HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Mike.Ditto@p0.f240.n104.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Mike Ditto)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Phone Numbers Of The St-sci
Date: 21 Jan 93 00:08:00 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/240.0 - PASI, Golden CO

Mike--

        Is this the Mike Smithwick that I met playing with Amigas and VERY 
NICE software at the ASP conference two years ago in Laramie?  If so, how 
nice to talk to you again!!!  In case you were wondering, I'm a red-headed 
kid from the Charles C. Gates Planetarium at the Denver Museum of Natural 
History.  I would be more than happy to look for STSciI numbers for you. 
But in case I don't get back to you soon, just look in the Sky and 
Telescope September edition.  In there you will find a great catalogue of 
observatories and planetaria.  See ya!!!


                                        Mike Ditto  
 
--  
Mike Ditto - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
UUCP: !scicom!paranet!User_Name
INTERNET: Mike.Ditto@p0.f240.n104.z1.FIDONET.ORG
From: bweiner@ruhets.rutgers.edu (Benjamin Weiner)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: "Modeling" the Expanding Universe?
Date: 25 Jan 93 05:49:10 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

One ought to keep in mind that the phrase "big bang" was made up as
a derisive comment by Fred Hoyle; in his famous BBC Radio lectures, I 
believe (the book is "The Nature of the Universe").
From: olsen@vetmed.cvm.uiuc.edu (Aart_Olsen)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Availability of "Explanatory Supplement"
Date: 27 Jan 93 19:01:50 GMT
Organization: UIUC -- Vet Med


In article <1993Jan25.175758.26359@ryn.mro4.dec.com> randolph@est.enet.dec.
com writes:
>Yes, but strangely, it's not a Naval Obs. publication. You can get it from:
>University Science Books
>20 Edgehill Road
>Mill Valley CA 94941
>FAX: (415) 383 3167
>for $65 + $2.50 postage. BIG book, about 750 pages, hardbound. 

I faxed in my order for this book and learned that Univ Science Books does 
not take credit card orders.  They were nice enough to call me back.
Perhaps someone has their telephone number?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aart M. Olsen   University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign   a-olsen@uiuc.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: dddurda@pine.circa.ufl.edu (DURDA)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Toutatis Captured by Radar Images
Date: 25 Jan 93 14:05:59 GMT
Reply-To: dddurda@pine.circa.ufl.edu
Organization: University of Florida, Dept. of Astronomy  (astro.ufl.edu)
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4


In msg. <93021.134039K3032E0@ALIJKU11.BITNET> K3032E0@ALIJKU11.BITNET writes:

> Has anyone an idea to which class "Toutatis" belongs? Is it a S-type-
> asteroid like "Gaspra"? Are the two bodies which form "TWOtatis" of the
> same spectral type?
> As earth-crossers are probable parent-bodies for meteorites, it would be
> interesting to know which type of meteorite may come from "Toutatis" (or
> similar objects).
>
>  Herbert

  Dave Tholen's observations of 4179 Toutatis prior to its close approach
showed a typical S-type spectrum. Many more observations have now been made
which confirm this and map out spectral features in more detail (like the
2 micrometer pyroxene absorption band). Look for details to be published in
an up-coming Icarus or JGR-Planets. These results come from spectrophotometry,
so there is no "disk"-resovled information here. Time-resolved spectra could
yield some information on the individual components, but we would have to
be sure we knew when the components were eclipsed. I don't think we know
Toutatis's rotation state that well yet...

  Hasegawa et al. (Publ. Astron. Soc. Japan 44, 45-54 1992) calculated the
radiant(s) of meteors associated with Earth-approaching asteroids, Toutatis
included. Look for "Toutatids" on Sept. 23 (RA 21 57.2 Dec -11 30) and on
Dec. 13 (RA 19 44.4 Dec. -22 18). Don't expect big showers!

  --Dan

-------------------------------------
Daniel D. Durda
Dept. of Astronomy, Univ. of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611
durda@astro.ufl.edu
-------------------------------------
From: dpalmer@csulb.edu (David Palmer)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Nukes in space?
Date: 27 Jan 93 17:42:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: csulb.C1Ix7o.Err
Organization: Cal State Long Beach


fretts@willee.enet.dec.com (Carole Fretts) writes:

>I'm not sure that this is the right forum for my question, but I need to
>ask this.  Has anyone else heard a news report that the U.S. is planning
>on detonating a nuclear device in space?  I heard it this weekend on
>a Boston morning radio news broadcast but cannot track it down for any
>further information.  What I caught was that a planned nuclear detonation
>in space was being postponed for a few months to make sure that no
>satellites are damaged in the explosion.


YIKES!!! Let's HOPE she heard this wrong. A nuclear explosion in space
would damage more than satellites. Depending on the type of bomb (er,
excuse me: DEVICE), a detonation in space could cause at least as much,
and possibly more damage, than a ground detonation. One of the nastier
weapons considered during the cold war was an "EMP," or electro-magnetic
pulse bomb. This goodie would send a really lethal EM pulse down and (at
least) fry all the electronics under it. Bye-bye Reddi-Teller...
I'm fairly certain that existing nuclear test-ban treaties explicitly
forbid space (in fact, any non-underground) detonations.
On the other hand, if we are ever going to take seriously the threat of
large comets and asteroids wiping us out, we'll HAVE to think about
sending some nukes up some day. But those would be (hopefully) detonated
millions of kilometers from the Earth.

Haven't heard a peep about this anywhere else, so I think it just may be
another one of those cases where scientifically-illiterate reporters
tried to report on something beyond their comprehension. But THAT'S
flamage for another forum...


-- 
              Dave Palmer             dpalmer@csulb.edu

********************I finally found the perfect woman,*********************** 
*****************but she was looking for the perfect man*********************
From: soudan@ufrima.imag.fr (SOUDAN sebastien)
Subject: Re: PC Software
Keywords: For the PC
Organization: University of Grenoble (France)
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 12:03:59 GMT

sterner@warper.jhuapl.edu (Ray Sterner) writes:

>mld900@anusf.anu.edu.au (Murray Dow) writes:


>>|> 
>>|> one year ago, i bought a shareware called skyglobe. it's useful 
>>|> for observing the sky (my version is rather slow, but new ones
>>|> are certainly better). you should be able to get it from a 
>>|> shareware club
>>|> -- 
>>The version of skyglobe I have only calculates the moons position
>>once a day, so that it moves in jumps. Does any one know if new versions
>>have fixed this?
>>-- 
>>Murray Dow                         GPO Box 4 Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
>>Supercomputer Facility             Phone: +61 6 2495028
>>Australian National University     Fax:   +61 6 2473425
>>mld900@anusf.anu.edu.au

>  Yes that problem is fixed.  I just tried version 3.5 (3.52 I think) by
>  zooming in on the moon, telling SkyGlobe to track the moon, and
>  stepping by 1 minute steps.  The moon appeared to move smoothly
>  against the background stars.  There are a number of new features in
>  the latest version.

>  Ray Sterner                     sterner%str.decnet@warper.jhuapl.edu 
>  Johns Hopkins University        North latitude 39.16 degrees.
>  Applied Physics Laboratory      West longitude 76.90 degrees.
>  Laurel, MD 20723-6099

great! do you know if new versions are available by ftp?
thanks in advance
-- 
 SOUDAN Sebastien  ESI2/ EUI Grenoble
                             E-Mail: soudan@ufrima.imag.fr          
 |      /\\           ||
 | An  /--\\MIGA user ||    ( Processors ) Unity is Strength  
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: metares@well.sf.ca.us (Tom Van Flandern)
Subject: Re: "Modeling" the Expanding Universe?
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 15:17:36 GMT


DOCTORJ@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Jon J Thaler) writes:

> If two test particles are placed at rest wrt each other, the Hubble
> expansion will not cause them to begin to move apart.  That is, the
> expansion of the universe does not induce any effects that would be
> interpreted as forces.  Thus, there is no observable effect on bound
> systems such as the solar system, hydrogen atoms, galaxies, etc.

     Are you saying that galaxies are not really moving apart?  That a tape
measure connecting galaxies would not continually play out?  If so, I think
your view is in conflict with the big bang theory.  If not, then my
question stands: why does the space between galaxies expand at the Hubble
rate, but space in the solar system does not?  -|Tom|-

-- 
Tom Van Flandern / Washington, DC / metares@well.sf.ca.us
Meta Research was founded to foster research into ideas not otherwise
supported because they conflict with mainstream theories in Astronomy.
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: kaehms@pdsl01.DOMAIN.NOT.SET (Robert Kaehms)
Subject:  stellar database??? (where) 
Reply-To: kaehms@pdsl01.DOMAIN.NOT.SET (Robert Kaehms)
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 21:03:25 GMT


I've just scanned through the last 60 or so postings and saw no mention to this,
so...

Does anyone know of an ftp site for a stellar database?  I'd like to write 
a star viewing program.

I may not be at this address for long, so please send any replies to:

            well!cames@apple.com

thanks for any pointers in advance!

Bob Kaehms
kaehms@office.decnet.Lockheed.com
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology-Office of Information Technology
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 04:05:45 EST
From: <LABBEY@GITVM1.BITNET>
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Toutatis Captured by Radar Images
 <C18v5H.6oA@well.sf.ca.us>

Tom, what are the stats on binary asteroids?  10%?  5%?

Can we determine if any of them are in "low" orbit.....pre-contact cases?

Leonard Abbey, F.R.A.S.
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
labbey@gitvm1.gatech.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology-Office of Information Technology
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 19:21:11 EST
From: <LABBEY@GITVM1.BITNET>
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: astronomers vs researchers (was: Re: research vs commercial grade)
 <1993Jan21.191712.12358@gov.on.ca> <93022.035547LABBEY@GITVM1.BITNET>
 <1993Jan25.210450.11520@news.lrz-muenchen.de>

I retract my definition of the word "research."  It was incorrect.

Here is what I meant to say:  Astronomers do not usually use the word
"research" to describe their investigative activities.  They refer to it
as "observing."

While close study can be called research, it is important to realize that
there is a distinction between observational and experimental sciences.
The unfortunate fact is that the word "research" is only used (in astronomy)
by the purveyors of inexpensive telescopes.  The implication that the
subject instrument is of high quality is not necessarily true.  In fact,
the use of the word in advertizing demonstrates that the merchant is not
really familiar with the requirements and practices of astronomers.

Is such a merchant an appropriate source of high-quality instruments?

Leonard Abbey, F.R.A.S.
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
labbey@gitvm1.gatech.edu
From: chaloux@mandolin.mitre.org (Dave Chaloux)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Frosty the telescope
Date: 26 Jan 93 16:56:53 GMT
Reply-To: chaloux@mandolin.mitre.org (Dave Chaloux)
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean, Va

Donald Arseneau writes:

>I find that eyepiexes fog up by looking through them!  I think it is the 
>moisture coming from my eye.  Often standing up straight for half a minute
>lets it clear up; sometimes I lift out the eyepiece, hold the barrel in my 
>fist, and wave it around.

Personally I have very little problem with dewing of my objective. (The 20"
mirror is protected by LOTS of tube).

I do have problems with my eyepieces and occasionally with my diagonal. I have
cured this by having a very low wattage heater on the diagonal. I also have
a homemade heating element available near the eyepiece. If dewing is a problem
I simply turn it on and wrap it around whatever eyepiece I am using at the
time.

Finally I have a electric heating pad attached to my ladder. When my eyepieces
are not in use I have them in a homemade block of wood drilled for 1.25" and
2" attached to the ladder (where the paint would normally go.) The heating
pad gets plugged in and goes over the eyepieces.

This works great.
From: jneff@mycroft.psu.edu (James E. Neff)
Subject: Re: HST sites
Reply-To: jneff@mycroft.psu.edu
Organization: Penn State Astronomy and Astrophysics
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 01:36:12 GMT

In article 1jvcesINNki1@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu, ko_mike@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Michael Y Ko) writes:

>Can anyone tell me what the function is of the Space Telescope Institute?
>

Many of us have been pondering that question for years.  It's main function seems
to be spending lots of money.

---

========================================================================
reply to:  jneff@astro.psu.edu           (tcp/ip internet)
           STARS::JNEFF or 15382::JNEFF  (decnet internet)
           neff@jila                     (bitnet)
.......................................................................
   Dr. James E. Neff				Phone:  814-863-7947
   Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics	  (secretary) 5-0418
   The Pennsylvania State University		Fax:    814-863-3399	
   525 Davey Laboratory			
   University Park, PA  16802		========================================================================
From: rking@acorn.co.uk (Richard King)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Cleaning mirrors
Date: 26 Jan 93 14:12:32 GMT
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, England


Folks,

What are the recommended methods for cleaning mirrors ?
My 6" has a layer of dust which I can't shift with an aerosol
air blower so I'm wondering what else I can do.

Your ideas welcomed,

RKing@acorn.co.uk
From: paul.burnett@pcs.sj.ca.us (Paul Burnett) 
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Toutatis Captured by
Date: 25 Jan 93 19:30:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: PCS-BBS - San Jose, CA - 408-270-4085
Reply-To: paul.burnett@pcs.sj.ca.us (Paul Burnett) 

TO: palmer@sfu.ca

LP>One expects that, given the heterogeneity of the asteroids (seen
  >by spectroscopy)

I thought we assumed that the _surface_ of the asteroids was covered by
heterogeneous material - do we assume that the innards are
heterogeneous?
---
 . QMPro 1.0 41-8688 . ...from San Jose, CA
                                                                                  
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: HUSFELD@usmv01.usm.uni-muenchen.de (Husfeld, Dirk)
Subject: astronomers vs. researchers (was: Re: research vs. commercial grade)
Organization: University Observatory Munich, FRG 
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 20:39:39 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.20

In <93022.035547LABBEY@GITVM1.BITNET> <LABBEY@GITVM1.BITNET> writes:

> One wonders what kind of "research" is done with an 8" telescope?
> 
> Besides, astronomers don't do "research".  They observe.  "Research"
> implies the ability to change the conditions of the experiment.
> 
> Leonard Abbey, F.R.A.S.
> Georgia Tech Research Institute
> Atlanta, Georgia, USA
> labbey@gitvm1.gatech.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: mock@space.mit.edu (Patrick C. Mock)
Subject: Re: "Modeling" the Expanding Universe?
Originator: mock@benz
Reply-To: mock@space.mit.edu (Patrick C. Mock)
Organization: MIT Center for Space Research
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 06:03:39 GMT


My compliments to everyone involved in this discussion.  I'm learning
that my understanding of GR is much more limited than I realized.
I found Steve Carlip's and Ethan Vishniac's latest articles particularly 
illuminating.  The references to Birkhoff's theorem are important.
The following quote is from Weinberg, Ch 11, section 7, last paragraph.

	"Its importance arises from the fact that the Birkhoff theorem
	is a local theorem, not depending on any conditions on the
	metric for r->Infinity (aside from spherical symmetry), so
	that space must be flat in a spherical cavity at the center of
	a spherically symmetric system, even if the system is
	infinite---even, in fact, if the system is the whole universe.
	We shall see in Section 15.1 that the corollary to Birkhoff's
	theorem can be used to justify a limited use of Newtonian
	mechanics in cosmological problems."

Section 15.1 is also helpful in understanding the predictions of
the standard model, especially the last three paragraphs.

In article <C18vB2.6sD@well.sf.ca.us>, metares@well.sf.ca.us (Tom Van Flandern) writes:
> 
> > What seems clear to me is that you do not accept general relativity.
> > Since GR is part of the foundation of big bang models, I would like to
> > encourage the discussion to focus on the validity of GR.
> 
>      The big bang is based on GR, and not vice versa.  I do not accept the
> big bang.  It is illogical to conclude that I therefore do not accept GR.

Well then I think you have at least one misconception about GR.  
In your previous reply you wrote:
>>>
>>>     In short, in a big bang universe matter can change its distance in two
>>>ways: (1) directly, by the curving of spacetime by gravity, which causes
>>>matter to start moving through space; (2) indirectly, by the addition or
>>>subtraction of space between unmoving packets of matter.  Very low matter
>>>densities are supposed to influence (2), whereas matter densities and
>>>gravity 20 orders of magnitude stronger do not influence space in the solar
>>>system by proportionate amounts.
>>>
Option (2) is not what GR predicts.  It is unfortunately a very common
misconception.  I used believe it too until I read the posts by
Ethan Vishniac and Steve Carlip.  Weinberg was very helpful too.

Pat
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,sciastro.fits
From: careyb@pisces.jsc.nasa.gov (Brian Carey 283-4181)
Subject: Celestron telescope for sale
Keywords: telescope for sale
Organization: MDSSC
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 19:29:25 GMT

For sale Celestron Super Polaris C6 Telescope
Information of this Newtonian reflector telescope is:

        Diameter:                       150 mm
        Focal Length:                   750mm
        Near Focus
           with eyepiece:               8'
           with camera:                 6'
        Highest Useful Power:           360x
        Resolution (arc seconds):       0.76
        Light Gathering Power:          459
        Limiting Visual Power:          13.4
        f/ratio:                        f/5.0
        Weight
           Optical Tube:                10.5 lb.
           With Tripod:                 38 lb.

The telescope comes with tripod, Equatorial Mount with polar axis 
finderscope, eye piece, top mounted spotting scope, and tripod center 
tray with container.

All of the above for $550.00 OBO

If interested email or call Brian C. Carey
phone 488 - 6432 (home).

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: randolph@est.enet.dec.com (Tom Randolph)
Subject: Re: THE DIVINE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: 27 JAN 93 15:59:49    


In article <1993Jan26.203136.27720@craycos.com>, jrbd@craycos.com (James Davies) writes...
>In article <1k3eljINN93@transfer.stratus.com> somebody@somehost.edu writes:
>>In article <1993Jan25.173130.3296@cnsvax.uwec.edu>, mcelwre@cnsvax.uwec.edu writes:
>>> Although the following article is on the subject of religious studies, it
>>> illustrates some important facts about the Universe:
>>                             ^^^^^?
>>He's BAAAAaaaack (and wouldn't know a fact if it bit him on the butt)!
>>>                                            Robert E. McElwaine
>>>                                            2nd Initiate in Eckankar
>>Ah, well at least he's not claiming to be a scientist this time.
>>Flame away, Bobby, I'll give your responses all the attention they
>>deserve (and I've been *far* too generous already).
>....and, Robert, get your caps-lock key fixed, ok?  It's annoying when
>somebody CAPITALIZES every OTHER word, it MAKES you LOOK like a PINHEAD!!

Try sending mail to mcelwre@cnsvax.uwec.edu... I did, and got MORE of HIS STUFF
mailed TO ME, without comment. I think Robert E. McElwaine is a server program.
-Tom R.   randolph@est.enet.dec.com
Xref: sparky sci.astro:14320 sci.physics:23309
From: mcirvin@husc8.harvard.edu (Matt McIrvin)
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.physics
Subject: Re: Modelling the expanding universe
Date: 22 Jan 93 22:03:04 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc.mcirvin.727740184
Distribution: na

zellner@stsci.edu writes:

>Tom Van Flandern writes:

> > If the galaxies themselves moved, that would require a center and an
> > edge to the big bang explosion.  Then the universe would not look
> > everywhere the same, as the Friedmann postulates require.

>To me that seems a non-problem.  To itself, each molecule in an expanding 
>gas appears to be at the center, and all other molecules are systematically
>moving away from it with velocities that increase linearly with distance. 
>Whether a "real" center exists or not is irrelevant, unless of course you
>can actually see to the edge of the gas.  Our universe appears to be big
>enough that the "edge", if any, is outside our light horizon.

Milne's cosmology obeyed a kind of cosmological principle without
incorporating general relativity (at least not obviously).  The galaxies
were supposed to be literally flying out through Minkowski space from a
Big Bang that happened at one point.  They therefore formed an
expanding sphere which, seen from outside, appeared to have a center
and an edge-- but to someone situated on one of the galaxies, due to
special-relativistic effects, it would look the same from everywhere.
Galaxies existed arbitrarily close to the light cone, and the whole
infinity of galaxies would globally look the same if subjected
to a Lorentz transformation. 

Though Milne's cosmology eventually gave way to models incorporating
GR, the symmetry-heavy approach Milne used to think about it apparently
had a major effect on the work of Robertson and Walker, who produced
the cosmological metric regarded today as more or less standard, at
least for times not too close to the beginning. 

Prior to Milne the most popular cosmologies involved cosmological
constants and did things like expanding from an initial unstable
Einstein universe.

>Concerning the rest of this controversy, I think Ethan Vishniac settled all 
>the dust in a later post.  Whether the galaxies are moving apart, or space 
>is expanding, is just a question of how you choose to describe it.  

That's the case for the zero-density FRW metric, at least.  Others
can't be mapped onto Minkowski space in the same way.
-- 
Matt McIrvin