HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: lamontg@stein.u.washington.edu (Lamont Granquist)
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,sci.physics,sci.environment
Subject: Re: averting doom
Date: 31 Dec 1992 08:14:14 GMT
Organization: 'Operation: Mindcrime'
NNTP-Posting-Host: stein.u.washington.edu

Hmmmm...  In my ASTR class, we did a rough calculation that showed that the
radius of the Sun would be quite a bit over one AU after it hits the
giant branch.  If correct, I don't see how mirrors would help us out.  Also,
according to the ASTR class, the Sun isn't going to explode -- it won't be
hot enough to fuse silicon, and instead it will shed it outer envelope and
turn into a white dwarf.

-- 
Lamont Granquist  lamontg@u.washington.edu
  "When dogma enters the brain, all intellectual activity ceases."
                                      -- Robert Anton Wilson
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: davem@ee.ubc.ca (Dave Michelson)
Subject: Is the Milky Way a Barred Spiral? 
Organization: University of BC, Electrical Engineering
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 21:00:02 GMT

Not too long ago (but I don't remember where :-(, I read that some astronomers
had convinced themselves that our Galaxy is actually a barred spiral.  I haven't
seen any references to it since, though.  Does anyone else recall seeing such a
report or care to comment?

Previously, the evidence of spiral arm tracers such as O and B stars and
HII regions had suggested that our galaxy possesses a rather tightly wound
spiral structure...  
 
--
Dave Michelson
davem@ee.ubc.ca 
Newsgroups: sci.astro,rec.radio.shortwave
From: oler@rho.uleth.ca (Cary Oler)
Subject: Daily Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for 26 December
Organization: University of Lethbridge
Date: 27 Dec 92 10:14:29 GMT

!!BEGIN!! (1.0) S.T.D. Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for DAY 361, 12/26/92
10.7 FLUX=131    90-AVG=139        SSN=158      BKI=1022 0000  BAI=002
BGND-XRAY=B2.4     FLU1=1.2E+06  FLU10=1.2E+04  PKI=0012 1210  PAI=003
  BOU-DEV=005,004,013,013,003,004,004,004   DEV-AVG=006 NT     SWF=00:000
 XRAY-MAX= C1.1   @ 1554UT    XRAY-MIN= B2.2   @ 1527UT   XRAY-AVG= B3.1
NEUTN-MAX= +003%  @ 1920UT   NEUTN-MIN= -001%  @ 2225UT  NEUTN-AVG= +0.8%
  PCA-MAX= +0.1DB @ 2250UT     PCA-MIN= -0.5DB @ 1145UT    PCA-AVG= -0.0DB
BOUTF-MAX=55423NT @ 1432UT   BOUTF-MIN=55390NT @ 1854UT  BOUTF-AVG=55413NT
GOES7-MAX=P:+111NT@ 2034UT   GOES7-MIN=N:+004NT@ 0741UT  G7-AVG=+085,+026,+010
GOES6-MAX=P:+131NT@ 1933UT   GOES6-MIN=E:-013NT@ 2354UT  G6-AVG=+103,-004,+032
 FLUXFCST=STD:130,130,130;SESC:130,130,130 BAI/PAI-FCST=020,015,005/020,015,010
    KFCST=3334 4333 2224 5222  27DAY-AP=004,009   27DAY-KP=1112 2110 0022 3332
 WARNINGS=
   ALERTS=
!!END-DATA!!
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Averting doom
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 20:44:58 GMT

pg@sanitas.stortek.com (Paul Gilmartin) writes:
: : : 
: : : Larry Niven, in "A World out of Time", suggested moving a gas giant
: : : planet into Earth's orbit a few degrees ahead of the Earth.  The
: : : resulting gravitational perturbation would gently accelerate the
: : 
: : I suspect that the tidal forces would destroy the Earth.
: 
: The arithmetic favors the engineer:  the tidal strain varies as the
: inverse cube of the distance; with a big enough mass far enough 
: away, you can move the Earth without crushing it.  The Moon moves
: the Earth measurably.

I agree. It would be fairly easy to calculate the distance that would be
needed to produce a force comperable to that provided by the Moon. 

Another question. What would happen to the Moon? Would its orbit be
changed so that it is finally captured by Jupiter?

: : Also, to move the Earth into a higher orbit, you would not speed the
: : Earth up - you would slow it down.  The Earth orbits the sun about
: : 3 miles/second faster than Mars does. 
: 
: Jmc has correctly refuted this in his followup.

Yeah. If I had thought for a few minutes, I would have remembered that
it is a case of "speed up to slow down". The same procedure is followed
when a satellite is move to a higher Earth orbit.

Bill
From: vporguen@unlinfo.unl.edu (victor porguen)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Cheap or Expensive Binoculars?
Date: 26 Dec 1992 03:41:08 GMT
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln	
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: unlinfo.unl.edu

Most of the better older binoculars had their prisms held in place
by means of special spring-leeves, in turn held against the casing
by screws. The newer, low-cost binoculars usually have their prisms
glued in place with epoxy.

Both types can be reset, but only the older ones were specifically
made to be readjusted (recollimated) on special fixtures. The process
took a few minutes. The objectives themselves were mounted on 
centerable mounts, allowing a further means of control. The newer 
types are usually preset.

If you want a really good pair of binoculars, try to find an early
Navy type made by Bausch & Lomb, for example. Those were beautiful
instruments, nitrogen-filled to prevent moisture condensation and 
fungus growth, etc. etc. and had all the adjustments. A competent 
repairman could recollimate them to perfection. 

Finding a "competent repairman" is another matter, however... <g>.

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: gawne@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: Binoculars, exit pupil size, etc...
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 14:04:06 GMT


As Dana Bunner and Tom Clarke have both so kindly pointed out, the exit
pupil of 20x80 binoculars is indeed 4 mm, not 5.  [80mm/20 = 4mm]

Tom also covers some aspects of the human eye that I was not aware of.
As he correctly surmised I spend more time worrying about the interactions
of light with photographic film or CCD's, and binoculars represent more of
an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the sky in an amateur sense. (for me)

As for how to support binoculars of 10x or higher mag?  I usually just lay
down on the hood or trunk of my car and tuck my elbows into my sides.
Kind of low tech but it works pretty well.  If I remember to bring one along
a lawn chair works pretty well too.

A question for Tom (or anyone else who cares to answer):  Do binoculars
really form a virtual image?  You seemed to say that in your reply but as
I understand virtual images they can't be imaged onto a sheet of paper
placed at the focus.  I just checked Weidner's intro Physics text which
seems to agree with my recollection.  I have often focused a binocular's
image onto a sheet of paper or cardboard to check eye relief so this doesn't
square with my understanding of virtual imagery.

-Bill Gawne,  Space Telescope Science Institute
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: Leigh Palmer <palmer@sfu.ca>
Subject: Re: The Hole Story
X-Xxmessage-Id: <A75BACB075011C1F@rs15-annex3.sfu.ca>
X-Xxdate: Mon, 21 Dec 92 01:17:36 GMT
Organization: Simon Fraser University
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d16
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 01:16:38 GMT

In article <STEINLY.92Dec20193619@topaz.ucsc.edu> Steinn Sigurdsson, 
steinly@topaz.ucsc.edu writes:

>I suppose I should read the paper, but there are exact solution of
>plane gravitational waves for GR. They're literal solution of the
>Einstein equation.

That's interesting. Are gravitational plane waves susceptible to 
(linear) Fourier decomposition? Do they comprise a spanning set for 
all gravitational wave solutions? If they are not superposable, how 
would one generate a gravitational plane wave?

Do you consider the evidence for the observation of generation of 
gravitational waves to be sufficiently compelling that you would 
*expect* Yu's contention (which I have not read either) to be flawed 
in some way?

Please do not take offense at these questions. The reason I ask them 
in what may seem to be a confrontational manner is that I am more 
interested in the scientific process operating here than in the 
science itself. I respect your devotion to scholarship, and I'm 
trying to see what goes on "under the hood".

Leigh
From: meier@Software.Mitel.COM (Rolf Meier)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Info wanted on Halton Arp
Date: 22 Dec 92 18:15:37 GMT
Organization: Mitel. Kanata (Ontario). Canada.

In article <724619106.AA00811@contrast.wlink.nl> qsi@contrast.wlink.nl (Peter Kocourek) writes:

>In a recent discussion, someone mentioned to me a certain guy named Halton
>Arp, who supposedly has "disproven the Big Bang" theory, by showing that
>there are flows of matter between quasars and galaxies, with the
>implication that the quasars aren't as far away as thought. He even is
>supposed to have "photographs" proving this. It would seem to me, without
>knowing anything further about this, that this is just a misinterpretation
>of optically close objects. Does anyone know more about (the refutation
>of) Halton Arp's theories?

Arp is not just "a certain guy", but a well-known astronomer who has
recently broken away from the mainstream of cosmological research.

He has not disproven the Big Bang theory, but rather he brings to the
attention of anyone who will listen that there are a number of
inconsistencies in the observations which supposedly support the
theory.  I don't understand why you placed "photographs" in
quotation marks.  His evidence includes the quantization of red
shifts and he offers alternative explanations to the apparent
gravitational lensing observations.

As far as I know, he does not have a theory of his own which requires
refuting.

I forget the name of his book, but I suggest you start by reading
it before you start attacking Arp or his alledged theories.

In my opinion, we need people like Arp in science, if only to
keep the rest of the community honest.

___________________________________________________________________________
Rolf Meier					Mitel Corporation
From: andy@pangea.Stanford.EDU (Andy Michael USGS Guest)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Saturn in daytime
Date: 23 Dec 1992 09:21:52 GMT
Organization: Stanford Univ. Earth Sciences
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: pangea.stanford.edu

In article <1h9akmINNm38@morrow.stanford.edu> andy@pangea.Stanford.EDU (Andy Michael USGS Guest) writes:
>A while ago people were discussing the ability to see various planets
>in daylight.  Today I spotted Saturn about half an hour before sunset
>while taking a look at the much easier to spot Venus.  Basically I
>said, "Gee, what's that fairly dim thing near Venus."  Later after the
>sun set I said, "Huh, its not twinkling, must be a planet." Later, I
>checked my Astronomical Calendar to see that it was Saturn (missed the
>conjunction a day or so ago, damn!).

PS (don't your just love people who post late at night, forget stuff
and then follow up to their own postings): I also got out my binocs
and made sure that it was Saturn.  Can't just go around trusting books.

Andy
From: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de (Jost Jahn)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Sunspots at 03.01.1993.
Reply-To: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de
Date: 03 Jan 93 12:15:00 MET
Distribution: world
Organization: ABBS AstroMail, D-W 2121 Dahlenburg / Germany
X-Version: ZerUU V6.45c

Message-Id:   <26063338255@amterm1.abbs.hanse.de>
Sunspots at 03.01.1993., 0 h UT.

No.    Pos.  Cl.  Ar.  Mag. SF  F  M  X
---------------------------------------
7379 14S 78W Hrx   20   a    1
7381 03N 82W Hsx   80   a
7386 04S 56E Hsx  240   a
7387 23S 59E Dso  150   b
7388 08S 30W Bxo   10   b
7389 17S 73E Hrx   20   a


Optical and x-ray flares in 02.01.93.

Date     Beg. Max. End   Posit. Xray Opt
----------------------------------------
02.01.93 0419 0436 0506  .   .  M1.1


 
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
From: jack@cwi.nl (Jack Jansen)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: What happens on August 14, 2126?
Date: 21 Dec 92 10:37:22 GMT
Organization: CWI, Amsterdam


A quick question (for a quiz): does the date 'August 14, 2126' ring a
bell to someone?

Alternatively, is there a calendar of interesting astronomical events
that I could look this date up in?

Please reply by mail as I don't read sci.astro regularly at the
moment.

Thanks,
-- 
--
Jack Jansen        | If I can't dance I don't want to be part of
Jack.Jansen@cwi.nl | your revolution             -- Emma Goldman
uunet!cwi.nl!jack    G=Jack;S=Jansen;O=cwi;PRMD=surf;ADMD=400net;C=nl
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: daryl@garfield.cs.mun.ca (Daryl Clarke)
Subject: Re: STS-1 DISASTER/COVERUP
Organization: CS Dept., Memorial University of Newfoundland
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 13:47:47 GMT

Maybe we could get this sort of thing declared a chain letter.



-- 
Consider it stepped on.                                            Daryl Clarke
  - Valentine McKee, "Tremors"
                                                       daryl@garfield.cs.mun.ca
                                                       daryl@sparky2.esd.mun.ca
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: bunner@vms.macc.wisc.edu (Dana A. Bunner)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: binocular question
Date: 28 Dec 92 22:05:17 GMT
Organization: University of Wisconsin Academic Computing Center

In article <1992Dec28.213357.7792@linus.mitre.org>, chaloux@mandolin.mitre.org (Dave Chaloux) writes...

>I personally would have gone with the 10x50s but for a different set of reasons.
..
>2) The reason I use binoculars is for large extended objects like the Plieades,
>the Double cluster, the beehive, bright comets, etc. I want the bigger field of
>view.
..
>4) Finding objects will be easier with the bigger field of view.

I meant to state this in my response and remembered it just after sending
the message.  Indeed I do value this in a binocular, particularly if I have
only one pair.  Unfortunately wider angles are usually traded off for eye
relief.  I think having just a single pair of binocs which have only a 3-3.5
degree field is to miss out on one of the finer qualities of binoculars.

>As Dana points out, the quality of the coatings, etc. is critical. Dana is also
>fair enough to point out that binoculars with small exit pupils can be useful.

Actually, I thought my position was rather liberal on this point.  Many books
and salespeople stress that you shouldn't even look at anything under a 7mm
exit pupil.  I said down to 4.5mm was good and even 3.0 could be useful.
I too, commonly view through telescopic eyepieces with images in the 2.5mm
or lower range, however my wife and oldest daughter can't adapt to such 
small openings.  They can't see a thing when I'm above 200X.

>I just wanted to take it further and say that exit pupils can turn into a
>sacred cow that should be slaughtered from time to time.

I agree with you and appreciated your comments.

BTW:  I was looking at M42 last night at 214X & 152X with my 13" Coulter
and never saw more than 4 stars in the trapezium (sic?).  This just after
collimating it and getting the best images I've had to date with it.  This
is a "stock" Coulter with original mirror mounts, secondary, and slide
focuser.  However my children had a great time observing "up close and
personal" the setting orange cresent moon.

Dana Bunner
From: andy@pangea.Stanford.EDU (Andy Michael USGS Guest)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Saturn in daytime
Date: 23 Dec 1992 09:13:58 GMT
Organization: Stanford Univ. Earth Sciences
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: pangea.stanford.edu

A while ago people were discussing the ability to see various planets
in daylight.  Today I spotted Saturn about half an hour before sunset
while taking a look at the much easier to spot Venus.  Basically I
said, "Gee, what's that fairly dim thing near Venus."  Later after the
sun set I said, "Huh, its not twinkling, must be a planet." Later, I
checked my Astronomical Calendar to see that it was Saturn (missed the
conjunction a day or so ago, damn!).  So if you have been wanting to
try this you can use Venus as a guide to finding Saturn.  If you can't
find Venus you won't be able to see Saturn.  If you can see Venus,
Saturn should be at about the 4 o'clock position from Venus in the late
afternoon to early evening.  They were about a degree or so apart
tonight.  I'll be checking to see how early I can spot them on Wed.

Happy hunting,
Andy
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: dillman@vf.jsc.nasa.gov
Subject: Orion's Small Equatorial Mount
Organization: NASA Johnson Space Flight Center
Date: 22 Dec 92 13:38:07 -0600

Am considering ordering Orion's equatorial mount for small telescopes (#9226,
p. 44 of their recent catalog) for my C90.  Orion says they use this mount for
several of their small eq. telescopes.  Does anyone on the net have any
experience (good/bad/otherwise) with this mount?  Any suggestions for any other
good C90 mounts?


Dennis Dillman

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: clarke@acme.ucf.edu (Thomas Clarke)
Subject: Re: Binoculars, exit pupil size, etc...
Organization: University of Central Florida
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 16:43:16 GMT

In article <1992Dec30.090406.1@stsci.edu> gawne@stsci.edu writes:
> 
> As Dana Bunner and Tom Clarke have both so kindly pointed out, the exit
> pupil of 20x80 binoculars is indeed 4 mm, not 5.  [80mm/20 = 4mm]
> 
> A question for Tom (or anyone else who cares to answer):  Do binoculars
> really form a virtual image?  You seemed to say that in your reply but as
> I understand virtual images they can't be imaged onto a sheet of paper
> placed at the focus.  I just checked Weidner's intro Physics text which
> seems to agree with my recollection.  I have often focused a binocular's
> image onto a sheet of paper or cardboard to check eye relief so this doesn't
> square with my understanding of virtual imagery.

As I understand it, most any optical instrument you look through forms
a virtual image of the object being looked at since people like to
focus on a image about a meter in front of their eyes.  Since this
is a meter behind the eye lens, the image must be virtual.  

One can of course rack out the eyepiece beyond normal focus so that
it forms a real image behind the eyelens.  This is done in eyepiece
projection photography or in viewing the image of the sun on a piece
of cardboard held several inches behind the scope.

I think the image you are refering to for checking eye relief is the
image of the objective lens formed by the eyepiece and lies only a
few millimeters (the eye relief) behind the eyelens.  This is the
exit pupil.  One way of thinking of the eyepiece's function is that it
projects a smaller version of the objective onto the pupil of the
eye.  Or vice-versa, the eypiece projects the pupil of your eye 
onto the objective so that your eye's pupils (or a least a portion
thereof) are effectively as large as the objective.
--
Thomas Clarke
Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central FL
12424 Research Parkway, Suite 300, Orlando, FL 32826
(407)658-5030, FAX: (407)658-5059, clarke@acme.ucf.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: gerry@bluemoon.use.com (Gerard M. Foley)
Subject: Cheap or Expensive Binoculars?
Organization: Blue Moon BBS ((614) 868-998[024])
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 20:15:33 EST

    In 1986, in preparation for a cruise off the Brazilian coast, 
nominally to see comet Halley, I bought 7 X 50 K-Mart Focal brand 
binoculars for about $50.  These rubber encased binoculars gave very 
satisfactory performance until recently.  Now they are decollimated, so 
that star images are double.  My visual accomodation can fuse bright 
images, in the daytime.

    I don't know what the cost is in eyestrain of the decollimated state 
of the glasses, but I want to replace them with a properly collimated 
pair.  The question is will a more expensive set be less prone to 
accidental decollimation than a cheap set?  The old ones have cost me 
about $8 a year!

    Incidentally, the views of the comet were not especially better than I 
had in Ohio, but oh, that Southern Hemisphere sky and the Magellanic 
Clouds!!

gerry@bluemoon.rn  My amateur radio callsign is K8EF, and my
packet radio address is K8EF@W8CQK.OH.USA.NA
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.physics
From: ashutosh@engr.LaTech.edu (Ashutosh Srivastava)
Subject: astro gifs
Organization: Louisiana Tech University
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 23:54:33 GMT

 i would like to know whether there is an anonymous ftp site for astro gifs.
 can anybody help?

--
  ashutosh srivastava
From: jsmill01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: astro gifs
Date: 29 Dec 92 21:03:38 GMT
Organization: University of Louisville

In article <1992Dec29.173618.24896@aio.jsc.nasa.gov>,  (Carl Soderland) writes:
> In article <725507498snz@chrism.demon.co.uk>, chris@chrism.demon.co.uk (Chris Marriott) writes:
>> 
>> > i would like to know whether there is an anonymous ftp site for astro gifs.
>> > can anybody help?
>> 
>> Try "ames.arc.nasa.gov".  Look in directory "/pub/SPACE/GIFS".
>> 
> 
> The node mentioned contains alot of GIF formatted files, but how do I look at
> one of these.  Can anyone provide a source for the necessary imaging software?
> 
> Thanks for your help.
==============================================================================
You don't mention a machine to run it on, but a good program is 
available in the same archive.  Ron Baalke's program is in 
pub/SPACE/SOFTWARE or pub/SPACE/PROGRAMS (I haven't been in there in a 
while to look, and am not sure if the particular directories are all 
caps, all small or mixed case). It's called Imdisp**, where the *'s 
indicate latest version.  I've used it on my 8086 to decent viewing, 
and all I've got is EGA.  On a 386 or 486 with VGA it's bound to be 
much better.

Regards

Scott Miller, Program Coordinator
Rauch Memorial Planetarium
University of Louisville
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,sci.physics,sci.environment
From: gawne@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: averting doom
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 17:24:12 GMT

In article <1992Dec31.103114.1@stsci.edu>, gawne@stsci.edu
I mistakenly wrote:

> with an effective temperature of 4000 K and a luminosity of 10,000 K, then
                                                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Which should have been "luminosity of 10,000 L(sun)".  Luminosity is not
measured in Kelvins.

-Bill Gawne,  Space Telescope Science Institute
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: andromed@cs.dal.ca (Mike Boschat)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: To all netters...
Date: 31 Dec 92 16:19:09 GMT
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada



                 HAPPY  NEW  YEAR  AND  CLEAR SKIES 

                       FOR  1993  AD.....!!!!
        
                                        Clear skies

                                        Mike Boschat

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
|    JOHN F. KENNEDY              | " Our problems are man-made, therefore |
|                                 |  they can be solved by man. "          |
|  ASTRONOMICAL  OBSERVATORY      |                                        |
|                                 |                      J.F.K.            |
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.astro