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Hey matt!

Very glad you decided to join us! Great report BTW! I love m46, its so cool
to see 2 different types of objects in the same FOV. It looks like it might
be good for observing Sun or Mon night can you make it during the week for
observing sessions at my spot?

--clear skies!

P.S. if you come....bring a......shrubberry!!!!!
PPS hey maybe in the summer we could have a BBQ and watch Hitch-hikers guide
some time

Hello all,

Thanks, Roland and Attilla for your warm welcome. I managed to get
out last night and do some observing, it was nice to get out after
such a bad stint of weather. I am looking forward to doing some
observing with you all, maybe I'll get to see what that 3x barlow can
do in experienced hands!! I have decided to revisit all of the
Messiers and log them along with the RASC's finest NGC objects. Up
until recently my observing records were check marks beside a list,
so I hope you don't mind reading about a million open clusters!!!

Anyway, here is my report:



Session: 01-007

Date: March 15, 2001
Time: 7:30 – 10:00
Location: Carp Airport, Carp Ontario
Weather Description: Winds: Light to Calm, Temp -6

Limiting Magnitude: 5.4 (Polaris) 5.75 (southern sky using triangle
method)
Seeing: 2/10 – 3/10
Scope: Celestar 8


Targets:

1) M47: Open cluster in Puppis. 40 –50 stars visible using 42mm. A
coarse, large cluster. Most stars blue-white in color. A couple of
reddish stars were noted. Two obvious double stars noticed. One
pair were even brightness and closely matched in color (blue-
white). The other pair was uneven with a bright blue-white star and
a dim reddish star.

2) M46: Open cluster in Puppis. Using the 18mm and 24mm approx. 100
stars were noted. About half seemed to be "bright" and the other
half "dim". Moderately compressed and large. Planetary nebula NGC
2438 easily seen on northern edge of cluster with direst vision.
Averted vision made it a lot more obvious.

3) NGC 2438: Planetary Nebula in M46. 18mm + 2x barlow + Broad band
LPR. Slight hint of annularity glimpsed occasionally. Pretty much
round. Slightly brighter outer edge but overall very even brightness.

4) NGC 2539: Open cluster in Puppis. Using 18mm 35-40 stars were
noted. Moderately condensed. Nice view.

5) M50: Open Cluster in Monoceros. 50-75 stars in 42mm. Meandering
over approx. 3/4 deg. Loose cluster but bright and large. Noticed a
couple of reddish stars involved. Using 24mm lots more stars where
noted using averted vision. The background seemed slightly hazy.

6) M41: Open cluster in Canis Major. 40-50 stars in 42mm. Mostly
blue-white. One bright red star is center of cluster.

7) NGC 2359: Emission Nebula in Canis Major. Thor's Helmet. Using
18mm with LPR found a very faint patch of gas. Ovoid in N-S
direction. 7 stars involved with a small clustering on the north
edge. Using a digital Sky Survey image I believe what I saw was the
brighter "wing" of the neb. I will have to try this one again using
a UHC or darker sky.

8) NGC 3242: Planetary Nebula in Hydra. Ghost of Jupiter. Bright.
Easy in 18mm. Not quite round. Using 18mm + LPR a faint and thin
outer shell was noted. A possible slight extension of northern edge
of outer shell was suspected.


Clear skies all,

Matt Weeks

Ah... Sir Matt of Weeks!

A warm gracious welcome to you. Glad to see your name added to this
merry band of OAFs. I shall inform your ex-(3x Barlow) of the
news forthwith. I'm sure it will be quite excited at the propect.

Photons are free

Rol

LOL

Welcome. I hope you will find your RDA of astronomy here as
well as a surfiet of monty python.

"every email is precious"

-ad




--- In OAFs@y..., "Matt Weeks" <mweeks@i...> wrote:

No it isn't!! It's mearly a flesh wound!

Well it felt like it for awhile, but now all is well. I was very
happy to recieve an email from Mike letting everyone know abou

OAFs.

I am happy to participate.

Matt Weeks

No it isn't!! It's mearly a flesh wound!

Well it felt like it for awhile, but now all is well. I was very
happy to recieve an email from Mike letting everyone know abou OAFs.
I am happy to participate.

Matt Weeks

Welcome. I hope you find fun astronomy here. As for aburdist
british humor: anytype works for me. :)

6*9=42 (in base 13)
-ad


--- In OAFs@y..., rob.robotham@a... wrote:

Unfortunately I have too much too do in too little time to read all
the messages already here (well any, actually) or post any really
useful information (or Python references). Is other British humour
accepted (e.g. Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy??)?

Maybe while I'm away I'll be able to sneak over to this web site a

few

times. I certainly will in a week and a bit.

This will be a lot easier than sending email around (gee, I bet

that's

why it was set up, huh?).

Cheers!

Rob

Greetings Rob of Robotham!

Be most welcome to this loose circle of OAFs. If you have a chance to
visit, whilst you're away, be sure to drop a line. We like astronomy
and/or hilarity. Keep your eyes peeled for observing reports, Monty
Python humour, and the like.

Till Later,
Roland

"Always look on the bright side of Life..."
- Life of Brian.

Unfortunately I have too much too do in too little time to read all
the messages already here (well any, actually) or post any really
useful information (or Python references). Is other British humour
accepted (e.g. Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy??)?

Maybe while I'm away I'll be able to sneak over to this web site a few
times. I certainly will in a week and a bit.

This will be a lot easier than sending email around (gee, I bet that's
why it was set up, huh?).

Cheers!

Rob

Gracious host, and sharer of the finest astro-toys, Mike Wirths,
invited us out to his observatory last night. Only Terrence
Dickinson and I were lucky enough to take up Mike on his offer.

Mike and I had fun reminding Terrence that he's been aperture
deprived for so long. Terrence is fine company and an interesting
person. The fame and glory of owning a magazine has not ruined him
for the company of mere guys like Mike and me.

We yakked a hell of a lot. We spent a lot of time discussing
binoviewers, intensifier eyepieces, Terrence's 18" still on
order, how many telescopes Terrence has had (33 total, 8 now),
why you _need_ four refractors, what Markus Ludes is like in person,
the joys and anquish of being a magazine publisher, the esthetics
of just plain looking through the eyepiece, why a N31 isnt
necessarily better than a Panoptic 35, the expletive scale of
seeing, tube currents vs seeing, the Wirths test, how dark
the sky is, Terrence's frozen-shut observatory roof, Sky&Tel vs
Astronomy magazine, why Ontario has better seeing than it gets
credit for, the irony that some people who don't like astronomy
can seen 1.5 magnitudes deeper than us, wives and girlfriends, the
problems with contractors, accomodations at TSP, the horrors
of camping, TMB vs Astro-physics, why Roland Christen
is a cool guy, the importance of a warm-room, dislike of ladders,
why Discovery Channel guys are so much cooler than CTV guys,
why TLC sucks, the joys of owning horses, why its good for Terrence
for lots of people to buy ETXs, how to deal with annoying email,
mirror cooling, secret places with excellent seeing (a certain
back-yard in san-diego), why NGC891 is pretty but hard to see,
why one telescope isnt enough, good starparties to go to,
and the joy of observing.

Oh yeah, we also looked at at stuff.

Seeing was only so so. But we spend a fair time looking at jupiter --
mostly because it seemed like it would be one of our last chances.
The only unusual detail was a dark thickening, sort of like a huge
barge, at the edge of the north tropical band and north equatorial zone.

Saturn was just plain pretty. There seemed to be more than the usual
number of satellites visble. However, I really think Saturn does not
have three Titans. So those two bright things to the south of
Saturn were probably field stars. I havent checked yet.

M51 showed spiral structure even in the lightdome of Perth. I could
find IC434 but not B33. (Lately i've been trying to see the
horsehead (b33) without a filter.) Hubbles variable nebula in the
binoviewer was really pretty. The IC open cluster near M35 made a neat
contrast. The pup, raspberry and sombrero were all too low to see. But
(Dont we have cool jargon in this hobby?) But M3 and M42 were welcome and
familliar treats. M94, M95 and that nearby NGC thingy
made a very pretty trio that just fit in Mike's 22 nagler in
his 18". NGC4546 was just plain cool.

Fairly soon, the air cooled to dewpoint and the eyepices began fogging.
M104 is "interesting" to find with a fogged eyepice.

Then Terrence and I wimped out. It was quite early (21:45). Bloody day-jobs.
They intrude on our true and honorable calling of observing and shooting
the sh*t with friends.


To good company under clear skies,


-ad

I concur. With Jupiter and Saturn low in the west, and no
moon. We'll have objects bright enought to show under streetlights
for only the very begiining of the evening.

=ad


--- In OAFs@y..., r.prevost@h... wrote:

--- In OAFs@y..., "Richard Harding" <rharding@i...> wrote:

Oh brave Knights of Antioch or OAFs....if the weather be fair on

yon

Saturday coming, I intend to be at the Kanata Chapters to do some
sidewalk astronomy (being as I have to go to foul Toronto for one
week on Sunday!!) Mike Zeigler will be there as well.
Knight on, fair Knight...be ye yet a witch..."
Richard

Lo' there Richard!

Hm-m-m-m ... A Clear Moonless Saturday night around Messier galaxy
time. Just wondering if any other alternatives, for example, at a
slightly darker site, might not be feasible at all for yourself and
Mike Z.? Given a choice, I'd usually prefer to opt for sidewalk

stuff

for those times when the moon's on either side of full.

Personally, I

sure could use a dark sky session, just about now.

I guess your travel plans might be placing some boundaries on your
options. If I'm not mistaken, I think it still gets dark early

enough

to get in a few hours of observing at a darker site, and still be

home

by midnight. Just trying to tempt you...

It's just that there have been so few Clear & Moonless Saturdays

thus

far...

Let me know what you think,

Rol

OK you talked me into it!! I will contact Mike Z. and see what we can arrange. I'll talk to you tonight or send an email.
Richard
"wink wink" say no more!!"

<BR>

--- In OAFs@y..., "Richard Harding" <rharding@i...> wrote:

Oh brave Knights of Antioch or OAFs....if the weather be fair on yon
Saturday coming, I intend to be at the Kanata Chapters to do some
sidewalk astronomy (being as I have to go to foul Toronto for one
week on Sunday!!) Mike Zeigler will be there as well.
Knight on, fair Knight...be ye yet a witch..."
Richard

Lo' there Richard!

Hm-m-m-m ... A Clear Moonless Saturday night around Messier galaxy
time. Just wondering if any other alternatives, for example, at a
slightly darker site, might not be feasible at all for yourself and
Mike Z.? Given a choice, I'd usually prefer to opt for sidewalk stuff
for those times when the moon's on either side of full. Personally, I
sure could use a dark sky session, just about now.

I guess your travel plans might be placing some boundaries on your
options. If I'm not mistaken, I think it still gets dark early enough
to get in a few hours of observing at a darker site, and still be home
by midnight. Just trying to tempt you...

It's just that there have been so few Clear & Moonless Saturdays thus
far...

Let me know what you think,

Rol

--- In OAFs@y..., r.prevost@h... wrote:

--- In OAFs@y..., attilla.danko@s... wrote:

Gee. Picking a name was fun.

a. create another group called, say "OAFs-voting" etc. etc.

YES. YES. YES.

Ok. I have created a group where we can yak about how to run
OAFs. I've called it OAFuscators, largely because I'm too tired
to think of a better one.



> Um... could "we" create such a group right away, and then go there
to

debate and vote on whether "we" should create such a group in the
first place?

I'd like to suggest a really simple way of voting on the creation
of OAFuscators.

If you think the list is a good idea, subscribe to it and start
posting.


If you think its a bad idea, don't join it. Post here instead.


As like last time, everyone gets a veto. Post here if you think
this is a bad idea. After we have heard from everyone in thronging
masses of OAFs (all 5 of us), it should be clear if we agree to
accecpt OAFuscators or not.

If we do accept OAFuscators, we can immediately change its name
if people want. We can also change its charter and anything else
with a vote.

The mandate of OAFuscators will be re-affirmed everytime someone
choose to put an posting that would have been off-topic for OAFs there
instead of on OAFS.




As for going public, I'd say, if people feel like it sure.
Feel free to create a vote or otherwise state your opinion.
If you like, use OAFuscators to do that.

Clear skies.

-ad

ps. great observing seesion at mikes tonight. Care to post a report,
mike? Hey, that would be the first on-topic post in a while.


oops. Obligatory monty-python:

Maitre D: And finally, monsieur, a wafer-thin email-list.

Mr Creosote: No.

Maitre D: Oh sir! It's only a tiny little thin one.

--- In OAFs@y..., attilla.danko@s... wrote:

Gee. Picking a name was fun.

a. create another group called, say "OAFs-voting" etc. etc.

YES. YES. YES.

I'm so sorry to have somehow missed the main point of this message
when I first read it. It's a good idea!! You get the convenience of
Yahoo Groups, the ability to discuss non-astro stuff without boring
others. Yet at the same time, anyone who's a member of OAFs can
participate. Democratic, civil AND a licence to joke. Wow, what a
combination!

Um... could "we" create such a group right away, and then go there to
debate and vote on whether "we" should create such a group in the
first place? This debate could last for years, and we still wouldn't
know if we should create such a group or not. The validity of that
extra group would therefore always remain in question... a definite
plus for any anarchists lurking about. ;-)

Anyway, I regret I did not respond to this sooner, Attilla. Any
others like that idea? ( see Attilla's message "now, to go public..."
for details ).

Photons & Bozons & OAFS, oh my!!

Rol

Oh brave Knights of Antioch or OAFs....if the weather be fair on yon
Saturday coming, I intend to be at the Kanata Chapters to do some
sidewalk astronomy (being as I have to go to foul Toronto for one
week on Sunday!!) Mike Zeigler will be there as well.
Knight on, fair Knight...be ye yet a witch..."
Richard

Unable to join you tonite, due to trainer prep work for last day of
Java Language, otherwise would just have loved to go over. Have a
great session. I secretly hope someone will write some kind of short
report.

OAFs of a feather, loaf together.

Photon Man

--- In OAFs@y..., mwirths@s... wrote:

Hey fellow Kniggets, ettes,

Its a fine warm day out there (love the sound of melting snow!), so
if its a fine night I'll be out after 7ish anyone wanting to join

me

can!

Woo Hoo! Observing. That stuff that keeps us off the net and out of
trouble. I should be able show up for a couple of hours.

Say, could you talk Rob Robotham into comming? I'd like to compare
his Nagler 31 to my Panoptic 35 on your Obsession 25.

---hey this scene from Grail has a reference to a "Saint Atila" ;>)
LOL!!! better shine up that halo Attilla!! ;)

Sorry, no relation.


Transparency and thermal equilibirum,

-ad

Hey fellow Kniggets, ettes,

Its a fine warm day out there (love the sound of melting snow!), so
if its a fine night I'll be out after 7ish anyone wanting to join me
can!

---hey this scene from Grail has a reference to a "Saint Atila" ;>)
LOL!!! better shine up that halo Attilla!! ;)

BROTHER: "And Saint Atila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying,
'Oh, Lord, bless this thy hand grenade that with it thou mayest blow
thy enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.' And the Lord did grin, and
people did feast upon the lambs, and sloths, and carp, and anchovies,
and orangutans, and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats, and large --"

MAYNARD: Skip a bit, Brother.

BROTHER: "And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the
Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three
shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting
shalt be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two,
excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once
the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest
thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thou foe, who being
naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.'"

MAYNARD: Amen.

Amen...I mean clear skies

Mike

The following OAFs poll is now closed. Here are the
final results:


POLL QUESTION: Choose a name for this group. (If you
think a choice is missing, post it
during the voting and we will restart
the vote. However, if you require
people to re-enter their vote, we may
require you to recite the entire cheese
shop sketch.)

Vote ends when when all members of
amasot as of 2001-3-14 have voted.

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- amasot, 0 votes, 0.00%
- oafs, 5 votes, 100.00%
- starry_knights, 0 votes, 0.00%
- none of the above, abstain, or I dont feel like voting., 0 votes, 0.00%



For more information about this group, please visit


For help with Yahoo! Groups, please visit

The curtain drops on Amasot (where knights would dance and prance
alot). . .

To new beginnings, my fellow OAFiuchians!
Jan

(Humm...would that make our fearless Moderator Alpha OAFiuchi?? Sounds
too hierarchical, I suppose. . . unless we let him use the title only
on the second Wednesday of every month that begins with the letter
"M". No, definitely too silly.)