? No fire damage yet, but the fire is very close. ? Ted ?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of George Reynolds via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, January 8, 2025 3:50 PM
To: BBAA-Group <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [BackBayAstro] NSN Access? I just checked the map, and sure enough, JPL is in Eaton Canyon, where the fire is raging. Pray for all the people in that area, and for JPL to not be harmed.
George Reynolds
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
?
On Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 05:41:26 PM EST, George Reynolds via groups.io <pathfinder027@...> wrote: I haven't been able to get into the Night Sky Network this afternoon.? I wonder if the folks at JPL in Pasadena and those at the Astronomy Society of the Pacific have had to evacuate because of the wildfires.? I hope and pray everyone there is safe, and that JPL is safe.
George Reynolds
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
?
|
I'll be leaving for Kempsville Rec Center shortly for "Astronomy 101".
George
George Reynolds
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
?
|
I just checked the map, and sure enough, JPL is in Eaton Canyon, where the fire is raging.
Pray for all the people in that area, and for JPL to not be harmed.
Georege
George Reynolds
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
?
On Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 05:41:26 PM EST, George Reynolds via groups.io <pathfinder027@...> wrote:
I haven't been able to get into the Night Sky Network this afternoon.? I wonder if the folks at JPL in Pasadena and those at the Astronomy Society of the Pacific have had to evacuate because of the wildfires.? I hope and pray everyone there is safe, and that JPL is safe.
George
George Reynolds
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
?
|
I haven't been able to get into the Night Sky Network this afternoon.? I wonder if the folks at JPL in Pasadena and those at the Astronomy Society of the Pacific have had to evacuate because of the wildfires.? I hope and pray everyone there is safe, and that JPL is safe.
George
George Reynolds
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
?
|
Your right! At that point it doesn't matter what units are of temperature.
On Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 09:23:39 AM EST, Ian Stewart <ian@...> wrote:
I remember being out in my first observatory in Canada at -40 (C
or F doesn't matter) in the winter. Trying to guide my imaging
scope by hand. My eyelashes kept freezing to the guiding eyepiece.
I don't miss it.
On 1/8/2025 9:13 AM, jimcoble2000 via
groups.io wrote:
Very fine Ian. The cold
cannot stop you! You must be from Canada!
Well it was a bit chilly last night, but at least the
wind died down enough to get some imaging in. Here's a
look at NGC2174 - sometimes called the Monkey Head
Nebula.
Cheers
Ian
?
|
I remember being out in my first observatory in Canada at -40 (C
or F doesn't matter) in the winter. Trying to guide my imaging
scope by hand. My eyelashes kept freezing to the guiding eyepiece.
I don't miss it.
On 1/8/2025 9:13 AM, jimcoble2000 via
groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Very fine Ian. The cold
cannot stop you! You must be from Canada!
Well it was a bit chilly last night, but at least the
wind died down enough to get some imaging in. Here's a
look at NGC2174 - sometimes called the Monkey Head
Nebula.
Cheers
Ian
?
|
Very fine Ian. The cold cannot stop you! You must be from Canada!
On Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 09:07:44 AM EST, Ian Stewart via groups.io <swampcolliecoffee@...> wrote:
Well it was a bit chilly last night, but at least the wind died down enough to get some imaging in. Here's a look at NGC2174 - sometimes called the Monkey Head Nebula.
Cheers
Ian
?
|
Well it was a bit chilly last night, but at least the wind died down enough to get some imaging in. Here's a look at NGC2174 - sometimes called the Monkey Head Nebula.
Cheers
Ian
?
|
Garden Stars for tonight 1/7/2025 is CANCELLED
Garden Stars for tonight 1/7/2025 is CANCELLED by NBG due to the cold weather and wind.
George
George Reynolds
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
?
|
Mars gets occulted by the moon
Big event. Mars gets occulted by the moon around 2115 on January 13. one week from today! Should be a great show.
|
Small frozen gathering last night
Small gathering under 30 degree skies
1957-8 Antique refractor.
Kent Blackwell photos.
|
Observing Report: 04 January YRSP
Upon arrival, Ranger Zach told me Outreach had not been posted [advertised] on the YRSP Website. As such, neither of us expected anyone to show up (and I was the only amateur astronomer in attendance). As such, I didn't set-up and I waited to see if we'd have any public?attendees. ? Six adults & two children showed up just after sunset so I hastily set-up my CPC1100. ? Near the end of Outreach, Ben - a new local amateur - arrived to 'shake down' a recent purchase (Celestron Ultima 2000 8" SCT). After approximately 90-minutes of testing components, optics and a few of my eyepieces, he accomplished his goals & secured his gear. ? I decided to depart with Ben & image?from my home. We departed the park just before 9 P.M. It was a short but productive night. Other than cold hands, the mid-20s temperature was quite bearable. ? The next YRSP outreach & obs night will be Saturday, 1 February.
|
Oh I forgot put a minus in front of all the temps in the last emails
|
Fw: [VPAS] YRSP Tonight: it's a 'Go"
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: jimcoble2000 via groups.io <jimcoble2000@...> Sent: Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 02:32:39 PM EST Subject: Re: [VPAS] YRSP Tonight: it's a 'Go"
This reminds of November in Alaska. All the cars up there have what looks like an extension cord sticking out of the front of the car. That is to plug in block heaters so the engine would start. Traditionally you don't plug in until 17 degrees. At around 15 to 10 degrees people can sort of still work but machines just give up the ghost. They just won't work. At 17 F it took our drillers until 11:00 to get the rig functioning with blow torches heating the rig since 8:00 in the morning . By 4:00 the light had given out and dark set in (not that it ever got very light!) so everything came to a halt.
On Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 02:24:36 PM EST, Troy Riedel via groups.io <troy.riedel@...> wrote:
Eric,
?
No worries ... I'll head over and set-up b/c I have no idea if anyone will show up (public included). I figure there could always be someone ... adult or parent ... that bought or rcvd a new scope for Christmas and they may brave the cold hoping someone can help them? I also rcvd a direct text this week from someone who got my P/N from Back Bay asking if they could come (of course!) but I don't recognize the name as an individual who has posted on either site.
?
Eric, I'll look for you on Saturday Night, February 1st.
?
Cheers,
Troy
|
Re: YRSP Tonight: it's a 'Go"
|
Re: YRSP Tonight: it's a 'Go"
Troy...sorry, I won't be able to make it tonight. Good luck, don't freeze...
Stu
On Sat, Jan 4, 2025 at 8:03?AM Troy Riedel via <troy.riedel= [email protected]> wrote: Good morning,
I'm making an early 'Go" call for tonight. It will be breezy today - more so Southside & Coast than up here at YRSP - but it should lessen later this AFTN.?
Obviously, it will be cold so dress accordingly. I live nearby so I'm willing to go as late as people are comfortable?... (I know there is concern by some re: the temperature forecast - near freezing at sunset & dropping with 'feels like' temps. generally starting in the mid-20s and dropping).
If no one shows up I'll pack-up, drive the 5-miles home & set-up in my driveway??
Cheers, Troy
|
YRSP Tonight: it's a 'Go"
Good morning,
I'm making an early 'Go" call for tonight. It will be breezy today - more so Southside & Coast than up here at YRSP - but it should lessen later this AFTN.?
Obviously, it will be cold so dress accordingly. I live nearby so I'm willing to go as late as people are comfortable?... (I know there is concern by some re: the temperature forecast - near freezing at sunset & dropping with 'feels like' temps. generally starting in the mid-20s and dropping).
If no one shows up I'll pack-up, drive the 5-miles home & set-up in my driveway??
Cheers, Troy
|
Re: Reminder: YRSP Saturday Night, 4 January
THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! Layer-up, it'll be cold.
|
Re: The Pleiades double challenge
Here are my results from the other night. STT 64 did see all three components after about 30 to 40 minutes work.
SAO 76126 Just did the AB pair.
G&H components not too hard separation, actually easy, but they are dim compared to Alcyone which draws your eye. Easily overlooked in the whole scheme.
STF 450A not too bad.
Cant remember the others but pretty sure the rational components were seen. I'll have to revisit and write notes. My impression was all were fun. Though some took a pretty fair amount of patience and eye strain. Maybe from your darker site they may be a bit easier. 12th magnitude in these skies is a real ghost. Can be done but you have to want it.
On Friday, January 3, 2025 at 12:58:14 PM EST, Roy Diffrient <mail@...> wrote:
Holy expletive Mark! ?At least one of those doubles looks maybe on the edge of impossibility. ?SAO 76126 is Celaeno, the faintest naked-eye star of the ¡°seven sisters¡± Pleiades at mag 5.46. ?It has two companions which might be possible (and a third, impossible at 0.006¡±): Sky Safari says the B star is mag 13.2 at 88.4¡± separation, and the C star is mag 11.5 at 217.6¡±. ?That¡¯s six magnitudes difference (!) for the ¡°easy¡± one that I think you intended. ?Extra credit for the B star? ?
?
Oh, but wait, this is all in a bright nebula! ?The Maia nebula, mag 5.4, puts it all in a fog, and the fog is lit up by Celaeno. ?Yeah, that should be a challenge ¨C hope I have a good transparent night to try for that one. ?Thanks for the eyestrain, Mark.
On 01/02/2025 9:17 PM EST Mark Ost <jimcoble2000@...> wrote:
?
?
I got in a few hours of? observing before my Losmandy mount gave up the ghost with power failure indication. It truly does not like the cold weather. The battery had been sitting for a few weeks so I figured the battery was a bit low. I run the mount off 18 volts usually. This has happened before. Runs fine for two hours then just quits due to voltage drop.
?
But anyways I did accomplish what I wanted to do tonight.
?
Everyone has shown someone the Pleiades but there is more to the story. I looked for hard doubles within the cluster and there are quite a few that are challenging. All look like singles but are not. This is a fun challenge. I used the 5 inch tonight and had to run fairly high power for all but one or two.
?
Here are the ID numbers:
?
Otto Struve 64
?
SAO 76249
?
SAO 76236
?
SAO 76126
?
SAO 76189
?
Struve? 450A
?
The G and H components of Alcyone
?
?
Oh Jupiter had a very fine transit tonight. As Io transited off the face ahead of it's shadow another moon came around from the back of the planet. At the same time as Io was leaving, Ganymede came from in back of the planet on the opposite limb. Pretty good. Two moons right on the limb of Jupiter and one moon shadow.
|
Re: The Pleiades double challenge
Naw, draw the line at the ridiculous components! I try to stop at 11th magnitude more or less. Those are challenging enough.I didn't say it was easy :)
I just changed the internal battery in the Losmandy. You have to know to set the location and time data quickly or the battery drains. OBTW a GEM mount may help with a few of these! I am keeping the mount control in the house prior to observing. Cold seems to kill batteries pretty quick. But it was most likely time to renew the battery anyways. Probably should be done annually anyways.
On Friday, January 3, 2025 at 12:58:14 PM EST, Roy Diffrient <mail@...> wrote:
Holy expletive Mark! ?At least one of those doubles looks maybe on the edge of impossibility. ?SAO 76126 is Celaeno, the faintest naked-eye star of the ¡°seven sisters¡± Pleiades at mag 5.46. ?It has two companions which might be possible (and a third, impossible at 0.006¡±): Sky Safari says the B star is mag 13.2 at 88.4¡± separation, and the C star is mag 11.5 at 217.6¡±. ?That¡¯s six magnitudes difference (!) for the ¡°easy¡± one that I think you intended. ?Extra credit for the B star? ?
?
Oh, but wait, this is all in a bright nebula! ?The Maia nebula, mag 5.4, puts it all in a fog, and the fog is lit up by Celaeno. ?Yeah, that should be a challenge ¨C hope I have a good transparent night to try for that one. ?Thanks for the eyestrain, Mark.
On 01/02/2025 9:17 PM EST Mark Ost <jimcoble2000@...> wrote:
?
?
I got in a few hours of? observing before my Losmandy mount gave up the ghost with power failure indication. It truly does not like the cold weather. The battery had been sitting for a few weeks so I figured the battery was a bit low. I run the mount off 18 volts usually. This has happened before. Runs fine for two hours then just quits due to voltage drop.
?
But anyways I did accomplish what I wanted to do tonight.
?
Everyone has shown someone the Pleiades but there is more to the story. I looked for hard doubles within the cluster and there are quite a few that are challenging. All look like singles but are not. This is a fun challenge. I used the 5 inch tonight and had to run fairly high power for all but one or two.
?
Here are the ID numbers:
?
Otto Struve 64
?
SAO 76249
?
SAO 76236
?
SAO 76126
?
SAO 76189
?
Struve? 450A
?
The G and H components of Alcyone
?
?
Oh Jupiter had a very fine transit tonight. As Io transited off the face ahead of it's shadow another moon came around from the back of the planet. At the same time as Io was leaving, Ganymede came from in back of the planet on the opposite limb. Pretty good. Two moons right on the limb of Jupiter and one moon shadow.
|
Ted Forte
Ian Stewart
