HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: hbh@athena.mit.edu (Heidi Hammel)
Subject: Re: Summary: colour of Sirius
Summary: Brecher reference supplied
Keywords: stars, evolution, history
Organization: Massachvsetts Institvte of Technology
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 19:12:21 GMT

martin@space.ualberta.ca (Martin Connors) writes:
>I have been asked to post more details about the colour of Sirius. I did a  
>......
>References:
>Brecher 1980? - can anyone direct me to this?

Astronomy of the Ancients, Kenneth Brecher and Michael Feirtag, Eds.,
MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1980, QB16.A77, ISBN 0-262-02137-4.

The chapter by Kenneth Brecher is titled "Sirius Enigmas" and covers
everything from the putative red color to Dogons.  From his list of
suggested further reading: "This problem [the red color of Sirius]
has been discussed many times over the last thousand years ...." :-)  
He then goes on to give specific references.
--
    Heidi B. Hammel   (hbh@athena.mit.edu)   MIT 54-416   EAPS Dept.
 "when there was no ear to hear, you sang to me ... when there were no
 strings to play, you played to me ... when I had no wings to fly, you
 flew to me ... when there was no dream of mine, you dreamed of me ..."
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: peri@cco.caltech.edu (Michal Leah Peri)
Subject: Re: Save Palomar Observatory!
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1992 23:12:39 GMT

gsh7w@fermi.clas.Virginia.EDU (Greg Hennessy) writes:

>In article <34003@unix.SRI.COM> zzz@erg.sri.com (Michael J. Konopik) writes:
>#Not to get too far off the main topic here - but has the city council down
>#there enumerated any of the reasons for their desire to stop using the LPS
>#lights? 

>Yes. That people *feel* safer with white lights than with yellow
>lights. 

>The councilor that was quoted ignored the police chief saying that the
>police didn't have any problems with the low pressure sodium lights. 

>The councilor ignored the cost of replacing the lights. 

>The councilor ignored the higher costs of white lighting. 

>The councilor sugguested that the 200 inch be turned into a
>restaurant. 

>--
>-Greg Hennessy, University of Virginia

The councilor apparantly also failed to understand that the HPS
lights being considered are *not* white -- they are broad spectrum
*yellow* lights!

						--  Michal Peri
						    Caltech Astronomy
						    Caltech Astronomy
Organization: University of Maine System
Date: Friday, 10 Apr 1992 20:28:56 EDT
From: <IP25086@portland.caps.maine.edu>
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: To Isaac Asimov

To Isaac Asimov, the late writer, scientist, philosopher and deep thinker
we owe more than thanks. We owe admiration for his insight into the future
and also for his phenomenal ability to articulate his most profound
thoughts. Through his eyes we saw the most enchanting of worlds. His
death is undeniable proof that while time gives, it also takes away.
May the Gods grant his essence entrance into the haven of Olympus..that
he may live again.


QUANTUM X GLEASON
Aspiring Astrophysicist


"Isaac, you will not be forgotten."
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.geo.meteorology
From: anita@astro.as.utexas.edu (Anita Cochran)
Subject: Looking for solar UV information
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Univ. of Texas McDonald Observatory
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 14:52:13 GMT

For a project I am doing on the photodissociation of cometary H2O
into OH, we are modelling the distribution of OH in the coma.  
Unfortunately, the lifetime against photodissociation of H2O to
OH is variable, dependent on the solar UV flux.  In particular, part
of the transistion is dependent on the solar Lyman alpha and part
is dependent on the continuum flux between 1400 and 1800A.
Thus, I would like to know about the Sun's activity at the time of
the various observations.  Does anyone know a source (preferably
on-line or at least machine readable) for solar UV information?
If not, how about any measures of solar activity.  The dates of the
observations are in Jan 1980, July 1989, Aug 1989, May 1990 and Jun 1990.

Thanks in advance for any pointers.
-- 
 Anita Cochran  uucp:  !utastro!anita
                arpa:  anita@astro.as.utexas.edu  
                snail: Astronomy Dept., The Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712
                at&t:  (512) 471-1471
From: dant@logos.wr.tek.com (Dan Tilque)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: sci.astro.urgent
Date: 14 Apr 92 18:41:51 GMT
Organization: Upper Left Coast Liberation Army

ronnie@cisco.com (Ronnie B. Kon) writes:
>
>Big events don't happen all that often.  If we end up with multiple 
>announcements, we can all live with that.  The worst would be:
>
>	1.  Betelgeuse goes supernova
>	2.  Betelgeuse goes supernova
>	3.  Betelgeuse goes supernova
>	4.  Betelgeuse goes supernova
>
>I'd rather see this four times than not at all.  (Well, actually, I think
>I'd rather not see this at all, but for other reasons. :-) )

But it's more likely to be about 20 or 30 messages, judging from the
number of posts about Asimov's death in rec.arts.sf.written.  

However, I think it would be good to have somewhere to put all those
daily/weekly solar activity, asteroid orbits, etc. reports.  So I'd be in
favor of a sci.astro.announce or something like that.

In addition, how about

   sci.astro.hardware  --  telescopes, clock drives, etc.  
   sci.astro.software  --  solar system emulator for a TRS-80, etc.

Other stuff, including observation reports, can go into a general
group.  I don't think there's sufficient traffic in this group to split
it up into more than four groups.


---
Dan Tilque	--	dant@logos.WR.TEK.COM
From: gak@gakbox.Corp.Sun.COM (Richard Stueven)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Weight of Earth?
Date: 17 Apr 92 16:46:00 GMT
Reply-To: gak@gakbox.Corp.Sun.COM
Followup-To: sci.physics
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: gakbox.corp.sun.com

In article AA09577@bottom.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu, wthomps@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (William R Thompson) writes:
>So, when defining a weight, you are actually defining a value 
>relative to the earth's gravitational force, so the "weight" of
>the earth really has no physical meaning.

Sure it does.  The weight of the earth is exactly the weight of all the
material that comprises the earth.  Said material is subject to earth's
gravitational force by virtue of being part of (_all_ of) the planet.

---
Richard Stueven       AHA# 22584 |----------| 
Internet:       gak@Corp.Sun.COM |----GO----| Ya tvoi sluga.
ATTMAIL:         ...!attmail!gak |---SHARX--| Ya tvoi rabotnik.
Cow Palace: Sec 107 Row F Seat 9 |----------|
From: linas@hparc0.aus.hp.com (Linas Petras)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Purchacing Amateur Telescopes FAQ (part 2 of 2)
Date: 8 Apr 92 11:05:46 GMT
Organization: HP Australasian Response Centre (Melbourne)

>Well, Meade has a 16" Schmidt-Cassegrain which is  beautiful.   It  is
>portable  (ie.,  you  and  a couple of friends can lug it), reasonably
>compact, and readily  available.   You  can  pick  one  up  for  about
>$10,000.   If  you  are in a position to spend this kind of money on a

	I was under the impression that Meade only floated the idea and
	never actually shipped any of these. Is my information wrong ??
From: tonya@hpldsla.sid.hp.com (Tony Arnerich)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: CCD camera
Date: 13 Apr 92 18:29:26 GMT
Organization: HP Scientific Instruments Division - Palo Alto, CA

In sci.astro, benoit@netcom.com (BENOIT SCHILLINGS) writes:

>  I'm thinking of buying a ccd camera for my ultima 8 and have few questions
>  related to those receptors.

>  Comparing the lynx and the ST-4, the big difference is that the
>  first is outputing some 12 bits data, the st-4 only some 8 bits data.

True, but don't forget the auto-guiding function of the ST-4, in which
it can control your 2-axis drive to within ~1 arc-sec. In this mode it
is intended to do the tracking for your other camera which is doing the
imaging. This is the real purpose of the ST-4, according to SBIG and S&T
(in their review).

>  Does it really worth the difference.
>  Also the lynx has a 1/100 sec shutter, the st-4 ??? i don't know.

According to S&T the ST-4 can theoretically expose as short as 1/100,
but is apparently very non-optimal for objects as bright as lunar and
planetary subjects. There's some weird half-frame mode you have to use
to get around the excessive brightness, but oddly S&T never mentioned
the obvious "fix" of using a N.D. filter. Maybe that's because to satisfy
the system photometrically, the exposures would stretch to a second or
so and that would negate any possibility of taking advantage of micro-
nulls in atmospheric seeing?

>  My main usage would be some planetary imaging.

See S&T's review of a little over a year ago. They gave me the distinct
impression that the ST-4 is not the way to go for planetary use. SBIG
also offers the ST-6, but that is considerably more expensive. I don't
know enough about the Lynx or any others to know their weaknesses, but
now you know what to watch out for.

Another notes respondent emntioned the difficulty of focusing. The ST-4
(maybe others) has a focusing mode in which the coordinates & size of
the brightest object in the view are displayed. Apparently you get updates
of the readout every 1 second.

**********************

Whatever system you request info on, be sure to ask to see sample images
to see if they will do for you. I don't know if it's my expectations, or
the system limits, or bad seeing at the time they took 'em, but SBIG's
samples (supplied on disk with viewing SW) seemed fuzzier than I thought
they should be. I haven't asked them about it, so I could be making bad
assumptions. Oh yes - ask to see samples taken with an 8" Schmidt-Cass,
because that's what you'll be using. There are a number of ads I've seen
that used 14" to 25" scopes for their image examples, which tells you very
little about what to expect in your use.

tonya@hpldsla.sid.hp.com
From: apengell@axion.bt.co.uk (Alan Pengelly)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: book on active galaxies and X-ray sources
Date: 7 Apr 92 10:57:10 GMT
Reply-To: apengell@axion.bt.co.uk (Alan Pengelly)
Organization: British Telecom Research Labs


Does anyone know of any recent books on quasars, pulsars etc. at undergrad
level? 

							thanks

							Alan

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Paul A. M. Knighton,        (pknighto@axion.bt.co.uk)      (+44) 473 649159 |
| Metrics Group, Tray 2b, G61 B81, Software Development Division,             |
| BT Laboratories, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, IP5 7RE, Suffolk, England, U.K. |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: cpetterb@javelin.sim.es.com (Cary Petterborg)
Subject: Re: comet approaching?
Followup-To: sci.astro
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp.
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 19:25:59 GMT

In article <9874@bgsuvax.bgsu.edu> edwards@bgsu.edu (Bruce Edwards) writes:

>   From what I've read it would be *extremely* difficult to actually track
>   and subsequently intercept an incoming astronomical object.  Why?
>
>   1. Very high velocities are involved (an understatement).
>   2. One which was headed "right at us" would not show apparent
>      motion against the background of stars but would appear
>      star-like until it was too late.
>
>   Yes? No....

Depends.  (#2 anyway)

If the earth and the object are traveling on somewhat parallel
courses, yes.  If their courses are perpendicular, no.  Somewhere
in between, depends on the speed of the object.  Anything travelling
VERY fast would make it hard to do anything, even alert your next
of kin.  ;-)

Cary
--
_______________
Cary Petterborg					   (801)582-5847 x6627
Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp.  Simulation Division   SLC, UT 84108
UUCP: ...!uunet!sim.es.com!cpetterb  *NET: cpetterb@javelin.sim.es.com
_______________
Not everything that counts can be counted.  Not everything that can be
counted counts.   - Charles Garfield
From: fmonaldo@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU (Monaldo Francis M. S1R x8648)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: What is the altitude of MIR?
Date: 7 Apr 92 16:57:30 GMT
Organization: JHU/APL, Laurel, MD

Does anyone know the altitude of the MIR space station ?

Frank Monaldo
frank@einstein.jhuapl.edu


Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: jdishaw@pomona.claremont.edu
Subject: sci.astro.urgent was Re: sci.astro.amateur
Organization: Pomona College
Date: 9 Apr 92 21:19:29 PDT

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.*  The people who make 
> the circulars need the money from subscriptions to cover their 
> costs.  It is not a big operation.  Give them away, and people 
> don't subscribe, and out of business the Circulars go.
> 
> Jeff Goldader			  Disclaimer:  They don't know what I say,
> goldader@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu	               I don't care what they think,
> 				               and we're all happy that way.
Actually I wasn't thinking about the IAU telegrams since they are paid
subscriptions.  Awhile back a saw a telegram that was distributed via
LISTSERV on BITNET (I think it was SAO, but I'm not sure).  I think that
distributing new stuff over Usenet is a good idea since that will enable
the flow of data to spread rapidly.  Someone brought up a good point that
being moderated would only slow down the process.

-james dishaw
JDISHAW@POMONA.CLAREMONT.EDU
Xref: sparky sci.astro:5069 sci.space:7593
From: graham@larry.sal.wisc.edu (Graham Knopp)
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space
Subject: Re: comet approaching?
Summary: amoral science?
Date: 16 Apr 92 17:25:55 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Space Astronomy Lab, Madison, WI

In article <1992Apr16.075357.9874@news.Hawaii.Edu> tholen@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu (Dave Tholen) writes:
>rjp1@cbnewsc.cb.att.com writes:
>Should something be done about the situation?  Well, the astronomers have
>done their job by calculating probabilities to the best of our limited
>knowledge.  Now it's up to politicians to decide priorities.
             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


	I heartly disagree.  We may be only astronomers, but all
	scientists are human and moral (immoral?) creatures, and 
	must not avoid making judgements concerning what research
	is done and  what is done with the knowledge we obtain.

	It is this perception of science as amoral that has created
	a multitude of problems, and is undoubtedly partially responsible
	for the cold war arms race.  Or at least the refusal to take
	responsibility for one's actions is at fault.

	Besides, I would rather not trust a politician with my money.
 
	Specifically, I believe such an asteroid impact defense system
	is at present a poor expenditure.  We have larger and
	more pressing problems to deal with.

	
	Graham Knopp
From: mario@larry.sal.wisc.edu (Mario Magalhaes)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Mount for a 6", f/6 Newtonian
Summary: Suggestions/Comments needed
Keywords: Newtonian  Mount  Equatorial
Date: 17 Apr 92 19:49:04 GMT
Article-I.D.: sal.1992Apr17.194904.10363
Organization: Space Astronomy Lab, Madison, WI
Originator: mario@bob.sal.wisc.edu


Hello,

I'm building a 6", f/6 Newtonian, which I suspect is going to have
around 15lb when ready. It will be used both visually and for photography
(piggyback and prime focus). I am now looking into equatorial mounts for it.

I would greatly appreciate hearing from the net about suggestions
as far as commercial equatorial drives/mounts are concerned. Comments on
your earlier personal experiences would also be mostly welcome. Comments
from people who have built their own drives and mount around a specific
worm/worm gear/motor combination would be equally helpful.

I have read over the net earlier comments on specific mounts that I would
like to be able to interpret better. For instance, when I hear  
a "Super Polaris mount would be able to take loads up to 14lb" (say),
how much of this limitation is due to the mount's drive itself (gears, etc.)
and how much is due to the mount's tripod? I mention this because I wouldn't
mind having to build a platform+tripod for the drive myself, specially if
wood would do the job.

Posting or e-mail will be equally welcome.

Thanks a lot in advance!

Mario Magalhaes

mario@larry.sal.wisc.edu
magalhaes@madraf.astro.wisc.edu
Newsgroups: sci.astro
From: strider@acm.rpi.edu (Greg Moore)
Subject: Re: comet approaching?
Organization: The Voice of Fate
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 13:37:15 GMT

In article <34319@unix.SRI.COM> zzz@erg.sri.com (Michael J. Konopik) writes:
>In article <1992Apr16.075357.9874@news.Hawaii.Edu> tholen@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu (Dave Tholen) writes:
>>Should something be done about the situation?  Well, the astronomers have
>>done their job by calculating probabilities to the best of our limited
>>knowledge.  Now it's up to politicians to decide priorities.
>
>Yes, but what about those probabilities?  The figures I've heard cited on
>the news (KCBS radio, if I recall) claimed that the probability that a
>person alive today will die from an asteroid impact within the next 50 years
>are higher than they are that that same individual will die from a lightning
>strike in that same period of time.  If those are the actual figures that
>the astronomers are reporting, then I wouldn't hold my breath - not a lot of
>people (let alone politicians) are going to buy into it.  Chicken Little had
>better odds of finding an audience...
>
>Wouldn't it be nice if the media reported the basis for such figures, too?
>Without that information, all those statistics and such are meaningless.
>
>				   -Mike
>
	There are lies, damn lies, and statistics...
	I don't have the actual numbers handy to support the claim by
KCBS, but I can explain what they are based on.
	Assuming a "large" asteroid struck the earth's surface, the claim
is that it would kill millions, perhaps billions of people due to the
initial explosion, dust cover, etc.  This should happen every X number of
years, I'm not sure what figure is used.  Assume it happens every 1 million
years, and it kills 1,000 million people.  From their the claim is that
you have a 1/1000 chance of being killed by an asteriod.  Average US deaths
due to lightning strikes are 100/year.  The rest is left as an exercise
to the reader, for example, figre the chance of any one american being
hit by lightning, etc.  Also consider, is it proper to compare these numbers?
Looking back over the lat 50 years I can't say I've seen too many reports
of people being killed by an errant asteroid, though I have been hit by
lightning.

	If I can ind the article, I'll post a review.

>The seer sez:  The chances that you'll take a staple in the forehead today are
>  higher than they are that you will get your index finger stuck in your fly.


-- 
<------------------------------------------------------------------------->
Greg d. Moore                  |  Strider@acm.rpi.edu
Green Mountain Software        |  "All that is gold does not glitter."  
Carpe Diem                     |
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis
Date:         Tue, 07 Apr 92 11:16:47 CST
From:         Gary Kronk <C09630GK@WUVMD>
To:           NETNEWS@WUVMD
Subject:      Comet Tanaka-Machholz
Newsgroups:   sci.astro

For those of you who are beginning to notice that ephemerides computed
from my orbit are becoming less reliable, here are the first elements
released by the Central Bureau. They are for equinox 2000.0.

T=1992 April 22.454
q=1.26288 AU
Argument of Perihelion =  65.246
Ascending Node         = 300.482
Inclination            =  79.246

Here are three positions for the next week and a half:

April  8   22h 27.63m   +25d 33.5m
April 13   22h 41.57m   +30d 25.9m
April 18   22h 57.30m   +35d 26.6m

The comet will brighten to about magnitude 8.7 by the end of April, and
will pass closest to Earth (1.7 AU) around that time.

************************************************************************
Gary W. Kronk
Washington University
St. Louis, Missouri
C09630GK@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU
************************************************************************
From: sla@fast.ucsc.edu (Steve Allen)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Stategic Defense System, Accidental Launch System, and related.
Summary: this is not sci.astro material
Keywords: find the right newsgroup
Date: 10 Apr 92 08:00:21 GMT
Followup-To: any.group.but.not.sci.astro
Organization: UCO/Lick Observatory

In article <1992Apr10.023849.20345@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>
swoodcoc@isis.cs.du.edu (Steven Markus Woodcock) writes:
>In article <2833@ub.d.umn.edu> jremer@ub.d.umn.edu (Jeremy C. Remer) writes:
>>I would like to start a discussion about the Stategic
>>Defense Inititive (SDI) and the Accidental Launch Protection System (ALPS).
>>I think this will be exciting, and we might even learn something new!  :-)
>   This should be fun!

Fine, but do it in some other newsgroup than sci.astro.

As long as I am posting, I will assert that I do not see any great reason
for splitting up sci.astro.  It does not seem too busy to me.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Steve Allen          | That was the equation!         |   sla@helios.ucsc.edu
UCO/Lick Observatory | Existence!...Survival must     | If the UC were opining,
Santa Cruz, CA 95064 | cancel out programming! -- Ruk | it wouldn't tell me.
From: steinly@topaz.ucsc.edu (Steinn Sigurdsson)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: sci.astro.amateur?
Date: 9 Apr 92 10:42:49 GMT
Article-I.D.: topaz.STEINLY.92Apr9114249
	<1992Apr7.150110.7927@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>
	<121988@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV> <1992Apr8.094534.25396@news.Hawaii.Edu>
	<1992Apr8.221929.1@acme.claremont.edu>
Organization: Lick Observatory/UCO
In-reply-to: jdishaw@acme.claremont.edu's message of 9 Apr 92 05:19:29 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.221929.1@acme.claremont.edu> jdishaw@acme.claremont.edu writes:


   In article <1992Apr8.094534.25396@news.Hawaii.Edu>, joe@montebello.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Joe Dellinger) writes:

   > 	I would dearly like to see a "sci.astro.urgent". When I'm busy I
   > don't have the time to follow sci.astro, because the volume is too large.
   > I always wonder what once-in-a-lifetime astronomical opportunity I might
   > be missing. Certainly the local newspapers here wouldn't carry any such
   > thing!

   > 	Sci.astro.urgent should have VERY low volume; it would only carry
   > urgent reports for stuff like supernovas, novas, new bright comets, really
   > _exceptional_ auroras, unexpectedly good meteor showers, etc, that would be
   > of wide interest AND of a short-lived nature. I would expect very few postings
   > in it, but I would also expect to poll it often "just in case".


   I think this an *excellent* idea.  It could be a moderated list like
   news.announce.important.  In fact it can also be used to distribute telegrams
   with all those handy announcements.  Heck I'd even volunteer to be one of the
   moderators.

Sounds potentially interesting, but it would have trouble with the IAU
under the current setup. IAU telegrams, which are the current
reporting mechanism, are probably higher volume then you envisage,
and, while available via e-mail, cost real money! The IAU clearing
house is not free, and the IAU subscription pays the cost of clearing
and verifying reports, effectively a paid moderator :-) so they cannot
be forwarded to a Usenet group as is.
Maybe this should be formally raised with the AAS and IAU?
Any councillors out there lurking?

|  Steinn Sigurdsson	|I saw two shooting stars last night		|
|  Lick Observatory	|I wished on them but they were only satellites	|
|steinly@helios.ucsc.edu|Is it wrong to wish on space hardware?		|
| "standard disclaimer"	|I wish, I wish, I wish you'd care - B.B. 1983	|
Newsgroups: sci.astro