Re: [meteorite-list] Cub Scouts and a Star Party
Walter, I guess I did not need to tell you I knew nothing about the stars after all. It is obvious. My phone showed them piled one on the other and since Jupiter was bigger it seemed farther away and I had no idea what Oh was. . Thanks to you I now know twice as much as I knew this morning about Jupiter and Uranus. . Thanks for the nice schooling. Carl -- Carl or Debbie Esparza Meteoritemax Walter Branch wrote: > Hello Carl, > > Thanks, but since the orbit of Uranus lies outside that of Jupiter, it would > be impossible for Uranus to transit across the face of Jupiter. > > Uranus and Jupiter are easily in the same field of view in a small finder > scope. With increased magnification, Uranus appears very un-starlike. It > is disk shaped, rather than a pinpoint. > > I think you are confusing terms such as eclipse, occultation, transits, and > conjunctions. What you are referring to is the conjunction of Jupiter and > Uranus. See the table here: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjunction_(astronomy_and_astrology)#2010 > > I have been observing Jovian transits for 40 years. This was a transit. In > fact, my charting software, Skytools 2, indicates it was Jupiter's moon Io. > > For more info on transits, see here: > http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307071.html > > > -Walter > __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Cub Scouts and a Star Party
Hello Carl, Thanks, but since the orbit of Uranus lies outside that of Jupiter, it would be impossible for Uranus to transit across the face of Jupiter. Uranus and Jupiter are easily in the same field of view in a small finder scope. With increased magnification, Uranus appears very un-starlike. It is disk shaped, rather than a pinpoint. I think you are confusing terms such as eclipse, occultation, transits, and conjunctions. What you are referring to is the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus. See the table here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjunction_(astronomy_and_astrology)#2010 I have been observing Jovian transits for 40 years. This was a transit. In fact, my charting software, Skytools 2, indicates it was Jupiter's moon Io. For more info on transits, see here: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307071.html -Walter __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Cub Scouts and a Star Party
Hello Carl, Thanks, but since the orbit of Uranus lies outside that of Jupiter, it would be impossible for Uranus to transit across the face of Jupiter. Uranus and Jupiter are easily in the same field of view in a small finder scope. With increased magnification, Uranus appears very un-starlike. It is disk shaped, rather than a pinpoint. I think you are confusing terms such as eclipse, occultation, transits, and conjunctions. What you are referring to is the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus. See the table here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjunction_(astronomy_and_astrology)#2010 I have been observing Jovian transits for 40 years. This was a transit. In fact, my charting software, Skytools 2, indicates it was Jupiter's moon Io. For more info on transits, see here: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307071.html -Walter __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Cub Scouts and a Star Party
Walter, Thank you for a great story. You said; "Jupiter was fantastic. The scouts and their families got to see a nice treat. One of the moon's shadows was transiting across face of Jupiter. Cool. " You may be right about seeing a moon shadow but, according to my AP *Google Sky Map* on my phone Uranus and OH have been eclipsing Jupiter for the past few weeks. It may have been one of them you saw. Apparently it is now off to the side; http://www.cantonrep.com/entertainment/x191993307/LOOKING-UP-See-Uranus-next-door-to-Jupiter If you are not familiar with this phone AP. It is available on cell phones and allows you to point your phone in the sky and it identifies what you are looking at. It is amazing because it allows someone like me with zero knowledge of the stars to see and immediately identify what you are seeing. It even allows you to look through the Earth and see things that at night would be hidden from view. Like the sun and Mercury at night. Very cool AP. And again. Very cool story. Thanks. Carl -- Carl or Debbie Esparza Meteoritemax Walter Branch wrote: > Hello Everyone, > > Greatly off topic, but nevertheless... > > I had the most fun Friday night. > > One of my neighbors is a cub scoutmaster and he regularly invites me and my > 10" telescope to their campouts. I enjoy hosting star parties for scouts. > I, my daughter and a friend of hers arrived last night at the camp site and > began setting up my scope. It was already dark. As I am setting up my > scope, I notice something odd. It's too quite. > > If you have ever been to a boy scout or cub scout camp, you know it is > anything but quiet. I gradually become aware of a noise in the distance. > It's getting louder. I turn and peer through some trees at what seems like > hundreds of flickering fireflies. They are bobbing up and down. The noise > is getting louder. Then I realize, they are not fireflies. This a dense > mass of about 300 cub scouts, running and screaming with their little glow > sticks clutched in their little hands. > > And they're running right toward me. > > I quickly stand in front of my scope, in a defensive position, ready to > "take down" the first kid who breaches the already established "no touch" > zone - an invisible perimeter around my precious scope, through which no one > is allowed but me. > > Alas, all was well. Aside from the usual fingerprints, and messing with the > focuser, no actual harm with done. > > Jupiter was fantastic. The scouts and their families got to see a nice > treat. One of the moon's shadows was transiting across face of Jupiter. > Cool. > > I got asked some really good questions and some of the kids made some astute > observations. One kid however, insisted for what seemed like an eternity > that Polaris was actually in the east because you know "the north star > doesn't really point to north." I began explaining that it was only a > degree or so off but soon gave up the argument (he was determined that > Polaris was in the east) and boldly shouted, "next!" > > One lady kept asking me about the "constellation for June", of which I knew > nothing. I realized she was asking me an astrology question (of which I > know nothing). > > I was a fun night. After everyone got an eye (or two) full of Jupiter, I > turned the scope to Albireo, a beautiful double star system in Cygnus > consisting of a yellow and a sapphire blue star ( the yellow is also a > binary) but the cubbies had retired to their tents. Even cub scouts have to > sleep. > > After dropping off my daughter's friend, we arrived home around 1:00 a.m. I > kissed my daughter good night and set up the scope in my driveway to make > sure nothing was amiss. > > I look up toward Pegasus and saw two meteors burn out, their existence > ending in a flash high up in the Earth's atmosphere. > > Ahhh, peace and quiet. > > Until the next time. > > Thank you. > > > -Walter > > __ > Visit the Archives at > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Cub Scouts and a Star Party
Ed wrote: "A wonderful report, I enjoyed the read very much." So did I! Albireo (beta Cygni)is one of my favorites, too! My 42-year-old daughter, when she was young, used to call Albireo "Little Sister and Brother" :-) and: "Everyone knows that it is in the south... ;-)" Ed, hey, ain't it a U.S. submarine? So, it's "Down Under" :-)) Best wishes, Bernd __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Cub Scouts and a Star Party
A wonderful report, I enjoyed the read very much. You are a first-class act, Walter! I'm sure those kids won't forget that experience. And don't worry about that one kid who thinks polaris is in the east. Everyone knows that it is in the south... ;-) Ed Walter Branch wrote: > Hello Everyone, > > Greatly off topic, but nevertheless... > > I had the most fun Friday night. > > One of my neighbors is a cub scoutmaster and he regularly invites me and my > 10" telescope to their campouts. I enjoy hosting star parties for scouts. > I, my daughter and a friend of hers arrived last night at the camp site and > began setting up my scope. It was already dark. As I am setting up my > scope, I notice something odd. It's too quite. > > If you have ever been to a boy scout or cub scout camp, you know it is > anything but quiet. I gradually become aware of a noise in the distance. > It's getting louder. I turn and peer through some trees at what seems like > hundreds of flickering fireflies. They are bobbing up and down. The noise > is getting louder. Then I realize, they are not fireflies. This a dense > mass of about 300 cub scouts, running and screaming with their little glow > sticks clutched in their little hands. > > And they're running right toward me. > > I quickly stand in front of my scope, in a defensive position, ready to > "take down" the first kid who breaches the already established "no touch" > zone - an invisible perimeter around my precious scope, through which no one > is allowed but me. > > Alas, all was well. Aside from the usual fingerprints, and messing with the > focuser, no actual harm with done. > > Jupiter was fantastic. The scouts and their families got to see a nice > treat. One of the moon's shadows was transiting across face of Jupiter. > Cool. > > I got asked some really good questions and some of the kids made some astute > observations. One kid however, insisted for what seemed like an eternity > that Polaris was actually in the east because you know "the north star > doesn't really point to north." I began explaining that it was only a > degree or so off but soon gave up the argument (he was determined that > Polaris was in the east) and boldly shouted, "next!" > > One lady kept asking me about the "constellation for June", of which I knew > nothing. I realized she was asking me an astrology question (of which I > know nothing). > > I was a fun night. After everyone got an eye (or two) full of Jupiter, I > turned the scope to Albireo, a beautiful double star system in Cygnus > consisting of a yellow and a sapphire blue star ( the yellow is also a > binary) but the cubbies had retired to their tents. Even cub scouts have to > sleep. > > After dropping off my daughter's friend, we arrived home around 1:00 a.m. I > kissed my daughter good night and set up the scope in my driveway to make > sure nothing was amiss. > > I look up toward Pegasus and saw two meteors burn out, their existence > ending in a flash high up in the Earth's atmosphere. > > Ahhh, peace and quiet. > > Until the next time. > > Thank you. > > > -Walter > > __ > Visit the Archives at > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Cub Scouts and a Star Party
Hello Everyone, Greatly off topic, but nevertheless... I had the most fun Friday night. One of my neighbors is a cub scoutmaster and he regularly invites me and my 10" telescope to their campouts. I enjoy hosting star parties for scouts. I, my daughter and a friend of hers arrived last night at the camp site and began setting up my scope. It was already dark. As I am setting up my scope, I notice something odd. It's too quite. If you have ever been to a boy scout or cub scout camp, you know it is anything but quiet. I gradually become aware of a noise in the distance. It's getting louder. I turn and peer through some trees at what seems like hundreds of flickering fireflies. They are bobbing up and down. The noise is getting louder. Then I realize, they are not fireflies. This a dense mass of about 300 cub scouts, running and screaming with their little glow sticks clutched in their little hands. And they're running right toward me. I quickly stand in front of my scope, in a defensive position, ready to "take down" the first kid who breaches the already established "no touch" zone - an invisible perimeter around my precious scope, through which no one is allowed but me. Alas, all was well. Aside from the usual fingerprints, and messing with the focuser, no actual harm with done. Jupiter was fantastic. The scouts and their families got to see a nice treat. One of the moon's shadows was transiting across face of Jupiter. Cool. I got asked some really good questions and some of the kids made some astute observations. One kid however, insisted for what seemed like an eternity that Polaris was actually in the east because you know "the north star doesn't really point to north." I began explaining that it was only a degree or so off but soon gave up the argument (he was determined that Polaris was in the east) and boldly shouted, "next!" One lady kept asking me about the "constellation for June", of which I knew nothing. I realized she was asking me an astrology question (of which I know nothing). I was a fun night. After everyone got an eye (or two) full of Jupiter, I turned the scope to Albireo, a beautiful double star system in Cygnus consisting of a yellow and a sapphire blue star ( the yellow is also a binary) but the cubbies had retired to their tents. Even cub scouts have to sleep. After dropping off my daughter's friend, we arrived home around 1:00 a.m. I kissed my daughter good night and set up the scope in my driveway to make sure nothing was amiss. I look up toward Pegasus and saw two meteors burn out, their existence ending in a flash high up in the Earth's atmosphere. Ahhh, peace and quiet. Until the next time. Thank you. -Walter __ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
