HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mcdonald@aries.scs.uiuc.edu (Doug McDonald)
Subject: Re: Beginners and circles
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 16:14:05 GMT


In article <1992Apr2.122846.17601@linus.mitre.org> chaloux@mandolin.mitre.org (Dave Chaloux) writes:
>Riku Henriksson writes:
>
>>  I don't agree fully. Of course we are living in a free world (most
>>of us) and we can do what ever we want to, even use setting circles
>>if we want. I agree that. I just cannot think that circles would be 
>>a good way to start a new hobby. 

>Does one have to use setting circles? Obviously not. Many people with
>Dobsonians and quite a few with Equatorials never do. But if your scope
>has them, why not use them when they make sense? It is a tool.


I have always used the circles on my Meade SCT and find them very useful.
Recently it has been sent back for new and hopefully good optics
and I've been using the 12 inch refractor pictured in the current issue
of Sky and Telescope (yes, I've used a CCD on it, poor old thing, 
I feel sorry for it, actually, yanking it into the 21st century).

It has circles, two sets, actually, a coarse set and a fine set.
The coarse set is too coarse set and the telescopes that read the fine ones
need fixing up. And the field of view is narrow (it is 180 inches fl and
the field is less than three inches, or about one degree, with the
biggest eyepiece). So I've had to star hop with the finder and find it a pain.

Doug McDonald

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: joec@fid.morgan.com (Joe Collins)
Subject: Re: Issac Asimov -- Dead : (
Organization: Morgan Stanley & Co., New York, NY
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 22:00:22 GMT

In article <CMM.0.90.2.702573115.wthomps@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> William R Thompson <wthomps@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> writes:
>
>
>Yes, unfortunately, it's true.  Heard on the radio this morning 
>that Issac Asimov, scientist, philosopher, writer, etc, etc....
>died last night at the age of 72.  Already missed....

Sad for me as well....I credit Asimov for getting me interested in
Science as a kid, on to a BS in Chem and now in Computers. I give him
credit because I was an avid reader of his books in the mid 1960's.
My first Asimov book was the first one he wrote- Pebble in the Sky.
He wrote it in 1950 (the year I was born). I think I bought it
in 1965 or so. I still have all the paperbacks I bought over the
years - must have 60-100 or so in all.

Oh well.....

Joe
joec@morgan.com


Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: William R Thompson <wthomps@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Subject: Issac Asimov -- Dead : (
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1992 15:11:55 GMT



Yes, unfortunately, it's true.  Heard on the radio this morning 
that Issac Asimov, scientist, philosopher, writer, etc, etc....
died last night at the age of 72.  Already missed....
                                                          ___       
                                                      ____| |____
 Excelsior!                                           -----------
                                                       |[+]|[+]|        
 --The Rook                                            |---|---|  
   <wthomps@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>                 |   |   |
                                                       |---|---|        
                                                       |   |   |
 " 'I am a traveller of both time and space....' "    ===========
                 

 " 'Be true, Unbeliever.' "
    --Stephen Donaldson, _Lord Foul's Bane_


Newsgroups: sci.astro,rec.radio.amateur.misc,rec.radio.shortwave
From: donl@glass.esd.sgi.com (donl mathis)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Save Palomar Observatory!
Date: 7 Apr 92 06:57:26 GMT
Reply-To: donl@glass.esd.sgi.com (donl mathis)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA


In article <1992Apr6.102626.2736@decuk.uvo.dec.com>,
dierick@ketje.enet.dec.com (Dominique Dierick) writes:

|> 	Let people watch television all evening, preferably US crime series.
|> 	They'll see on average 2 murders, 5 drug abuses and a couple
|> 	of other crimes per evening - mostly situated in dark alleys or
|> 	parking lots.
|> 	Repeat this for years.
|> 	Next have the television news talking loud and clear with as
|> 	much "realistic" film material as possible about crime in your
|> 	neighbourhood.

Alright, then -- show them something beautiful and wonderous in the
sky, on the same TV.  Try to help them understand it in a way they can
relate to.  Make friends with the news people.

- donl mathis at Silicon Graphics Computer Systems, Mountain View, CA
donl@sgi.com
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Wednesday, 8 Apr 1992 09:13:01 EDT
From: <RMG3@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Issac Asimov -- Dead : (

  I agree with the idea of doing something to honor
Asimov.  He was a writer, and the things which seems fitting
to me is to read his books, or interest other people in them.

  A short list of his books which I think are  among his
best:

Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation
  [The original Foundation series]
The Caves of Steel  and  The Naked Sun
  [SF mysteries including the laws of Robotics]
Nine Tomorrows
  [Anthology of his shorter stories.  This does not
    include Nightfall.  He mentions in the book that
    he thinks at least two of the stories are better
    than Nightfall.  I agree.]
The Intelligent Man's Guide to Science
  [or whatever the current title is --
    there are at least three editions
    under different titles]

  The last one having a lot to do with my field of science.
After reading about physics, chemistry, and astronomy, it
seemed that those fields were already understood.  So I
became an oceanographer/climate scientist.  :-)

Enjoy,
Bob Grumbine
From: ben@bailey.UUCP (Ben Bailey)
Subject: Re: Messier + planets (was Re: Another Messier Marathon List
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Date: 6 Apr 92 14:41:31 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Ben Bailey's Home..Tampa Fl.

dant@logos.wr.tek.com (Dan Tilque) writes:
> I saw on Star Hustler last night that all nine planets will be visible
> during at least part of the next few nights.  Anyone going to go for a
> grand slam and do both Messier and the planets?
> 
> Mercury and Venus are low on the horizon at evening twilight and I
> understand that some of the Messier objects are the same, so it might
> be a real challenge.
> 
> ---
> Dan Tilque	--	dant@logos.WR.TEK.COM

Dan,
Using a program called 'almana' obtained from usenet, I found that Mercury and
Venus are still 'ahead' of the Sun, and are thus setting prior to the sun -
they would not be visible at twilight.

I checked for sunrise, and it appears that Jupiter is setting prior to
Venus rising (for my latitude - 28 degrees).

Ben
--
Ben Bailey                 ben@bailey.uucp -- bailey!ben@uunet.uu.net
12210 Shady Forest Dr.     ben@bailey.tscs.com
Riverview, Fl. 33569   "All of us are born left-handed, you only become right-
813-677-5021            handed when you commit your first sin" Gen. Schwarzkopf
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space
From: jcm3r@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (John Carl Martin)
Subject: Re: Shape and Size of Universe
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 02:40:31 GMT

In article <kumihhINN6dt@pollux.usc.edu> aabdalla@pollux.usc.edu (Ahmed Abd-Allah) writes:
>Can anyone explain in "layman" terms the best answers we have to the
                        ^^^^^^
>following questions:
>
>1.  What is the most widely accepted theory of the shape of the
>	universe?  A four-dimensional hypersphere? 
                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^

Since when is 'hypersphere' a layman's term?

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: schumach@convex.com (Richard A. Schumacher)
Subject: Re: when is the dark side of the moon visible to the naked eye?
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
Distribution: sci
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 18:15:42 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 <1992Apr7.141051.15634@sal.wisc.edu> lattis@sal.wisc.edu (Jim Lattis) writes:
>simple deduction from the shape of the terminator, but was
>also believed to be true a priori because, according to
>Plato & Aristotle, all celestial bodies are spherical since
>the sphere is the most perfect geometric solid etc.

Indeed, a PERFECT sphere, to the extent that some did not belive that
Galileo could possibly be seeing craters, mountains, valleys or other
vertical relief on it, but merely light and dark patterns.
From: mjln_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Mikeey J. Lin)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: sci.astro.amateur?
Keywords: Does anybody actually read these?
Date: 7 Apr 92 15:25:00 GMT
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

In <1992Apr7.001540.20151@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> jcastner@isis.cs.du.edu (John Castner) writes:


>   I was wondering if anyone else out there saw a need for a new
>newsgroup, devoted to amateur astronomy, and containing primarily
>the many discussions on telescopes and telescope making presently
>found in this group.  I feel that as someone interested in astronomy,
>but not interested observing (other than casual, naked-eye, stuff
>such as meteors and aurora), that the large volume of optics discussions
>would be best served by a separate newsgroup, sci.astro.amateur,
>further opening the original sci.astro to discussions and announcements
>of professional observations and theories.

>   This new newsgroup would allow the development of a more specific
>FAQ list for telescope making, buying, and operating, while allowing
>a reduction in size of the enormous current sci.astro/sci.space FAQ.
>Also, those who follow the more theoretical and astrophysical sides
>of astronomy would have less material to go through to find what they
>found interesting.  This might attract more professional astronomers
>and physicists to the group, allowing more in-depth discussions.

>   I understand that since this is the first mention of the idea, it
>shouldn't be taken to the RFD stage yet, but if at some point it should
>be, I would appreciate it if one of the well-known members of the group
>(such as Leigh Palmer or Ron Baalke) took over the leadership, just
>to get it some added attention.  I would still continue to be active
>in any ensuing discussions, and provide help if asked.  If there is
>interest, but no one to take over, I will take care of it as needed.

>                                  Thanks, John Castner
 
	Hmmm... I'm new to this newsgroup and I think it will be a great idea.
I usually have trouble understanding most of the astrophysical aspects of this
newsgroup. Personally, I prefer discussions on topics that a beginner can
comprehend. Hope it works!!! :)

						Mikeey
				    mjln_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu
 
>--

>--
>+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
>|jcastner@nyx.cs.du.edu |Alas, the thirsty freshman/He isn't so anymore       |
>|johncr@idsvax.ids.com  |For what he thought was H20/Was H2SO4.               |
>|ugpejc0746%mtvms2.dnet@terra.oscs.montana.edu  (home account)                |
Newsgroups: sci.astro,rec.radio.amateur.misc,rec.radio.shortwave
From: oler@rho.uleth.ca (Cary Oler)
Subject: Daily Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for 05 April
Organization: University of Lethbridge
Date:  6 Apr 92 07:51:44 GMT

!!BEGIN!! (1.0) S.T.D. Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for DAY 096, 04/05/92
10.7 FLUX=154.4  90-AVG=200        SSN=087      BKI=2122 3324  BAI=011
BGND-XRAY=C1.0     FLU1=7.5E+04  FLU10=1.0E+04  PKI=3223 3234  PAI=013
  BOU-DEV=015,009,012,015,026,020,013,044   DEV-AVG=019 NT     SWF=00:000
 XRAY-MAX= C3.9   @ 1700UT    XRAY-MIN= B7.9   @ 2246UT   XRAY-AVG= C1.6
NEUTN-MAX= +003%  @ 0320UT   NEUTN-MIN= -003%  @ 2340UT  NEUTN-AVG= -0.6%
  PCA-MAX= +0.1DB @ 2335UT     PCA-MIN= -1.0DB @ 2105UT    PCA-AVG= -0.0DB
BOUTF-MAX=55282NT @ 0954UT   BOUTF-MIN=55242NT @ 1831UT  BOUTF-AVG=55270NT
GOES7-MAX=P:+114NT@ 2000UT   GOES7-MIN=N:-039NT@ 1026UT  G7-AVG=+078,+048,+006
GOES6-MAX=P:+127NT@ 2143UT   GOES6-MIN=E:-023NT@ 1951UT  G6-AVG=+091,+010,+030
 FLUXFCST=STD:155,160,160;SESC:155,155,155 BAI/PAI-FCST=012,012,010/012,012,010
    KFCST=2333 3322 2333 3322  27DAY-AP=014,016   27DAY-KP=3223 3433 3323 3334
 WARNINGS=*AURMIDWCH
   ALERTS=
!!END-DATA!!
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: cain@geomag.gly.fsu.edu (Joe Cain)
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.geo.geology,sci.space
Subject: Moon's of Saturn
Summary: more info on 18th moon?
Date: 2 Apr 92 16:14:33 GMT
Article-I.D.: mailer.1992Apr2.111433.21420
Followup-To: sci.geo.geology
Organization: Florida State University Geology Dept.

I note that the 25 September 1990 EOS (well, I don't keep completely
up to date!) announced the discovery of an 18th moon of Saturn,
temporarily named 1981 S13. Can someone give me a reference noting the
specifics of this body, its orbit, and official name please?

Joseph Cain		cain@geomag.gly.fsu.edu
cain@fsu.bitnet		scri::cain
From: jcj@tellabs.com (jcj)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re^2: sci.astro.amateur?
Keywords: Yes, people DO read this field on occasion.  ;-)
Date: 10 Apr 92 14:00:26 GMT
Organization: Wazmodyne Industries

Usenet has rather specific guidelines for establishing new groups;
perhaps it's time to issue a call for discussion officially.

-- 
		        jcj@tellabs.com
From: joe@montebello.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Joe Dellinger)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: sci.astro.amateur?
Date: 12 Apr 92 03:32:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1992Apr12.033238.16536
Reply-To: joe@montebello.soest.hawaii.edu
Organization: School of Ocean and Earth Science Technology

In article <1992Apr9.212200.16808@news.Hawaii.Edu>, goldader@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Jeffrey D. Goldader) writes:
|> Uh, I assume you're talking about the IAU Circulars?  *They aren't 
|> supposed to be given away on networks.*

	Although they are already being distributed on "Fidonet" I'm told.
IAU told them to stop and the people doing it replied "_make_ us".

	In any case the IAU circulars would be rather too much for
my idea of sci.astro.urgent anyway; I don't think we need to "urgently" hear
about every new 15th-magnitude asteroid discovery! I was thinking of things
that an amateur would like to hear about urgently; unusually southerly auroras, 
spots on Jupiter or Saturn, bright novas, bright comets, unusual meteor-shower
activity, etc.

     /\    /\    /\/\/\/\/\/\/\.-.-.-.-.......___________
    /  \  /  \  /Hawaii Institute of Geophysics, Honolulu\/\/\.-.-....__
___/    \/    \/Joe Dellinger, Internet: joe@montebello.soest.hawaii.edu\/\.-.__
____________________________________________________
Objectivity is not an ubobtainable emptying of mind |
but a willingness to abandon a set of preferences   |----> Stephen J. Gould
when the world seems to work in a contrary way.     |
Xref: sparky sci.astro:4989 sci.space:7503
From: sulkanen@xanth.msfc.nasa.gov (Martin Sulkanen - NRC/ES65)
Subject: Re: Save Palomar Observatory!
Organization: NASA/MSFC
Date:  7 Apr 92 18:45:30 GMT

johno@sdd.hp.com (John Ongtooguk) writes:

[deleted reposted palomar/sd LPS debate stuff]

>  Well, I invite you guys to San Diego to walk around some of the 'nicer'
>  parts of the city at night. In the LA Times a couple of months ago there
>  was an article on the poor SD police response time; one officer suggested 
>  buying a handgun. I've been in the area (north San Diego county) since 
>  1975 and have witnessed explosive growth, the real problem for Palomar,  
>  due to a lot of people moving from the midwest, LA, etc...now if we could
>  get them to move back home...:=)

>  Seriously, I support Palomar's requests for minimizing light pollution,    
>  and there are many ways to deal with crime (all of our cities are looking
>  for the magic bullet), but at some point you have to ask 'is astronomy
>  more important than someone's well being, or their life' ?

>  John Ongtooguk (johno@sdd.hp.com) 

this really begs the question whether the going to HPS is going to save
anybody's life. look, the real problem is lunatic unrestrained growth in
this part of country (la, tuscon, phoenix, albuquerque, etc). it just can't
be supported at the levels that developers want, for a number of
environmental and planning/sociological (in addition to scientific) reasons.
the quality of life is being dictated by the developers' profit
requirements, not by astronomical darkness requirements. when you
pack a jillion people into regions that can only handle a
*jillionth* of that, zone their next door for liquor stores, fast-food
joints, and cheap motels, turn your back on their needs for nearby
quality jobs and transportation and a chance at a civilized existence,
you're gonna get high crime rates...HPS lights or not. are there any
other factors that are as important as the claims of developers/politicians
that this *may* reduce crime? why not install HPS lights in yosemite?
do you know what the crime rate per capita is there?

john, please don't take my rant personally...sorry for getting carried
away. everywhere i've lived i've seen greedy developers and spineless
city councils go through this staged debate. there must be a fundamental
change in the ethic that guides planning, otherwise we'll all be living down
the block from a 7-11 one day...oh, except for the developers, who'll be
living behind a big iron-gate 'secured' neighborhood in a bucolic setting.


|_________________________________________________________________|
| martin sulkanen      ][ internet: sulkanen@xanth.msfc.nasa.gov  |
| es 65                ][ span:     ssl::sulkanen                 |
| nasa/msfc            ][ voice:    205/544-5823     >>,--```;('> |
| huntsville, al 35812 ][ institute for troutphysics              |
|_________________________________________________________________|
Newsgroups: sci.astro,rec.radio.amateur.misc,rec.radio.shortwave
From: oler@rho.uleth.ca (Cary Oler)
Subject: Monthly Solar Geophysical Reports for March Now Available
Organization: University of Lethbridge
Date:  2 Apr 92 23:41:10 GMT


MONTHLY REPORTS OF SOLAR GEOPHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR MARCH ARE NOW AVAILABLE:

     The monthly reports of solar and geophysical activity for the month of
March 1992 are now available for anonymous FTP from the following sites:

solar.stanford.edu <-->   36.10.0.4   <--> "pub/1992" and subdirectories
nic.funet.fi       <--> 128.214.6.100 <--> "pub/dx/solarreports" and subdirs
xi.uleth.ca        <-->  142.66.3.29  <--> "pub/solar/1992" directory

The site at xi.uleth.ca also contains daily updated summaries of solar
geophysical activity in the directory "pub/solar/daily", and numerous other
solar and geophysical services.

The files to get are:

     "marflr.doc"     - Summary of Solar Energetic Events for March 1992.

     "marmag.doc"     - Summary of Global Geomagnetic Activity for March.

     "martec.zip"     - Summary of Global Total Electron Content (TEC),
                        compressed using ZIP.

     "martec.zoo"     - Summary of Global TEC, compressed using ZOO.

     "martec.tar.Z"   - Summary of Global TEC, TAR'd and COMPRESSed.

     "sgdb-mar.zip"   - Archive of all Daily Solar Geophysical Data
                        Broadcasts (SGDBs) for March using ZIP.

     "sgdb-mar.zoo"   - Archive of all SGDBs, compressed using ZOO.

     "sgdb-mar.tar.Z" - Archive of all SGDBs, TAR'd and COMPRESSed.


**  End of Bulletin  **
Xref: sparky sci.astro:5059 sci.space:7575 news.answers:1078
From: dj@ssd.kodak.com (Dave Jones)
Subject: Re: Shape and Size of Universe
Organization: :noitazinagrO
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 15:05:37 GMT

In article <kumihhINN6dt@pollux.usc.edu> aabdalla@pollux.usc.edu (Ahmed Abd-Allah) writes:
>Can anyone explain in "layman" terms the best answers we have to the
>following questions:
>
>1.  What is the most widely accepted theory of the shape of the
>	universe?  A four-dimensional hypersphere? 
>
>2.  Is the size of the universe infinite or finite?  If the universe
>	is indeed a hypersphere, can it also be infinite, or is a
>	hypersphere by definition (like an ordinary sphere) finite?
>
Read "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking.

-- 
||Dave Jones (dj@ekcolor.ssd.kodak.com)    ||-------------------------------|
||Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, NY 14653-7300|-------------------------------|
|| If Unix is a computer system            ||-------------------------------|
|| then a pile of bricks is a house        ||-------------------------------|
From: ivanitch@cherry.udel.edu (Sandy Ivanitch)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Alien fingers and toes
Date: 9 Apr 92 20:11:26 GMT
Article-I.D.: udel.1992Apr9.201126.18649
Organization: University of Delaware, Newark

In article <TIM.92Apr8113021@nijinsky.ipac.caltech.edu> tim@nijinsky.ipac.caltech.edu (Tim Conrow) writes:
>In article <1992Apr8.103206.1730@news.Hawaii.Edu> joe@montebello.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Joe Dellinger) writes:
>
>
>	   Here's a good unanswered question: why 5 fingers? The genetic
>   variability for more or less is known to be there, but 5 digits has real
>   staying power: it goes way back into the fossil record as by far the most
>   common number for anything without hooves.
>
>   Joe Dellinger, Internet: joe@montebello.soest.hawaii.edu
>
>
>For all you asking yourselves "This is astronomy?": There ought to be
>a sci.origins group where this neat stuff could be discussed w/o all
>the flames found in talk.origins, but there ain't.
>
>-- Tim Conrow         tim@ipac.caltech.edu

Well, I would suggest sci.archaeology but we get "all those flames found
in talk.origins"!  Unfortunately it's very difficult to weed out all the
theological discussions.  Sometimes it gets to be an all out war between
the creationists and the evolutionists.


-- 
 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@             Sandra Ivanitch		@            Archaeology:             @
@      ivanitch@freezer.cns.udel.edu    @  It may not have much of a future,  @
@           Anthropology Major		@   but it has one hell of a past!    @
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: johno@sdd.hp.com (John Ongtooguk)
Subject: Re: sci.astro.amateur?
Reply-To: johno@sdd.hp.com (John Ongtooguk)
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, San Diego Division
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 16:42:50 GMT

In article <1250@wtcp.DaytonOH.NCR.COM>, dgrimmer@wtcp.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Dave Grimmer) writes:
|> In article <JEFF.COOK.92Apr7103509@pigpen.FtCollinsCO.NCR.COM> Jeff.Cook@FtCollinsCO.NCR.COM (Jeff Cook) writes:
|> :In article <1992Apr7.001540.20151@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> jcastner@isis.cs.du.edu (John Castner) writes:
|> ::   I was wondering if anyone else out there saw a need for a new
|> ::newsgroup, devoted to amateur astronomy,......sci.astro.amateur... 
|> 
|> I would be very much in favor of a new group geared towards amateur
|> astronomy.  I get very little from the theoretical discussions and space
|> craft reports (your milage may vary).  Maybe a sci.astro.amateur could
|> fill the need that used to be served by "Telescope Making" and "Deep Sky".
|> The new group would also be a more appropriate place for club newsletters
|> and announcements of club events.
|> 
|> Dave Grimmer

  As someone new to amateur astronomy the above seems very reasonable. Also, 
  while it may not be practical for other reasons perhaps 'urgent' traffic 
  should be labeled as such; 'URGENT......' or 'OBSERVATION......' or ? 

  John Ongtooguk (johno@sdd.hp.com)