Vol. 28 No. 10 July 1999 http://physics.weber.edu/oas/oas.html
No OAS Meeting at
Weber State University in July
Because of the two scheduled overnight camping star parties in July and August, there will not be a Regular OAS meeting at Weber State University for those two months. The next regularly scheduled meeting to be held in the Ott Planetarium will be on the second Thursday in September.
Members are encouraged to bring their families and their camping gear to the Monte Cristo camp ground at the 9000 foot level in the Wasatch Cache National Forest east of Ogden for a super event.
For members not familiar with these annual star parties, see the column on the Monte event in this issue of The Star Diagonal or contact a member of your Executive Committee for more details.
President, Ron Vanderhule 544-9458
Vice Pres. Dave Dunn 544-7705
Secretary Bob Tillotson 773-8106
Treasurer Doug Say 731-7324
The President's Parsec
Greetings Earthlings,
Well, summertime just might show up this year and I'm already hyped up about the club's Monte Cristo event and seeing all those faint fuzzies in the sky...the mosquitoes are just part of the experience.
Of all the dark sites I've haunted these last four years, Monte has a special place in my heart. It was there I received my baptism into the real "night" life. It was a thrill being under a starry canopy of that magnitude and to have the opportunity to peer even deeper into it's vast mysterious beauty through an array of optical instruments set up by a bunch of strangers from Ogden. I knew at that moment my summers of playing on softball teams was a thing of the past. I had more urgent things to do with those nights. I believed this gospel must be spread.
Another aspect of Monte Cristo that is unique is the earthly vistas juxtaposed against the emerging stellar parade. Relive a moment with me:
You're on a mountain 9200 ft high. As far as the eye can see in one direction are gently rolling high plains, a glance to your right reveals rows of pine covered mountains with a light mist in the valleys between. As twilight lingers for it's last few moments you watch the galactic core and Sagittarius emerge over the still snow covered peaks of the Uintahs. A glance back to the left reveals Cassiopeia and Andromeda hovering over Wyoming. Leo is diving behind a wall of trees behind you and the Vegans of the Lyra system still beckon overhead. You look at the earth again, you look at the sky, the earth, the sky... a sinking hollow feeling materializes in the pit of your stomach as you contemplate what an insignificant speck of debris you are compared to the splendor floating above. Your eyes roll back in your head, you fall to the ground, your body starts twitching as it starts to assume a fetal position....but the six year old throwing rocks down the open end of your scope jerks you back to reality at warp speed. "Get a grip" you mutter to yourself. "There's a star party tonight". Your results may vary when viewing this spectacle but exercise caution none the less.
The "tea parties" during the day are a unique activity. Here you have a dozen or so adults jockeying their aluminum chairs around on rocky ground as they try to keep some part of their body in the shade of a canopy that is about the size of a opened Sky & Telescope magazine. All the while a dead serious discussion on gravity waves, event horizons and black body radiation is being carried on. Monty Python would have fun with that scenario. I remember last year in one of these discussions we figured out the" meaning of it all" but decided it would do no one any good because it wouldn't fit on the back of a tee shirt.
All seriousness aside, the club's annual Monte Cristo outings are first magnitude. Beautiful night skies, pristine mountain environment and lots of like minded folks to chat with. It only takes one hour from the mouth of Ogden or Weber canyon to get to the campground (unless your riding with Doug on his Moped) See ya there. Oh yes, then there is the food.
the Prez
Antelope Island In July
This month's Antelope Island public star party is scheduled for Saturday July 10. Members are urged to arrive well before dark in order to secure a comfortable viewing area before the crowds arrive.
Dr. John Sohl will be back this month to conduct the evening's slide show tour of the
universe.
First, of Two, Monte Cristo Over-night Star Parties is Set For July 16
The weekend of Friday July 16, 1999 will be the first of the two scheduled high altitude over night star party events for this year. Those members familiar with these events know, however, that if you want a choice camping spot, get to the campground early. Many like to arrive Thursday. Loop "E" is the place to be; close to the meadow, close to the group and close to the food. After entering the campground from the highway, loop "E" is the first left. Don't let the screwy sign fool you.
To get to the Monte Cristo campground, go up Highway 39 past Pine View Dam and follow 39 as if going to Woodruff. Near the crest of the mountain, about 38 miles from the mouth of Ogden Canyon, you will see the entrance to the campground on the south side of the highway.
Pick a camp site and join the fun. If you have questions, call one of the Exec. Members, (phone numbers posted above). Remember, camping is allowed in the campground. The meadow is only available to vehicles moving telescopic equipment. This is our agreement with the U.S. Forest Service.
The August Monte Cristo star party is scheduled for the weekend of August 13th.
More on this in the next Star Diagonal.
Antelope Island in June
On Saturday evening June 19, OAS members gathered for the next in the series of public star parties at Antelope Island State Park. Temperatures were perfect and there were very few bugs. Thought there were about ten telescopes, there were fewer than fifty people that came to view. One of the smallest crowds we have seen.
Skies presented challenges too due to some high cloudiness. Nonetheless and in spite of some technical glitches for the slide show, the event was successful and members had a fine time. The OAS thanks Mr. Seth Jarvis from the Salt Lake based Clark Foundation for taking time from a busy schedule to offer the slide presentation that evening.
East Canyon State Park
Star Party Drew an Enthusiastic Crowd
OAS members assembled their telescopes near the lake shore of East Canyon reservoir on Saturday evening June 26. This star party was requested by the Park Service and it is estimated that more than sixty campers and visitors were entertained by the member's telescopes and their descriptions of the sky.
With the Moon close to Full, most deep sky objects were out of the question. "I mainly stayed with double stars and other bright things" said Dave Dunn, club V.P. "I was able to see M57 with an Ultra Block filter. The Moon was so bright that the street lights didn't bother me".
Ranger Tim Clinton commented that "Quite a few people in attendance weren't camping in the park but had come for the star party". He added that he had noticed other people trickling in until about midnight to view through the telescopes.
Interest in astronomy reaches everyone and the wonder of the science and the mysteries one can ponder when realizing what begins just over our heads can send chills. OAS member Jim Seargeant provided the following narrative to The Star Diagonal:
"East Canyon brought me one of the most memorable events ever for a star party. One of the several families touring the telescope field included a
young boy in a wheelchair. He was looking wistfully at the telescopes far above him and we tried to get the chair close enough to the Astroscan on its short tripod but it was still too high.
I picked the Astroscan up, put it in his lap, and showed him where to look. Ann crouched beside the wheelchair and used the Rigel finder to put the scope on the moon. After a bit of searching, the boy suddenly gasped. exclaimed "Cool!", and looked up at us with a really beautiful smile. That's one of the reasons why we do star parties".
Golden Spike State Park Offers
Free camping if OAS Picks a Date
Club president Ron Vanderhule has been in contact with the park ranger at the Golden Spike State Park and has been offered an interesting compromise.
Sometime in September the ranger is willing to extend free camping privileges to OAS
members who will bring their telescope up for a public star party. Ron has agreed to go
and is soliciting other interested OAS members to participate. Check with Ron for details.
Minutes
Ogden Astronomical Society
June 10, 1999
The regular June meeting of the Ogden Astronomical Society was called to order by club president Ron Vanderhule at 7:35 p.m.
A recent new member to the OAS, Jim Marsh, had submitted to Ron some very encouraging comments about the club, its members and what the club does. Having experienced many years of astronomy in amateur and professional capacities, Jim complimented OAS members on the friendliness and their association with the public.
A potential exists for a star party at Golden Spike National Monument. Ron is seeking details from the ranger.
The next scheduled star parties are, Antelope Island on the 19th and East Canyon State Park on June 26th. The club will accept a $100.00 fee for the East Canyon event so members are encouraged to attend.
John Sohl discussed his recent sighting of the Project Starshine satellite. It is extremely faint, flashing at about mag. 5 or 6. John also updated the members on the progress of the WSU Observatory. The concrete building is en route for assembly. The observatory will eventually house a 16 inch telescope.
Dr. Bradley Carroll was introduced as the evening's main speaker. Dr. Carroll's credentials in astronomy are superb. Dr. Carroll's topic was "Magnitars". These are exotic forms of Black Holes and possess the largest magnetic fields known in the universe.
The meeting adjourned to informal discussions at 9:20 p.m.
Bob Tillotson, Secretary
All photographs in this issue are by Dave Dunn