A new animation / Also "Not a bowling ball this time"
Some here might remember "The Great Bowling Ball Experiment" of a few years back: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/METEOR01.HTML Well, I got a call from KSL last week which led to a piece set to air tomorrow (Monday) on KSL channel 5's Studio 5 between 11:00 am and noon. This time we didn't use a bowling ball and this time we had a (brave) video guy down below. :) On another matter, there's a minor planet making a relatively close approach at the moment so after last night's star party and ATS I came home and shot a few dozen images of 2005 YU55 and assembled them into an animation. Lots of clouds as you'll see. Also a number of hot pixels that I may eventually remove. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=68&g2_page=4 Clear skies, patrick
COOL! ________________________________ From: Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> To: utah astronomy utah astronomy listserve <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sun, April 18, 2010 6:01:20 AM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] A new animation / Also "Not a bowling ball this time" Some here might remember "The Great Bowling Ball Experiment" of a few years back: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/METEOR01.HTML Well, I got a call from KSL last week which led to a piece set to air tomorrow (Monday) on KSL channel 5's Studio 5 between 11:00 am and noon. This time we didn't use a bowling ball and this time we had a (brave) video guy down below. :) On another matter, there's a minor planet making a relatively close approach at the moment so after last night's star party and ATS I came home and shot a few dozen images of 2005 YU55 and assembled them into an animation. Lots of clouds as you'll see. Also a number of hot pixels that I may eventually remove. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=68&g2_page=4 Clear skies, patrick _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@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
Baby (my telescope) and I spent last night at the Wedge, Campground 7 as my favorite site was taken. Actually, I was lucky to find that place, with so many other campers present. The next campground, I think it was called 7A, had a huge house-size camper with sometimes squally kid, a generator and a barking dog -- but I drowned 'em out when I got my generator going. Temps dropped pretty swiftly but I was all right with a heavy jacket, parka and watch cap. The night was supposed to be clear, according to the NWS, but actually there was a dark cloud mass to the east and I suspect thin clouds overhead. It never got really dark, even after moonset. I attribute that to light bouncing off a cloud cover. But mostly the viewing was all right. I enjoyed studying the Ring Nebula (M57), the Dumbell (M27), M51, and a new favorite, M66. I could barely make out M100, a big face-on sprial galaxy in the Virgo Cluster; basically I saw only a vague oval mottling with my least powerful eyepiece. I was taking a couple of preliminary luminance views of M66, a beautiful S of a barred spiral, when a breeze kicked up and bounced my scope around so badly that Igave up on longer exposures. I had trouble with balancing Baby with the guidescope refractor attached, with two CCD cameras and a finder scope. So it didn't track as well as it should have. But thanks to Steve Dodds' fine resurfacing of my secondary, and my cleaning the corrector plate, the telescope is delivering better views than ever. My generator either ran out of gas or gave up because it needed oil, and I turned in to sleep in the Jeep before dawn. I think I'll do a blog about M66 because barred spirals are so interesting. -- Joe
Joe, Sounds like a grand time! Glad things worked out. I just got home from an almost all nighter I guess. I saw the following items mainly in Leo and Leo Minor. Saturn (like seeing how it holds my collimation). Went to 480x tonight without an issue. M66, M65 and NGC 3628, their companion. I spent a good amount of time tonight on NGC 3628. Went to M105/NGC 3379, and it's companion, NGC 3384, another Barred Spiral. Saw NGC 3389 as a very faint fuzzy. Next, NGC 3377 an Elliptical not far a way. NGC 3412 in Leo, a Barred Spiral. Found this information out from a paper on it; "The bulges of NGC 3412 and NGC 3941 show isophotal twists which indicate that they are triaxial. NGC 3412 has a very short bar and its bulge is more centrally concentrated than that of NGC 3941. The unusually short bar and the centrally concentrated triaxial bulge of NGC 3412 might be the result of bar dissolution. The colors of the nuclear region of NGC 3941 resemble those of the blue nuclei, implying the presence of young stellar populations." Here is a link and you can download the PDF if you want (from 1999). http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9905117 NGC 3489 a Mixed Spiral in Leo. Fun galaxy. NGC 3245 Spiral Galaxy in Leo. Decent details for a Herschel Galaxy to observe. NGC 3277, a very faint galaxy. No real details, a stellar core that is very small. Hint of a halo. Good challenge object if your in a LP sky at 11.7. *NGC 3344 a Mixed Spiral and my favorite galaxy of the night* from my Herschel list. This would make an awesome target for an Astrophoto as AOP shows here: http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/observers/n3344.html. Here's an article on it (sorry, I like learning about the items I have viewed afterwards, so I share). http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2000A&A...356..827V This was not equal to the Messier galaxies, but it sure was fun and at 9.3 mag. within most scopes ranges. It was fun to tease detail out of it since it is a little larger (6.7' x 6.3'). NGC 3414 a Lenticular Galaxy in Leo Minor. It was ok, faint, not a lot of details visually. I also looked at about 8 other items this night. I find I don't rush, that I really slow down and take up to twenty minutes to observe an item to coax out details and then to sketch them. If I really like the item, I can spend 30 to 40 minutes between observing, and sketching. So it sounds like we both had a great time, and in the end, that is what it is about. I'm serious that I want to follow you out to the Wedge once school gets out Joe! I'm so glad that "Baby" is all better. On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:58 PM, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman@yahoo.com>wrote:
Baby (my telescope) and I spent last night at the Wedge, Campground 7 as my favorite site was taken. Actually, I was lucky to find that place, with so many other campers present. The next campground, I think it was called 7A, had a huge house-size camper with sometimes squally kid, a generator and a barking dog -- but I drowned 'em out when I got my generator going. Temps dropped pretty swiftly but I was all right with a heavy jacket, parka and watch cap. The night was supposed to be clear, according to the NWS, but actually there was a dark cloud mass to the east and I suspect thin clouds overhead. It never got really dark, even after moonset. I attribute that to light bouncing off a cloud cover. But mostly the viewing was all right. I enjoyed studying the Ring Nebula (M57), the Dumbell (M27), M51, and a new favorite, M66. I could barely make out M100, a big face-on sprial galaxy in the Virgo Cluster; basically I saw only a vague oval mottling with my least powerful eyepiece. I was taking a couple of preliminary luminance views of M66, a beautiful S of a barred spiral, when a breeze kicked up and bounced my scope around so badly that Igave up on longer exposures. I had trouble with balancing Baby with the guidescope refractor attached, with two CCD cameras and a finder scope. So it didn't track as well as it should have. But thanks to Steve Dodds' fine resurfacing of my secondary, and my cleaning the corrector plate, the telescope is delivering better views than ever. My generator either ran out of gas or gave up because it needed oil, and I turned in to sleep in the Jeep before dawn. I think I'll do a blog about M66 because barred spirals are so interesting. -- Joe
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There, that's what I call a great observing session, Jay! I like the links too; will be checking them out for my blog. Thanks. I'd be great to go to the Wedge with you. Best wishes, Joe ________________________________ From: Jay Eads <jayleads@gmail.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Mon, April 19, 2010 4:34:16 AM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Observing report Joe, Sounds like a grand time! Glad things worked out. I just got home from an almost all nighter I guess. I saw the following items mainly in Leo and Leo Minor. Saturn (like seeing how it holds my collimation). Went to 480x tonight without an issue. M66, M65 and NGC 3628, their companion. I spent a good amount of time tonight on NGC 3628. Went to M105/NGC 3379, and it's companion, NGC 3384, another Barred Spiral. Saw NGC 3389 as a very faint fuzzy. Next, NGC 3377 an Elliptical not far a way. NGC 3412 in Leo, a Barred Spiral. Found this information out from a paper on it; "The bulges of NGC 3412 and NGC 3941 show isophotal twists which indicate that they are triaxial. NGC 3412 has a very short bar and its bulge is more centrally concentrated than that of NGC 3941. The unusually short bar and the centrally concentrated triaxial bulge of NGC 3412 might be the result of bar dissolution. The colors of the nuclear region of NGC 3941 resemble those of the blue nuclei, implying the presence of young stellar populations." Here is a link and you can download the PDF if you want (from 1999). http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9905117 NGC 3489 a Mixed Spiral in Leo. Fun galaxy. NGC 3245 Spiral Galaxy in Leo. Decent details for a Herschel Galaxy to observe. NGC 3277, a very faint galaxy. No real details, a stellar core that is very small. Hint of a halo. Good challenge object if your in a LP sky at 11.7. *NGC 3344 a Mixed Spiral and my favorite galaxy of the night* from my Herschel list. This would make an awesome target for an Astrophoto as AOP shows here: http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/observers/n3344.html. Here's an article on it (sorry, I like learning about the items I have viewed afterwards, so I share). http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2000A&A...356..827V This was not equal to the Messier galaxies, but it sure was fun and at 9.3 mag. within most scopes ranges. It was fun to tease detail out of it since it is a little larger (6.7' x 6.3'). NGC 3414 a Lenticular Galaxy in Leo Minor. It was ok, faint, not a lot of details visually. I also looked at about 8 other items this night. I find I don't rush, that I really slow down and take up to twenty minutes to observe an item to coax out details and then to sketch them. If I really like the item, I can spend 30 to 40 minutes between observing, and sketching. So it sounds like we both had a great time, and in the end, that is what it is about. I'm serious that I want to follow you out to the Wedge once school gets out Joe! I'm so glad that "Baby" is all better. On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:58 PM, Joe Bauman <josephmbauman@yahoo.com>wrote:
Baby (my telescope) and I spent last night at the Wedge, Campground 7 as my favorite site was taken. Actually, I was lucky to find that place, with so many other campers present. The next campground, I think it was called 7A, had a huge house-size camper with sometimes squally kid, a generator and a barking dog -- but I drowned 'em out when I got my generator going. Temps dropped pretty swiftly but I was all right with a heavy jacket, parka and watch cap. The night was supposed to be clear, according to the NWS, but actually there was a dark cloud mass to the east and I suspect thin clouds overhead. It never got really dark, even after moonset. I attribute that to light bouncing off a cloud cover. But mostly the viewing was all right. I enjoyed studying the Ring Nebula (M57), the Dumbell (M27), M51, and a new favorite, M66. I could barely make out M100, a big face-on sprial galaxy in the Virgo Cluster; basically I saw only a vague oval mottling with my least powerful eyepiece. I was taking a couple of preliminary luminance views of M66, a beautiful S of a barred spiral, when a breeze kicked up and bounced my scope around so badly that Igave up on longer exposures. I had trouble with balancing Baby with the guidescope refractor attached, with two CCD cameras and a finder scope. So it didn't track as well as it should have. But thanks to Steve Dodds' fine resurfacing of my secondary, and my cleaning the corrector plate, the telescope is delivering better views than ever. My generator either ran out of gas or gave up because it needed oil, and I turned in to sleep in the Jeep before dawn. I think I'll do a blog about M66 because barred spirals are so interesting. -- Joe
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Joe, I am very glad to hear that you have your telescope up and operating. Rodger -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Joe Bauman Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2010 10:59 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Observing report Baby (my telescope) and I spent last night at the Wedge, Campground 7 as my favorite site was taken. Actually, I was lucky to find that place, with so many other campers present. The next campground, I think it was called 7A, had a huge house-size camper with sometimes squally kid, a generator and a barking dog -- but I drowned 'em out when I got my generator going. Temps dropped pretty swiftly but I was all right with a heavy jacket, parka and watch cap. The night was supposed to be clear, according to the NWS, but actually there was a dark cloud mass to the east and I suspect thin clouds overhead. It never got really dark, even after moonset. I attribute that to light bouncing off a cloud cover. But mostly the viewing was all right. I enjoyed studying the Ring Nebula (M57), the Dumbell (M27), M51, and a new favorite, M66. I could barely make out M100, a big face-on sprial galaxy in the Virgo Cluster; basically I saw only a vague oval mottling with my least powerful eyepiece. I was taking a couple of preliminary luminance views of M66, a beautiful S of a barred spiral, when a breeze kicked up and bounced my scope around so badly that Igave up on longer exposures. I had trouble with balancing Baby with the guidescope refractor attached, with two CCD cameras and a finder scope. So it didn't track as well as it should have. But thanks to Steve Dodds' fine resurfacing of my secondary, and my cleaning the corrector plate, the telescope is delivering better views than ever. My generator either ran out of gas or gave up because it needed oil, and I turned in to sleep in the Jeep before dawn. I think I'll do a blog about M66 because barred spirals are so interesting. -- Joe _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@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
Thanks! ________________________________ From: Rodger C. Fry <rcfry@comcast.net> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Mon, April 19, 2010 7:48:15 AM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Observing report Joe, I am very glad to hear that you have your telescope up and operating. Rodger -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Joe Bauman Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2010 10:59 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Observing report Baby (my telescope) and I spent last night at the Wedge, Campground 7 as my favorite site was taken. Actually, I was lucky to find that place, with so many other campers present. The next campground, I think it was called 7A, had a huge house-size camper with sometimes squally kid, a generator and a barking dog -- but I drowned 'em out when I got my generator going. Temps dropped pretty swiftly but I was all right with a heavy jacket, parka and watch cap. The night was supposed to be clear, according to the NWS, but actually there was a dark cloud mass to the east and I suspect thin clouds overhead. It never got really dark, even after moonset. I attribute that to light bouncing off a cloud cover. But mostly the viewing was all right. I enjoyed studying the Ring Nebula (M57), the Dumbell (M27), M51, and a new favorite, M66. I could barely make out M100, a big face-on sprial galaxy in the Virgo Cluster; basically I saw only a vague oval mottling with my least powerful eyepiece. I was taking a couple of preliminary luminance views of M66, a beautiful S of a barred spiral, when a breeze kicked up and bounced my scope around so badly that Igave up on longer exposures. I had trouble with balancing Baby with the guidescope refractor attached, with two CCD cameras and a finder scope. So it didn't track as well as it should have. But thanks to Steve Dodds' fine resurfacing of my secondary, and my cleaning the corrector plate, the telescope is delivering better views than ever. My generator either ran out of gas or gave up because it needed oil, and I turned in to sleep in the Jeep before dawn. I think I'll do a blog about M66 because barred spirals are so interesting. -- Joe _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@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 _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@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
participants (4)
-
Jay Eads -
Joe Bauman -
Patrick Wiggins -
Rodger C. Fry