HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dg@cam-orl.co.uk (Dave Garnett)
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space
Subject: Re: Swift-Tuttle Comet a threat to earth?
Date: 6 Nov 92 16:37:46 GMT
Reply-To: dg@cam-orl.co.uk (Dave Garnett)
Organization: Olivetti Research Ltd, Cambridge, England

What is the state of the art in detecting and tracking
objects of this order of size ? Assuming that we have
a pretty good idea of the likely orbit, how far out
could we detect it - would we use radar or optical
means (or w.h.y.) ?

Dave Garnett
From: cunniff@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ross Cunniff)
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 23:58:04 GMT
Subject: Graduate programs in astronomy?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: sci.astro

I have a friend who is considering a career change from computer science
to astronomy.  She would like to know people's recommendations for graduate
programs in astronomy, preferably in the southwest US.  I know of New
Mexico State University, and have a vague memory that the University of
Arizona (Tucson) offers a program, but don't know the particulars, such
as admission and graduation requirements.  Also, suggestions for any schools
that I have missed are welcome (although she would rather not end up in
California).  If there is enough interest, I will summarize the replies.

Ross Cunniff
Hewlett-Packard Graphics Software Lab
cunniff@fc.hp.com
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,sci.misc
Organization: Johannes Kepler University Linz - Computing Center
Date: Thursday, 12 Nov 1992 08:50:24 CET
From: <K3032E0@ALIJKU11.BITNET>
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re2: Hubble Guide Star Catalog questions
 <BxHrFE.MLn@rahul.net>

As far as I can remember, 0 stands for stars and 1 for nonstellar objects.
I don't think there are more codes (which could tell you, for example,
weather it's a galaxy or a planetary nebula).
But I'm not quite sure...
Most objects are, of course, stars. Thus, determine which code means "stellar"
and which means "nonstellar" by taking a look in the catalogue.
By the way, does anyone know an efficient algorithm to determine the GSC-region
for given coordinates (R.A., Decl.) ?

Keep looking up|
  Herbert
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: mleech@bnr.ca (Marcus Leech)
Subject: Re: e-mail activated telescope?
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, ON CANADA
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 22:23:36 GMT

In article <1992Nov3.104609.1@fnalo.fnal.gov> higgins@fnalo.fnal.gov (Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey) writes:
>1. Radio astronomers are not Real Men.
Well, I dunno about that, Bill.  Surely adjusting a temperamental LNA at
  the focus of a 47m dish, 30 or 40m in the air, with ambient temperatures
  of -40C counts for something :-) :-)

Seriously, though, I'm involved in a project to build an amateur radio
  telescope (21cm with 200m baseline) that will be subject to remote
  control and automatic operation.  I have toyed with the notion of
  putting it on the INTERNET once our principle projects are complete.

(Project details can be FTPed from hydra.carleton.ca via anonymous FTP
  in pub/radioastro/rdlproject.ps).
--
Marcus Leech, 4Y11             Bell-Northern Research  |opinions expressed
mleech@bnr.ca                  P.O. Box 3511, Stn. C   |are my own, and not
ml@ve3mdl.ampr.org             Ottawa, ON, CAN K1Y 4H7 |necessarily BNRs
From: mh028986@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu (Michael C. Hevey)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: CLOCK DRIVE FOR THE CELESTRON C4.5
Date: 5 Nov 1992 23:18:02 GMT
Organization: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tx
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu


Last year I recieved a celestron C4.5 scope as a gift and have been
enjoying the night sky ever since.  However, now I wish to try something a
little more challenging: deep sky photography.  There is only one
problem.......  I have not been able to find a battery powered clock drive
to use on my equatorial mount. Thus my question is does anyone know of a
good quality battery driven clock drive for the C4.5 and if so:   what is
the brand?  approx. cost?  and quality?

Since I am new at this, any input about the usefullness of a drive
corrector would also be appreciated.

thanks
Mike Hevey 

P.S.  Sorry about previous blank posts. I am still learning how to use the
net :-)

 


Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: jpl@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (joseph.p.levantino)
Subject: Re: C90 For Sale
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 21:34:04 GMT
Summary: message for Paul at LANL
	 Can't send e-mail to address in your posting

Sorry to post to the entire net, but two attempts to the original
author (Paul at Los Alamos) have bounced.

Paul,
  I'm trying to contact you re. the C-90.  I'm looking for a portable,
fairly inexpensive scope, and wanted some idea of what you're asking
for the C-90.
Thanks.
Joe Levantino, AT&T Bell Labs
Holmdel NJ  (908)949-0664
	
In article <3NOV199212014309@adpdp2.lanl.gov>, 112400@adpdp2.lanl.gov (112400) writes:
> 
> I have a Super C90 for sale.  This little scope is in excellent condition and
> comes with the following:
> 
> Make me an offer...I'm willing to deal.  I need the money for a house so the
stuff deleted
> toys have to go.
> 
> -Paul
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: beaudettb@woods.ulowell.edu
Subject: Re: Telescope making books. recomendations??
Organization: University of Lowell
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 12:39:56 GMT

In article <1992Nov6.033619.1@cc.curtin.edu.au>, zrepachol@cc.curtin.edu.au writes:
> Hi all, A question for all the Amateur Telescope Makers et al out there.
> 
> Waht is your opinion of "Standard Handbook for Telescope Making" 1984 by
> Neale E Howard? Other recomendations on this and testing/design?
> 
> ~Paul


		TO ANYONE WHO ANSWERS THIS,

	PLEASE, would you post your answers on the net.  My small yet inspired
        astronomy club is grinding a mirror and building a dobsonian, and we
	could always use a good book or advice to guide us.

	THANK YOU VERY MUCH  --  CLEAR SKIES!
                                 -Barbara-

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: beaucham@astro.phy.ulaval.ca (Dominique Beauchamp)
Subject: Re: Real Men Astronomers [Was Re: e-mail activated telescope?]
Organization: Universite Laval, Ste-Foy, Qc, Canada
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 13:45:12 GMT

In article <1992Nov5.183901.28034@athena.mit.edu> hbh@athena.mit.edu (Heidi Hammel) writes:

...
>
>Rest assured - many professional astronomers "pay their dues" at smaller
>telescopes before moving up to the big ones.  You only need one winter
>season of nights at -5 degrees enduring winds of 30 mph to build character
>and create a sense of humility.  You *really* *appreciate* warm rooms
>afterwards...  
 
...

Eh!  I'm a graduate student in astro and I did some observing runs.  Of course
we have a warm room.  But I am an amateur too.  -5 F (-20C) is nothing compared
with the -30 to -35 C (around -30F)!  When you guide a 45 minute exposure at this
temperature, with a pretty strong wind, you have tears in yours eyes and they 
can get glued to the eyepiece.  Nothing to see with indoor camera guiding...  At
this temperature, you must wear big gloves and you have difficulties to push
on the control buttons.  Any way, you can have problems and burning when you put
the film holder in the schmidt camera!

You may think I'm a bit masochistic but often I have to put my finger under water
because they get so cold that they are white.  EXTREMELY painful!  But my insane
mind is another problem...

That build character.  My country is pretty rough in the winter...

Dominique Beauchamp
Quebec City

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: gsh7w@fermi.clas.Virginia.EDU (Greg Hennessy)
Subject: Re: Hubble's mirror
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 17:02:47 GMT

Henry Spencer writes:
#This is rapidly becoming a contender for Technological Myth Of The Decade.

Err, correcting Dr. Jefferys on something to do with HST is best done
very carefully. Dr. Jefferys is the PI on the Fine Guidance Sensors of
HST, and has forgotten more about HST then most people have learned in
their lives. 

--
-Greg Hennessy, University of Virginia
 USPS Mail:     Astronomy Department, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2475 USA
 Internet:      gsh7w@virginia.edu  
 UUCP:		...!uunet!virginia!gsh7w
From: awootten@polaris.cv.nrao.edu (Al Wootten)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Any known Perseid meteorite recoveries??
Date: 4 Nov 92 21:00:28 GMT
Distribution: sci.astro
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory

I have heard some reports that Swift-Tuttle is proving to have quite a
high OH production rate.  I suppose we don't know much of its chemistry,
as spectroscopy was not far evolved during its last apparition--but have
any Perseid meteors ever been recovered as meteorites which might give
clues of its chemistry?
--
+--------------------------------------------__---------+
| Alwyn  Wootten  (awootten@nrao.edu) 	     \/	GBT	|
| National Radio Astronomy Observatory        ^         |
| 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2475, USA|
| (804)-296-0329 voice  Let's build The Millimeter Array|
| (804)-296-0278 FAX           {>    {>    {>    {>     |
+------------------------------^-----^-----^-----^------+
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: gak@wrs.com (Richard Stueven)
Subject: Re: P/Swift-Tuttle at last!
Reply-To: gak@wrs.com
Organization: Wind River Systems, Inc.
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:06:14 GMT

In article 9356@sfu.ca, palmer@sfu.ca (Leigh Palmer) writes:
>With a sinking heart I
>extended the tripod legs, removed the lenscaps, and pointed the binoculars at a
>point I reckoned to be about 15 degrees below Vega. Putting my eyes to the
>instrument I was thrilled. There was a fuzzy patch, smack in the middle of my
>tunnel-like two degree field of view!

I didn't have time to drag out the scope last night, but I looked for
the comet shortly after sunset with my binoculars.  I was having a hard
time star-hopping through the dim field.  I spotted a satellite moving
through the field, and I tracked it for a couple of seconds, and it
zipped right past the comet!

Nice bit of luck.

have fun
gak

---
Richard Stueven       AHA# 22584 |----------|
Internet:            gak@wrs.com |----GO----| Oh, what heights we'll hit...
ATTMAIL: ...!attmail!gakhaus!gak |---SHARX--| On with the show!  This is it!
Cow Palace:            107/H/3-4 |----------|

Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: seymour@ast.saic.com (Ken Seymour)
Subject: Re: recommendation for books on amateur astro. with BINOCULARS
Keywords: binoculars books
Organization: SAIC
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 22:03:02 GMT

I would recommend Harrington's "Touring the Universe with Binoculars".

My only complaint about this one is that there are no star charts, only
lists
of objects.

-- 
Ken Seymour
seymour@ast.saic.com
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: jmcvey@boi.hp.com ( John McVey         x3638 )
Subject: Re: Experiences with telescope mail order
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 16:57:05 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard / Boise, Idaho
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1scd1 PL4

I have dealt with Pauli's Discount optics three times with no problems.

John McVey
jmcvey@hpbslq.boi.hp.com
From: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de (Jost Jahn)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Sunspots at 06.11.1992.
Reply-To: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de
Date: 06 Nov 92 16:54:00 MET
Distribution: sci
Organization: ABBS AstroMail, D-W 2121 Dahlenburg / Germany
X-Version: ZerUU V6.45c

Sunspots at 06.11.1992., 0 h UT.

No.    Pos.  Cl.  Ar.  Mag. SF  F  M  X
---------------------------------------
7323 16S 96W Cso  120   b
7325 15S 53W Hax   50   a
7326 06S 60W Cao  150   b
7330 08S 18E Eko  450   b
7332 21S 41W Dao  180   b
7334 12N 69E Cao   60   b    3
7335 17S 75E Dao  180   b

Explanations of spot columns:
No.  Running number of sunspot group.
Pos. Position in Latitude and Longitude.
     N - North, S- South, E - East, W- West.
Cl.  MacIntosh classification.
Ar.  Area in 10-6 of visible hemisphere.
Mag. Magnetic Classification.
     a - alpha, b - beta, bg - beta/gamma,
     g - gamma, bd - beta/delta, bg - gamma/delta
     bgd - beta/gamma/delta.
SF   Number of subflares.
F    Number of optical flares. (importance > 1).
M    Number of medium x-ray eruptions.
X    Number of strong x-ray eruptions.


Optical and x-ray flares in 05.11.92.

Date     Beg. Max. End   Posit. Xray Opt
----------------------------------------
05.11.92 0617 0622 0631  .   .  M2.0

Explanations of flare columns:
Date  Date (UTC) of the flare.
Beg.  Begin (UTC) of the flare.
Max.  Maximum (UTC) of the flare.
End   End (UTC) of the flare.
Posit Position on the sun.
Xray  Max. strength of the x-ray flare C,M and X
      (C - minor, M - medium, X - strong) each
      from 1.0-9.9.
Opt   Optical flare: strength from 0...4
      (0 - very little, 1 - little, 2 - medium,
      3 - great, 4 - very great) with a suffix
      for the magnitude (f - faint, n - normal,
      b - bright).


 
--
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Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: NEWS: Galileo Cleared of Heresy Charges by Vatican
From: phy200tl@cantua.canterbury.ac.nz (Love)
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 23:16:40 GMT
Organization: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.

The controversy about Galileo is still a very active one among historians
of science.  An interesting book that noone seems to have mentioned yet is
GALILEO HERETIC by Pietro Redondi ( trans Rosenthal, Princeton, 1987) which
pushes the controversial thesis that the real reason for Galileo's 
trial was that Galileo was an atomist, and that this had problems for the
Catholic doctrine of the Eucharist (for which read Aquinas).  This idea
has been strongly argued against, notably by Westfall, who claims a lack
of evidence for Galileo's atomism.  Personally I think that atomism, 
based upon the resurgence of classical sources, was of increasing importance
in the early 17th century, and that this is circumstantial evidence for
Redondi's thesis.  
     It must also be remembered that Galileo was a notoriously arrogant
disputant, who picked arguments foolishly with some very powerful people.
In his essay "THE ASSAYER" Galileo makes some very personal and really
quite unjustified attacks upon the character Lothario Sarsi, a pseudonym
used by Horatio Grassi, the very powerful Jesuit lecturer in mathematics
at the Collegio Romano.  Note also that there is no evidence for personal
enmity between Galileo and the Pope.  Barberini, before he bacame
Urban VIII was a friend of Galileo, and even gave the Papal sancti9on to 
THE ASSAYER in October 1623, although it was clearly highly offensive
to the Jesuits.
Tom Love (Classics, Physics and Philosophy depts. Univ. of Canterbury, New
Zealand)
From: bill.nunnelee@the-matrix.com (Bill Nunnelee) 
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: WHAT ABOUT TOUTATIS?
Date: 4 Nov 92 22:18:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The MATRIX BBS - Birmingham, AL - 205-323-2016
Reply-To: bill.nunnelee@the-matrix.com (Bill Nunnelee) 

-> What's the latest on asteroid 4179 Toutatis?  Where should I look for
-> it during it's close encounter on Dec 8th, 1992?

There are some excellent finder charts (photographs) in the December
issue of Sky and Telescope.  The asteroid is expected to reach 11th
magnitude as it passes across Crater, Sextans, Leo, and Cancer in
mid-December.
                                         
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: glennd@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (Glenn Deardorff)
Subject:  Lenses For Sale
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 01:59:23 GMT

Sorry if this is not a good forum for the selling of astro-things, but perhaps this will be of interest to some of you.

My brother has some telescope lenses for sale.  Please contact him (George) at 408-479-4990.

Tele-vue 40mm widefield		$240

Tele-vue 24 mm widefield	$120

Tele-vue 16mm Nagler		$220
From: rah@public.BTR.COM (Richard A Hyde  rah@btr.com)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Looking for book: "The Hidden Sun"
Date: 13 Nov 92 03:35:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: public.8304
Organization: BTR Public Access UNIX, MtnView CA. For info contact: info@BTR.COM

I'm looking for an out of print book:

     "The Hidden Sun: Solar Eclipses and Astrophotography:
     Lowenthal, James
     Avon, New York (1984)

The used booksellers who advertize in Astronomy and S & T haven't heard
of it, nor have local used bookstores.. the net is my court of last resort.

Thanks!  :-)

Rick

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|   Richard Hyde  |  RaH@btr.com  |    This space intentionally left blank   |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: gene@shallot.ots.utexas.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: A Nice Night in San Leandro!
Date: 5 Nov 92 16:24:19 GMT

As one who has ordered his first telescope and is waiting impatiently  
for it to arrive (Dec 10th time frame, 10 inch Meade newtonian),

As one who is reading everything he can find on how to start becoming  
and amateur astronomer,

As one who is going out at night after the kids are asleep and  
discovering the constellations for the first time,

Stories like this fill me with excitement and anticipation. Its like  
throwing gasoline on a fire.

Thanks!

Gene.
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: lattis@sal.wisc.edu (Jim Lattis)
Subject: Kepler's mother not burned
Organization: Space Astronomy Lab, Madison WI
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 02:50:20 GMT

let's be clear on this.  Kepler's mother was not burned
as a witch.  she was tried as a witch, and evidence indicates
that Kepler contributed to her successful defense.
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: tholen@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu (Dave Tholen)
Subject: Re: Questions about P/Swift-Tuttle
Organization: Institute for Astronomy, Hawaii
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 23:41:22 GMT

Mike Schriber writes:

> First of all, in response to a previous post, I belive the /P in 
> P/Swift-Tuttle designates it as a member of Perseid group (I may be
> very wrong on this though, since the Perseids are a metor shower).

Sorry, but you are very wrong.  The P/ mean periodic, though the really
long period comets (ones with eccentricities just shy of unity) are not
so labeled.

> My other question is a bit more limited.  I have a program called Dance of
> The Planets by ARC.  I've tracked Swift-Tuttle with this program and found
> the comet to be outbound, near the orbit of Mars on 8/14/2126.  Dance of
> the Planets is suposed to be a first rate orbital simulator (Gavitic forces
> only) and I'm curious as to why it's so far off.

The non-gravitational forces on comets can be rather substantial.  Whether
this is the dominant contribution to Dance of the Planet's discrepancy
isn't clear.  It can't be that good an orbital simulator, given the size
of the program.  It probably uses the mean orbits for the planets when
computing perturbations, an approach that is consistent with the program's
size, but I doubt it performs a full-up N-body numerical integration such
as JPL's DE200.  For one thing, your PC would take forever (and probably
doesn't have enough memory) to do such a calculation.
From: palmer@sfu.ca (Leigh Palmer)
Subject: Re: Duncan Steel on Swift-Tuttle
Organization: Simon Fraser University
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 19:11:23 GMT

In article <rabjab.212.720926413@golem.ucsd.edu> rabjab@golem.ucsd.edu (Jeff
Bytof) writes:
>
>>(3)  There has been a lot of bull written in these columns about
>>   P/Swift-Tuttle and whether it will hit the Earth and what the
>>   consequences might be.  
>
>How true.  I have not yet seen ONE independent confirmation of
>the orbital calculations and a sober error analysis.  For all we
>know, this could be somebody's mistake.

You should learn to read. #5636 reports an independent calculation done by S.
Nakano which agrees with Marsden's.

When the source literature is so accessible (and when it has been made more
even accessible by posting here in this case), and when the reputation of the
scientist is as high as is that of Brian Marsden, there is no excuse for an
irresponsible suggestion like this.

Leigh
From: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de (Jost Jahn)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Sunspots at 09.11.1992.
Reply-To: j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de
Date: 09 Nov 92 20:32:00 MET
Distribution: sci
Organization: ABBS AstroMail, D-W 2121 Dahlenburg / Germany
X-Version: ZerUU V6.45c

Sunspots at 09.11.1992., 0 h UT.

No.    Pos.  Cl.  Ar.  Mag. SF  F  M  X
---------------------------------------
7325 18S 86W Hsx   30   a
7330 08S 23W Eko  440   gd   3
7332 24S 78W Hsx   70   a    1
7334 13N 32E Dao  200   b    1
7335 17S 37E Dso  330   b


No optical or x-ray flares yesterday observed.


 
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABBS AstroMail, the first and most popular German astronomical bulletin board
------------------------- for amateur astronomers ----------------------------
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Xref: sparky sci.astro:11863 sci.space:15701
From: jack@cscdec.cs.com (Jack Hudler)
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space
Subject: Re: Collisions and P/Swift-Tuttle
Date: 10 Nov 92 16:01:14 GMT
Organization: Computer Support Corporation,  Dallas, Texas.

In article <1992Nov9.081839.1@uwovax.uwo.ca> pbrown@uwovax.uwo.ca writes:
>be in its orbit, not whether that orbit crosses the Earth's path.
>
>Please let me re-iterate what I previously stated in a message: The chance
>of being hit by some asteroid or comet as yet undiscovered, and yet large
>enough to have global effects (i.e. end of civilization as we know it),
>before 2126 is of order 10 times as high as the chance that P/ST will
>strike Earth in that year.  

Of course... you could be wrong. :-)
-- 
Jack Hudler - Computer Support Corporation - Dallas,Texas - jack@cs.com
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: lew@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (lewis.h.mammel..jr)
Subject: Re: perseids
Organization: AT&T
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 04:58:55 GMT
Summary: wrong!

In article <1dcbp0INNi51@gap.caltech.edu>, palmer@cco.caltech.edu (David M. Palmer) writes:
> 
> Non-gravitational effects are what might delay the comet by 17 days
> so that it reaches Earth orbit at the same time as the Earth has
> its annual perseid meteor shower.  If there were no non-gravitational
> effects on the comet, the comet will pass through the orbit of Earth
> 17 days after the Earth passed the same point.  (I may have the
> sign wrong on whether a delay or an advancement is required.)

The current orbital parameters include a period of 135.00 years.
This orbit would bring it back to perihelion in Dec 2127. The
17 day miss is a projection based on a model of non-g forces.

I'm not an authority, but these seem to be the plain facts.

Lew Mammel, Jr.