HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de (Jost Jahn)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Encounters of 1973 NA with planets.
Date: 31 Jul 92 19:01:23 GMT
Reply-To: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de
Distribution: sci
Organization: ABBS AstroMail, D-W 2121 Dahlenburg / Germany
X-Version: ZerUU V6.45c

The  closest  possible distances to the orbits of Mercur, Venus, Earth and Mars
for the new minor planet 1973 NA:

Closest possible distance to Mercury for the asteroid 1973 NA.

Name des     d      r  Perihl Phas Hoeh  Hell Velo
Objektes    A E    A E   Tage Grad Grad  Magn km/s
-=> The object has no close encounter up to 0.5 AU with this planet.

Closest possible distance to Venus for the asteroid 1973 NA.

Name des     d      r  Perihl Phas Hoeh  Hell Velo
Objektes    A E    A E   Tage Grad Grad  Magn km/s
1973 NA   0.3444 1.0358 -  38  22 +11.4 +15.8 40.4

Closest possible distance to Earth for the asteroid 1973 NA.

Name des     d      r  Perihl Phas Hoeh  Hell Velo   Radiant     Zeit
Objektes    A E    A E   Tage Grad Grad  Magn km/s Alpha Delta Mon Tg
1973 NA   0.0819 1.0908 -  45  24  +2.4 +12.9 39.0  15.5 +66.6 Jun 30

Closest possible distance to Mars for the asteroid 1973 NA.

Name des     d      r  Perihl Phas Hoeh  Hell Velo
Objektes    A E    A E   Tage Grad Grad  Magn km/s
1973 NA   0.2817 1.1775 -  56 150  -9.0 ----- 35.6
1973 NA   0.3028 1.8204 + 128  41 +10.9 +17.3 29.3

Explanations:
This  list  will  contain  the orbit characteristics of the recently discovered
fast-moving asteroids (source are various IAUC). The columns are:
Name des Objektes   - The name of the minor planet.
d        A E        - The minimum distance to the planet's orbit in AU.
r        A E        - The distance to sun at minimum distance to planet in AU.
Perihl   Tage       - The days to perihelion passage.
Phas     Grad       - The phase angle in degrees.
Hoeh     Grad       - The angle to the ecliptic in degrees.
Hell     Magn       - The magnitude in magnitude steps.
Velo     km/sec     - The impact velocity of a possible meteore.
Radiant Alpha Delta - The radiant position of a possible meteor stream.
Zeit     Mon Tg     - The mean time in year of a possible meteor stream.

Calculated with a program by Gunter Monz, Namborn, West-Germany (Atari ST).

 
--
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Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: dlm@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu (Deborah Maraziti (aka Spacee))
Subject: Re: Apparant Stasis
Organization: Institute for Astronomy, Hawaii
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 18:37:08 GMT

In article <Bs5rFM.7Eu@world.std.com> jan@world.std.com (Joshua A Natarajan) writes:
>
>Sci.astro -  Mostly answering questions like Is the universe closed, Cold dark
>matter - what of it? Is there an astronomy program? What is Relativity and what
>are black holes.
>
>Frankly I am beginning to get tired of it all. We know only so much but we
>keep discussing these things over and over again.
>
Hmm.  Seems like if astronomers stopped posing such questions, we would never
get a reasonable answer to any of them.  Are you suggesting that all astronomers
pack up and quit their research? I suppose that if people had ceased challenging
theories that the Earth was at the center of Everything that we would be better
off today (??????).  It is critical to discuss and question these issues over
and over again not only in the light of new observational clues, but by 
voices of people new to the astronomical arena.

Debbie 
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spacee                            ~     I'm conducting a search for a
dlm@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu        ~     planet made of chocolate.
(astronomer in lace)              ~     Funding is hard to come by... 
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Convex secondary mirror available ?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 19:34:33 GMT

mpj@hemlock.cray.com (M. P. Johnson) writes:
: 
: I am planning to make a Newtonian reflector with an f/4.5 mirror.
: I would like to be able to switch to a longer focal ratio by
: changing the configuration to a Cassagrain-Coude one. Of course I
: would need a convex (hyperbolic) secondary mirror to diverge the beam.
: 
: My question is one of availability. Since it is tricky to make a
: good hyperboloidal mirror at home, I am looking for a source for one.
: 
: Does anyone know of a firm (or private enterprise) in Europe or
: the States that could provide such a mirror ? Are there any "standard"
: convex mirrors (ie particular radii of curvature) that can be ordered
: "off the shelf" ? Or is this so particular that one needs to get a
: special order through a glassmaker/optician ?

If I recall correctly, the secondary mirror has to be made to match the
primary. In other words, it has to be custom made, depending on the
diameter of the primary, the f ratio of the primary and the distance
of the secondary from the focal point.  As such, they would not likely
be "off the shelf" items.  

Not having my reference texts hand, I could be wrong.

: Should I forget the idea and just use a Barlow lens ? Which is better ?
: (a 3x Barlow could get me f/13.5, suitable for planetary astrophotography)

I would choose a good quality Barlow. The problem with multiple secondary
mirrors is obtaining and maintaining good collimation.

Bill
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: clayb@county.lmt.mn.org (Clay Babcock)
Subject: Help on first scope
Summary: Looking for info on buying a first telescope
Keywords: telescope
Organization: LaserMaster R&D, Minneapolis, MN  USA
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 16:39:58 GMT

Greetings:

I am looking for any input on buying a first telescope.  I would like to 
keep the $$$ outlay under $750.00.
Some questions come to mind:

Buy new v. used?
Catalog v. Local store?
Refector v. Refractor?
What type of mount
Rich field?

Someone has refered me to the Edmund Scientific Astroscan 2001.
Any opinions on this?

Thanks in advance,

Clay Babcock
clayb@county.lmt.mn.org
Xref: sparky sci.astro:8287 sci.space:10728 news.answers:2229
From: oler@rho.uleth.ca (Cary Oler)
Subject: Daily Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for 25 July
Organization: University of Lethbridge
Date: 26 Jul 92 06:55:59 GMT

!!BEGIN!! (1.0) S.T.D. Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for DAY 207, 07/25/92
10.7 FLUX=098.4  90-AVG=127        SSN=051      BKI=2012 3332  BAI=008
BGND-XRAY=B2.0     FLU1=3.0E+05  FLU10=1.1E+04  PKI=3222 3432  PAI=012
  BOU-DEV=010,004,009,013,021,033,026,014   DEV-AVG=016 NT     SWF=00:000
 XRAY-MAX= B9.2   @ 1202UT    XRAY-MIN= B1.7   @ 2300UT   XRAY-AVG= B2.4
NEUTN-MAX= +003%  @ 2250UT   NEUTN-MIN= -001%  @ 2025UT  NEUTN-AVG= +0.4%
  PCA-MAX= +0.2DB @ 1710UT     PCA-MIN= -1.1DB @ 1205UT    PCA-AVG= -0.0DB
BOUTF-MAX=55243NT @ 1448UT   BOUTF-MIN=55212NT @ 1732UT  BOUTF-AVG=55233NT
GOES7-MAX=P:+146NT@ 1908UT   GOES7-MIN=N:-016NT@ 0804UT  G7-AVG=+089,+044,+010
GOES6-MAX=P:+154NT@ 1908UT   GOES6-MIN=E:-014NT@ 1508UT  G6-AVG=+100,+004,+034
 FLUXFCST=STD:100,105,107;SESC:100,100,105 BAI/PAI-FCST=010,010,010/010,010,010
    KFCST=2234 3222 2234 4322  27DAY-AP=020,045   27DAY-KP=2255 4323 4754 5345
 WARNINGS=
   ALERTS=
!!END-DATA!!
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: dsc@gemini.tmc.edu (Doug S. Caprette Bldg. 28 W191 x3892)
Subject: Re: Convex secondary mirror available ?
Organization: NASA GSFC CDP VLBI
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 00:45:10 GMT

In article <1992Jul22.193433.22477@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>mpj@hemlock.cray.com (M. P. Johnson) writes:
>: 
>: (converting a Newtonian to a Cassegrainian)
>
>If I recall correctly, the secondary mirror has to be made to match the
>primary. In other words, it has to be custom made, depending on the
>diameter of the primary, the f ratio of the primary and the distance
>of the secondary from the focal point.  As such, they would not likely
>be "off the shelf" items.  
>
>Not having my reference texts hand, I could be wrong.
>

Not only is this true, but to get the best results the primary and secondary
should be tested and figured together as an integrated system.

>: Should I forget the idea and just use a Barlow lens ? Which is better ?
>: (a 3x Barlow could get me f/13.5, suitable for planetary astrophotography)
>
>I would choose a good quality Barlow. The problem with multiple secondary
>mirrors is obtaining and maintaining good collimation.
>

I second the recommendation for the barlow, it will help to correct the coma
of the RFT, as well as giving you the focal length you require.  It will also
be much less expensive, and shuld prove to be a generally useful accessory.

dsc@gemini.gsfc.nasa.gov  
 |  Regards,         |   Hughes STX                |    Code 926.9 GSFC        |
 |  Doug Caprette    |   Lanham, Maryland          |    Greenbelt, MD  20771   |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Not all those who wander are lost," -- Bilbo Baggins
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: marina@tk.mainet.msk.su (Naumenko M.V.)
Subject: To anybody who is interesting in science
Reply-To: marina@tk.mainet.msk.su
Organization: Moscow Aviation Institute, PDTK
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 12:56:23 GMT

          TO  ANYBODY  WHO IS INTERESTING IN SCIENCE
        We apply to everybody who interested in  future  Russian
science; who   would  like  to assist  it  to integrate in World
science society.
        We need information about Funds and other  organizations
who interested in  attraction russian  science organizations  to
research within  the limits active and  plan science proects and
directions of  this  researches   but also about  conditions  of
precipitation  russian scientists   in this proects.  Besides we
would like to know about questions of finance.
        We pin   our hopes on  establishment of interaction  and
development of international cooperation.
        Best regards.                 Marina V.Naumenko
From: fxt@helios.ucsc.edu (oxide owner)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: isotopic abundances
Date: 29 Jul 92 01:57:52 GMT
Organization: UCO/Lick Observatory
NNTP-Posting-Host: helios.ucsc.edu


Does anyone have any references concerning observational studies of 
isotopic abundances in stars? For example, [N14/N15] versus [Fe/H].

fxt

fxt@helios.ucsc.edu
From: cpyy@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Big and little bangs
Date: 25 Jul 92 15:15:49 EDT
Distribution: sci
Organization: Cornell University

Steve,

A couple of points for you to clarify:

Classical black holes are theorized to have an infinitely dense
center called a singularity.  To what do you refer, exactly when
you speak of a critical density? 

It is true that the force laws we are used to break down inside
of incredibly dense materials.  It is theorized, for instance, that
all of the forces boil down to one inside of something like a cosmic
string.

What kind of an effect are you talking about when you say that
moving black holes faster gives them more mass.  Unless you are
talking about tunnelling ST, you know that the mass is only
different to an observer in a different ref frame.  A "person
riding with the black hole" would notice no change in mass.

-- 

Jon C. Russo
internet : cpyy@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
phone    : 607.277.3295
From: F1.DAO@isumvs.iastate.edu (David Oesper)
Subject: Update on Nova Cygni 1992
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 05:09:22 GMT

I measured the visual magnitude of Nova Cygni 1992 this evening to
be 8.5 (visual; 21 JUL 1992  4:20 UT).  Thus it has changed very
little since G.W. Gliba's post here on June 1 stating that "the nova
seemed to hold fairly steady at about 8.4 magnitude in May".

To make the estimate, I used the very excellent preliminary charts
available from the AAVSO ("b" chart dated 02/92, "d" chart dated
03/92).

David Oesper  (S Per)
Ames, Iowa
Newsgroups: sci.misc
From: phfrom@nyx.uni-konstanz.de (Hartmut Frommert)
Subject: Re: Whale killing - other animals
Keywords: disgusting
Organization: Dept. of Physics, University of Constance
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 13:35:18 GMT

In article <1992Jul28.124428@sicsun.epfl.ch> dubuf@sicsun.epfl.ch (Hans DU BUF) writes:

>Last week or so when someone started the discussion about the Norwegian
>"scientific" need for killing whales, [..]

This was me.

>Yesterday I read in my Dutch newspaper (NRC/Handelsblad) that an
>initiative has led to the collection of 2,500,000 signatures from 63
>countries agaist Spanish bullfights, and that these have been offered to
>some Spanish representative.
>Unfortunately, I have missed this initiative, else it would be 2,500,001.

Very noble from you to be against bullfights, I'm also against. But --
pleeease, don't confuse bulls with whales. It is not helpful for either
if you put in the same discussion. I'm against bullfights because this is
killing for (some unnatural) pleasure, and I'm against whale killing since
at least some of the whale species (dolphins and orcas) are intelligent AND
nobody really needs to kill/eat whales: Norwegians, Japanese, Icelanders,
and Faroeer Islanders have enough fish, beef, pork, lamb, chicken, etc.

Another interesting point MIGHT well be that some whalers perhaps think of
themselves as quasi-matadors or some kind of "heroic sportsmen". Since 
whales don't even try to defend themselves (contrary to bulls), this is 
totally misleading -- whale killing is also coward and dangerous only for 
stupid whalers.
--
 Hartmut Frommert, Physics, Univ of Constance, | + Whale killing is murder. +
 P.O.Box 55 60, D-W-7750 Konstanz, Germany     | + Eat whale killers.       +
 E-Mail: <phfrom@dknkurz1.bitnet> or <phfrom@nyx.uni-konstanz.de>
+    "Windows NoT" expands in German to "Windows Noch Teurer"
+                                                ^even   ^more expensive
Newsgroups: sci.misc
From: egates@triton.unm.edu (EL GATES)
Subject: Re: Whales blowing rings
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 92 21:12:49 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <1992Jul27.142023.28312@news.acns.nwu.edu> dsk@nwu.edu writes:
>I was at the aquarium/oceanarium in Chicago last weekend, and noticed that
>the two Beluga whales in a large tank were doing something rather strange.
>
>They were just breaking the surface from underwater, collecting a small bit
>of air, and blowing it under water into perfect rings (similar to smoke rings.)
>After the rings spun and grew and moved a bit, the whales would swim down and
>bite part of the ring, or try to swim through it, until it collapsed.  Then
>they went back to the surface, and did it again.
>
>A staff member there told me that the whales had just started this within the
>last month, and the staff had no idea why they were doing it.
>
>Is this common behaviour of whales in captivity, or in the wild?  Does it
>serve a function?  Do other animals play in a manner similar to this?
>
>Thanks for any information,
>Dan
>-- 
>Dan Katz                                                       dsk@nwu.edu
>Dept. of Electrical Engineering                             1(708)491-8887
>Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208                E pur si muove


I have no idea why whales do it or if it is common behavior, but I 
have seen sea lions at the local zoo make bubble rings as well.

El Gates

egates@triton.unm.edu











Newsgroups: sci.misc,sci.physics
From: packer@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles Packer)
Subject: Re: Is Positronium an atom?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Dept. of Independence
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 12:00:00 GMT

In article <UeRMlBy00UhBQ3IWhw@andrew.cmu.edu>, pk03+@andrew.cmu.edu (Paul Karol) writes...
>Is positronium an atom?  Yes and no.  It is sometimes called an "exotic
>atom".  It doesn't have a nucleus in the usual sense of


Okay, I'm reading this from sci.misc, where there's also a thread
about whales blowing air bubble rings for fun. Now tell me, does
positronium exist only in particle accelerator events, or can one
make, say, a gram of the stuff?
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: coastal equipment
From: jonathan@geog.canterbury.ac.nz (Jonathan Allan)
Date: 23 Jul 92 09:48:12 +1200
Distribution: world
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

G`day
I am looking for some information concerning ducted impeller Electromagnetic    Current Meters which are to be used in a study to monitor underwater currents   across the nearshore shelf.  Should anyone know of coastal groups who have used these instruments please get in touch with Jon Allan, Geography Department      University of Canterbury, New Zealand.  In particular I need information        detailing the cost of these instruments and from whom I can buy them off.       Cheers. 

Jon Allan

E-mail address is j.allan@geog.canterbury.ac.nz
Newsgroups: sci.misc
From: ewright@convex.com (Edward V. Wright)
Subject: Re: Whale killing for "science" -- so for what?
Keywords: Whales, whale killing
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 17:25:27 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 <phfrom.198@nyx.uni-konstanz.de> phfrom@nyx.uni-konstanz.de (Hartmut Frommert) writes:

>The most important thing is that as far as I see the Norwegian officials 
>(at least those who decided to restart whaling) do *NOT CARE* anyway if 
>whales are intelligent or not. Even if you could teach whales speaking, 
>calculating, doing arts and science, these officials would state that these 
>fact are not implying intelligence. And even if they admitted, this would 
>not prevent them from whale murdering. 

Exactly so.  Those who have been trying to justify the slaughter
of whales slander their opponents by comparing them to the extremists
of the animals rights movement.  "We kill cows," they reason, "so what's
wrong with killing whales?"  In fact, it is the whalers who have made
the same mistake as the animal-rights movement.  Both overlook the
significance of intelligence.  The animals movement, thus, cannot
tell the difference between killing a cow and killing a man, while
the whaling industry cannot tell the difference between killing a
cow and killing a whale. 


>Moreover, according to a recent message, also Iceland prepares for mass 
>murder of whales. They seem to be at least more honest: they do not mention
>"scientific reasons". One reason besides eating them is claimed to be their
>fish consuming. But shrinking fish population is of course not due to the 
>whales, but to the Icelanders, and other people, who made their fishing 
>industries. Maybe other countries join. So Norway was the one who re-started
>this "war" against whales after the moratorium.

Several years ago, Jerry Pournelle made a half-serious suggestion
that if the Japanese would not stop killing whales and dolphins,
we should solve the arming the dolphins with nuclear-tipped torpedoes.



Newsgroups: sci.misc
From: steve@nuchat.sccsi.com (Steve Nuchia)
Subject: Re: Walk on Mercury?
Organization: South Coast Computing Services, Inc.  Houston
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 14:22:03 GMT

Some years ago I saw a photo in National Geographic showing a
pool of mercury with two people floating on it.  The article
was about some kind of mining operation (Silver?) in which
mercury is either a byproduct or used in separation ...

Anyway, they were floating pretty high but walking on it
did not appear to be an option.
-- 
Steve Nuchia      South Coast Computing Services, Inc.      (713) 661-3301
From: goldie@herald.usask.ca (Hugh Goldie)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Walk on Mercury?
Date: 29 Jul 92 14:46:11 GMT
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Originator: goldie@herald.usask.ca

I hope this is a new question --I haven't been on the net long.  I heard this
on a local radio station, but have not heard a good answer yet:

If your swimming pool was filled with mercury, could you walk on it?  (What 
would happen if you tried it?)
Newsgroups: sci.misc,alt.books.technical,misc.books.technical
From: marc@marcal.uucp (Marc Veeneman)
Subject: Re: USPS bar codes
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 16:12:23 GMT
Organization: Marcal Systems Corporation

utidjian@remarque.berkeley.edu (David M.V. Utidjian) writes:

>Further reading on this subject if you are interested in learning more
>about postnet and the machines that process the mail is available from
>the USPS:

>	A Guide to Business Mail Preparation
>	USPS(Publication 25)

>Write to:

>	Marketing Department
>	Regular Mail Services Division
>	U.S. Postal Service Headquarters
>	475  L'Enfant Plaza SW,  Room 5541
>	Washington D.C., 20260-6336

>free of charge to all business customers.

>David Utidjian

Also, ask for BARCODE UPDATE.  It has all the real specs in
well written prose and illustrations.
-- 
Marc
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Opinions are cheap, experience dear.  Collect opinions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: cam@castle.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: Whales blowing rings
Date: 30 Jul 92 13:07:48 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

In article <c7lm+5g@lynx.unm.edu> egates@triton.unm.edu (EL GATES) writes:
>In article <1992Jul27.142023.28312@news.acns.nwu.edu> dsk@nwu.edu writes:

>>They were just breaking the surface from underwater, collecting a small bit
>>of air, and blowing it under water into perfect rings (similar to smoke rings.)
>>After the rings spun and grew and moved a bit, the whales would swim down and
>>bite part of the ring, or try to swim through it, until it collapsed.  Then
>>they went back to the surface, and did it again.

>I have no idea why whales do it or if it is common behavior, but I 
>have seen sea lions at the local zoo make bubble rings as well.

Some whales catch fish this way. They encircle part of shoal with a
rising ring of bubbles, and then charge up the middle of the ring with
their mouths wide open. I saw this on a TV wildlife film, in a
location famous for this behaviour at a certain time of year -- the
whales turn up at the right time for the fish harvest.
-- 
Chris Malcolm    cam@uk.ac.ed.aifh          +44 (0)31 650 3085
Department of Artificial Intelligence,    Edinburgh University
5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK                DoD #205
Newsgroups: sci.misc
From: jkwatson@amhux1.amherst.edu (John K. Watson '92)
Subject: Re: Walk on Mercury?
Organization: Amherst College, Amherst MA
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 16:55:13 GMT

goldie@herald.usask.ca (Hugh Goldie) writes:
: I hope this is a new question --I haven't been on the net long.  I heard this
: on a local radio station, but have not heard a good answer yet:
: 
: If your swimming pool was filled with mercury, could you walk on it?  (What 
: would happen if you tried it?)
A friend and I tried to calculate the relevant facts about this late one
night last week.  I think we decided that your foot would sink in, and
then the extreme weight of the mercury would crush your foot.
Basically, you will displace enough volume of mercury to equal your
weight, which is more than enough to cover your foot.  It would also be
mighty slippery, so you would probably slip and hurt yourself pretty
badly.  Since i don't remember the exact  density of mercury, which is
easy enough to look up, I'm not sure exactly how far you'd sink, but it
would be enough to hurt you, i think.  It'd be hard to walk when you're
sunk into it, also.
			John
jkwatson@amh.amherst.edu