Homemade Mount - Older Version
In tonight's TAAS meeting,? Jeff Dunn was expressing interest in making a mount on the "cheap."? I suggested tracking with an EQ mount for his 6" Refractor project.? I have 2 photos here. My entirely photogenic Astro-Physics Mach 1 on their Eagle Pier with their 92 mm Stowaway in the foreground sporting a Baader Planetarium Herschel Wedge.
In the background is Dick's older generation tripod and tracking EQ mount for his 10" Classical Cassegrain. One with and without the scope. It should help identify some of the components w/o the scope on it.? At least the gear is highlighted as is the tripod.
I'll try and find something with just the mount and the Refractor for you.
Taken at Cherry Springs Star Party in Couldersport, PA in 2023.
John Sillasen?
|
SeeStar Flat Calibration is Finally Here!
For those who have the Seestar S50 or S30, there is a new update that has been released.? Flat calibration is now in the menu under Expert mode. Flats are absolutely required to remove any artifacts that may be on the glass surfaces? - whether on the sensor or the scopes glass, a Flat image, taken with a couple of layers of white cloth such as a pillow case or T- shirt, undershirt etc.
60 second exposures in Equatorial mode absolutely require Flats!? These intelligent telescopes are getting up to real imaging trains work flow now!
The Space Koala YouTube channel has a short (17 minute) how to video to make the work easier.
For those who really want to get the most out of their investment,? this is the way to go. Plus it only adds about 2 minutes to your work flow. Seriously - just 2 minutes.
John Sillasen?
|
Re: TAAS May Meeting Thursday.
Hi Mark,
?
I don’t think there is a rain date for Hammonasset event.
?
Laurie
|
TOMORROW NIGHT: Exoplanet NSN Webinar
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
From: Night Sky Network <nightskynetwork@...>
Date: May 14, 2025 at 3:13:52?PM PDT
To: debskifennell1617@...
Subject: TOMORROW NIGHT: Exoplanet NSN Webinar
Reply-To: nightskyinfo@...
?Deb:
Placing Worlds and Suns in Context with Dr. Eric Mamajek
Join the NASA Night Sky Network on Thursday, May 15, at 6:00 PM Pacific Time (9:00 PM Eastern)?along with Dr. Eric Mamajek, where we’ll discuss what we know about planets beyond our solar system and how to discover them.
Zoom Webinar Registration:?
NSN Members can register for this webinar using the following link. Once registered, you will receive an automatic reminder shortly before the webinar begins. Please register with your club's full name (preferred) rather than
initials or abbreviations.?
For best results: update and restart your Zoom software before the session begins. The webinar registration link will give you access to the live video webinar, as well as a backup call-in number and code just in case your computer
experiences connection issues.?
YouTube Livestream:?
The talk will also be streamed live at the YouTube link below, and saved for future viewing. Please note: questions submitted via the Zoom Q&A feature will have priority over YouTube chat.
?
Further Information:
Upcoming Webinars:
- June?- NO WEBINAR!?
- July 22?-?
- August 6 -?
All Previous and Upcoming Webinars are found on the?NSN's YouTube Channel:
Follow us on?Facebook,?X?(formally?Twitter)?and?Instagram?at the username?@NightSkyNetwork?for the latest NSN news and outreach photos. You can also use the hashtags?#NightSkyNetwork?and?#AstronomyOutreach?on
your social media platforms for a chance to be featured!
?
?(NSN)?member clubs are dedicated to bringing the wonders of space and NASA science to folks across the USA.NSN program participation provides clubs with?and?to
assist in their public outreach.?
?
The NASA Night Sky Network is managed by the?.?The ASP is a 501c3 non-profit organization advancing science literacy through
astronomy.?
UNSUBSCRIBE INFORMATION:
You are receiving this Email notification from the Night Sky Network as a member of your local astronomy club. To change your preferences for receiving the Night Sky Network Newsletter, log into the Night Sky Network website and select "My Profile".
https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/club/taas2242/roster/self/edit/
For assistance, please contact nightskyinfo@....
|
Mark:
Thanks for that reminder. I’ve been distracted this week with the arrival of my geodesic dome shell and ICCF blocks, and forgot about it. I’ll try to get to Avery Point with binoculars Mon or Tue.
George
|
Re: TAAS May Meeting Thursday.
You caught me,Max.?
May meeting suggested agenda:
- Somebody take minutes.
- Thanks to Lee for website update.
- Conn College observatory update? (Leslie)
- Recent news that K2-18b life detection announcement may have been noisy data.
- Recent news that historic double slit experiments on wave particle duality can be explained by dark photons.
- Shoreline Astronomy Society star Party at Salt Meadow May 17?? Future dates?(Jeff)
- Lyme Land Trust observing May 23, June 20
- Hammonasset May 31, (June 1st rain date)
- Stars to Stem dates. Also May 31st, beginner astronomy. June 6, laser light show.? (Leslie)
- August Picnic Meeting, Aug. 21, same place ?
- Treasurers Report
- Show and Tell
Thanks, George for running this and the June meeting.
Mark
|
BTW, TODAY is the day Omega Centauri is highest in the sky and best possibility to see from Avery Point. Omega Cen will be 1.4 degrees above the horizon. ?
Bummer about the weather,
maybe Monday or Tuesday. ??
It will be 6.3 degrees high in Las Vegas here tonight. ?(Bortle 9)
Mark.?
|
Re: SAS - Salt Meadow Public Star Party Update
Peer reviewed white paper via text message ?
--
Jeff Dunn
https://shorelineastronomicalsociety.blogspot.com/
|
Re: SAS - Salt Meadow Public Star Party Update
Sometimes I forget my wife is a climate scientist ? Without bothering her about it right now I do recall from her past discussions with colleagues about the increase in precipitation over time in New England due to anthropogenic forcing. I’ll have to ask her about cloud cover at night.?
light pollution seems to be ever increasing. I really should try and be a better dark sky advocate.
--
Jeff Dunn
https://shorelineastronomicalsociety.blogspot.com/
|
Re: TAAS May Meeting Thursday.
Zoom link for tomorrow's TAAS meeting attached below.
?
Gerry
?
Topic: TAAS May Meeting
Time: May 15, 2025 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87595584036?pwd=EqHP97uBJhJ3bgeTORf4vAr3XdPSEq.1
Meeting ID: 875 9558 4036
Passcode: 373240
---
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,87595584036#,,,,*373240# US (Washington DC)
+13052241968,,87595584036#,,,,*373240# US
---
Dial by your location
? +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
? +1 305 224 1968 US
? +1 309 205 3325 US
? +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
? +1 646 931 3860 US
? +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
? +1 669 444 9171 US
? +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
? +1 689 278 1000 US
? +1 719 359 4580 US
? +1 253 205 0468 US
? +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
? +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
? +1 360 209 5623 US
? +1 386 347 5053 US
? +1 507 473 4847 US
? +1 564 217 2000 US
Meeting ID: 875 9558 4036
Passcode: 373240
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdHn9OVOVL
?
|
Re: SAS - Salt Meadow Public Star Party Update
Jeff:
Although New England has never been in the same class as, say, Arizona, it wasn’t always like this here. I’ve been observing since I was in grade school and every scheduled astronomical observing session scheduled by the schools I attended was clear enough to go on, during the 1950s and 60s. I know this may be anecdotal with a little luck involved, but I believe this is due to climate change. I am certain I had more nights to observe in the 60s than I do now and the light pollution was dramatically less. My home in Quaker Hill was a dark as Salem is now throughout the 50’s and most of the 60s.
George
|
Re: SAS - Salt Meadow Public Star Party Update
I feel like for Astronomers East of the Mississippi this hope, endurance, and faith that a clear night will happen is baked into the hobby.
The general public doesn't necessarily get it and I think that the idea that our hobby requires perseverance, even under ideal conditions, isn't well understood.
At least it won't be for lack of effort on our part :)?
Here's hoping that the 23rd and 31st have better weather for Trail 53 Observatory/Meigs Point Nature Center Family Astro Night.?
--
Jeff Dunn
https://shorelineastronomicalsociety.blogspot.com/
|
Re: SAS - Salt Meadow Public Star Party Update
Alan:
I empathize with your aversion to cancelation. The only thing worse is showing up under cloudy skies and explaining to people in-person why our expensive telescopes can’t see through the clouds.
George
|
Re: SAS - Salt Meadow Public Star Party Update
It is uncanny what a high percentage of planned events get wiped for weather. I’m convinced it turns people off who would otherwise be enthusiasts. I hate writing that apooogetic ‘cancelled’ email what feels like month after month.?
--
?
?
Alan Sheiness
Trail 53 Observatory, Lyme CT
|
SAS - Salt Meadow Public Star Party Update
Hi All,
I'm monitoring the forecast for this Saturday evening.
Not looking promising at the moment.??
I'll check the weather Thursday afternoon/early evening and if the forecast is still unfavorable I will cancel the event and post to all the advertising venues as well as groups.io for both TAASCT and SAS before Friday morning.
?
--
Jeff Dunn
https://shorelineastronomicalsociety.blogspot.com/
|
Re: TAAS May Meeting Thursday.
Hi All,?
This is a clarification about my email. I was responding to Lee's question about whether we (Mark and I) would be at the Shoreline event on Saturday 5/17. If the event is held, we (Mark and I) will be there.?
We will NOT be attending the Thursday, May 15 TAAS Meeting (out of town and not available for Zoom) OR the Thursday, June 19 meeting (family wedding in SC on that date).?
Deb
?
Deb Fennell
Debskifennell1617@...
?
?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Yes. Mark and I will be there.?
On May 12, 2025, at 7:03?PM, Lee P. via groups.io <lee.polikoff@...> wrote:
? Are you going to make it to the SAS Madison Public Observing session on Saturday?
On May 12, 2025, at 6:58 PM, Mark Strollo via < mark@...> wrote:
Title says it all. In the April meeting we discussed possible in-person meeting, but May is out at Conn College due to graduation. Gerry, please set up the Zoom link.
Deb and I are out of town at a concert Thursday, so cannot listen in. (And are at a wedding for the June meeting.). George, can you run the meeting? ?I can come up with an agenda.
Mark
?
|
Re: TAAS May Meeting Thursday.
Soooo , Mark . . .?
Scheduling outings for the third Thursday of each month . . .? An attempt to shirk the responsibilities of P f L ! ? !
We see your scheme. I, for one, will continue to vote for you as P f L !
So THERE !
On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Amy S (Astrodog) via <glpmacgeek= [email protected]> wrote:
Unless the forecast for Saturday changes significantly by tomorrow, I’ll be heading to Maine and will miss the meeting. If Saturday’s forecast changes, I’ll stay for the star party.?
On May 13, 2025 at 8:23?AM -0400, Lee P. via <lee.polikoff= verizon.net@groups.io>, wrote:
Mark - I’m going to send the invite to SAS. We may be able to get some individuals from there to participate.
Lee
Yes. Mark and I will be there.?
? Are you going to make it to the SAS Madison Public Observing session on Saturday?
On May 12, 2025, at 6:58 PM, Mark Strollo via < mark@...> wrote:
Title says it all. In the April meeting we discussed possible in-person meeting, but May is out at Conn College due to graduation. Gerry, please set up the Zoom link.
Deb and I are out of town at a concert Thursday, so cannot listen in. (And are at a wedding for the June meeting.). George, can you run the meeting?? I can come up with an agenda.
Mark
?
-- ~~/)~~~(\~(\~~(\~~~~/)~~/)~/)~(\~
Fair Winds, Clear Skies, Calm Seas,
Max
860-389-0777
|
Fw: (sovera:announce) ^_SoVerA^_ May Meeting: Dr. Robyn Millan - THURSDAY May 15th @ 7pm.
The monthly SoVerA meeting is on Thursday this month only.? There is a special guest speaker,? Dr. Robyn Millan. The topic is quite energizing,? Remotely Sensing Earth's Magnetosphere Using Energetic Particles.
Zoom link is below. Meeting is 7 PM on Thursday,? May 15th this month only. All are invited!
No pre-registration is needed.
John Sillasen?
Subject: (sovera:announce) ^_SoVerA^_ May Meeting: Dr. Robyn Millan - THURSDAY May 15th @ 7pm. Welcome to Spring and to the updated SoVerA mailing lists!
May's monthly meeting is a special one and will be a little different. - First, the meeting will take place on Thursday May 15th, rather than the usual 2nd Tuesday. - Second, this meeting will be held at Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vermont in Horowitz Performing Arts Hall
Our guest will be Dr. Robyn Millan who will be presenting on "
Remotely Sensing Earth's Magnetosphere Using Energetic Particles".?
Robyn Millan is an experimental physicist specializing in the processes acting on energetic particles in both the atmosphere and
in space, and in developing new experimental methods for studying these processes. She has also worked to promote the
development of small satellites for space science and served as co-chair of the Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics.
She has undergraduate degrees in Physics and Astronomy from U. C. Berkeley (1995) and a Ph. D. in Physics from U. C.
Berkeley (2002). She came to Dartmouth in 2002 as a NASA Spacegrant Visiting Young Scientist and joined the regular faculty
in 2005."
This will be a hybrid meeting.? We would love to have a strong in-person showing for Dr. Millan and Vermont Academy, so I hope you will attend in person if possible, however the talk will also be available over zoom and Q&A will take place for both in-person and zoom attendees.?
The meeting link as per usual is:
A flyer is attached, you are encouraged to pass it around! -Erik Schmitt SoVerA Treasurer
|
Re: TAAS May Meeting Thursday.
Unless the forecast for Saturday changes significantly by tomorrow, I’ll be heading to Maine and will miss the meeting. If Saturday’s forecast changes, I’ll stay for the star party.?
On May 13, 2025 at 8:23?AM -0400, Lee P. via groups.io <lee.polikoff@...>, wrote:
Mark - I’m going to send the invite to SAS. We may be able to get some individuals from there to participate.
Lee
Yes. Mark and I will be there.?
? Are you going to make it to the SAS Madison Public Observing session on Saturday?
On May 12, 2025, at 6:58 PM, Mark Strollo via < mark@...> wrote:
Title says it all. In the April meeting we discussed possible in-person meeting, but May is out at Conn College due to graduation. Gerry, please set up the Zoom link.
Deb and I are out of town at a concert Thursday, so cannot listen in. (And are at a wedding for the June meeting.). George, can you run the meeting? ?I can come up with an agenda.
Mark
?
|
Re: TAAS May Meeting Thursday.
Mark - I’m going to send the invite to SAS. We may be able to get some individuals from there to participate.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Yes. Mark and I will be there.?
? Are you going to make it to the SAS Madison Public Observing session on Saturday?
On May 12, 2025, at 6:58 PM, Mark Strollo via < mark@...> wrote:
Title says it all. In the April meeting we discussed possible in-person meeting, but May is out at Conn College due to graduation. Gerry, please set up the Zoom link.
Deb and I are out of town at a concert Thursday, so cannot listen in. (And are at a wedding for the June meeting.). George, can you run the meeting? ?I can come up with an agenda.
Mark
?
|
Deb Fennell
Mark Strollo
Alan Sheiness
Lee P.