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Sess.#286 7:30-9:30pm lim mag=4.0 seeing=5/10 Mostly Cloudy

Set up the SCT-8" in the back yard after shovelling the snow and ice
off some of the flagstone. Excellent setup with the new foldout
observing table, charts, etc. However, the weather did not co-operate
and I got to observe only for 30 minutes out of two hours before I
gave up.

Saturn - looking out Westward from Orleans, over Ottawa, Saturn was
churning so much that I could not distinguish cassinni's division.
This is in sharp contrast to the views I've gotten from the West end
of Ottawa.

Jupiter - had two moons very close to each other and the other two far
on opposite side. Could only see some banding and polar caps on the
planet itself.

Castor - alpha Geminorum - this is a bluesih white double star with
one being slightly brighter than the other. When near overhead, I
magnified alot to check the seeing - the diffraction pattern of an in
focus star showed the seeing to be no better than 5/10.

Gamma Leonis - A very nice and very yellow pair of stars in Leo.
Similar brightness. The colour is very different than Castor.

Did not have an opportunity to calibrate my reticle eyepiece to the 3X
barlow yet. Cloud banks kept giving me only short 10 minute
opportunities to observe. After two hours of playing that game and
getting only three short observing windows between clouds, I packed it
in.

Tech Note - I had felt some concerns about my polar alignment skills
in Kanata. Tonight, the polar alignment, using my 1-minute
finderscope approach, turned out fairly accurate. When I placed the
illuminated reticle over a Gamma Leo afterwards, there was no drift at
all east or west for 3 minutes, and in that same amount of time, only
20 seconds drift northward. Half the field of view (from center to
rim) for that eyepiece is 10 arc minutes, so that means a target would
stay in the eyepiece for more than an hour. Good to know nothing's
wrong with the scope.

Roland

This is a terrific image.

But, Mike, recall they way the core of M51 looked in the 82" at
TSP last year. I think we saw more detail in the very core with
the 82". Maybe just my bias as as visual astronomer.

Well, the only scientific thing to do is to repeat the observation.

:)

There are places available for observing with the 82" in texas on
may 15 and 16 if people are tempted.

-ad

Just a quick note to mention, to any of you who are (or wish to be)
members of "OAFuscators", that there is a proposal there up for
discussion, to maybe make a simple handout mostly for the purposes of
sidewalk astronomy. Please post further messages regarding this on
the OAFuscators eMail group.

Muchos Gratias!

Roland

"BlancManges - 20 Humans - 0"

--- In OAFs@y..., "Mike Wirths" <mwirths@s...> wrote:

Hi everyone!
here's a link to a interesting movie that might be fun if we got
together to see:

Where, when? Count me in.

Also has everyone seen the new Hubble pic of the center of M51?

silence... (Mouth agape!)

Rol

Hi everyone!

here's a link to a interesting movie that might be fun if we got together to see:


Also has everyone seen the new Hubble pic of the center of M51?


-clear skies

Mike W

Here's the additional information I promised re: Mars observation.
There's a free downloadable software package available at the link
below. It not only automatically draws the correct face of Mars for
any given evening and time, but it also allows you to generate the
image as it would show in a Refractor, Newtonian or
Schmidt-Cassegrain. I find it very useful in identifying features you
are seeing, or finding out if you are imagining things or not... you
can find it at:



Also note, the May 2001 issue of Sky & Telescope has a couple of
excellent articles on the subject, incuding useful maps for naming
various features you see, starting on page 102 of that issue. It also
had more details on which kind of filters to use with which kinds of
telescopes.

Happy Mars-Watching over the next few months!

Photonman

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

Long time no type!...I would have loved to get out to the FLO site
to see it at least, it would be a great spot for me as I
live in the west end.

Hi Matt!

Glad you're still on planet! We'll keep you in mind over the
next month, when going to RASC's Fred Lossing Observatory. And
maybe you could also keep your eyes open for postings to that effect?

For someone in the West End of Ottawa, I suspect it might give darker
skies than the Carp airport... ;-) The last bit of road in has a bit
of mud this time of year, so it's better to go with others, if at all
possible, just in case you got stuck or something. B.T.W., a cell
phone works from FLO.

Too bad you're unavailable for dinner tonite. Talk with you soon!

Photonman

Hello All!!

Long time no type! I am sorry I could not join any of you over the
last couple of weeks, this is the busy time at work and I have been
putting in a lot of extra hours. I would have loved to get out to the
FLO site to see it at least, it would be a great spot for me as I
live in the west end. I will not be available to go to the meeting
tonight but I should be able to make it out next week for some
sidewalk sessions or other events.

Mike W, I am interested in helping out with the cadets next weekend.
I would be happy to bring my 8in SCT if it is required. I hope you
all have a good time tonight.

Clear skies all!!!

Matt Weeks

--- In OAFs@y..., "Mike Wirths" <mwirths@s...> wrote:

It would have to be soon though since the gas giants are quickly
sinking! Its quite a haul for you to drive though Roland...perhaps
combining a sidewalk trip to Perth with observing afterwards at the
observatory would be an idea.... BTW who is coming out for Jean
Dorais's Cadet night on the 14th?

Hi Mike!

If there's any way this Perth sidewalk session could happen within the
next seven days, that'd be great from my point of view, as I am in
between teaching weeks at Algonquin, and so could make it out there on
a weekday without problem.

I could never refuse a session in your very fine Observatory, but on
this occasion, it wouldn't be so bad either to just focus on the
sidewalk session, for me at least. Whatever is easiest for you.
Truth be known, sidewalk astronomy and your company, Sir Mike of
Wirths, would quite be incentive enough for the trek.

About the cadets on the 14th, I understand that a few OAFs might be
out of town on that particular night, so you can count on me for that
one also. Janice says that unless something unexpected comes up,
she'd likely attend to give a hand as well. Perhaps we could assist
inside with the traffic and answering questions, or if you prefer, we
could set up outside with the SCT-8". Maybe we'll discuss what's best
at dinner over a usual brown ale.

CU tonite...
Photonman

"Yes it is!"
"No it isn't!"

Hi Rol!

That sounds like a great idea, I've done sidewalk twice in Perth (up at the
mall on Hwy 7) and it was great fun!
I'm getting a aluminum box made for the bed of my truck so that I can
transport the 18" with greater ease, it should be ready sometime this coming
week.
It would have to be soon though since the gas giants are quickly sinking!
Its quite a haul for you to drive though Roland...perhaps combining a
sidewalk trip to Perth with observing afterwards at the observatory would be
an idea.
Anyhow I'll see all of you at Kelseys! Sorry I've been so quiet lately its
been crazy busy here at the farm, BTW who is coming out for Jean Dorais's
Cadet night on the 14th?


----Ni
Mike

Most people have voted to dine at Kelseys at 1910 St-Laurent opposite
the NMST.

I will make reservation for 18:00. I will assume that the
8 people who voted will want to be there. If you want to bring
someone other than yourself, email me and I will increment the
reservation. I'll make the reservation around 13:00 tomorrow.
If you want to add people after that, just phone the
restarant and ask to be added. 733-2200.

I will reserve under the name "danko".

-ad

ps. OB Astronomy. A link for a cloudy night:




Its a page of very detailed notes of observing mars from the
last apparition. It includes a list of what color filters to
use. I'd cut and past the text of the page into a plaintext file
since the color scheme of the webpage is jarring.

Count me in for next week in Almont!!
Richard

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

The poll so far indicates a clear majority for Kelsey's.

I suggest we close the poll at midnight tonight. If a restaurant
that takes reservations wins, I volanteer to make the reservation.

Hmm. The rasc meeting starts at 20:00. How about 18:00 for dinnner?

Yes & Yes.

R.

Kelsey's at 18:00. That's a big 10/4 good buddy. Over.
Ricardo

It's not pining, its passed on. This parrot is no more. It has ceased to be. It's expired and gone to meet its maker. This is a late parrot. Its a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace. If you hadn't nailed it to the perch, it would be pushing up the daisies!! Its rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an ex-parrot.

The poll so far indicates a clear majority for Kelsey's.

I suggest we close the poll at midnight tonight. If a restaurant
that takes reservations wins, I volanteer to make the reservation.

Hmm. The rasc meeting starts at 20:00. How about 18:00 for dinnner?

-ad

"and dont skimp on the pate"

To each of you...

Just in case you don't realize it yet, each of you has options that
you can change regarding how you might want to get messages from the
yahoo email group.

For example, I have option for no individual eMails and I have a
bookmark on my browser that I use to check the messages online only
whenever I want. I really like that option. This reduces the amount
of clutter in my personal eMial box.

It may be that you personally prefer to get all individual eMails and
that's quite fine. If however you would like to temporarily try one
of the many different options, you could set that for yourself if you
wish, or, you could just ask me and I'd be glad to give you a hand, if
you're not sure how to make those changes.

All for now,
Roland ( aka Photonman )

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

exclaimed with perfect enunciation, and relatively loud: "OH WOW!"

Yup, its the number of "oh wow"s that tells me if it was a good
sidewalk sessions. Not the total number of people. Just one "oh wow"
makes it all worthwhile.

The good company makes it all good fun.

-ad

Hi Al!

Count us in too for Almonte, if our schedules permit...

Roland ( & Janice )

attilla.danko@... wrote:

I'd be willing to do sidewalk in perth too.

Also, I seem to recall that Al Seaman once suggested a sidewalk
session for Almonte.. or was it Stittsville. Almonte, I think.

Right. Late last fall I did a solo evening at the Almonte library
parking lot and reported on it. Several people including Attilla indicated
a willingness to join in at some time. Was thinking of doing another
in the near future now that warmer weather is here.

If we do it, we should do it soon. We will soon loose Jupiter and
Saturn to the glare of the sun.

Agreed - soon is a goal. Not only will the planets disappear, but it
is going to be bright too late into the evenings.

Let's see how the weather looks through next week.

Cheers - Al Seaman

I'd be willing to do sidewalk in perth too.

Also, I seem to recall that Al Seaman once suggested a sidewalk
session for Almonte.. or was it Stittsville. Almonte, I think.

In any case. I'd be happy to do sidewalk in Perth, Almonte or
Stittsville. Its generally easier for me to goto west-end sites.

If we do it, we should do it soon. We will soon loose Jupiter and
Saturn to the glare of the sun.

-ad

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

Hi Mike!

Just a thought, up as a trial balloon:

I think I remember that, a while back, you tried a solo sidewalk
session in Perth. Just wanted to say, if ever you get to be "less
busy" and would enjoy having one of these sidewalk sessions in

Perth

again, I'd be interested in joining you. The fine people of Perth
have a right to some sidewalk astronomy too, I figure. ;-)

Roland

"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."