a dirt road running SW to NE. If you see only one, zoom in a bit more. The photo at the left marker is looking east and the photo at the right is looking west. Note the unobstructed horizon in that photo. All that remains of the beacon is the concrete slab with an arrow point on each end pointing out the air route between San Francisco and Salt Lake City. That slab of concrete is barely discernible right beside the north side of the kink in the dirt road SSW of the right hand Panaramio marker. Another good spot is on the south side of the freeway at the same exit. In a zoomed in image, follow these directions to drive to the telephone relay tower: Cross the bridge to the south side and go just past the off- and on-ramps then turn sharply right. Follow the gravel road down to the old highway 40. Turn left on old 40, go under the railroad, follow the long gentle curve to the left and just after old 40 becomes straight again, turn right on the main gravel road headed south. Follow this well-traveled gravel road, bearing left at the only branch, up to the relay tower. This is probably way more than you wanted to know, but if you still have questions, just ask. Ed _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. To unsubscribe go to: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options".
participants (3)
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Brent Watson -
Ed -
Larry Holmes