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Enter your vote today! A new poll has been created for the
OAFs group:

Decide the location of a
Only-if-its-Cloud OAFs dinner.
For this saturday April 21 at 18:00.
Note, if its clear, most will probably
goto Pinhey's point instead.

o Barley Mow, Eagleson North, Kanata
o Chesire Cat, Carp
o Abe & Roscoe's, Bank st, Ottawa
o Siam Bistro, 1268 Wellington, Ottawa
o Little India Cafe, near Coleseum 12 on Carling, Nepean
o Rose's Too (Indian), Robertson Rd, Bells Corners
o Taj (Indian) Carling near Colesuem 12, Nepean
o Kelsey's, Terry Fox north, Kanata
o Boston Pizza, Terry Fox north, Kanata
o East Side Marios, Terry fox south, Kanata
o Denny's, Terry Fox north, Kanata
o The March House, Eagleson north, Kanata


To vote, please visit the following web page:



Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
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web site listed above.

Thanks!

Just wondering Al...

If an RASC member has a visiting family friend, or, an interested
amateur astronomer who might wish to "visit" FLO, but accompanied by
that RASC member, if that considered OK?

I couldn't see any info on that, posted on the RASC site, but if
memory serves, I think that in the past, RASC members could bring a
"guest" to FLO, as long as this was not "abused". Just wondering if
you might possibly know the RASC's approach on this?

Thanks Al,
Roland

Well with Attilla's weather report for tonights clear skies I really
can not resist. Anyone that wants to meet me at FLO tonight is
welcome. So far there will be myself and 2 other RASC members.
Planning on arriving ~8:30.

Mike Z

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

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

(Not that I could make it out of equuleus anyway).

RAZZ:
I think Attilla possibly meant "out 'to' equuleus". (Hm-m-m-m...
wonder why that happened?) ;-)

Rol

Well, professor, it looks like a classic case of preposition
displacement disorder brought on by a repressed observatory-envy
complex.


The link i posted to the cloud forcase is now pointing to the
wrong time. CMC reuses the urls for different times whenever
the re-run their simulation.

So forget the link I previously posted. This page, which my program
regenerates periodically, should have a link to the right forcast
for this evening:



Anyway, the original proposition (note, not "preposition") was
'is anyone observing tonight'?

-ad

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

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- Not interested or rarely, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 1/month, 3 votes, 33.33%
- 2/month, 4 votes, 44.44%
- 3/month, 2 votes, 22.22%
- 4 or 5+/month (Bring 'em on!), 0 votes, 0.00%

Thanks very much for sharing your opinions on that poll. Looks like
maybe we like to do some sidewalk astronomy, but in
moderation. Further discussion/interpretation about the poll results
might be better suited to the "how to run OAFs together" group called
OAFuscators which is located at:



Anyone who's an OAF, as you probably already know, can be a member of
OAFuscators. As I understand it, that's where we discuss non
astronomy and non Python stuff. So I will post my opinions on the
poll results there.

Thanks again for participating!

Rol

PS- I don't think Jan mentioned it, but that cellphone also
works from the Equuleus observatory, past Perth.

PPS- Jan and I just rented Monty Python's "The Holy Grail" for viewing
sometime in the next few days, if it rains... ;-)

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

(Not that I could make it out of equuleus anyway).

RAZZ:
I think Attilla possibly meant "out 'to' equuleus". (Hm-m-m-m...
wonder why that happened?) ;-)

Rol

Hello all,

Last night I went out to the RASC's observatory in Almonte. The site
is only 30min from home for me so I consider it close enough to use
for casual as well as dark sky observing. I was very happy with the
sight and I suspect I will start using it regularly. Al informed me
that they try and keep the site plowed during the winter( though
usually only around new moon), so this may become my year round
site. Carp may just be a once in a while site for me now. I am very
excited about having a darksite within easy reach of home!

Anyway here is my report as I continue to work through the RASC's
Finest NGC objects re-observe and log the Messiers:

Session: 01-010

Date: April 18, 2001
Time: 9:00-12:00
Location: FLO, Almonte, ON
Weather Description: -5 Deg, high haze

Limiting Magnitude: 5.7
Seeing: 6/10-7/10
Scope: Celestar 8


Targets:
1) M37: Open cluster in Auriga. Nicely compressed with ruddy red
star in center of cluster. Most stars appeared white. Some of the
spaces between the stars in the cluster seemed very dark compared to
the background, which was a bit washed out. This gave me the
impression of dark lanes twisting through the cluster. I counted at
least 70 bright stars in the cluster using 18mm (113x) but many
fainter stars were visible.


2) M36: Open cluster in Auriga. Loose cluster, unimpressive.
Mostly white stars involved. I counted more then 40 bright stars in
this cluster using the 18mm (113x).


3) M38: Open cluster in Auriga. Moderate to loose compression. I
counted 50-60 bright stars of similar brightness using 18mm (113x).

4) NGC 1931: Emission/reflection nebula in Auriga. Using 18mm (113x)
looked like a round fuzzy nebula surrounding a star. With the
24mm+barlow (170x), the core brightened and two stars were visible.
Using averted vision the nebula appeared to double in size and fan
away to the west. Using the 8mm (254x) three stars were visible in
the core with averted vision and I suspected a fourth.

5) NGC 2683: Galaxy in Lynx. Appeared edge on with position NE-SW.
Using 18mm (113x) the core was gradually brighter. Using the
24mm+barlow (170x) there was the impression of mottled structure.

6) M99: Galaxy in Coma Berenices. Large, face on with a gradually
brighter core. Appeared slightly mottled using averted vision.
Observed with 18mm (113x).

7) M98: Galaxy in Coma Berenices. Edge on oriented NW-SE. Faint
with a slightly brighter core. Observed with 18mm (113x).

8) M100: Galaxy in Coma Berenices. Large, faint, face on. Very
bright, tight core or stellar? Observed with 18mm (113x).

9) NGC 4126: Galaxy in Virgo. Oriented NNE-SSW. Edge on with a
suddenly brighter core. Observed with 18mm (113x). I could not
detect NGC 4206, which should have been in the same FOV.

Notes:

I was treated to a nice long view of the ISS as it passed overhead.
It was quite bright and slow moving. It traveled from west to east
where it slowly faded out as it entered Earth's' shadow. Also
observing at FLO tonight were RASC members Bruce McGlashin, Al Seamen
and Geoff Meek. A fun night!


Clear skies all!!

Looking forward to the 21st!

Matt

Re Phones:
Rob - As a person who has spent many long, clear, sleepless nights
worrying about a beloved sky-hound (2 a.m.: dead car battery at the
observing site? 3 a.m.: knocked unconscious by an unbalanced scope? 4
a.m.: abducted by aliens shopping for an SCT-8 for the kids?), I
highly recommend a cell phone for you and Chris. We resisted on
principle for a long time, but finally got one at Christmas. It's a
Nokia from RadioShack, and we've tested it from Casselman and FLO.
The last time at FLO, Rol's voice cut out about every 10 seconds or
so, but usually it has been fine. We're on a pay-as-you-go plan.
(You buy a small card with an activation code - I think it's something
like $25 for 25 minutes, but the card expires in a month. You still
keep any unused minutes, but you have to buy another card to activate
for another month. You can also get 2-month and 3-month packages, if
I'm not mistaken.) For the amount of worry it saves, it's really
worth it!

Re FLO: I read in the paper today that the haze in the sky that
plagued the FLO session early in the week (well, actually the paper
didn't specifically mention the FLO. . .) was in fact a dust cloud
that was created during a huge storm over the Gobi Desert in early
April. Mongolian pea soup. Which brings me to the topic of -

Re Food: Attilla, if you know any good west-end Indian or Thai
restaurants, could you add them to the poll? I've heard good things
about the Siam Bistro at 1268 Wellington, but I've never been there.
Places like Kelseys, East Side Marios etc. sound good too.

Still hoping for clear skies, but willing to console myself with
food and fine company if the weather fails to co-operate. (Mike Z --
enjoy that birthday cake!)

Jan

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

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

Anyone heading out to FLO tonight? I may head out.

Sorry, missed your message - maybe next time.

Rol

I ended up staying in. I am quite tired so I'll save my strength for
the weekend, if I get one!. So, next time for sure.

Clear skies
Matt

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

Anyone heading out to FLO tonight? I may head out.

Sorry, missed your message - maybe next time.

Rol

Hello all,


Anyone heading out to FLO tonight? I may head out.

Matt

You want nominations?

I'll second the Barley Mow, (though the Cheshire Cat being a pub
sounds ok too), or for a more central location Abe & Roscoe's on Bank.

Hmmm, all of them are pubs - is there a trend?

(I'd be willing to try Isaac's other than the reservation requirement
- unless we're certain Phinhey's Phoint Photons will be Phlooded out).

Rob

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


POLL QUESTION: Are you interested in participating in
sidewalk/scout/school observing sessions
and if so, on average, how many times
per month?

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- Not interested or rarely, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 1/month, 3 votes, 33.33%
- 2/month, 4 votes, 44.44%
- 3/month, 2 votes, 22.22%
- 4 or 5+/month (Bring 'em on!), 0 votes, 0.00%

INDIVIDUAL VOTES
- Not interested or rarely
- 1/month
- zeidler@...
- alseaman@...
- rob.robotham@...
- 2/month
- mweeks@...
- r.prevost@...
- jtokar@...
- moxie@...
- 3/month
- rharding@...
- attilla.danko@...
- 4 or 5+/month (Bring 'em on!)


For more information about this group, please visit


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CMC's cloud pictures from the future are forecasting very
good transparency from about 11pm on friday and for the
rest of the night. Have a look at:



which is the forecast for friday 11pm.

The same site is forcasting not so good transparency for
tonight. (Not that I could make it out of equuleus anyway).

Clear skies, every weekend.

-ad

Bruce McGlashan wrote:

As for a phone/plan to recommend, the night that Roland, Attilla and I were
at FLO, we had three Nokia phones there on three services: Bell, Cantel and
Fido. As I recall, my Bell phone had the worst problems, Attilla's FIDO was
marginal, and Roland's Cantel service was the most reliable, although he
seemed to have to repeat himself a lot (without actually dropping service).
I have also taken my wife's Nokia/Cantel phone to FLO, and I think it did
OK, given the battery draw I noted when I got home (it takes more battery
juice when it drops into analog or into service-search mode). Maybe you
should poll the others at your favorite observing sites, since that's what
will count.

I have had a cellphone (an Ericson) on Cantel for about three years, and
from time to time have occasion to use it from FLO. It is definitely in
a fringe area, but seems to work acceptably. Up to now have not had any
comparative information of the service level at FLO from each of the major
carriers. At the time I decided to go with Cantel, their coverage in the
Almonte area (and many other parts of the country) seemed to be superior.
It seems like this was, and still is, a good choice.

And you are right - from FLO the battery does get sucked down fast, even
though the Cantel digital service works there. Modern cell phones,
particularly the digital ones, do reduce their transmit power in places
where the cell sizes are small, and a moderate signal will do the job, in
order to conserve battery power. In the case of FLO, the system needs
all the transmit power it can get, and batteries drain quickly.

Cheers - Al Seaman

Rob asked about a poll to decide dinner.

We'll the last time, we took nominations first. Assuming
the notion is dinner in Kanata, just in case it clears and we
want to rush off to Phinheys...errr...Pinhey's point.

Hmm. I dont know to many restaraunts in Kanata, but there is:

Kelsey's, Terry Fox north of 417

Boston Pizza, Terry Fox north of 417

East Side Mario's, Terry Fox south of 417

Denny's, Terry Fox south of 417

Issacs, on Hazeldean rd (will probably require 24hrs lead on
reservation)

Barley Moe Pub, Eagleson Rd north

The March House, further north on Eagleson.

The Cheshire Cat Pub, in Carp.


Restarants on Eagleson north are probably the least off course
for someone going to Pinhey's from the east. However, If the
weather is pissy, I wont be in a hurry to Pinheys and any location
include those outside of Kanata would do. If it is clear, then
I'll probably skip dinner entirely and go straight to Pinheys.

So I think people should feel free to nominate any restaraunt, i.e.
not limited to the ones in Kanata.

Nominate away.

-ad

"It's whahfer thin."

Bruce McGlashan wrote:

Session: 2001-014
Date/time: 2001-04-18 21:00 - 03:00
Location: Fred Lossing Observatory, Almonte, Ontario.
Weather: 5° (arr) dropping to -3° (dep), calm, cloud 0/10

Present: Al Seaman, Matt Weeks, Geoff Meek, and I.
[...etc...]

A great report Bruce.

As these last, rather undescriptive notes may hint, by 03:00 I was getting
tired and cold. When Geoff started packing up, I decided to do the same.
Overall, this was a very productive and fun night. 6 first-time Messier's!
Boy, was I tired when I got home, though.

Boy, you are a bear for punishment - I was getting pretty pooped by 1:30
when I left, and since I had a fair bit of running around to do to-day
didn't want to make it later. Glad to hear that the session at FLO went so
well for you. I also enjoyed the evening and the company of a good group.

Cheers - Al

Always willing to practice my alliteration, even if the spelling IS
phunny.

Given that the weather forcast for the weekend is abysmal, should we
figure out an OAF-alternative? JT proposed west end Kelsey's (would
that be the one in the former municipality of Kanata?), though she then
left things open to alternatives. Is it time for another poll? Or do
too many oafs have lives outside of astronomy?? OR having made time for
Pinhey's Point (from our busy lives) would we prefer to get together
anyway!

Attilla - oh poll-writer extraordinaire, do you care to whip one up with
the hopes that the results won't be needed (i.e. Photon Phrenzy at
Pinhey's Point)?

Clear skies tonight!

Rob

--- In OAFs@y..., Rob Robotham <rob.robotham@a...> wrote:

Bruce McGlashan wrote:

... [snip] ...

by 03:00 I was getting tired and cold.

An impressive observing seesion for a weeknight.

Maybe not. I'm on vacation this week.

Ah-hah! (that's cheating!!) Lucky you.

Actually, Saturday morning I got home from Mike's and after minimal
unpacking and walking the dog (short walk) I got up to the bedroom at 4
to find my wife reading a book. Apparently she woke up at 2 and I
wasn't home and then spent her time waiting for the call from the
police... she's now threatening to get me a cell phone for my
birthday.

LOL! Roland and Attilla will attest to the fact that my wife went through
the same thing last week. We were sitting in Denny's having 'breakfast' at
about 01:30 (as I recall) when my cellphone went off. My wife Jan was
starting to worry. Since then, she's given up worrying and gone to bed. I
think she decided that if I've got a cellphone, I'll call if I'm in trouble,
otherwise she'll just get an earful of excited astro-babble if she calls.

(She and I both consider cell phones to be inherently evil :-)
Anyone have any recommendations on phones/plans for very infrequent
use?

As for a phone/plan to recommend, the night that Roland, Attilla and I were
at FLO, we had three Nokia phones there on three services: Bell, Cantel and
Fido. As I recall, my Bell phone had the worst problems, Attilla's FIDO was
marginal, and Roland's Cantel service was the most reliable, although he
seemed to have to repeat himself a lot (without actually dropping service).
I have also taken my wife's Nokia/Cantel phone to FLO, and I think it did
OK, given the battery draw I noted when I got home (it takes more battery
juice when it drops into analog or into service-search mode). Maybe you
should poll the others at your favorite observing sites, since that's what
will count.

I think the cellphone is a good idea. It gives both of you peace of mind,
and your wife will still feel she can get in touch with you if necessary.
As for cellphones being 'evil', I understand your POV; my wife and I
resisted them for a long time too. There are still lots of times and places
where they are definitely evil, but IMHO an observing site is not
necessarily one of them. If you sit there yacking all the time, those
around you will likely be peeved, but I think most people would understand
the odd call from the SO.

Funny thing - I gave my wife her cellphone as a gift, after months of hints
(from her). For the first three months, she didn't register a >single<
call, and I had to nag her to turn it on so I could get in touch with her!
Then, like a switch being flicked, she started using the phone. She's
definitely not one of those annoying yackers you encounter on the bus or in
the malls, but she is now using it the way it should be used. Be
forewarned - you may go through a similar adaptation period.

Bruce McGlashan

There used to be phones which were relatively low cost to buy, no monthly
fees, but pay rather heavily by the minute when you use it. Seems ideal.
I've sometimes considered something along those lines (especially after
nearly having my car not start at 05:00 at -32C in January at FLO). I keep
hoping my employer will think I need one for work (not likely).

Rick