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Date: 31 Aug 2007 12:11:02
From: W. Watson
Subject: Amateur Astronomy and Observatories in Alaska?
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I was surprised to find their are no public observatories in Alaska. I found
that info on a web site, and called a science museum in Anchorage to verify
it. None. The U of AK is planning on building one in 2010. There seem to be
no amateur astronomy clubs there. I do know at least one individual who has
an observatory there. This is all a bit surprising.
--
Wayne Watson (Nevada City, CA)
Web Page: <speckledwithStars.net >
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Date: 01 Sep 2007 13:12:47
From: oriel36
Subject: Re: Amateur Astronomy and Observatories in Alaska?
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On Aug 31, 8:11 pm, "W. Watson" <wolf_tra...@invalid.com > wrote:
> I was surprised to find their are no public observatories in Alaska. I found
> that info on a web site, and called a science museum in Anchorage to verify
> it. None. The U of AK is planning on building one in 2010. There seem to be
> no amateur astronomy clubs there. I do know at least one individual who has
> an observatory there. This is all a bit surprising.
> --
> Wayne Watson (Nevada City, CA)
>
> Web Page: <speckledwithStars.net>
I know that you and Dale are quite familiar with computer attacks and
so on -
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.security.virus/msg/52827c5a0645abfb
Can either of you tell me how it is possible to breach the secure
Google accounts,considering that it is attached to Gmail,it is no
small matter.I never sent a posting to that thread after 9th Aug just
as the so-called first 'attack' was occuring so whoever orchestrated
the unauthorised response should have picked a more suitable
participant ,don't you think so ?.
In any case it would be good to hear an expert opinion just as the new
attacks about posts being sent to sci.crypt are being announced
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Date: 01 Sep 2007 01:15:13
From: bu fam bu
Subject: Re: Amateur Astronomy and Observatories in Alaska?
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"W. Watson" wrote:
> I was surprised to find their are no public observatories in Alaska. I found
> that info on a web site, and called a science museum in Anchorage to verify
> it. None. The U of AK is planning on building one in 2010. There seem to be
> no amateur astronomy clubs there.
for the same reason there are no astro clubs on the Moon!
And the UFO's in AK are called Mosquitoes.
> I do know at least one individual who has
> an observatory there. This is all a bit surprising.
> --
> Wayne Watson (Nevada City, CA)
>
> Web Page: <speckledwithStars.net>
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Date: 31 Aug 2007 19:49:20
From: SkySea
Subject: Re: Amateur Astronomy and Observatories in Alaska?
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Having lived in AK, I think I can offer some explanation.
Where I lived (in Fairbanks) the summers were plagued by two things:
mosqitos and sunlight. It never got dark enough between about oh....
early May to late August to see much in the way of stars, let alone
fuzzies. Then with September come the first clouds and snows. In April
everything is mud and slush. Not much fun.
The two plagues in winter were cold (duh) and the aurora. Even if the
aurora wasn't doing something dazzling, there was generally a
noticable glow in the sky that washed out quite a bit. Then there was
ice fog that also obliterated the viewing.
Not that this was every night. I had use of a C8 and would observe for
an hour or two at a time before I started getting cold at about -20°F.
Fortunately, extreme cold (-30 and lower) was very rare, and all of it
was accompanied by very, very still air. So insulation was pretty
effective. But the eyepieces were sonofabitch cold, and frequently
fogged up when you got too close.
Planets were visible, but of course in the winter. At latitude 62°,
that meant the ecliptic was pretty darned low in the south. Not very
good for seeing, and they weren't up very long.
Through it all, I was able to view Comet Halley, and a very kind
gentleman even agreed to host a star party at his house where he had a
10" dob. I have no recollection of how I made contact with him.
So, astronomy wasn't consistent enough to be much fun. It was a
novelty, but interests up there were more towards the practical, or
getting the heck out of AK ("Sourdough: sour on AK, and not enough
dough to leave"). The skywatching that was done was mostly the aurora
and the occasional barium rocket (I managed to see one totally by
accident).
Most folk were either city (such as it was) slickers watching TV in
the warmth of their houses, or they were outdoorsy types gathered
around campfires and downing beer. The university provided the
cross-country skiers and trails: the high-brow outdoorsers.
So not a whole lot of interest in practical astronomy. It was there,
but people are scattered around far enough that gathering is kind of
tedious and now with the Internet, perhaps pointless.
Now Anchorage, well... it's warmer, but it has more city light.
Besides it's not considered AK. It was thought of as the "closest city
to AK".
>"W. Watson" <wolf_tracks@invalid.com> wrote:
>I was surprised to find their are no public observatories in Alaska. I found
>that info on a web site, and called a science museum in Anchorage to verify
>it. None. The U of AK is planning on building one in 2010. There seem to be
>no amateur astronomy clubs there. I do know at least one individual who has
>an observatory there. This is all a bit surprising.
=============
- Dale Gombert (SkySea at aol.com)
122.38W, 47.58N, W. Seattle, WA
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