HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jsmill01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Jupiter Transits
Date: 14 Apr 92 12:41:00 GMT
Organization: University of Louisville

In article <1251@wtcp.DaytonOH.NCR.COM>, dgrimmer@wtcp.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Dave Grimmer) writes:
> A few months ago I asked a question in this forum about finding an
> algorithm to predict eclipses and transits of Jupiter and its moons.
> I didn't get any response at all  :-(  ...   Maybe the posting didn't
> get off my local machine.
> 
The closest thing that I have seen that does a graphical presentation 
would be "Dance of the Planets".  I only recently got the program, and 
haven't explored it thoroughly, but while playing around at Jupiter, I 
did not that it did show transits.  It also shows the date and time 
during which the event occurs, so maybe this could help.

P.S. I had hoped to respond to your previous post after I looked at a 
program I got from the Ames archives.  The program gives graphical 
interpretations of phenomena associated with viewing Jupiter, and I 
thought that I remembered it showing transits.  It didn't.  It is a 
nice program for looking for transits of the Great Red Spot, but is 
not animated like "Dance of the Planets".

P.P.S. "Dance of the Planets" is available through ARC Science 
Simulation, P.O. Box 1955A, Loveland, Colorado  80539  1-800-SKY-1642. 
You might call them to verify what I remember, as it is rather 
expensive ($195 + S&H).

Scott Miller, Program Coordinator
Rauch Memorial Planetarium
University of Louisville
jsmill01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
From: bibn0107@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: WANTED: ADDRESS FOR KUIPER !!!!!!!
Date: 10 Apr 92 21:18:19 GMT
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

I am looking for an address for Tom Kuiper (of the Kuiper Observatory
He is in California somewhere, I really know very little more, 
is there anyone out there that can help me?
		thanks, Aran Doiron

			ARAND@ac.dal.ca
From: oler@rho.uleth.ca (Cary Oler)
Subject: Daily Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for 02 April
Organization: University of Lethbridge
Date:  3 Apr 92 03:54:53 GMT

NOTE:  Final northern polar stratospheric warming is in progress.  Warm air
continues to cover the entire polar region from the lower stratosphere
upwards to about 4 hPa.  The mean zonal wind at 60 N latitude is weak from
the east at 10 hPa and weak from the west at 30 hPa.  This final transition
to summer conditions will continue.  THIS IS THE LAST STRATOSPHERIC WARMING
REPORT FOR THIS WINTER.

!!BEGIN!! (1.0) S.T.D. Solar Geophysical Data Broadcast for DAY 093, 04/02/92
10.7 FLUX=161.2  90-AVG=204        SSN=128      BKI=1121 1121  BAI=004
BGND-XRAY=B7.6     FLU1=3.2E+05  FLU10=1.5E+04  PKI=2222 2332  PAI=009
  BOU-DEV=009,009,011,009,007,008,015,009   DEV-AVG=009 NT     SWF=00:000
 XRAY-MAX= C2.0   @ 0849UT    XRAY-MIN= B6.1   @ 2116UT   XRAY-AVG= B9.0
NEUTN-MAX= +002%  @ 2110UT   NEUTN-MIN= -003%  @ 1425UT  NEUTN-AVG= -0.4%
  PCA-MAX= +0.3DB @ 1825UT     PCA-MIN= -0.5DB @ 1745UT    PCA-AVG= +0.0DB
BOUTF-MAX=55287NT @ 1421UT   BOUTF-MIN=55241NT @ 1927UT  BOUTF-AVG=55274NT
GOES7-MAX=P:+122NT@ 1835UT   GOES7-MIN=N:-032NT@ 0856UT  G7-AVG=+090,+038,+009
GOES6-MAX=P:+130NT@ 2008UT   GOES6-MIN=E:-024NT@ 1934UT  G6-AVG=+101,+002,+027
 FLUXFCST=STD:155,148,143;SESC:155,150,150 BAI/PAI-FCST=005,010,015/018,018,015
    KFCST=2124 4211 2225 4221  27DAY-AP=008,008   27DAY-KP=3131 2221 1112 2322
 WARNINGS=*MAJFLR;*PROTON;*AURMIDWCH
   ALERTS=**245STRM:0450-0716UT
!!END-DATA!!
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: jcastner@isis.cs.du.edu (John Castner)
Subject: sci.astro.amateur?
Summary: not-quite-RFD, good idea? 
Keywords: Does anybody actually read these? 
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 92 00:15:40 GMT

   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
--

--
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|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,sci.geo.geology
From: moersch@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Jeff Moersch)
Subject: Re: Evolution of Uranian System
Organization: /home/guest/moersch/.organization
	<1992Apr14.222313.29033@athena.mit.edu>
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 10:45:42 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.222313.29033@athena.mit.edu> mcdonald@athena.mit.edu (Steve McDonald) writes:

>   In article <1992Apr9.170611.6156@mailer.cc.fsu.edu> cain@geomag.gly.fsu.edu (Joe Cain) writes:
>   >	After reading the vague discussions of the reasons for the
>   >high obliquity of the Uranian system I am puzzled about the sequence
>   >of events that lead to all the moons being in the present equatorial
>   >plane. Is there a reference as to how this might have evolved?
>   >That is a LOT of angular momentum to move around.

>   Yes, that is a lot of angular momentum, but there is also a lot of time
>   for it to happen in.  Over sufficient time, the orbits of the moons would
>   eventually drift to the equatorial plane.  The gas giants all have significant
>   oblateness and tidal forces will bring the planes into alignment.
>
>   But another point is that the tendency for planetary equatorial planes to
>   align with the solar equatorial plane may not be as strong as supposed
>   in the past.  I recall reading some months ago about someones computer
>   simulation of planetary accretion, which indicated that a significant
>   fraction of planets could form with poles far from or opposite to the
>   pole of the central star.  And looking at our own solar system, we actually
>   see three such systems out of nine planets.

A good reference for why satellites tend to line up with planetary
equators may be found in the U. of A. Satellites book (ed. J. Burns,
1986), pp 127 - 129.

As to the process of planets generally minimizing their obliquity, the
process behind it seems to be somewhat indirect.  In fact what happens
is that the Sun exerts a torque on the orbits of a planet's
satellites, which are in turn strongly coupled to the planet's equator
by tidal forces.  So the Sun will minimize the inclination of the
satellites orbits relative to the plane of the planet's orbit about
the Sun, and then the satellites exert a torque on the planet.  This
effect is stronger than the direct effect of the Sun torqueing the
equatorial bulge of the planet directly by a factor of 3 for the
Saturn/Titan system, and 2 for the Jupiter/Galilean satellites system.

Jeff Moersch
moersch@theory.tn.cornell.edu

Disclaimer: I'm no expert on any of this stuff, and all of the above
rests on the solution to a problem set I just worked out...  but I
think it's right!
From: printf@cix.compulink.co.uk (Ian Stirling)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Telescope drive systems
Date: 13 Apr 92 02:03:36 GMT
Reply-To: Ian Stirling <printf@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Organization: Gated to News by demon.co.uk

I recently acquired some incremental rotary encoders when a local
disk srive manufacturer shut down. I have two unused HP 1000 pulses/rev
encoders and one ROD 800 made in germany by "DR JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN".
This is about 6 inches diameter and two deep. I believe it to be a 18000
pulses/rev incremental encoder. I have a calibration note for it too.
Mail me if interested.
Mail to either                        
Printf@cix.compulink.co.uk  Should work.
Printf%cix@ukc.ac.uk        2nd best  
Printf@cix.uucp             last hope.
(Ian Stirling).
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: chaloux@mandolin.mitre.org (Dave Chaloux)
Subject: Re: Beginners and circles
Reply-To: chaloux@mandolin.mitre.org (Dave Chaloux)
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean, Va
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1992 12:28:46 GMT

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. As we say, you climb to the tree 
>via roots. If your kid wanted to learn how to drive, would you byu
>him a Ferrari? I guess you wouldn't, and same goes to a use of set-
>ting circles. They're good help when looking bright objects, but
>don't work with faint ones. You have to examine chart to find a lo-
>cation, say Simeis 147, so that you would have some changes to see
>it. With same trouble you can as well starhop to it.

I simply don't buy this argument. To me a better analogy is learning to
ride a bike with a flat front tire. It is possible but why would you want to.
Personally, I like the approach of the author of 1000+. Use each method or
a combo when appropriate. I pity the person who uses setting circles to
get to M42+M43. This is just such a waste of time it makes no sense.
I can't imagine anyone with an equatorial mount setting to M41 either.
Go to Sirius, head south, there it is. M44 is a dull patch in the sky, you
point to it. M45, you got to be kidding, etc.

However, other objects are in parts of the sky where there isn't an
abundance of bright stars to help you point and get there. In this case
setting circles are nice. For faint objects, especially if I haven't seen
them before I normally take a mixed approach. I dial up the object with the
setting circles. I get out my SAO maps which go down to Mag 9. I use that
to make sure that I am centered in my 9x60 finder correctly. I look through
the telescope and compare the location of the object with the stars in the
atlas and bingo that faint patch is it. I find this a very good method.
With faint star clusters it also helps me be sure that what I saw was really
what I was looking for.

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. Not the
only tool but a tool. Use when appropriate. I personally see little to
be said for the attitude that the only reals stargazers are the macho
ones who wouldn't use a setting circle for anything but a frizzbie.
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: m_reymond@zeus.dev.macsch.com (Mike Reymond)
Subject: Computing GHA and dec by power series
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Reply-To: m_reymond@macsch.com
Organization: MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation (MSC), Los Angeles, California
Date:  9 Apr 1992 13:39 PST  

About a year ago I wrote a FORTRAN program to compute GHA and
dec of the navigational bodies (Sun, Moon, planets, the 57 stars)
based on power series tabulated in the "Almanac for Computers", which
is published by the USNO.  Unfortunately, its publication was 
stopped in 1991 for unknown reasons.  I wrote a letter to the 
USNO and they referred me to "Compact Data for Navigation and
Astronomy for the Years 1991-1995", which is published by
the Royal Greenwich Observatory and authored by B.D. Yallop.
I found "Compact Data..." to be an excellent successor to "Almanac
for Computers", but alas, my fingers are too tired and I don't have
access to a digitizer to enter hundreds of coefficients.

Does anyone know if, and where, these coefficients might reside
on a database somewhere?

P.S. I have Floppy Almanacs from 1988-1992 and also ICE. But, I am 
     writing my own navigation program and FA or ICE are not
     available in source (FORTRAN) form as far as I know.

Mike Reymond
MacNeal-Schwendler Corp., Los Angeles, CA, USA
m_reymond@macsch.com
(213) 259-4926
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: XY table with stepping motors wanted...
From: cohen@cmu.unige.ch
Date: 7 Apr 92 18:03:51 +0200
Organization: University of Geneva, Switzerland

We are looking for a XY table with stepping motors to link to a PC.
It should cover a 8x10" surface.
Thanks for any help.

Emmanuel Cohen-Laroque
University of Geneva, Switzerland
COHEN@CMU.UNIGE.CH
From: tom@ssd.csd.harris.com (Tom Horsley)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: MMT Mirror Cast!
Date: 8 Apr 92 12:19:27 GMT
Organization: Harris Computer Systems Division
In-reply-to: willner@cfa.harvard.edu's message of 7 Apr 92 21:07:40 GMT

>>>>> Regarding MMT Mirror Cast!; willner@cfa.harvard.edu (Steve Willner) adds:

willner> A time-lapse video was made during the melting.  Supposedly CNN will
willner> show it sometime this week.  It is supposed to be worth watching, so
willner> please post the schedule if you have it.

I have no facts, but this sounds like something which would probably show
up Saturday morning on the Science & Technology week feature (I forget the
exact time it comes on, but it is probably listed in your TV schedule).
--
======================================================================
domain: tahorsley@csd.harris.com       USMail: Tom Horsley
  uucp: ...!uunet!hcx1!tahorsley               511 Kingbird Circle
                                               Delray Beach, FL  33444
+==== Censorship is the only form of Obscenity ======================+
|     (Wait, I forgot government tobacco subsidies...)               |
+====================================================================+
From: RMG3@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Real-time Weather GIFs
Date: 9 Apr 92 12:50:55 GMT
Article-I.D.: psuvm.92100.085055RMG3
Organization: Penn State University


  Please check the sci.geo.meteorology FAQ on data.  There
is a source for weather images (address escapes me) in
something close to real time.

  Speaking of weather, though, what is the status of the
south polar observatory?  A meteorology friend was involved
in making UV radiative transfer calculations for the
atmosphere there, for the purposes of a potential (I believe)
instrument.

Bob Grumbine
From: pellock@athena.cs.uga.edu (Rebekah Turner)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: need info re: helium
Date: 6 Apr 92 21:41:24 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens




Hi.
Could someone please tell me who discovered helium and when?
Other pertinent info is nice but noy necessary.
Thanks in advance!!

Brett
pellock@athena.cs.uga.edu
Xref: sparky sci.astro:4945 sci.space:7437 sci.electronics:8319
From: gak@gakbox.Corp.Sun.COM (Richard Stueven)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: sci.astro.amateur?
Date: 7 Apr 92 15:51:57 GMT
Reply-To: gak@gakbox.Corp.Sun.COM
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: gakbox.corp.sun.com

In article 7927@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov, dsc@gemini.tmc.edu (Doug S. Caprette Bldg. 28 W191 x3892) writes:
>
>rec.astro

I like it!

---
Richard Stueven       AHA# 22584 |----------| Affix the screen to your nipple
Internet:       gak@Corp.Sun.COM |----GO----| instead of your elbow.
ATTMAIL:         ...!attmail!gak |---SHARX--|                    - CR Saikley
Cow Palace: Sec 107 Row F Seat 9 |----------| 
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: datri@convex.com (Anthony A. Datri)
Subject: Re: Alien fingers and toes
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 17:39:31 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.

>	I'd be REAL careful on this one. Sure, Mammals, reptiles, amphibians,
>birds on Earth ALL have four limbs.

I know a few snakes and legless lizards that would disagree.

> But this is mostly because their common
>chordate ancestor had 4 limbs.

Chordates don't have to have limbs.  Check out a Sea Squirt.

>	Here's a good unanswered question: why 5 fingers?

Why not?
-- 


======================================================8--<
From: dpeterso@mipos2.intel.com
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Responses to Telescope Drive Systems
Date: 7 Apr 92 23:23:11 GMT
Reply-To: dpeterso@mipos3.intel.com ()
Organization: Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA

Thanks to all who have posted responses to my request for
info on drive systems :^). Send email requests if you want 
summaries of what has been posted so far. If there are several 
requests I'll post to the net. Keep em' coming and thanks again.
----------------------------------------------------------------
David Peterson 
Intel Corp., M/S SC4-69, 2625 Walsh Ave.
Santa Clara, Ca. 95052-9940
dpeterso@mipos3.intel.com
From: fayala@mtecv2.mty.itesm.mx
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Chemical senses
Date: 8 Apr 92 02:11:05 GMT
Reply-To: fayala@mtecv2.mty.itesm.mx
Distribution: alt

I need info about smell and taste evaluation and its relationship with pollution.
From: dj@ssd.kodak.com (Dave Jones)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: Microwaves in a microwave oven?
Date: 9 Apr 92 15:41:16 GMT
Article-I.D.: ssd.1992Apr9.154116.29586
Organization: :noitazinagrO

With respect to the effects of microwaves on water, there's a lot of
largely irrelevant information being exchanged here.  Whatever the
molecular characteristics of water, experience shows that bulk materials
are a whole different ballgame.  The chosen frequencies for the various
grades of microwave oven are compromises involving cost of generator -vs-
effectiveness of absorption -vs- ability to penetrate the material being
heated, with the last two being a tradeoff.

The information used to decide the frequencies was most likely
empirical.

As an example of the unexpected properties of water in bulk, consider
the following: take a laser that emits a short pulse of green
visible light of about 1 MW power (i.e. a few joules in a couple
microseconds).  Direct the beam into a cell containing pure water.

The result: not what you'd expect.  Water doesn't absorb green light
much, right.  Well the result is a flash of white light.  It all
involves non-linear refractive indices, inverse Raman scattering and
other properties that are damn hard to predict from molecular data (which
doesn't stop physical chemists from trying!).  The effect is a great
help to chemists who want a ready source of pulsed white light for
getting spectra from fast reactions.


-- 
||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: borasky@ogicse.ogi.edu (M. Edward Borasky)
Newsgroups: sci.misc,sci.math,misc.wanted,misc.consumers,misc.education
Subject: Re: A U.S. President and Pythagorean?
Date: 9 Apr 92 15:13:20 GMT
Article-I.D.: ogicse.36067
Distribution: na
Organization: Oregon Graduate Institute (formerly OGC), Beaverton, OR

In article <1992Apr9.090734.1@scivax.stsci.edu> reinhard@scivax.stsci.edu writes:
>
>Can any one tell me which U.S. President developed a proof to the 
>Pythagorean Theorem?
James Abram Garfield.  He was the one that Garfield High School is named
after.  Of course, the town where I grew up had TWO high schools --
I went to Garfield's cross-town rival, Charles Guiteau High School.
From: hbg6@phx.mcd.mot.com (John Schuch)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: Microwaves NOT in a microwave oven?
Date: 6 Apr 92 21:29:12 GMT
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Tempe, Az.

In article <3206@atlas.tegra.COM> vail@tegra.COM (Johnathan Vail) writes:
>
>In article <1992Apr1.164829.1716@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> baldwin@pacific.cps.msu.edu (Reid A Baldwin) writes:
>   I once heard that microwave communication signals cook the birds
>
>Probably not.  I have heard similar stories about Navy shipworkers

I have a close friend who is an engineer at the local PBS TV affiliate.
He has mentioned a few times that they can cook hot dogs by skewering
them with a stick and holding them, one at a time, in front of the
microwave transmitter dish on their remote van. He said it takes about
5 minutes ( as opposed to one in an oven ) but works quite well. He is
not known to exagerate ( or fib ) so I believe him.

John

------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Schuch           hbg6@citek.mcdphx.mot.com            (602)438-3008
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      One wonders if there would be such a pursuit of artificial
      intelligence if there were more of the natural kind around.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.misc
From: cheeze@wam.umd.edu (Joshbo )
Subject: LCD lifespan
Organization: Workstations at Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 05:20:21 GMT

I previously posted an article in sci.electronics concerning the lifespan
of a typical (high quality) watch LCD display.  The answers were unsatisfac-
tory to me, so I'll try to ask a different crowd ...
    Given normal use and normal environmental conditions (which, for my
purposes means temperatures between zero and 30 degress centigrade), how
long will an LCD unit continue to function without fading or failing
altogether.  I understand that the organic crystals that make up the
guts of the LCD do not generally react unless exposed to air.  And so,
if the seal between the two glass sheets remains, the LCD should continue
to function, at least in theory, for a "lifetime" (>50 years).  Do the
seals on these LCD units hold up over time (are there any specs on this)?
And, if not a "lifetime", what is the average estimated lifespan of the 
LCD unit?  And one more question:  What other age limitations might
exist in the components of the typical, high quality LCD watch?  For
example, do the piezo-quartz crystals fail; do the diodes fail; do the
capacitor(s) fail?  (I know nothing lasts forever, but does anything last
close to forever? (: ) 
     Sorry for all the bizarre questions.  Any help is appreciated.

                                -- Joshua Bloomberg
                                   Cheeze@wam.umd.edu

Newsgroups: sci.misc,sci.math,misc.wanted,misc.consumers,misc.education
From: ttw@beta.lanl.gov (Tony Warnock)
Subject: Re: A U.S. President and Pythagorean?
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 15:39:01 GMT

   It was James A. Garfield. His proof was different from the
   preceeding proofs. I do not remember in what manner. The
   Pythagorean Theorem has hundreds of different proofs.
 
 
 
                        Silence is better than unmeaning words.
                                     - Pythagoras (6th C. b.c.)