Well go figure. I go back to work after two weeks off and what happens tonight? The storms of the last 7 days end, and the skies clear. I spent the evening getting ready to go back . . . . :''o(
Go figure. My entry tonight and I am going to expand upon it tomorrow (or on the next cloudy night as I hope to get some scope time tomorrow evening) is on Planetary Nebula. A Planetary Nebula or PN is my personal favorite object to chase down, though galaxies come a close second. Ninety-five percent of all stars in the universe will end their lives as a Planetary Nebula or PN as I call them. The other five percent, while they just go out with a "big bang" so to speak. In classifying PN's they have often been typized based on their appearance, using the Vorontsov-Velyaminov scheme which is as follows:
1. Stellar Image
2. Smooth Disk (a: brighter toward the center; b: uniform brightness; c: traces of a ring structure)
3. Irregular Disk (a: very irregular brightness distribution; b: traces of ring structure)
4. Ring Structure
5. Irregular form, similar to a diffused nebula.
6. Anomalous form
Now there seems to be additional classification being added with the addition of such wonderful instruments as the Hubble Telescope. There seems to more classification being added to PN's.
Bipolar Planetary Nebulae
Elliptical and Round Planetary Nebulae
The Cat's Eye Nebula
An interesting side note is that per the quote below, many of the PN's have rings and other shapes embedded in them. I guess I need to find out if there is an updated classification to PN's? Observations by the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed
that many planetary nebulae have multiple layers, and these are labeled as “shells”
“crowns” and “haloes." These multiple shell structures are the dynamical consequence of
interacting winds and of changing photoionization effects of the evolving central star. Other
minor morphological structures include arcs, rings, jets, ansaes, and multiple lobes and they
probably reflect the episodic and/or direction-changing nature of the stellar winds.
Are you interested in the above informaiton? I am sure some of you are more than aware of this, but others may not be. Here is a link to follow to learn or see more:
Planetary Nebula Overview
Hubble News Releases and PN's Not all are PN's but many are. Check out the 2008 number 4, a white dwarf with a ring around it . . . see above.
Hungry for more, and more cool Hubble images of these objects? Here's one last good site. Just remember, in our scopes visually, we'll never see these objects like this.
HST Archives Hubble Images PN's
I really like the image of M27 in there.
Interested in how they transform an image our eye would see at NASA into a colorful wonder? This article shows how they took images of Pease 1 or Planetary Nebula K648 in Messier 15 and transformed it.
PN K648 in M15 Image Process
As Pegasus comes up, if your up for a very difficult challenge in viewing a DSO, then PN K648 or Pease 1 can provide that for you.
Here is a Finder Chart for Pease 1
Observation Reports of Pease 1
Note some of these individuals have a ton of experience in the deep sky and there are a few reports using ten inch scopes, and I believe one using an 8 inch scope but most were using 14 inch or higher I believe (been awhile since I have read all the reports).
There's a greater challenge for much larger scopes but that can wait for one more month and if you have access to a very large telescope.
If you can't wait to see more, here is a list of the best seasonal planetary nebula by season for both hemispheres:
Seasonal Planetary Nebula
Clear skies I hope to you.
5/01/2010
Secret Treasure or Just Junk? Tasco 10x to 25x Astronaut Zoom Spotting Telescope
I think if those of us who are 30 or older, maybe 40 or older actually go through our closets we can find a lot of junk that we have held on to. There are old models I purchased to build, and haven't done anything with them. Coins I bought or were given that may or may not be valuable; old shoes, clothes, jewelry (thinking a few watches I either need to buy a battery for or donate to the Good Will) etc. Then there are those items of junk that connect us to our past, to people or events in our past that have impacted us for our lives. So, because the weather here is still cloudy, rainy and some snow falling every now and then, and I can't observe, I thought I would share a quick story about a secret treasure I have that some may consider junk.
I was born in 1965, so yep, I'm 45, just turned that age in April, within the last two weeks. In 1968 I was 3 when my Dad bought a Tasco Astronaut Zoom Telescope with a 10x to 25x zoom. You can see it in this 1968 Tasco Telescope Ad in the bottom right corner where the name of the scope, the Tasco 10x to 25x Astronaut Zoom 30mm Spotting Telescope for $14.95 is for sale. Now my father, who was in the Navy Reserve at the time, and had served actively in the Air Force, was a shooter and this telescope served as a spotting scope for him to see where he had hit the target while target shooting.
Here is an image. My father-in-law who is living with us, and suffers from moderately severe Alzheimer disease uses it to watch the famous Cooperton/Bingham Mine.
In 1974 I was nine, and I can remember the moon being out, what I recognize now as just past first quarter and my Dad taking me out in the backyard with this telescope on his camera tripod to show me the moon through it. Now I grew up with the Apollo program and have memories of watching the Apollo landings on the moon, just bits and pieces. My Dad knew this and so on this night, he showed me the moon and a new world opened up to me. My Dad was pretty good about doing that, exposing me and my two sisters to new things, encouraging us to pursue what we were interested in knowing it could become a passion.
The scope on a camera tripod:
Sadly, on June 22, 1982, as I was going into the summer between my junior and senior year of high school, my father passed away. No need for details, but it was from a heart attack, and he was only 45. At 17 people told me how young 45 is, but at 17 45 doesn't sound young. Now at 45, I realize probably more than ever before how young 45 is. How grateful I am though, that this 40 year old little telescope has survived, is still usable and though not a grand treasure, does act as a connection of me to my father.
On a local email message board, the question was asked, "What dirty little astronomy secret do you have?" I don't think mine is dirty, nor does it embarrass me. There are a few nights each year, that right around first quarter I take out this little gem, and really look at the moon and enjoy the views it has to offer. Magically, sometimes, I can reflect and still hear my father's voice as he pointed out some of the highlights on the moon. I'll even admit, being the sentimental type of guy at times, that a tear in remembrance of my father comes to my eyes, they mist, and for a moment, I truly desire to be able to hold a private star party with my father as we could examine the universe together now as adults.
I don't have my father, but I do have a wife, a son and a daughter. My daughter in the summer comes out and talks while I observe and I often find those conversations the most magical. She shares what is going on in my life, I share a view or two, but most likely in the end, I still on my observing chair and just listen and watch as this 17 year old girl is becoming a young woman. How awesome the views of the universe are, but how much more awesome is it to have been involved in raising my daughter and watching her grow and become her own person. Not always easy, as hunting down some objects aren't easy, but so worth it. My son, my summer observing partner, my star party assistant, will go with me and share in these views. In those moments we bond, and it reminds me to take time to be with him in the things that he values and treasures. My wife, she supports the hobby and takes a view once or twice a year and that's it. She never interferes and she communicates if there is something I need to be at so I don't plan a session or a trip on a certain day. Other than that, 99% of the time, she is fine with me doing my thing. Can't ask for anything better than that eh?
What's the purpose then of this post? I would hope that as you observe, and search and find the treasured objects of our universe, that each of you remember those you love, who mean something to you, and share both your obsessions with them, but also remember to share in their obsessions so that they may have a treasured moment with you after you have sailed forward into the great unknown. May your skies be cleared and the seeing good.
Original Box (the box is sitting on my wife's hobby . . . see why she doesn't complain! Yes, it's a baby grand):
I was born in 1965, so yep, I'm 45, just turned that age in April, within the last two weeks. In 1968 I was 3 when my Dad bought a Tasco Astronaut Zoom Telescope with a 10x to 25x zoom. You can see it in this 1968 Tasco Telescope Ad in the bottom right corner where the name of the scope, the Tasco 10x to 25x Astronaut Zoom 30mm Spotting Telescope for $14.95 is for sale. Now my father, who was in the Navy Reserve at the time, and had served actively in the Air Force, was a shooter and this telescope served as a spotting scope for him to see where he had hit the target while target shooting.
Here is an image. My father-in-law who is living with us, and suffers from moderately severe Alzheimer disease uses it to watch the famous Cooperton/Bingham Mine.
In 1974 I was nine, and I can remember the moon being out, what I recognize now as just past first quarter and my Dad taking me out in the backyard with this telescope on his camera tripod to show me the moon through it. Now I grew up with the Apollo program and have memories of watching the Apollo landings on the moon, just bits and pieces. My Dad knew this and so on this night, he showed me the moon and a new world opened up to me. My Dad was pretty good about doing that, exposing me and my two sisters to new things, encouraging us to pursue what we were interested in knowing it could become a passion.
The scope on a camera tripod:
Sadly, on June 22, 1982, as I was going into the summer between my junior and senior year of high school, my father passed away. No need for details, but it was from a heart attack, and he was only 45. At 17 people told me how young 45 is, but at 17 45 doesn't sound young. Now at 45, I realize probably more than ever before how young 45 is. How grateful I am though, that this 40 year old little telescope has survived, is still usable and though not a grand treasure, does act as a connection of me to my father.
On a local email message board, the question was asked, "What dirty little astronomy secret do you have?" I don't think mine is dirty, nor does it embarrass me. There are a few nights each year, that right around first quarter I take out this little gem, and really look at the moon and enjoy the views it has to offer. Magically, sometimes, I can reflect and still hear my father's voice as he pointed out some of the highlights on the moon. I'll even admit, being the sentimental type of guy at times, that a tear in remembrance of my father comes to my eyes, they mist, and for a moment, I truly desire to be able to hold a private star party with my father as we could examine the universe together now as adults.
I don't have my father, but I do have a wife, a son and a daughter. My daughter in the summer comes out and talks while I observe and I often find those conversations the most magical. She shares what is going on in my life, I share a view or two, but most likely in the end, I still on my observing chair and just listen and watch as this 17 year old girl is becoming a young woman. How awesome the views of the universe are, but how much more awesome is it to have been involved in raising my daughter and watching her grow and become her own person. Not always easy, as hunting down some objects aren't easy, but so worth it. My son, my summer observing partner, my star party assistant, will go with me and share in these views. In those moments we bond, and it reminds me to take time to be with him in the things that he values and treasures. My wife, she supports the hobby and takes a view once or twice a year and that's it. She never interferes and she communicates if there is something I need to be at so I don't plan a session or a trip on a certain day. Other than that, 99% of the time, she is fine with me doing my thing. Can't ask for anything better than that eh?
What's the purpose then of this post? I would hope that as you observe, and search and find the treasured objects of our universe, that each of you remember those you love, who mean something to you, and share both your obsessions with them, but also remember to share in their obsessions so that they may have a treasured moment with you after you have sailed forward into the great unknown. May your skies be cleared and the seeing good.
Original Box (the box is sitting on my wife's hobby . . . see why she doesn't complain! Yes, it's a baby grand):
4/30/2010
May Herschel Targets Seasonal Planetary Nebula List
Well, I put together my list for May, though I never finished April's list. Let's hope the next two and a half weeks clear up better than the last month. I guess I should feel lucky I got in what I did!
Here is my Google Document for May. Just click on the May Target tab on the bottom:
Google Document May Targets
Here are some highlights:
NGC 4361 Planetary Nebula in Corvus. O'Meara in his book says this about NGC 4361;
"NGC 4361 is one of the finest non-Messier objects of its class."
Excited to view that.
Here's a site that shows the PN (and others with finder charts): NGC 4361 PN
NGC 4038 Irregular Barred Spiral Galaxy in Corvus that is interacting with its companion NGC 4039.
NGC 4594 or M104, The Sombrero. Always fun to look at.
NGC 4699 a Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Virgo that O'Meara describes it as "looking like a old vinyl record. He calls it the Vinyl LP Galaxy."
NGC 4665 Barred Spiral Galaxy in Virgo. O'Meara says "larger scopes may reveal a dim bar that extends north and south from the round core." Probably won't see the core, but then again, why not try?
NGC 4548 Barred Spiral Galaxy in Coma Bernices. Can view it not as a round glow, but with a broad spiral shape with a bright core.
NGC 4216 Mixed Spiral Galaxy inclined. Beautiful Galaxy or so I've heard . . .
Many more but those are the highlights.
Here is a site that I really enjoy as Planetary Nebula are one of my favorite observing targets. When I view a PN, I know I am viewing the future of our own star, the Sun when it ends its red giant phase and throws off its outer shells of gas as it begins to enter the White Dwarf stage, which will happen in about five billion years. This site can be slow to load but it lists by season in the northern and southern hemisphere what PN's are available for observing the the information about it. Enjoy!
Seasonal Planetary Nebula to Observe
Here is my Google Document for May. Just click on the May Target tab on the bottom:
Google Document May Targets
Here are some highlights:
NGC 4361 Planetary Nebula in Corvus. O'Meara in his book says this about NGC 4361;
"NGC 4361 is one of the finest non-Messier objects of its class."
Excited to view that.
Here's a site that shows the PN (and others with finder charts): NGC 4361 PN
NGC 4038 Irregular Barred Spiral Galaxy in Corvus that is interacting with its companion NGC 4039.
NGC 4594 or M104, The Sombrero. Always fun to look at.
NGC 4699 a Mixed Spiral Galaxy in Virgo that O'Meara describes it as "looking like a old vinyl record. He calls it the Vinyl LP Galaxy."
NGC 4665 Barred Spiral Galaxy in Virgo. O'Meara says "larger scopes may reveal a dim bar that extends north and south from the round core." Probably won't see the core, but then again, why not try?
NGC 4548 Barred Spiral Galaxy in Coma Bernices. Can view it not as a round glow, but with a broad spiral shape with a bright core.
NGC 4216 Mixed Spiral Galaxy inclined. Beautiful Galaxy or so I've heard . . .
Many more but those are the highlights.
Here is a site that I really enjoy as Planetary Nebula are one of my favorite observing targets. When I view a PN, I know I am viewing the future of our own star, the Sun when it ends its red giant phase and throws off its outer shells of gas as it begins to enter the White Dwarf stage, which will happen in about five billion years. This site can be slow to load but it lists by season in the northern and southern hemisphere what PN's are available for observing the the information about it. Enjoy!
Seasonal Planetary Nebula to Observe
4/27/2010
What to Observe in May
Well, yet another round of clouds and wind and an approaching storm means nothing to do with astronomy tonight. I finished level 2 of the Ealing training yesterday, though I struggled do to some personal things going on. Nothing bad happen, I just wasn't as clean or quick as the night before. Lesson learned, when distracted don't use astronomy equipment. Here is a picture I took. I'll take more as I am volunteering at a couple of star parties to run the scope to reinforce what I have learned before getting alone with it . . . sounds rather intriguing doesn't it?
I found great article that I want to share with you on things to observe. Some of you may know it, it is called The Night Sky This Month. There is also a very cool video cast called Astronomy Sky this Week This video blog is based out of the Denver Co. area but has some good info on it.
Some highlights from The Night Sky This Month article:
Here is some info on Venus and they have a finder chart for each of the items: "At the beginning of May, Venus spans 11" across and shows a gibbous disk 88-percent lit. By late in the month, the disk has grown to 13" and the phase has shrunk to 81-percent illumination. The planet shines at a stunning -4 magnitude, about ten times brighter than the brightest star Sirius. . . "
Saturn is high up and visible through early July and though the rings are tilted at 1.7 degrees, they will open up after the end of May. Uranus is in the morning sky with Jupiter and makes for a fun viewing in the early a.m. Neptune comes back "in western Aquarius, 1.5° northwest of the 4th-magnitude star Iota Aquarii." Finder maps are located on the site.
For the Deep Sky their target in May is Kemble's Cascade. I viewed this last fall and it is a wonderful object to see. I encourage you to go over to their article and check out what they have to say on it.
The article mentions two comets, one should be easy enough to see with anyone with a 4 inch scope. The article says:
Comet C/2009 K5 McNaught sweeps from Cepheus past Polaris to Camelopardalis during the month and remains circumpolar (meaning it never sets) for most midnorthern observers. Glowing with the combined light of a 9th-magnitude star, the comet will be easily accessible from suburban backyards with a 4-inch scope. On Sunday night, May 2/3, it lies just 1.5° from the 3rd-magnitude star Beta Cephei and two weeks later, on the weekend of May 14 and 15, it can be found 3° from the open star cluster NGC 188. During the month's second half C/2009 K5 McNaught passes near Polaris, the North Star, and soon after that moves from Cepheus into dimmer Camelopardalis.
Think I'll try to take a peak and perhaps show it at a Star Party I'm attending!!!! Check out the info on the other comet. I wasn't aware of either comet! So lets have fun looking at a comet or two! The second comet, Comet 81P Wild will be hard to view at around 10th magnitude and will be like finding some of the fainter Messier galaxies in Virgo. Up for the challenge?
I hope you find this information useful and The Sky This Month has a link so you can get their monthly newsletter via email. Enjoy, and I hope your skies are better than me.
I found great article that I want to share with you on things to observe. Some of you may know it, it is called The Night Sky This Month. There is also a very cool video cast called Astronomy Sky this Week This video blog is based out of the Denver Co. area but has some good info on it.
Some highlights from The Night Sky This Month article:
Here is some info on Venus and they have a finder chart for each of the items: "At the beginning of May, Venus spans 11" across and shows a gibbous disk 88-percent lit. By late in the month, the disk has grown to 13" and the phase has shrunk to 81-percent illumination. The planet shines at a stunning -4 magnitude, about ten times brighter than the brightest star Sirius. . . "
Saturn is high up and visible through early July and though the rings are tilted at 1.7 degrees, they will open up after the end of May. Uranus is in the morning sky with Jupiter and makes for a fun viewing in the early a.m. Neptune comes back "in western Aquarius, 1.5° northwest of the 4th-magnitude star Iota Aquarii." Finder maps are located on the site.
For the Deep Sky their target in May is Kemble's Cascade. I viewed this last fall and it is a wonderful object to see. I encourage you to go over to their article and check out what they have to say on it.
The article mentions two comets, one should be easy enough to see with anyone with a 4 inch scope. The article says:
Comet C/2009 K5 McNaught sweeps from Cepheus past Polaris to Camelopardalis during the month and remains circumpolar (meaning it never sets) for most midnorthern observers. Glowing with the combined light of a 9th-magnitude star, the comet will be easily accessible from suburban backyards with a 4-inch scope. On Sunday night, May 2/3, it lies just 1.5° from the 3rd-magnitude star Beta Cephei and two weeks later, on the weekend of May 14 and 15, it can be found 3° from the open star cluster NGC 188. During the month's second half C/2009 K5 McNaught passes near Polaris, the North Star, and soon after that moves from Cepheus into dimmer Camelopardalis.
Think I'll try to take a peak and perhaps show it at a Star Party I'm attending!!!! Check out the info on the other comet. I wasn't aware of either comet! So lets have fun looking at a comet or two! The second comet, Comet 81P Wild will be hard to view at around 10th magnitude and will be like finding some of the fainter Messier galaxies in Virgo. Up for the challenge?
I hope you find this information useful and The Sky This Month has a link so you can get their monthly newsletter via email. Enjoy, and I hope your skies are better than me.
4/25/2010
Training on the 16 inch/40cm Ealing Classical Cassegrain telescope with CCD imaging capabilities
Well from 7:40p.m. tonight until around 9:15p.m. I spent the evening training at my club with a fellow member and our trainer (my club is the Salt Lake Astronomical Society or SLAS) on the 16 inch or 40cm Ealing Classical Cassegrain telecope that has CCD imaging capabilities (see the images below). At the training we reviewed the checklist that goes for using the scope, that allows any member who is trained on it to use it safely and effectively. We began by preparing the bay to be opened. and then opening the bay. There is a finder on the telescope that requires everything to be done right, or you could damage the finder or the scope itself because it only has about 2 1/2 to 3 inches of clearance on the scope.
After the bay was opened we were taught how to use the two clutches to moe the scope. We learned what was considered the neutral position for the scope and to make sure that the mirror was ALWAYS pointed to north so that it never was pointed down. Want to guess why we want that? While operating the cluthes to move RA and Dec. it was important to remember to put some tension back on each clutch so the scope didn't not move around freely. One cool feature is on this scope when you move it back into the closing position, if you try to move it too far for the RA or Dec. an alarm sounds telling you that you've gone to far. Very cool feature.
One of the key movements on this scope is Swapping the Meridan. This allows you to use the scope safely looking either east or west and to the NW, W, or SW or SE, E or NE. It is actually pretty easy to accomplish.
Lots of things on this scope to do while tracking, yes, it has tracking. You MUST make sure the clearance between the parts of the scope and the railing at the top ladder or the scope could be damaged. One has to watch while observing that if you approach a west or east to far, that you have to do a meridian swap to keep observing that object/target.
Here are the specifications for the Ealing. It comes from the University of Utah where it was basically collecting dust and not being used. The Ealing is a 16 inch Cassegrain on torque tube (German equatorial) mount. The focal length on this telescope is 200". The magnification is 168x with teh default eyepiece. Field of View is equal to 1/2 degrees with the default eypiece.
There is a 5" Maksutov that is used for correct and inverted images. The focal length on this finder is equal to 1540mm (60 degrees). The magnification on this scope is equal to 38 x with the default 40mm Plossl eyepiece. FOV is 1 degree with the default 40mm Plossl EP.
Finder for the Maksutov is for correct and erect image. The size is 6x26mm and the FOV is 6.3 degrees. There is alos a 15x70 finder for correct and inverted image with a FOV of 3.3 degrees. A 7x50 finder for correct and inverted image with a FOV of 9.4 degrees. Finally there are two telrad finders with the 5 degree bull's eye.
I'll load up the stock photos from the club here, but I will take my digital camera with me tomorrow to take some pictures and post here. Wonderful night it was and such a joy to use. I can't wait til tomorrow night when we are actually going after targets. It also means I can do astrophotography or better yet, sketch from here.
Bruce Grim for who the 32mm Reflector at SPOC (see below) is named after. I believe he is one of the key members who helped to restore the Ealing. Here you can see the Ealing at his house before it was taken to its current home. Now that is a nice size scope!
Here is the Ealing fully installed and ready to go on one of those cool or cold northern Utah nights. I'll take pictures and post tomorrow. You can see the bay here that was made just for this scope. I am SO looking forward to sketching the moon, planets and DSO's from this scope. I firmly believe that this is one of the most underused privileges and benefits of being a member of our club. Check out the link below to the 32 inch reflector also. That will be my next training. All this for $25 membership and then another $25 for a key to use these tremendous scopes when you want AFTER you have completed the training that is FREE that the club offers. So whether it is with SLAS if your a member or with your own local club that may have scopes for you to use, get out there and learn how to use em so you can get time on them!
Stansbury Park Observatory Complex or SPOC Think of the character from Star Trek, Spok. That is how you say the nickname. That link will show you the complex and the three scopes that are there. I am also trained on the Brandt 200mm or 8 inch refractor.
In case you don't see them, here is the Grim Reflector which is a 32 inch Reflector with the mirror made by SLAS member who owns a company called Nova located about 5 minutes from my home.
The Grim waiting for installation of its 32 inch primary mirror. Notice how tall this scope is. The second picture shows Bruce Grim (who is a tall man) looking at the scope at first light (I believe). This is my next project to get trained on!
After the bay was opened we were taught how to use the two clutches to moe the scope. We learned what was considered the neutral position for the scope and to make sure that the mirror was ALWAYS pointed to north so that it never was pointed down. Want to guess why we want that? While operating the cluthes to move RA and Dec. it was important to remember to put some tension back on each clutch so the scope didn't not move around freely. One cool feature is on this scope when you move it back into the closing position, if you try to move it too far for the RA or Dec. an alarm sounds telling you that you've gone to far. Very cool feature.
One of the key movements on this scope is Swapping the Meridan. This allows you to use the scope safely looking either east or west and to the NW, W, or SW or SE, E or NE. It is actually pretty easy to accomplish.
Lots of things on this scope to do while tracking, yes, it has tracking. You MUST make sure the clearance between the parts of the scope and the railing at the top ladder or the scope could be damaged. One has to watch while observing that if you approach a west or east to far, that you have to do a meridian swap to keep observing that object/target.
Here are the specifications for the Ealing. It comes from the University of Utah where it was basically collecting dust and not being used. The Ealing is a 16 inch Cassegrain on torque tube (German equatorial) mount. The focal length on this telescope is 200". The magnification is 168x with teh default eyepiece. Field of View is equal to 1/2 degrees with the default eypiece.
There is a 5" Maksutov that is used for correct and inverted images. The focal length on this finder is equal to 1540mm (60 degrees). The magnification on this scope is equal to 38 x with the default 40mm Plossl eyepiece. FOV is 1 degree with the default 40mm Plossl EP.
Finder for the Maksutov is for correct and erect image. The size is 6x26mm and the FOV is 6.3 degrees. There is alos a 15x70 finder for correct and inverted image with a FOV of 3.3 degrees. A 7x50 finder for correct and inverted image with a FOV of 9.4 degrees. Finally there are two telrad finders with the 5 degree bull's eye.
I'll load up the stock photos from the club here, but I will take my digital camera with me tomorrow to take some pictures and post here. Wonderful night it was and such a joy to use. I can't wait til tomorrow night when we are actually going after targets. It also means I can do astrophotography or better yet, sketch from here.
Bruce Grim for who the 32mm Reflector at SPOC (see below) is named after. I believe he is one of the key members who helped to restore the Ealing. Here you can see the Ealing at his house before it was taken to its current home. Now that is a nice size scope!
Here is the Ealing fully installed and ready to go on one of those cool or cold northern Utah nights. I'll take pictures and post tomorrow. You can see the bay here that was made just for this scope. I am SO looking forward to sketching the moon, planets and DSO's from this scope. I firmly believe that this is one of the most underused privileges and benefits of being a member of our club. Check out the link below to the 32 inch reflector also. That will be my next training. All this for $25 membership and then another $25 for a key to use these tremendous scopes when you want AFTER you have completed the training that is FREE that the club offers. So whether it is with SLAS if your a member or with your own local club that may have scopes for you to use, get out there and learn how to use em so you can get time on them!
Stansbury Park Observatory Complex or SPOC Think of the character from Star Trek, Spok. That is how you say the nickname. That link will show you the complex and the three scopes that are there. I am also trained on the Brandt 200mm or 8 inch refractor.
In case you don't see them, here is the Grim Reflector which is a 32 inch Reflector with the mirror made by SLAS member who owns a company called Nova located about 5 minutes from my home.
The Grim waiting for installation of its 32 inch primary mirror. Notice how tall this scope is. The second picture shows Bruce Grim (who is a tall man) looking at the scope at first light (I believe). This is my next project to get trained on!
4/24/2010
Saturn and Lunar Observing April 24th 2010
No sketches from my session tonight, but a few fun moments and some personal insight from me. So no need to read this if you don't want to. It's about the moon, Saturn, my son and I, and some clouds. That sums it up so now you can fly on your way or you can park for just a moment on the superhighway and perhaps enjoy our moment.
Tonight I took a break and set up the XT8 out front and decided to spend some father son time with my 16 year old Nathan, and see if he was up to snuff to finding some stuff. He was, and he declared winter over with and and is now observing with me again. He won't come out in the winter. Too cold for him! We enjoyed chasing Saturn, and has a pretty decent view at times at 240x using the 5mm Hyperion with the XT8. After spending a half hour with Saturn we decided it was time to start learning the moon together. We had a really good view of Gassendi and the craters surrounding it and was going to sketch it . . . oh, and my son is kinda of excited now and has decided he can probably out sketch me and so a sketch off was on, and then kaboom, in come the clouds flying like they are chasing a witch in October on her broomstick. Shut that session down.
Crater Gassendi
The positive though is I had a fun two hours with my son, and it provided a common bond for us. He's sixteen, that stage where he wants his independence while yet wanting to cling at to the stability of home. I wonder if as adults if we also want those same things, independence while having the stability of our home and family? Tonight shows why am I so passionate about young people from my son's age and down learning to use scopes. If you could have seen Nathan beaming with self-confidence as I called out some of the major Messier and Double Stars for him to track down, and he did in a matter of moments, swiftly moving from atlas to telrad to the eyepiece, that made this Dad proud.
I don't know if observing is something he'll take up on his own, or if it will be one of those things he simply does with Dad to be with Dad, only time will tell. Much like fishing though, this links us together and provides with us something to share. Perhaps that is the greatest gift of all that his hobby teaches if we let it. The ability to share and reach beyond ourselves and connect with our loved ones, our friends and complete strangers that occasionally become new friends, lasting friends. It reminds us we are interlocked together on this spaceship called Earth.
I'd say stay tune for tomorrow but I have training at our club the next two days on our 16 inch scope and Tuesday I renew my certification on our 8 inch refractor. I do have say that I have decided to sketch either Saturn or Jupiter or both by signing up to use the 8inch Brandt refractor our club has this year.
Tonight I took a break and set up the XT8 out front and decided to spend some father son time with my 16 year old Nathan, and see if he was up to snuff to finding some stuff. He was, and he declared winter over with and and is now observing with me again. He won't come out in the winter. Too cold for him! We enjoyed chasing Saturn, and has a pretty decent view at times at 240x using the 5mm Hyperion with the XT8. After spending a half hour with Saturn we decided it was time to start learning the moon together. We had a really good view of Gassendi and the craters surrounding it and was going to sketch it . . . oh, and my son is kinda of excited now and has decided he can probably out sketch me and so a sketch off was on, and then kaboom, in come the clouds flying like they are chasing a witch in October on her broomstick. Shut that session down.
Crater Gassendi
The positive though is I had a fun two hours with my son, and it provided a common bond for us. He's sixteen, that stage where he wants his independence while yet wanting to cling at to the stability of home. I wonder if as adults if we also want those same things, independence while having the stability of our home and family? Tonight shows why am I so passionate about young people from my son's age and down learning to use scopes. If you could have seen Nathan beaming with self-confidence as I called out some of the major Messier and Double Stars for him to track down, and he did in a matter of moments, swiftly moving from atlas to telrad to the eyepiece, that made this Dad proud.
I don't know if observing is something he'll take up on his own, or if it will be one of those things he simply does with Dad to be with Dad, only time will tell. Much like fishing though, this links us together and provides with us something to share. Perhaps that is the greatest gift of all that his hobby teaches if we let it. The ability to share and reach beyond ourselves and connect with our loved ones, our friends and complete strangers that occasionally become new friends, lasting friends. It reminds us we are interlocked together on this spaceship called Earth.
I'd say stay tune for tomorrow but I have training at our club the next two days on our 16 inch scope and Tuesday I renew my certification on our 8 inch refractor. I do have say that I have decided to sketch either Saturn or Jupiter or both by signing up to use the 8inch Brandt refractor our club has this year.
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