[sac-forum] Re: Newsletter Fodder
- From: "Richard Harshaw" <rharshaw2@xxxxxxx>
- To: <sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:01:18 -0700
Two words for you David: pellet gun.
Richard Harshaw
Cave Creek, Arizona
Brilliant Sky Observatory
From: sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of David Hofland
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 8:59 AM
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Newsletter Fodder
He must have been a really fast counter!
PS for AJ . . . Due to the unpleasant but unavoidable situation at my
observatory wherein my neighbors porch lights remain on until late evening, it
is quite unusual for me to even attempt observing earlier than midnight. (I use
the extra time to nap in preparation for lack of sleep later). That, in
conjunction with a mild but still bothersome light pollution dome to my west
from the lights of town, pretty much means that anything more than a couple
hours past the meridian isn't worth trying to point a telescope at. Sadly
then, Virgo has slipped away for this season for me. But mighty Hercules is
still nicely placed so I'll go there for August's "Call". Of course this all
depends on that the weather pans out. Very iffy here in juicy Alabama.
David Hofland
Director, Student Services - BSN
hofland@xxxxxxx
256-782-5276
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Harshaw" <rharshaw2@xxxxxxx>
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 10:46:38 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Newsletter Fodder
At least 80 octillion stars, eh?
Or,
"I believe there are 15, 747, 724, 136, 275 ,002, 577, 605, 653, 961, 181, 555,
468, 044, 717, 914, 527, 116, 709, 366, 231, 425, 076, 185, 631, 031, 296
protons in the universe and the same number of electrons." So wrote the English
astrophysicist Sir Arthur Eddington
<http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/E/Eddington_Arthur.html> in his
book Mathematical Theory of Relativity (1923).
Richard Harshaw
Cave Creek, Arizona
Brilliant Sky Observatory
From: sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of David Hofland
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 8:37 AM
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Newsletter Fodder
Thanks AJ. Yeah, I hope to contribute to the "Call" in addition to finding
something to write an article about. So many stars . . . . so little time.
:-)
David Hofland
Director, Student Services - BSN
hofland@xxxxxxx
256-782-5276
----- Original Message -----
From: "AJ Crayon" <acrayon@xxxxxxx>
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 10:22:12 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Newsletter Fodder
David, if you are looking for something to observe here's the list for Call for
Observations. Unfortunately it wasn't posted last week, hence this is the
first post.
Continuing with our survey of galaxies for the spring take a look at these gems
in Virgo. Most of the selections will be in the Herschel 400 list but will
include one from the Best of the NGC and one from the Messier Catalog.
Beginning in the northeast part of the constellation is the majestic M 61. It
is a face-on barred spiral at magnitude 9.6 is large with a brighter middle.
It has had supernovas in 1926, 1961 and 1964. Next is NGC4388 and edge-on lens
shape spiral at magnitude 11. It is near M 84 and has 2 other galaxies in a
30’ field. Moving on to the southern reaches of the constellation, is an
asterism titled Jaws as in the jaws of a shark. It is 25' west northwest of M
104 or at 12h 38.5m -11° 30' and is a chain of stars in the outline of a shark.
What do you see here? Now moving way out to the western reaches of the
constellation start with a group of 3 galaxies. First is middle and brightest
of the group, NGC5576, 11th mag, small with a very little brighter middle.
Second is NGC5574 2.9’ to the southwest, is faint, small and round. Third is
NGC5577 10’ towards the north is also faint and edge-on. Not to far away is
the 12th mag NGC5740, another barred spiral that has an irregular shape and a
gradually brighter middle. Does the shape suggest the bar to your eye? The
next galaxy is just 18’ towards the north. Look for an edge-on galaxy that is
large, pretty bright and has a very bright nucleus. That is NGC5746. What
does it look like to you? Now moving to the very west is a quartet of
galaxies. They are NGC5839, NGC5845, NGC5846 and NGC5850. The brightest of
the group is the 10th mag NGC5846 and is a large and round elliptical galaxy.
Fartherest west is NGC5839 at mag 12.7 and is rather small. Next is NGC5845 a
mag 12.5 elliptical. How much detail do you see in this elliptical? Last is
NGC5850 a barred spiral of mag 10.8. It is moderately large, a little
elongated, has a brighter middle and is slightly elongated. Does the brighter
middle look like part of the bar?
For August we’ll take on Hercules for the second time. We’ll see about
skipping the Abell Galaxy Groups until some time in the future. We’ll start
with an asterism called Zig Zag found at RA 16h 18.0’ Dec +13° 00’. It’s 7th
mag and 100’X15’ or a line of a dozen 8th and 9th mag stars that are never
straight. We move on to NGC6166, a small faint elliptical galaxy of magnitude
11.8. Beware it is the center of an Abell Galaxy Group containing many faint
galaxies. What’s the Abell Galaxy Group number? Next is the late barred
spiral NGC6181 at magnitude 11.9. Can you see the spiral arms? Now for
another, possible, asterism DoDz 9, located at RA 18h 08.8m Dec +31° 32' . It
is 34’ with 30 stars from 8th mag on down. What is the faintest star you can
detect and what about stellar colors? OK, now another asterism. This one is
Webb's Wreath found at RA 18h 02.3m Dec +26° 18'. It should be easy to find
the 11’X7’ grouping of 14 stars; one at 7th mag and others of 11th and 12th
mag. Where does this cluster get its name? Finally a planetary nebula to
finish out this constellation. Find PK 51+ 9.1 at RA 18 49.8 Dec +20 50. It’s
11.6 mag and 13.3 mag central star shouldn’t be difficult. The comments
indicate it is stellar. Good luck.
AJ Crayon
Phoenix, AZ
----- Original Message -----
From: David Hofland <mailto:hofland@xxxxxxx>
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 7:21 AM
Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Newsletter Fodder
Richard,
The skies here in Alabama are predicted to open up tonight and perhaps
another night or two during the next week. I'll come up with something for the
newsletter, what exactly I haven't figured out yet.
David Hofland
Director, Student Services - BSN
hofland@xxxxxxx
256-782-5276
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Harshaw" <rharshaw2@xxxxxxx>
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 9:41:47 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Newsletter Fodder
Agreed.
Richard Harshaw
Cave Creek, Arizona
Brilliant Sky Observatory
From: sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of AJ Crayon
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 7:39 PM
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; SAC Announcements
Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Newsletter Fodder
Dick, again I have a request for a delay in the complex production schedule of
the SAC newsletter. We have a DOTM coming up the end of this week, followed by
Independence Day. It isn't clear how this will play with our most esteemed
club members but I'd like to request a delay in article submission until after
the 4th. I realize this is getting close to the SAC meeting but I'd like for
the observers to have time to observe the stars, observe Independence Day then
put observations together. This starts to get into my schedule for preparing
for class Thursday night, but if observations could get to me by Thursday I can
try to have something put together by Friday.
AJ Crayon
Phoenix, AZ
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Harshaw <mailto:rharshaw2@xxxxxxx>
To: SAC Announcements <mailto:sac-announce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ;
sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 5:15 PM
Subject: [sac-forum] Newsletter Fodder
Folks, the hopper is pretty empty for the July Newsletter. If you have
something you want to publish, please send it in the next 8 days or so. Due to
the holiday, I’ll be releasing the July issue a little later—after the 4th.
Richard Harshaw
Cave Creek, Arizona
Brilliant Sky Observatory
SAC Newsletter Editor (“Saguaro Skies”)
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