That moon crossing Jupiter about 10-11 last night was Io. Watched it cross also. --- In backbayastro@..., Richard Dickson <dickson@j...> wrote: Joe,
Congradulations on your new scope! I was observing Jupiter
last night as well and can assure you the poor view at 293X
was due to the seeing. It was poor 95% of the time. It was even
worse just after sunset than when you were observing. If you
were patient though, the few seconds here and there of OK seeing
made up for it. Did you catch the red spot? It was rotating
off just about as the moon's shadow entered. It seems redder
this year than I ever remember, but it's still far from "red".
Enjoy your scope. I've heard really great things about those
C9.25 tubes.
Richard
"joseph_piotrowski " wrote:
All,
Well I finally got to use my new scope tonight. Its a C 9.25 on a
Losmandy GM-8. I decided not to go with the C11 GPS for two
reasons, size/weight and I'd rather not have goto.This way I'm forced to
learn the night sky.
Had fun(even though it was cold and only in my front driveway with
all the neighbors lights).Polar alignment was a snap.The GM-8
tracked like a dream.I had to leave to pick up my teenage daughter from a
friends house and when I got back Jupiter was still center.
Saw M42 and M43 right away. Wow.Can really see the nebula and the
4 stars of the trapezium well.
Saturn's rings were so/so. Could see A and B rings, but doubt I
was seeing Cassini. View seemed to come and go.Pretty steady at 180X
but pretty shakey at 293X.I assume that's due to seeing conditions.
Jupiter was great.Saw a moon transit shadow very clearly.Not sure
which one it was. Need to look it up.
I had gotten Bob's knobs and put them on before I even looked
through the scope.(as usual I did too much at once) I think I did the
collimation correctly but not sure.Initially my dew shield(home
made) was getting in the way and made the out of focus star
lopsided.Need to read up on it also.
Sorry to blather on like this but you have to realize that I have
been struggling with a 60mm refractor for 2 years.This is my first
serious scope.
Can't wait for my first nightwatch.
Joe
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
--
Richard Dickson
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
dickson@j...
(757)269-5082
|
Joe,
Congradulations on your new scope! I was observing Jupiter
last night as well and can assure you the poor view at 293X
was due to the seeing. It was poor 95% of the time. It was even
worse just after sunset than when you were observing. If you
were patient though, the few seconds here and there of OK seeing
made up for it. Did you catch the red spot? It was rotating
off just about as the moon's shadow entered. It seems redder
this year than I ever remember, but it's still far from "red".
Enjoy your scope. I've heard really great things about those
C9.25 tubes.
Richard
"joseph_piotrowski " wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
All,
Well I finally got to use my new scope tonight. Its a C 9.25 on a
Losmandy GM-8. I decided not to go with the C11 GPS for two reasons,
size/weight and I'd rather not have goto.This way I'm forced to learn
the night sky.
Had fun(even though it was cold and only in my front driveway with
all the neighbors lights).Polar alignment was a snap.The GM-8 tracked
like a dream.I had to leave to pick up my teenage daughter from a
friends house and when I got back Jupiter was still center.
Saw M42 and M43 right away. Wow.Can really see the nebula and the 4
stars of the trapezium well.
Saturn's rings were so/so. Could see A and B rings, but doubt I was
seeing Cassini. View seemed to come and go.Pretty steady at 180X but
pretty shakey at 293X.I assume that's due to seeing conditions.
Jupiter was great.Saw a moon transit shadow very clearly.Not sure
which one it was. Need to look it up.
I had gotten Bob's knobs and put them on before I even looked through
the scope.(as usual I did too much at once) I think I did the
collimation correctly but not sure.Initially my dew shield(home made)
was getting in the way and made the out of focus star lopsided.Need
to read up on it also.
Sorry to blather on like this but you have to realize that I have
been struggling with a 60mm refractor for 2 years.This is my first
serious scope.
Can't wait for my first nightwatch.
Joe
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
--
Richard Dickson
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
dickson@...
(757)269-5082
|
Congratulations on your new scope Joe. We can all relate to the excitement of a new scope and especially when it is a quantum leap over the previous one! Of course, if it rains for the next two weeks it will be your fault!
Don't worry about a shakey image at 293x, that's a lot of magnification for a 9.25 inch scope. Takes pretty steady seeing. I seldom use more than 300x on my 18!
Bruce Bodner had some great success collimating his SCT with an artificial star in daylight. Maybe he will chime in and describe the process ... it is difficult to collimate an sct alone, and if you are attempting collimation in poor seeing conditions, it can be a very frustrating time.
Good luck. And keep your fingers crossed, MAYBE we can get our ducks all lined up for Chippokes this weekend!
Ted
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
In a message dated 2/24/2003 12:57:48 AM Eastern Standard Time, "joseph_piotrowski <joepiotrowski@...>" <joepiotrowski@...> writes: All,
Well I finally got to use my new scope tonight. Its a C 9.25 on a
Losmandy GM-8. I decided not to go with the C11 GPS for two reasons,
size/weight and I'd rather not have goto.This way I'm forced to learn
the night sky.
Had fun(even though it was cold and only in my front driveway with
all the neighbors lights).Polar alignment was a snap.The GM-8 tracked
like a dream.I had to leave to pick up my teenage daughter from a
friends house and when I got back Jupiter was still ??? ??? ???center.
Saw M42 and M43 right away. Wow.Can really see the nebula and the 4
stars of the trapezium well.
Saturn's rings were so/so. Could see A and B rings, but doubt I was
seeing Cassini. View seemed to come and go.Pretty steady at 180X but
pretty shakey at 293X.I assume that's due to seeing conditions.
Jupiter was great.Saw a moon transit shadow very clearly.Not sure
which one it was. Need to look it up.
I had gotten Bob's knobs and put them on before I even looked through
the scope.(as usual I did too much at once) I think I did the
collimation correctly but not sure.Initially my dew shield(home made)
was getting in the way and made the out of focus star lopsided.Need
to read up on it also.
Sorry to blather on like this but you have to realize that I have
been struggling with a 60mm refractor for 2 years.This is my first
serious scope.
Can't wait for my first nightwatch.
Joe
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
|
Congratulations, Joe!? I can understand your enthusiasm, finally getting to see "first light" on your new scope.? I hope to see you soon at one of our BBAA events.? Don't forget the monthly meeting, next Thursday, March 6th at TCC.
George '3' Reynolds
[So-called because when I joined the club, there were already two Georges, George Ikonen ("George I") and George Jordan (George 2).]?
?"joseph_piotrowski " wrote:
All,
Well I finally got to use my new scope tonight. Its a C 9.25 on a
Losmandy GM-8. I decided not to go with the C11 GPS for two reasons,
size/weight and I'd rather not have goto.This way I'm forced to learn
the night sky.
Had fun(even though it was cold and only in my front driveway with
all the neighbors lights).Polar alignment was a snap.The GM-8 tracked
like a dream.I had to leave to pick up my teenage daughter from a
friends house and when I got back Jupiter was still????? center.
Saw M42 and M43 right away. Wow.Can really see the nebula and the 4
stars of the trapezium well.
Saturn's rings were so/so. Could see A and B rings, but doubt I was
seeing Cassini. View seemed to come and go.Pretty steady at 180X but
pretty shakey at 293X.I assume that's due to seeing conditions.
Jupiter was great.Saw a moon transit shadow very clearly.Not sure
which one it was. Need to look it up.
I had gotten Bob's knobs and put them on before I even looked through
the scope.(as usual I did too much at once) I think I did the
collimation correctly but not sure.Initially my dew shield(home made)
was getting in the way and made the out of focus star lopsided.Need
to read up on it also.
Sorry to blather on like this but you have to realize that I have
been struggling with a 60mm refractor for 2 years.This is my first
serious scope.
Can't wait for my first nightwatch.
Joe
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
George Reynolds, Deputy Commander, Tidewater South Section Royal Rangers
Visit my Web page:? ?
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
?Member, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
Do you Yahoo!?
- Powerful. Affordable.
|
All,
Well I finally got to use my new scope tonight. Its a C 9.25 on a
Losmandy GM-8. I decided not to go with the C11 GPS for two reasons,
size/weight and I'd rather not have goto.This way I'm forced to learn
the night sky.
Had fun(even though it was cold and only in my front driveway with
all the neighbors lights).Polar alignment was a snap.The GM-8 tracked
like a dream.I had to leave to pick up my teenage daughter from a
friends house and when I got back Jupiter was still center.
Saw M42 and M43 right away. Wow.Can really see the nebula and the 4
stars of the trapezium well.
Saturn's rings were so/so. Could see A and B rings, but doubt I was
seeing Cassini. View seemed to come and go.Pretty steady at 180X but
pretty shakey at 293X.I assume that's due to seeing conditions.
Jupiter was great.Saw a moon transit shadow very clearly.Not sure
which one it was. Need to look it up.
I had gotten Bob's knobs and put them on before I even looked through
the scope.(as usual I did too much at once) I think I did the
collimation correctly but not sure.Initially my dew shield(home made)
was getting in the way and made the out of focus star lopsided.Need
to read up on it also.
Sorry to blather on like this but you have to realize that I have
been struggling with a 60mm refractor for 2 years.This is my first
serious scope.
Can't wait for my first nightwatch.
Joe
|
Ted, I think it's not a bad idea to collect a dollar from each member when we attend Chippokes a buck won't break any of us.? (Besides, Georgie owes me a DOLLAH!)
George
?twforte@... wrote:
In a message dated 2/23/03 11:34:53 AM Eastern Standard Time,
stargaz@... writes:
<< Anyone want to go next week let me know.>>
Sorry.? I can't go.?
But I do want to say that I prefer Saturdays over Fridays.? I think we should
try to negotiate a deal for a single $10.00 fee for a year's worth of use,
but it should not be a deal breaker.? If they want $10 each time, we should
request a dollar from each member attending and make up any shortfall from
the treasury.? (The club might? actually make a profit if everyone
contributes).? :>)
Ted
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
George Reynolds, Deputy Commander, Tidewater South Section Royal Rangers
Visit my Web page:? ?
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
?Member, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
Do you Yahoo!?
- Powerful. Affordable.
|
Re: Another Atlas thought
Alas, Vicker's CCD Image North & South is no longer available in printed
version. It might still be available in CD-Rom from Vicker. The address, at
least in 1999 is as follows. The price is about $40 on CD.
I really didn't mention it to Rick Bish since I was really recommending more
entry level atlases. For a thorough "picture" atlas of galaxies, etc. this
is THE definitive picture book atlas. It's not intended as a star atlas per
se.
Deep Space CCD Atlas North & South on CD-R Disc
John Vickers and Alex Wassileff
Web:
Kent Blackwell
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
----- Original Message ----- From: <twforte@...> To: <backbayastro@...> Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 9:06 AM Subject: [backbayastro] Another Atlas thought Another thought on useful atlases (and I'm surprised Kent hasn't brought this up yet).
There is a CCD "Deep Space" atlas by John C. Vickers (The southern version is a collaboration between Vickers and Alexander Wassilieff) that I think is a marvelous tool. It comes as close as anything I've seen in mimicking what is seen in the eyepiece.
Seeing a picture of that 12th magnitude spiral will help you pick out details that you would not have imagined possible.
Its worth owning. The version I have is the early home-published affair, I think it has become much more sophisticated in follow-on versions. I can't say I know if or where its available, (Perhaps Kent can chime in?) But don't miss an opportunity to pick up this atlas if you get the chance.
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
|
Yes? Gerry told me he would bring the app to the next
meeting. I think I'll call
him and get it now.? Anyone want to go next week let
me know.
Dale
?
?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 10:11
AM
Subject: Re: [backbayastro] Re:
Nightwatch 28 Feb
?
>We need to send a representative out there to mend fences I
think.? But
things tend to take time in a volunteer organization, so
I doubt that we'll
get it fixed right away.
?
Hey folks!? Dale suggested he and I ride out there this coming
week but I'm not going to be able to go.? Perhaps you can still ride out
there Dale and talk to those folks?? Maybe you can pick up the permit
from Gerry and take that with you??
?
Just a thought.
To
unsubscribe from this group, send an email
to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your
use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
|
?
>We need to send a representative out there to mend fences I
think.? But
things tend to take time in a volunteer organization, so I
doubt that we'll
get it fixed right away.
?
Hey folks!? Dale suggested he and I ride out there this coming
week but I'm not going to be able to go.? Perhaps you can still ride out
there Dale and talk to those folks?? Maybe you can pick up the permit from
Gerry and take that with you??
?
Just a thought.
|
Make that year Pluto will be favorably placed
2003? not 2004 as in my last post. Of course, it'll be nearly in the same
place in the sky in 2004 as well. Poor little old Pluto doesn't move among the
stars very fast, being so far away from?lonely planet earth.
?
Kent Blackwell
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 9:00
AM
Subject: Re: [backbayastro] Re: R.A. and
Dec
Too bad we'll have to wait until?August to
September to get another good glimpse of?either Uranus or?Neptune.
Currently Uranus is only 5-degrees from the sun and Neptune is about
20-degrees. Next time you?spot Uranus it's surprising how bright it is,
easily within the grasp of small binoculars, and even naked-eye under a dark
sky. It's really exciting when you first see it in a telescope. The color is
so unusual, compared to surrounding stars. Neptune is a bit more challenging.
Not only is it minuscule in size but is on 1/5th as bright!? Boy or boy,
is it ever exciting to see such a distant solar system member, though. How
about a real challenge? One of BBAA club members?Charles Allewelt found
14th magnitude Pluto with?his 6" Newtonian. Pluto will be favorably
placed from early June until late August 2004.
?
Kent Blackwell
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 2:21
AM
Subject: Re: [backbayastro] Re: R.A.
and Dec
>One of these evenings I'm going to . .
.?actually find Uranus using it's RA / Dec!
Good Luck!? I was looking for Uranus last
Fall at the Chiefland Star Party in Florida, in a nice dark sky, and was
getting frustrated because I was following the directions I got from the
magazines, Astronomy and Sky and Telescope. . .?, but
even though I knew where?to look, I wasn't seeing it, because I
didn't know what to look for.? I went over to the guy next to me
and asked him to find Uranus in his LX200 and let me see what it looks
like.? As soon as I saw it, and got the pattern of stars around it, I
found it easily in my own scope by star-hopping.? I actually had had it
in my scope before, but it just looked like a medium-bright star.? Once
I knew what to look for, I found Uranus, and as I zeroed in on it, and
increased the magnification, I could detect a pale greenish color, which I
hadn't noticed before.
G3
?"Rick Bish <2bookworms@...>"
<2bookworms@...> wrote:
Thanks
Ted and Kent! Your different perspectives were very
complimentary and
helpful. Also I'll keep my nose burried in my copy
of Wil Tirion's
book: The Cambridge Star Atlas.
One of these evenings I'm going to go
over to Jarvis Road, and
actually find Uranus using it's RA /
Dec!
Rick Bish
To unsubscribe from this
group, send an email
to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your
use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
George Reynolds, Deputy Commander, Tidewater South Section Royal
Rangers
Visit my Web page:? ?
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
?Member, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
Do you Yahoo!?
- Powerful. Affordable.
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email
to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your
use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
To
unsubscribe from this group, send an email
to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your
use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
|
Too bad we'll have to wait until?August to
September to get another good glimpse of?either Uranus or?Neptune.
Currently Uranus is only 5-degrees from the sun and Neptune is about 20-degrees.
Next time you?spot Uranus it's surprising how bright it is, easily within
the grasp of small binoculars, and even naked-eye under a dark sky. It's really
exciting when you first see it in a telescope. The color is so unusual, compared
to surrounding stars. Neptune is a bit more challenging. Not only is it
minuscule in size but is on 1/5th as bright!? Boy or boy, is it ever
exciting to see such a distant solar system member, though. How about a real
challenge? One of BBAA club members?Charles Allewelt found 14th magnitude
Pluto with?his 6" Newtonian. Pluto will be favorably placed from early June
until late August 2004.
?
Kent Blackwell
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 2:21
AM
Subject: Re: [backbayastro] Re: R.A. and
Dec
>One of these evenings I'm going to . .
.?actually find Uranus using it's RA / Dec!
Good Luck!? I was looking for Uranus last
Fall at the Chiefland Star Party in Florida, in a nice dark sky, and was
getting frustrated because I was following the directions I got from the
magazines, Astronomy and Sky and Telescope. . .?, but
even though I knew where?to look, I wasn't seeing it, because I
didn't know what to look for.? I went over to the guy next to me
and asked him to find Uranus in his LX200 and let me see what it looks
like.? As soon as I saw it, and got the pattern of stars around it, I
found it easily in my own scope by star-hopping.? I actually had had it
in my scope before, but it just looked like a medium-bright star.? Once I
knew what to look for, I found Uranus, and as I zeroed in on it, and increased
the magnification, I could detect a pale greenish color, which I hadn't
noticed before.
G3
?"Rick Bish <2bookworms@...>"
<2bookworms@...> wrote:
Thanks
Ted and Kent! Your different perspectives were very
complimentary and
helpful. Also I'll keep my nose burried in my copy
of Wil Tirion's book:
The Cambridge Star Atlas.
One of these evenings I'm going to go over to
Jarvis Road, and
actually find Uranus using it's RA / Dec!
Rick
Bish
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email
to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your
use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
George Reynolds, Deputy Commander, Tidewater South Section Royal
Rangers
Visit my Web page:? ?
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
?Member, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
Do you Yahoo!?
- Powerful. Affordable.
To
unsubscribe from this group, send an email
to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your
use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
|
In a message dated 2/23/03 11:34:53 AM Eastern Standard Time,
stargaz@... writes:
<< Anyone want to go next week let me know.>>
Sorry. I can't go.
But I do want to say that I prefer Saturdays over Fridays. I think we should
try to negotiate a deal for a single $10.00 fee for a year's worth of use,
but it should not be a deal breaker. If they want $10 each time, we should
request a dollar from each member attending and make up any shortfall from
the treasury. (The club might actually make a profit if everyone
contributes). :>)
Ted
|
Just ask any of us with goto scopes at Nightwatch. We'll punch it right up for you. Neptune too. Rob From: George Reynolds <pathfinder027@...> Reply-To: backbayastro@... To: backbayastro@... Subject: Re: [backbayastro] Re: R.A. and Dec Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 23:21:33 -0800 (PST) One of these evenings I'm going to . . . actually find Uranus using it's RA / Dec! Good Luck! I was looking for Uranus last Fall at the Chiefland Star Party in Florida, in a nice dark sky, and was getting frustrated because I was following the directions I got from the magazines, Astronomy and Sky and Telescope. . . , but even though I knew where to look, I wasn't seeing it, because I didn't know what to look for. I went over to the guy next to me and asked him to find Uranus in his LX200 and let me see what it looks like. As soon as I saw it, and got the pattern of stars around it, I found it easily in my own scope by star-hopping. I actually had had it in my scope before, but it just looked like a medium-bright star. Once I knew what to look for, I found Uranus, and as I zeroed in on it, and increased the magnification, I could detect a pale greenish color, which I hadn't noticed before. G3 "Rick Bish <2bookworms@...>" <2bookworms@...> wrote:Thanks Ted and Kent! Your different perspectives were very complimentary and helpful. Also I'll keep my nose burried in my copy of Wil Tirion's book: The Cambridge Star Atlas. One of these evenings I'm going to go over to Jarvis Road, and actually find Uranus using it's RA / Dec! Rick Bish Yahoo! Groups SponsorADVERTISEMENT To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: backbayastro-unsubscribe@... Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. George Reynolds, Deputy Commander, Tidewater South Section Royal Rangers Visit my Web page: "Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia Member, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA) --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE*
|
Rob
The freeware was great,? allot of info.?
Keep me busy for a while.
Dale
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, February 22, 2003 3:18
PM
Subject: Re: [backbayastro] Moon
map/atlas
Theres a great freeware atlas called Virtual Atlas of the
Moon available at:
Rob
From:
twforte@...
Reply-To: backbayastro@...
To:
backbayastro@...
Subject:
Re: [backbayastro] Moon map/atlas
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 09:57:19
EST
In a message dated 2/21/03 11:19:46 PM Eastern Standard
Time,
joepiotrowski@... writes:
<< What's the best moon
atlas/map to use to explore the moon? Does the
? club library have
any? How about stuff from the Internet?That is if
? we ever see the
moon or stars again.Sigh! >>
Yes, this weather is depressing
me!
Asking for the "best" anything in this hobby will evoke enough
disagreement
to make the United Nations look like a mutual admiration
society.
Rukl's Atlas of the Moon is very well regarded but is
unfortunately out of
print.? It is sometimes available on the used
book market.? I used the
Hatfield Photographic Lunar Atlas and found
it quite easy to use and learn
from.? I also found a large format fold
out map of the moon by George
Phillip
for just a few dollars at Barnes
and Noble.? I removed the map from its
binder and pasted it to a
Styrofoam poster board that I could take out to
the
scope.? I
found that to be a big help when I completed the Lunar
Club
certificate.
There are several shareware/freeware moon-related
software available and
dozens of sites dedicated to lunar observing.?
A. L. P. O.? has a lunar
section on their website ?
You might also
consider getting the league's lunar club
pamphlet.
Good luck.
Ted
To unsubscribe from this group,
send an email
to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your use of
Yahoo! Groups is subject to
_________________________________________________________________
Tired
of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8.
To
unsubscribe from this group, send an email
to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your
use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
|
I hope we will get the "problem" at Chippokes straightened out soon. But the
application for permit only just arrived and the disclaimer hints at
"30-days" to process. So unless we can get a human intervention event of
sorts, I don't think this month is going to pan out. Many members have
expressed a strong interest in keeping Chippokes as an observing site both
for the general pleasantness of the surrounds and the convenience of the
facilities. Although the sky is mediocre, I like the place.
We are not quite sure why the staff at Chippokes has taken a hardline stance
all of a sudden. Its clear some perceived offense has been committed, and it
appears as if they are trying to discourage our use of the park. Kyle Barber
of False Cape State Park told me last Tuesday that he would try to call out
there and find out what is going on, but I have not heard back from him.
We need to send a representative out there to mend fences I think. But
things tend to take time in a volunteer organization, so I doubt that we'll
get it fixed right away.
Ted
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
In a message dated 2/22/03 5:36:36 PM Eastern Standard Time,
joepiotrowski@... writes:
<< Ted,
Is there a problem with using Chippokes at all or just for this
Friday? One of the more attractive things about the BBAA for me was
the nearness of Chippokes for the nightwatch program.I have access to
another site but there are no facilities(or lights) and I don't know
if the farmer would agree to a crowd. Skies are pretty good with only
a Williamsburg 20degree and Richmond 15degree glow.No visible lights.
Also it might be harder for those from Virginia Beach. How many folks
usually come to the Nightwatch?
Joe >>
|
Another thought on useful atlases (and I'm surprised Kent hasn't brought this
up yet).
There is a CCD "Deep Space" atlas by John C. Vickers (The southern version is
a collaboration between Vickers and Alexander Wassilieff) that I think is a
marvelous tool. It comes as close as anything I've seen in mimicking what is
seen in the eyepiece.
Seeing a picture of that 12th magnitude spiral will help you pick out details
that you would not have imagined possible.
Its worth owning. The version I have is the early home-published affair, I
think it has become much more sophisticated in follow-on versions. I can't
say I know if or where its available, (Perhaps Kent can chime in?) But don't
miss an opportunity to pick up this atlas if you get the chance.
|
In a message dated 2/23/03 2:22:08 AM Eastern Standard Time,
pathfinder027@... writes:
<< Good Luck! I was looking for Uranus last Fall at the Chiefland Star Party
in Florida, in a nice dark sky, and was getting frustrated because I was
following the directions I got from the magazines, Astronomy and Sky and
Telescope. >>
I think if you want to search for Uranus, Neptune, Pluto or that >6th
magnitude comet, you should consider a computer atlas such as Megastar,
The_Sky, Star Map, Sky Tools, Starry Night, etc. As you get into fainter or
more obscure catalog items, printed atlases just won't do the job. A
customized map printed for the time and location of your planned observing
session will prove to be far superior to anything short of a "Go-To" scope.
Different observers have their own preferences, I like Megastar the best, but
with any of them you can make a map that is customized for your telescope ...
you can set the magnitude of the stars displayed and rotate the field to
mimic the view through the eyepiece. You can also display the FOV of the
eyepiece you intend to use. With many of them, you can superimpose a photo
of the object over the plotted star field to display the actual extent of the
object. Knowing what's there is half way to seeing it after all.
Ted
|
>One of these evenings I'm going to . . .?actually find Uranus using it's RA / Dec!
Good Luck!? I was looking for Uranus last Fall at the Chiefland Star Party in Florida, in a nice dark sky, and was getting frustrated because I was following the directions I got from the magazines, Astronomy and Sky and Telescope. . .?, but even though I knew where?to look, I wasn't seeing it, because I didn't know what to look for.? I went over to the guy next to me and asked him to find Uranus in his LX200 and let me see what it looks like.? As soon as I saw it, and got the pattern of stars around it, I found it easily in my own scope by star-hopping.? I actually had had it in my scope before, but it just looked like a medium-bright star.? Once I knew what to look for, I found Uranus, and as I zeroed in on it, and increased the magnification, I could detect a pale greenish color, which I hadn't noticed before.
G3
?"Rick Bish <2bookworms@...>" <2bookworms@...> wrote:
Thanks Ted and Kent! Your different perspectives were very
complimentary and helpful. Also I'll keep my nose burried in my copy
of Wil Tirion's book: The Cambridge Star Atlas.
One of these evenings I'm going to go over to Jarvis Road, and
actually find Uranus using it's RA / Dec!
Rick Bish
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
George Reynolds, Deputy Commander, Tidewater South Section Royal Rangers
Visit my Web page:? ?
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
?Member, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
Do you Yahoo!?
- Powerful. Affordable.
|
Joe,
Even though Rukl's is out of print, both Rob Schonk and I obtained copies on Half.com for about $25.? You put in a "pre-order" and then wait patiently.? You may have to extend your pre-order several times.
The Cambridge Star Atlas has a couple pages on the moon's features, but probably not enough for all the objects on the Lunar Certificate.? You can buy some Moon Maps from the Astronomical League Store (either on-line or their paper catalog - contact our ALCOR, Georgie June), which are good.? They have two versions - regular and mirror-image (for the different types of scopes and inverted/reversed views or not).
When I did the Lunar Club, I used a book I got through Half.com, Observing the Moon Through Binoculars and Small Telescopes, by Ernest H. Cherrington, Jr.? This is an excellent book, and I kept it by my scope every night I worked on the Lunar Certificate.? I did not have Rukl's at that time.? I also own Atlas of the Lunar Terminator, but I don't think it's as good as Cherrington's book.? I used the original edition, but there is a 2nd edition, updated several years ago.? The one I used pre-dated the manned Lunar landings!
G3
?"joseph_piotrowski " wrote:
Dale,
Thanks.I can't make the March meeting. I will be speaking at the
April meeting and would love to look at it.Since the general opinion
is that Rukl's is the best but it is out of print, the one you
mention sounds like the next best choice from what I can see on the
net.
Joe
--- In backbayastro@..., "Dale Carey"
wrote:
> Joe
> We have a large hard back book called "Atlas of the Lunar
Terminator."
> It brakes down every mnt. and crater one by one.? Good way to get
your
> "lunar cert."? I can bring it to next meeting on the 6th or catch
up with
> me at home near Super K on Holland rd.
> Dale
>?? ----- Original Message -----
>?? From: joseph_piotrowski
>?? To: backbayastro@...
>?? Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 11:18 PM
>?? Subject: [backbayastro] Moon map/atlas
>
>
>?? What's the best moon atlas/map to use to explore the moon? Does
the
>?? club library have any? How about stuff from the Internet?That is
if
>?? we ever see the moon or stars again.Sigh!
>?? Joe
>
>
>???????? Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>?????????????? ADVERTISEMENT
>?????????????
>???????
>???????
>
>?? To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>?? backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
>
>
>
>?? Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
Service.
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
backbayastro-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the .
George Reynolds, Deputy Commander, Tidewater South Section Royal Rangers
Visit my Web page:? ?
"Solar System Ambassador" for South Hampton Roads, Virginia
?Member, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (BBAA)?
Do you Yahoo!?
- Powerful. Affordable.
|
BBAA all,
According to predictions on the Tidewater and Chippokes Sky clocks,
this may be our best viewing night for a while.
Joe
|
Kent Blackwell