From bhavner at earthlink.net Sun Aug 3 17:00:16 2003 From: bhavner at earthlink.net (Bob Havner) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] Fw: [AANC Contacts] Detecting extrasolar planets Message-ID: <001a01c35a1b$638fef60$5485f5d1@default> > Dear Amateur Astronomer, > > It is increasingly possible for amateur astronomers to detecting > extrasolar planets! > > American Astronomical Society (AAS) Division of Planetary Science > (DPS) is having a conference in Monterey, CA from Tuesday September 2 > through Saturday, September 6. Conference web site is > http://dps03.arc.nasa.gov/ > > On the day before the conference, Monday afternoon (September 1, > 2003), there will be an additional half-day workshop on detecting > extrasolar planets, to which amateur astronomers are especially > welcome. > > Title: Transit Searches for Extrasolar Planets - from HD 209458 b to > Earths, pursuing the next decimal places of photometric precision. > > Description: The growth of interest in the photometric method for > detecting extrasolar planets that has occurred since the 1999 > discovery of the transit of the star HD 209458 by a short period > jovian mass planetary companion has been extraordinary. Dozens of > groups are pursuing transits of giant planets using ground-based > telescopes both large and small. Space missions designed to seek the > much smaller transits of terrestrial planets are being developed in > the United States and Europe. Hundreds of planet discoveries are > anticipated. > > The purpose of this workshop is to gather a broad spectrum of > participants in these transit searches to present and discuss > insights in the areas of: > > Scientific Results Expected from Transit Measurements > The merits of various observing strategies > CCD instrumental effects > Characterization and minimization of noise sources > Advances in data reduction techniques > Follow-up observation techniques > Opportunities for amateur astronomers and schools > Future directions > > 8-10 presentations of 20 minutes duration each are anticipated. > Posters may be accommodated if demand requires. Workshop attendees > who desire to make a presentation are encouraged to submit abstracts > by email to Tim Castellano by August 8. > > Location: see http://dps03.arc.nasa.gov/ > > Workshop Organizers: > William Borucki - Kepler Project, NASA Ames Research Center > Tim Castellano - Transitsearch.org, NASA Ames > Greg Laughlin - Transitsearch.org, UCSC > > See http://transitsearch.org > > If you plan to attend, or for further information contact: > > Tim Castellano > tcastellano@mail.arc.nasa.gov > (650) 604-4716 > > _______________________________________________ > Contacts mailing list > Contacts@aanc-astronomy.org > http://mail.aanc-astronomy.org/mailman/listinfo/contacts > From jvn at svpal.org Sun Aug 3 21:43:12 2003 From: jvn at svpal.org (Jim Van Nuland) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] ARTICLE: ASTRONOMY magazine renewal time Message-ID: <3F2DE460.5CFA@svpal.org> ASTRONOMY magazine renewal time It's time to renew our group subscription to Astronomy magazine. The rate for 2004 is again $29, or $55 for two years. Please send a check payable to Jim Van Nuland, 3509 Calico Ave., San Jose CA 95124. If you subscribe independently, and your subscription ends during 2004, you may convert to the group rate. Send a check and the renewal card or a mailing label to Jim, and you'll be added to the group for an additional 12/24 months. If you do not subscribe and wish to do so, send the $29/55 and your subscription will begin with the January 2004 issue. I will hold your checks until early October when the renewal package is sent in. Don't worry that your check doesn't clear promptly. Any questions? Call Jim at 408.371.1307, from 10 am to 10 pm, or e-mail to . -- Jim Van Nuland, San Jose (California) Astronomical Association JVN's web site From jvn at svpal.org Tue Aug 5 23:31:24 2003 From: jvn at svpal.org (JVN) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] Telescope stolen from Sierra cabin Message-ID: <3F30A0BC.1403@svpal.org> The attached was sent to contact people in numerous astronomy clubs. It's something to watch for when the Fall Swap and the Auction come up. But given that the theives didn't know what they were taking (skipped the truss tubes), they may try to sell it at a flea market or some such. -- Jim Van Nuland, San Jose (California) Astronomical Association JVN's web site I am writing to ask your organization member's help in apprehending the thieves who burglarized my Sierra cabin and several other properties near Grizzly Flat, California (southeast of Placerville) during the last week of July 2003. Among the many items they stole was a 20-inch Obsession telescope. Because they didn't have a good idea of what they were stealing, they left behind the poles that support the focuser. The mirror and rocker boxes are made of laminated, varnished wood. This link to Obsession Telescopes shows a picture: http://www.globaldialog.com/~obsessiontscp/20page.html If the brass plate is still attached it will say the scope was made for Chris Westland. If my memory is correct (they also stole the scope documentation) the serial number is something like 90085. I ask your help because this type of equipment is unusual to find at the venues where thieves often sell their wares (e.g. swap meets, pawn shops, etc.). More than just stealing the scope, these people have inflicted financial and emotional damage on my family and many others in our area. Please help us stop them from continuing to do that to others. If you see the scope, please call detective Mark Joyce, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office at 530-642-4722, or me at 510-420-3302. If you could pass this message on to other members of your organization, as you see fit, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for listening. Stephan Bork From mojo at whiteoaks.com Wed Aug 6 22:17:50 2003 From: mojo at whiteoaks.com (Morris Jones) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] August Ephemeris (finally!) online Message-ID: Sorry about that -- busy family weekend. %) August SJAA Ephemeris: http://ephemeris.sjaa.net Also, please note that the deadline for the September issue is August 10. Please send articles and photos to ephemeris@sjaa.net. (Don't reply to this note!) We'll be pressed for time for this issue, so the deadline is pretty firm this month. Mojo -- Morris Jones <*> San Rafael, CA mojo@whiteoaks.com http://www.whiteoaks.com From bhavner at earthlink.net Fri Aug 8 16:29:07 2003 From: bhavner at earthlink.net (Bob Havner) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] Tim Thompson to speak at the August SJAA Meeting Message-ID: <001e01c35e04$de02a020$62631e43@default> Tim Thompson to speak at the August SJAA Meeting. Houge Park Meeting Hall Saturday, August 9, 2003 8:00 pm. Tim Thompson of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society will be the guest speaker at the Aug. 9 general meeting in his talk, ?Astrophysics, Cosmology, and the Age of the Universe? he will be discussing the age of the universe as seen from 3 distinct points of view: (1) The astrophysics of stellar evolution, (2) the "classical" cosmology of the expanding universe, and (3) the "modern" cosmology of the cosmic background radiation. And how after nearly a century of tension, it now appears that all 3 of these independent approaches agree on an age for the universe of roughly 14 billion years. Tim gave a very interesting talk to the SJAA last year on Stellar Evolution. Join us Aug. 9th to hear about his latest topic. Bob Havner bhavner@earthlink.net From bhavner at earthlink.net Tue Aug 12 20:30:16 2003 From: bhavner at earthlink.net (Bob Havner) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] Fw: [AANC Contacts] Last call for Starry Starry nights volunteers Message-ID: <001501c3614b$38e24420$56631e43@default> > Don Machholz could still use some telescopes and volunteers on the dates > listed below. This is a really fun event, and these are some nice > observing sites, too. Congratulations to Don for his September 2003 Sky > and Telescope magazine article ""How to Organize a Public Star Party", > on page 77. Contact information for Don is at the bottom of his note. > > Greetings; > > Two weeks ago I requested help for Starry Starry Nights, and many of you > responded. Plans are unfolding quite nicely and we're looking forward to > six great nights in the Foothills and the Sierras. From those of you > who have written to specify which dates you can make it I have > determined where we still have need for more telescopes. Several have > kindly offered help, but have not yet indicated the night you can > attend. Below I list the dates, locations, number of telescopes needed > and the number already signed up. > > Secondly, for each night we can use a couple of people to direct traffic > and hand out the star maps, etc, a really fun job since you get to talk > to car-fulls of happy people who are happy they did not get lost finding > the site. We could use one more person per site to point out satellites > using a schedule I'll be bringing. The "satellite-person" gets his/her > own following ("groupies") as the night progresses. > > Friday August 15 Colfax, end of Whitcomb Ave We need 13 > telescopes We have 8 > Saturday August 16 Big Bend, 30 miles N of Colfax We need 10 > telescopes We have 7 > Sunday August 17 Sugar Pine Reservoir, Foresthill We need 9 > telescopes We have 5 > > Friday August 22 Nevada City Old Airport We need 11 > telescopes We have 7 > Saturday August 23 Sugar Bowl Ski, Mt. Judah We need 6 > telescopes We have 9 > Sunday August 24 Dutch Flat, 12 miles N of Colfax We need 9 > telescopes We have 6 > > More information about it, with pictures and driving directions to each > SSN 2003 site, can be found at my web site > http://us.geocities.com/donmachholz/index.html > > So if you have already specified which nights you can make it, there is > no need to e-mail me again. If you haven't but still wish to help out, > please let me know which nights you can make it, and which instrument > you can bring. > > Take care and the very best to all of you. > > Don Machholz,DonM353259@aol.com > (530) 346-8963 > > -- > Jane Houston Jones > San Rafael, CA > jane@whiteoaks.com > http://www.whiteoaks.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Contacts mailing list > Contacts@aanc-astronomy.org > http://mail.aanc-astronomy.org/mailman/listinfo/contacts From bhavner at earthlink.net Sat Aug 16 12:05:45 2003 From: bhavner at earthlink.net (Bob Havner) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] Fw: [AANC Contacts] Dr. Chriis McKay at SFAA Wednesday August 20th Message-ID: <002801c36429$66382c60$ec631e43@default> > Dr. Chris McKay, Planetary Scientist with the Space Science Division of > NASA Ames will be the featured speaker at the next SFAA meeting on > August 20th. That is a week from tonight, so mark your calendar. Chris > is a terrific speaker and he'll be talking about Mars. > > CHRISTOPHER MCKAY, PH.D. Planetary Scientist with the Chris McKay > received his Ph.D. in AstroGeophysics from the University of Colorado in > 1982 and has been a research scientist with the NASA Ames Research > Center since that time. His current research focuses on the evolution of > the solar system and the origin of life. He is also actively involved in > planning for future Mars missions including human settlements. > > The SFAA holds their monthly meetings in the Morrison Planetarium, > Golden Gate Park, San Francisco on the third Wednesday of each month. > Meetings get underway at 7:30 p.m. and after a short announcement time > and some delicious treats made by members of the club, the talk usually > gets underway at 8:00 p.m. The public is welcome to attend the SFAA > club meetings. > > I hope you'll join us this month. To find out who is speaking to the > SFAA each month, and to find out about all the public star parties, and > other un events sponsored by this club visit the club website here: > http://www.sfaa-astronomy.org/sfaa/ There is membership information on > the website, too! > > If you happen to go to Yosemite this weekend, august 15 and 16th, come > on up to Glacier Point at sunset for a wonderful view, and bring some > warm clothes for the evening. Stick around and you'll be treated to > views of the summer sky, moon and Mars by the members of the San > Francisco Amateur Astronomers. > > For Mars events throughout the region, check the Mars page here. Clubs: > if you want your events listed, let me know! > > Jane Houston Jones > SFAA Publicity Tsar and AANC President > > -- > Jane Houston Jones > San Rafael, CA > jane@whiteoaks.com > http://www.whiteoaks.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Contacts mailing list > Contacts@aanc-astronomy.org > http://mail.aanc-astronomy.org/mailman/listinfo/contacts > From koopm at koopm.best.vwh.net Tue Aug 19 14:23:18 2003 From: koopm at koopm.best.vwh.net (Michael Koop) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] Drake Equation Revisited Debate, Aug 26, 8 PM Message-ID: FREE Public Debate: the "Drake Equation Revisited" Over forty years have passed since Frank Drake formulated his now famous "Drake Equation" to estimate the number of intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy. Where are we now? Is Earth-like life unique or common? How prevalent is life in our stellar neighborhood? A debate on this topic, moderated by Frank Drake the author of the Drake Equation, will bring together two exceptional speakers David Grinspoon and Peter Ward. Frank Drake is Director of the Center for the Study of Life in the Universe at the SETI Institute, Chairman Emeritus of the SETI Institute Board of Trustees, and Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California at Santa Cruz. David Grinspoon is Principal Scientist in the Department of Space Studies, Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and author of "Venus Revealed" and "Lonely Planets: The Natural Philosophy of Alien Life". Peter Ward, co-author of "Rare Earth" and "The Life and Death of Planet Earth", is a paleontologist and Professor in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. Questions from the audience will be accepted. The event will be held on Tuesday evening August 26th from 8:00 to 10:00 PM at Rickey's Hyatt in Palo Alto. (4219 El Camino Real, at the intersection with Charleston Rd. & Arastradero Rd.). Ample free parking is available. Seating for 800 available on a 'first-come' basis, no ticket necessary. Contact Linda Jahnke at 650-604-3221 (linda.l.jahnke@nasa.gov) or Sara Acevedo at 650-906-2316 for questions. From bhavner at earthlink.net Thu Aug 21 21:08:40 2003 From: bhavner at earthlink.net (Bob Havner) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] Upcoming Events Message-ID: <000d01c36863$130d5e00$286bf4d1@default> SJAA this weekend. Friday Aug. 22 Houge Park Star Party and Beginner Astronomy Class. The Beginner Astronomy Class starts at 7:30, the topic ?Observing the Summer Milky Way?. Discussion on the size and structure of our galaxy, our place in it, and how to enjoy it, from naked eye to telescopic observing. Bring binoculars if you have them. Mars is high in the sky and observing is at its prime! See our neighbor close up at Houge Park at the Aug. 22nd star party and at a special Mars observing party on Aug. 27th. On the 27th Mars will be closest to Earth and viewing should be great. Evergreen Valley College will be having Mars observing events at their new observatory on Aug 28 & 30 and Sept 4 & 6. Due to limited space they will be requiring reservations for observing times. Please call (408) 223-6784 to reserve a time. For more info on Mars events go to: http://www.whiteoaks.com/jane/Mars/ Bob Havner From koopm at koopm.best.vwh.net Wed Aug 27 15:29:13 2003 From: koopm at koopm.best.vwh.net (Michael Koop) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] Mars Madness Tonight at Houge Park Message-ID: This is just a reminder that we will be hosting a Mars Madness Star Party tonight over at Houge Park. Last Friday, we had over 350 people attend and expect a similar crowd tonight. Please bring your scope if you possibly can. We have taken steps to correct the sprinkler problem. My apologies to those people whose scopes got wet last Friday. I personally have taken responsibility for contacting the Houge Park people and the grounds maintenance personnel of the park about the sprinklers. Today, I have talked to the park representative who assures me that the sprinklers will not turn on tonight. Sometime in the future, I will be meeting with these people to get a kill switch put in so that we never have this problem again. Until we get that kill switch, it would be wise to be prepared. Bring a bucket or towel to place over a sprinkler head, or plastic to quickly throw over a scope. Sunset: 7:44 PM Civil Twilight: 8:11 PM Nautical Twilight: 8:43 PM Astronomical Twilight: 9:16 PM Mars Rises: 8:08 PM Mars Transits: 1:16 PM Clear Skies, Mike Koop President, San Jose Astronomical Association From jvn at svpal.org Thu Aug 28 12:52:46 2003 From: jvn at svpal.org (Jim Van Nuland) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] OT: Glasses, Keys, found at Houge Park Message-ID: <3F4E5D8E.432A@svpal.org> Hi, All, On Friday Aug.22 we found a set of keys on the grass near the tennis courts: an automobile ignition key (make not specified), two house keys, a cylindrical secure-lock key. No identifying marks. On Wednesday Aug.27, a pair of eyeglasses in a hard black case, safety cord, one nose-piece missing. North end of the sidewalk. The keys went to the Houge office. I'll hold the glasses for a day, then reroute to Houge office. -- Jim Van Nuland, San Jose (California) Astronomical Association JVN's web site From valz at earthlink.net Thu Aug 28 16:44:57 2003 From: valz at earthlink.net (Valerie Zeller) Date: Fri Jul 29 03:57:05 2005 Subject: [SJAA-announce] Thanks from a Newcomer Message-ID: <410-220038428234457370@earthlink.net> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.sjaa.net/pipermail/sjaa-announce/attachments/20030828/aa9021da/attachment.html