Vol. 27 No. 10 July 1998 http://physics.weber.edu/oas/oas.html
The July Meeting of the Ogden Astronomical Society will be held this Thursday July 9, 1998. Members will convene in the Ott Planetarium on the Weber State University campus at 7:30 p.m. Among the topics planned this month, details of the upcoming Monte Cristo camp out and star party will be finalized.
MONTE CRISTO 1998
The first of two high altitude camp out star parties in the Cache-Wasatch National Forest at Monte Cristo is set for the weekend of July 17, 1998. Monte Cristo is at 9000 feet elevation. Policies observed in years past are in effect again this year.
The OAS has permission from the U.S. Forest Service for limited vehicular access to the meadow, south east of the camp ground. It is intended that cars or trucks in the meadow are for loading and unloading of equipment or can park there for the use of batteries and electronics on the vehicles needed to operate telescope equipment. The Forest Service asks that camping be contained within the camp ground.
Pot Luck suppers will be enjoyed by members, their families and friends on Friday and Saturday nights. Weather predictions for the weekend look good so far. There will be a third quarter moon so we will have dark skies until early morning hours. Daytime Tea Party discussions are planned.
The August Monte Cristo event is set for August 21, 1998. More on this star party in next month's Star Diagonal.
JULY AND ANTELOPE ISLAND
The next in our series of public star parties on Antelope Island is scheduled for Saturday July 25, 1998. OAS members vehicles (and occupants) are admitted to the island free. Club shirts and caps are easy to spot from the ranger's booth or you might check with Steve Peterson about a window pass if you haven't already received one.
The usual slide presentation by Dr. John Sohl is planned at dusk. There will be a 2 ½ day moon that Saturday so it will prove an interesting challenge to locate the early crescent. Arrive early for Solar observing.
NOMINATIONS AND CLUB ELECTIONS FOR 1998-99
There are only two months left in this OAS Fiscal year. September 10 is the date for another Annual Meeting and election of officers. In July, club President Steve Peterson will ask the assistance of three club members to serve as this year's Nominating Committee. That committee will be contacting OAS members in-good-standing who might be willing to accept nomination as a club officer for 1998-1999.
Good ideas for meetings, activities, field trips, star parties, club projects and the myriad of other things imaginative members can offer are what officers can provide the membership. Every OAS member is needed. Consider the possibility of serving for a year as a member of the Executive Committee. Contact Steve or one of the Nominating Committee members and make yourself available for nomination. You will find it a worth while and fulfilling challenge.
MINUTES
OGDEN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
June 11, 1998
The Ogden Astronomical Society convened in the Ott Planetarium at 7:30 p.m.
John Sohl requested help with a star party for Primary Children's Hospital on June 16. John would also like to locate a 16 to 18 inch Dob. For the Ott.
Steve described an idea for dividing up sky objects for more organized viewing at the Antelope events.
Karen and Deloy Pierce departed for Grand Canyon
Ron Vanderhule described his acquisitions from RTMC this year and displayed a unique new 8-inch.
Dale Hooper described his excitement over his new Meade LX200, 10-inch.
Jim Seargeant also described activities at RTMC and his new ST-7 CCD and AO7 systems.
Cliff Peterson described the wet events surrounding the Willard Elementary school star party.
Meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Bob Tillotson, Secretary
NEW ACQUISITION FOR THE OAS MAKES A PROJECT FOR MEMBERS
The Ogden Astronomical Society has received the generous donation of a fork mounted equatorial 8-inch Newtonian telescope. Mr. John R. Drake, from Salt Lake City, built the telescope in the 1970's. His interest in astronomy has waned over the years and rather than let the telescope waste away, he thought of donating it to someone or some group who would use it.
Mr. Drake is an engineer and you can tell that by the design
of this instrument. This telescope was constructed before the days of the simplified
Dobsonian mount. A clock drive on an equatorial tracking mount was the big thing in those
days.
Mr. Drake contacted the Hansen Planetarium, who then
contacted Bob Tillotson, who then contacted OAS Club President, Steve Peterson. Steve made
arrangements to visit with John Drake and retrieve the telescope. The telescope is now at
Steve's house, where the photographs here were taken.
Steve says the mount seems to work OK but when the clock
drive motor is switched on there seems to be a vibration that blurs the image. It is
likely that several other changes to the system might make it more user friendly so it
could be a fun project for OAS members.
It is intended that once the 'scope is rendered operational,
in its present configuration or in some other, it will be available, on a loan basis, to
OAS members for use at star parties and for personal use. More discussion on this recent
acquisition is expected at the July 9 meeting.
TELESCOPE SPECIFICATIONS
This instrument is a 8-inch Newtonian style telescope, f/7.3. The optics are mounted inside an aluminum tube on an all aluminum fork style mount attached to a roller assembly. The mount is clock driven but according the Steve, there is an excessive amount of vibration when the drive is running. Decisions will have to be make on correcting the vibration or "dismounting" it all together. The eyepieces that came with the 'scope are not the best. Members will probably choose to use their own when using the instrument.
Bob T.
All photographs in this article are by OAS member Bruce Fischer.
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