HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: pgf@mit.edu (Peter G. Ford,601,6485,6610868)
Subject: Re: Magellan image reader for mac
Reply-To: pgf@space.mit.edu
Organization: MIT Center for Space Research
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 15:30:12 GMT

NASA's Planetary Data System has made the changes to the popular (and
free) NIH Image application necessary to access Magellan images. It is
distributed on one of the Magellan disks - MG_3001 (Global Altimetry
and Radiometry Image Data Record) - in the binhex/stuffit archive file
"software/mac/image.hqx". This file is also available via anonymous ftp
from the following Internet hosts:

	server			address		file
	---------------------------------------------------------
	starhawk.jpl.nasa.gov	137.79.108.113	pub/image4pds.hqx
	delcano.mit.edu		18.75.0.80	mgn/bin/image.hqx

Copy the file to your Macintosh in ASCII mode, run the Stuffit program
to unpack the "Image4pds" application and MS-WORD documentation, read
the documentation (but we don't insist), and run the program. Display
Magellan images by choosing "Open..." from the "File" menu, selecting
one of the ".lbl" files from a Magellan CD-ROM. Don't select an ".img"
file or use the "Import..." method for Magellan images.

Peter G. Ford
MIT and Magellan Project


Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: martin@space.ualberta.ca (Martin Connors)
Subject: Re: Duncan Steel on Swift-Tuttle
Reply-To: martin@space.ualberta.ca (Martin Connors)
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 17:14:14 GMT

In article <1992Nov5.191123.1077@sfu.ca> palmer@sfu.ca (Leigh Palmer)  
writes:
> In article <rabjab.212.720926413@golem.ucsd.edu> rabjab@golem.ucsd.edu  
(Jeff
> Bytof) writes:
> >
> >>(3)  There has been a lot of bull written in these columns about
> >the orbital calculations and a sober error analysis.  For all we
> scientist is as high as is that of Brian Marsden, there is no excuse for  
an
> irresponsible suggestion like this.
> 
> Leigh

The key to this lies in error analysis. For those who recall my previous  
post about the chance of Toutatis hitting, a similar analysis will show  
that you get about 1 part in 10^^9 chance from the figures released. That  
is assuming that the error is spread randomly over a circle of about one  
week of Earth motion whereas in fact the chances of hit are concentrated  
about one week away.
There is a general lack of perception of:
a) how big space is and how small a target Earth is
b) error analyis and probability
among the public and the press. We must stress to them that one part in  
10^^9 for one object is indeed very small on the human timescale but  
significant on the planetary timescale. 
--
Martin Connors         |
Space Research         | martin@space.ualberta.ca  (403) 492-2526
University of Alberta  |
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: higgins@fnalf.fnal.gov (Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey)
Subject: Re: Okay, what are the new odds? (was Re: Swift_tuttle's orbit)
Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1992 02:24:32 GMT

In article <1992Nov13.200748.20381@sfu.ca>, palmer@sfu.ca (Leigh Palmer) writes:
> In article <1992Nov12.130524.1@fnalo.fnal.gov> higgins@fnalo.fnal.gov (Bill
> Higgins-- Beam Jockey) wants to know what the odds are on being hit by
> P/Swift-Tuttle on the next pass through in 2126. I'm pleased to report that I
> can answer that question definitively. I have decided to accept bets from
> people who wish to back the possibility of a devastating collision in that
> year, and I will offer Brian Marsden's 10,000 to one odds, straight up! 
[...]
> It is now *officially* the case that the odds on P/Swift-Tuttle hitting Earth
> in 2126 are 10,000 to one.

Leigh, old buddy, are you making fun of me?

I can't tell.

Bill Higgins, Beam Jockey              | Comet Swift-Tuttle is
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory  | Mama Nature's way of
Bitnet:           HIGGINS@FNAL.BITNET  | saying it's time to 
Internet:       HIGGINS@FNAL.FNAL.GOV  | get off the planet.
SPAN/Hepnet:           43011::HIGGINS  |   --Dale Amon
From: kfarmer@wsuaix.csc.wsu.edu (keith farmer;S10000)
Subject: Orbit Determination
Organization: Washington State University
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 92 13:54:30 GMT

I have had a problem nagging at me a few years. Since I am merely a sophomore
undergrad, I don't feel too put down by it, though.

Given:

   P=coordinates of an object in 3-space at t=0
  mP=mass of object P
  vP=velocity in 3-space of P at t=0

  mQ=mass of P's primary

And assuming that the primary Q is relatively stationary and centered on
(x,y,z)=(0,0,0)

Determine:

r(t)=the orbital path of P through time

...which could also be used to determine vP(t) and P(t), the velocity and
position of P at time t

Many thanks...
Keith
kfarmer@wsuaix.csc.wsu.edu

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: Robert.Luke@f1701.n363.z1.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: TUNGUSKA/SWIFT-TUTTLE
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Nov  5 1992
Date: 04 Nov 92  23:43:00

Is it possible that large amounts of debree may filter threw out solar system 
and impact the earth with out us knowing from whence it came.  Sort of like
stealth space debree.  It is certinly possible that we can miss large amounts 
of material coming at us. However, in the case of most matter we have a good
idea where it originates.  Like debree falling from the region around the
orion constilation during a certin time of the year.  Is it possible that the 
matter that struk Tunguska came from an unknown area that we dont normally
think of when thinking of falling matter.

If that is the case is there an area of the soloar system or beyond that is
producing large amounts of space junk that Earth Runs into every so often?

Sorry i don't know much about astronomy.  Just want to know more and more
about it.

--- QuickBBS 2.76 (Beta-13)
From: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de (Jost Jahn)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Sunspots at 11.11.1992.
Reply-To: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de
Date: 11 Nov 92 18:19:00 MET
Distribution: sci
Organization: ABBS AstroMail, D-W 2121 Dahlenburg / Germany
X-Version: ZerUU V6.45c

Sunspots at 11.11.1992., 0 h UT.

No.    Pos.  Cl.  Ar.  Mag. SF  F  M  X
---------------------------------------
7330 09S 49W Dao  310   b    4
7334 13N 04E Dao  170   b
7335 17S 11E Dki  560   bg   1
7336 06N 60W Cao   60   b
7337 07N 80E Hsx   70   a


Optical and x-ray flares in 10.11.92.

Date     Beg. Max. End   Posit. Xray Opt
----------------------------------------
10.11.92 2345 2352 2357 10N 01W C2.2 1F


 
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABBS AstroMail, the first and most popular German astronomical bulletin board
------------------------- for amateur astronomers ----------------------------
    + 49 5851 7896 / V.21, V.22, V.22bis, V.32, V.42, V.42bis and MNP5
    ------------------------------------------------------------------


Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: ead@tmsoft (Elizabeth Doucette)
Subject: Binoc Objects from the Florida Keys
Followup-To: sci.astro
Reply-To: ead@TMSoftware.ca (Elizabeth Doucette)
Organization: EAD MoneyHealth Inc, Toronto, Canada
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 16:11:15 GMT

In article <1dbsm0INN81j@morrow.stanford.edu> andy@pangea.Stanford.EDU 
(Andy Michael USGS Guest) writes:
>We are about to spend several days camping in the Florida Keys.
>Given the dark, albeit turbulent, skies we are taking a pair
>of 8x56 binoculars with us for observing purposes.  What objects
>should we especially look for near the southern horizon given
>that we will be about 13 degrees further south than usual (we'll
>be at about 25 degrees N instead of 38).  Remember, we'll be
>relying on binocs so no super dim objects (just couldn't quite
>fit the 12.5" f7 Dob into the duffle :-)).

Andy,

I tried to email you but it bounced.
 
It's great in the Keys.  A group of us from Toronto have gone twice
now, Feb. 91 & 92, to the Winter Star Party.  It is put on by the
Southern Cross Astronomical Association of Miami.  We stay at a girl
scout camp (for $6.00 per night camping; great eh?!!), just west of
Marathon, near Bahia Honda State Park. 

We are going again in Feb. '93, it's really worth it.  You can see the
Eta Carina Nebula at RA 10h 43.8m & DEC -59 degrees 52'.  You can also
see Omega Centauri, a large globular cluster at RA 13h 26.8m & DEC -47
degrees 29'.  These are beautiful and not to be missed.  At the star
party, several of the local people have large (24", 30" and a new 36")
portable dobsonians.  Deep sky objects are great in the scopes. 

I have been told that while Miami had a lot of hurricane damage, the
Keys didn't. 
 
Good luck and have fun.
 
Elizabeth
From: rclark@lpl.arizona.edu (Richard Clark x4971)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: NEWS: Galileo Cleared of Heresy Charges by Vatican
Date: 6 Nov 92 10:13:46 GMT
Organization: Lunar & Planetary Laboratory, Tucson AZ.

In article <1992Nov5.230416.8291@samba.oit.unc.edu> Bruce.Scott@launchpad.unc.edu (Bruce Scott) writes:
>lattis@sal.wisc.edu (Jim Lattis) writes:
>
>>it may be clear today that Galileo was right, but the theologians of his
>>day, acting on the opinions of some of the best astronomers of the day,
>>had plenty of good reasons to doubt that he was right.  Bellarmine himself
>>agreed that if Galileo had proof of his assertions, then there could be
>>no question that Scripture would have to be reinterpreted.  But Galileo
>>had *no valid proof*, neither by their standards nor by ours.  Thus, as
>>the seventeenth-century theologians saw it, they were not preventing
>>Galileo from speaking the truth.  Rather, they were preventing him from
>>declaring *as true* a theory, which he could not prove, that they 
>>(mistakenly) saw as dangerous to the authority of the Church and the
>>spiritual well-being of its believers.   [...]
>
>>...to put it another way, it's not a question of science that the panel
>>has decided, but one of history. [...]

Galileo had at least one piece of evidence to argue for the Copernican system
over the Aristotelean/Ptolemeic model. Each model predicts phases for Venus
but Galileo's best telescopes were good enough to confirm that the observed
phases were those predicted by the Copernican system.
Also the moons of Jupiter, while not proving anything, could be used in an
arguement to attack the faith of any good geocentrist.

I don't know for sure that he had made all his Venus observations before or
after the trials.

Richard Clark
rclark@lpl.arizona.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: schumach@convex.com (Richard A. Schumacher)
Subject: Re: Questions About Nickel-Iron Meteorites
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1992 00:19:21 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

In <69421@cup.portal.com> mmm@cup.portal.com (Mark Robert Thorson) writes:

>I remember hearing somewhere that metal meteorites cool very slowly
>-- over many years or even centuries -- and that these patterns are
>caused by the large grain structure which develops.
>This has always bothered me.  I don't see how they could cool so slowly.
>Although surrounded by vacuum, which is an excellent thermal insulator,
>meteorites are also surround by the cold blackness of space.  I would
>guess that a quantity of molten metal placed in space would freeze solid
>and become cold to the touch within a few days at most.

Widmanstaetten patterns are formed by slow cooling under pressure. 
Polishing and etching a surface with acid is required to see them. The
meteorites we get which show these patterns are small pieces of much
larger parent bodies which were shattered by collisions. No romantic
black hole theory is needed.




Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space
From: nickh@CS.CMU.EDU (Nick Haines)
Subject: Expected cost of Asteroid Impacts
Originator: nickh@VOILA.VENARI.CS.CMU.EDU
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 19:24:10 GMT

Well, thanks to Duncan Steel for some figures. I've done some
back-of-envelope calculations, and come out with this conclusion:

If we (as a world economy) spent $350 billion this year, and as a
result could guarantee there would be no future impacts by 1km bodies,
this would be money well spent.

Nick Haines nickh@cmu.edu

Working:

Probability of a ~1km impact is, say, 1e-5 per year. The effect of
such an impact, I guess, would be to reduce the world economy to 1% of
its current value, which it wouldn't recover for about a century (n.b:
this does not cover impacts of bodies substantially larger than 1km).
So in a cost analysis, the cost of such an impact in any year would be
about 50 times the gross world product for that year, and the expected
loss in any given year (assuming a non-growing economy) is 5e-4 the
GWP. GWP this year is about $2e13, so the expected loss (if this were
stable) would be $1e10 (ten billion dollars).

However, the GWP is not fixed. It grows at about 2% per annum. Cost of
an impact in 2126 would be more than $1.4e16 in 1992 dollars. Expected
loss _for_this_year_ is $1.4e11 in 1992 dollars. Using a figure of 5%
real return on investment, this backdates to $200 million we should
spend _this_year_ to avoid an impact in 2126. And a similar number to
avoid impact in 2127. And so on. The total works out to be

impact * current GWP * 50 * (invest / (invest - growth))

where we're using 1e-5 for impact, 1.05 for invest and 1.02 for
growth, giving $350 billion.

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: mock@space.mit.edu (Patrick C. Mock)
Subject: Re: Know an adjective for black holes?
Originator: mock@benz
Reply-To: mock@space.mit.edu (Patrick C. Mock)
Organization: MIT Center for Space Research
Distribution: sci.astro
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 17:24:13 GMT


The adjective form of "black hole" is just "black hole".  In english
nouns can be used as adjectives, ie, compare 
"What is the galactic mass function?" to 
"What is the black hole mass function?".

Pat
From: sdd@zip.larc.nasa.gov (Steve Derry)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Lunar astronaut covers earth with thumb
Date: 13 Nov 1992 18:23:31 GMT
Organization: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA  USA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: zip.larc.nasa.gov
Keywords: Jim Lovell

In article <pepckf1@Unify.Com>, meh@atlantis.Unify.Com (Mark E. Hansen) writes:
|> In article <30473@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM>, wats@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM (Bruce Watson) writes:
|> |> On the last installment of "Space Age" Jim Lovell said while he
|> |> was in the vicinity of the moon, he could cover the earth with his
|> |> thumb while his arm was outstretched. (It was also attributed to
|> |> Rusty Schweikart).
|> 
|> Actually, the astronaut would be able to as he would have on a suit, the
|> glove, of course, would more than double the size of his thumb.
|> 
|> -- 
|> Mark E. Hansen                                     internet: meh@Unify.Com
|> Unify Corporation                           ...!{csusac,pyramid}!unify!meh
|> 3901 Lennane Drive                                   voice: (916) 928-6234
|> Sacramento, CA 95834-1922          		       fax: (916) 928-6401

Jim Lovell was in the vicinity of the moon on two flights:  Apollos 8 and 13.
Apollo 8 was a lunar orbital flight, and Apollo 13 was the crippled lunar flyby.
Neither flight landed on the moon, and neither flight included an EVA.  Jim most
likely noticed he could cover the earth with his thumb while _not_ wearing a suit.

I tried covering the moon with my thumb a couple nights ago (full moon).  My thumb is
not large, but I could more than cover the moon with my thumb.

-- 
Steve Derry
NASA LaRC
<s.d.derry@larc.nasa.gov>
Xref: sparky sci.astro:11683 sci.space:15381
From: max@west.darkside.com (Erik Max Francis)
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space
Subject: Re: Swift-Tuttle Comet a threat to earth?
Date: 4 Nov 92 18:09:43 GMT
Organization: The Dark Side of the Moon +1 408 245 SPAM

sheaffer@netcom.com (Robert Sheaffer) writes:

> But assuming that it is possible to fragment the nucleus of the comet,
> this imparts a transverse velocity to the fragments that they did not
> previously have. If they previously were exactly on the "right" path
> to strike earth, by imparting motion to them along a right-angle to 
> that path, won't even a relatively small delta to their previous path
> cause the vast majority of the fragments to miss earth?

That's the idea.  But if the asteroid is anything but tiny, it's going to 
take large amounts of energies, delivered at just the right places, to 
cause it to calve.  And if you mess up, and the pieces still hit the 
Earth, they're going to be hitting even harder and over a wider area.

----------
Erik Max Francis   Omnia quia sunt, lumina sunt.  Coming soon:  UNIVERSE _ | _
USmail:  1070 Oakmont Dr. #1 San Jose CA 95117  ICBM:  37 20 N  121 53 W _>|<_
UUCP:  ..!apple!uuwest!max   Usenet:  max@west.darkside.com   464E4F5244   |
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: zrepachol@cc.curtin.edu.au
Subject: Re: Telescope making books. pls re-post
Organization: Curtin University of Technology
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 16:26:21 GMT


I asked for info on Telescope building books and received replies from:
rbunge@access.digex.com (Robert Bunge)
Combs@vaxr.llnl.gov (Rich Coombs)
gmcquary@ingress.com

Unfortunatly, durring the week-end, the mailer fell in love with another
mail item and sent me a new copy every 20 min, for 4 days :-) If you sent me
mail on this and are not in the above small list, please mail/post again.

I will post a summary at the end of the week.

TNX ~Paul
From: Bruce.Scott@launchpad.unc.edu (Bruce Scott)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Kepler's mother not burned
Date: 7 Nov 92 21:24:04 GMT
Organization: University of North Carolina Extended Bulletin Board Service

lattis@sal.wisc.edu (Jim Lattis) writes:
>let's be clear on this.  Kepler's mother was not burned
>as a witch.  she was tried as a witch, and evidence indicates
>that Kepler contributed to her successful defense.

You are most likely right--Santillana's book is about Galileo,
and the Church's suspiscions having been aroused by one (only 1!)
known incident of correspondence between him and Kepler. If you
have a definitive reference to the incidents involving Kepler's mother,
please post! I've never been able to get all the details on that.

By the way, anyone with the full Campanella story is also asked to
post references. Both Santillana on Galileo and the book I read on Bruno
give only sideline comments to the effect of what I said in my post.
I'd like more on that. Relevance to sci.astro? Just important historical
light on the relations between established religious authority and an
emerging science.

Gruss,                                  The deadliest bullshit is
Bruce D. Scott                           odorless and transparent
bds@spl6n1.aug.ipp-garching.mpg.de                 -- W Gibson
Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik

--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  laUNChpad.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
Xref: sparky sci.astro:11757 sci.space:15465
From: aalpern@hamp.hampshire.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space
Subject: Re: Hubble's mirror
Date: 7 Nov 92 16:59:23 GMT
Organization: Hampshire College

In article <PXiye-Go3@lopez.marquette.MI.US>, stick@lopez.marquette.MI.US (Stick,CommoSigop) writes:

> 
>    According to Dr. Steve Maran, who works on the HST project at the
> Goddard Flight Center, and who was recently a guest lecturer at my college,
> none of the above is true.  The company that ground the mirror did it
> exactly to the specs they were given.
> 
>    The specs were wrong.
> 
> 
     According to what I have heard from my optics professor, this is the
proper account. The Hubble mirror is the most precise mirror ever made wrong.




-- 
Adam Alpern			* "All that is gold does not glitter, not all  *AAlpern@hamp.hampshire.edu	* those who wander are lost." - JRR Tolkien    *				* "When I look in the mirror I see the days to *				* come, and my face is just a trace of where   *				* I'm coming from." - Ani DiFranco	       *
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: beaudettb@woods.ulowell.edu
Subject: Re: Real Men Astronomers [Was Re: e-mail activated telescope?]
Organization: University of Lowell
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 13:05:48 GMT

In article <1992Nov5.183901.28034@athena.mit.edu>, hbh@athena.mit.edu (Heidi Hammel) writes:
> higgins@fnalo.fnal.gov (Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey) writes:
>> kent@patience.Stanford.EDU (Mark Kent) writes:
>> > [query about a remotely controlled telescope]
>>Seriously, it doesn't seem right to sit in a warm little room pecking
>>at a keyboard to do observations.  Do we need to raise up a generation
>>of couch-potato observers? Real Men brave the cold and darkness to get
>>their images!
>>I know this idea is crude and implies some unfortunate corollaries, such as:
>>1. Radio astronomers are not Real Men.
>>2. Anita Cochran, Heidi Hammel, and other lady astronomers *are* Real Men.
> 
> Rest assured - many professional astronomers "pay their dues" at smaller
> telescopes before moving up to the big ones.  You only need one winter
> season of nights at -5 degrees enduring winds of 30 mph to build character
> and create a sense of humility.  You *really* *appreciate* warm rooms
> afterwards...  
> 
> To preserve my .. er ... "male" reputation and defend other "couch-potato"
> astronomers...> 
> ....So do I get to keep my title of "Real Man" astronomer
> even though I mostly work in a warm room at a computer? ;-)
> 
> heidi
> --
> 
>     Heidi B. Hammel   (hbh@astron.mit.edu)   MIT 54-416   EAPS Dept.

                        YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY KEEP YOUR TITLE
	I COULDN'T AGREE MORE that other lady astronomers are *real men*!
If you had to freeze to be a REAL Astronomer then only amateur astronomers 
would win hands down!  They/we are the guts of astronomy.  Sometimes I have
trouble distinguishing them from professionals except that pro's get paid.
Currently, I am trying to make the transition to pro., but will never forget the
TRIAL BY ICE of those long, cold nights on a mountain top that inspire me in
the first place!

						Moving towards the heater,
						    -Barbara-


Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: rgrude@acs.ucalgary.ca (Randall Gordon Rude)
Subject: Re: Swift-Tuttle easily visible
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 17:20:48 GMT
Organization: The University of Calgary, Alberta

In article <30158@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM> wats@scicom.AlphaCDC.COM (Bruce Watson) writes:
>For those of you who were waiting for S-T to brighten to easy
>visibility, your wait is over. I was able to see it using 

Now I'm waiting for these clouds to go away...  two weeks and
counting.



-- 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Randy Rude      Bioengineer     rgrude@acs.ucalgary.ca     (403)670-2487
Cardiovascular Research @ Foothills Hospital & the University of Calgary
Newsgroups: sci.astro,alt.sci.planetary,sci.space
From: cain@geomag.gly.fsu.edu (Joe Cain)
Subject: Re: The Spaceguard Survey
Organization: Florida State University Geology Dept.
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 92 12:29:23 GMT

In article <965534.18761@ABBS.zer.sub.org> ch.steyaert@abbs.hanse.de writes:
>For those of you who want some good background material about potential
>Earth-impactors, please refer to:
> 
>    The Spaceguard Survey
>    Report of the NASA International Near-Earth-Objecat Detection Workshop
>    David Morris,  Chair
>    January 25, 1992

This report has been printed only in a very limited number of copies.
It might help to make them more available by writing to NASA
Headquarters, Washington DC 20546 and request that copies be made
available. I was able to obtain two for my planetary geology class
from committee members, but they indicated their personal supply was
about gone and there was no other source.