Search found 396 matches

by Dave Venne
Sun Apr 16, 2023 2:40 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Polar alignment
Replies: 5
Views: 5717

Re: Polar alignment

You can look through the hole the polar scope would go. Center Polaris in that view and the setting circles will be able to get you reasonably close to objects.

If you're not taking long-exposure images you can probably do just fine without a polar scope.
by Dave Venne
Thu Feb 09, 2023 8:09 am
Forum: Forum Help, Comments
Topic: cranky forums this morning
Replies: 4
Views: 5919

cranky forums this morning

Trying to access posts or PMs is generating this error General Error SQL ERROR [ mysqli ] Got error -1 from storage engine [1030] An SQL error occurred while fetching this page. Please contact the Board Administrator if this problem persists. Also, the mail address for the Board Administrator is giv...
by Dave Venne
Mon Jan 30, 2023 2:39 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: RSI Astronomy and Meteorology Software
Replies: 3
Views: 3065

Re: RSI Astronomy and Meteorology Software

Dana,

Hi and thanks for remembering us and our old software! I'll drop you a PM in a moment...

Dave
by Dave Venne
Sat Oct 24, 2020 9:08 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: "Why can't Hubble see the flags on the Moon" - Great answer!
Replies: 3
Views: 802

Re: "Why can't Hubble see the flags on the Moon" - Great answer!

A demonstration I used to do in Intro Astronomy was much like Comparison 3 in this PDF . I would use dots on a whiteboard in a large lecture hall, and move them closer and closer together until only only the front half of the class could see two distinct dots. The ratio of the dot separation to the ...
by Dave Venne
Wed Aug 12, 2020 10:26 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Holy cow! Arecibo just broke!! UPDATE: GAME OVER!
Replies: 42
Views: 7949

Re: Holy cow! Arecibo just broke!!

Here is another image https://twitter.com/swiggumj/status/1293566041478619137/photo/1 Not that the damage is any less significant, but it's worth noting that the point of view can make a big difference in perception. In the comments you'll find a link to a picture of the Gregorian dome showing some ...
by Dave Venne
Fri Mar 20, 2020 10:10 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Upcoming CGO Messier Marathon on 3/27-28
Replies: 20
Views: 3426

Re: Upcoming CGO Messier Marathon on 3/27-28

Allow me to make clear what I meant when I said "having everyone out there observing and reporting at the same time..." That was about observing in their back yards -- not CG -- and reporting by way of the Internet, not face to face. And it's not just the 40+ aged people who have become cr...
by Dave Venne
Thu Mar 19, 2020 11:03 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Upcoming CGO Messier Marathon on 3/27-28
Replies: 20
Views: 3426

Re: Upcoming CGO Messier Marathon on 3/27-28

I wasn't thinking it really needed to be an online event so much as a way for the event to happen without having everybody in the same place. I was thinking about having sheets made up and a timeframe... perhaps longer than one night... to allow people to try to get as many objects as they can. I'm...
by Dave Venne
Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:08 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Upcoming CGO Messier Marathon on 3/27-28
Replies: 20
Views: 3426

Re: Upcoming CGO Messier Marathon on 3/27-28

The simplest thing would be to use an existing platform like Facebook to create an event and have people post to it every time they find a few objects. Yes, some will be disadvantaged by their light pollution situation, some by the trees in their back yard, but who really cares about that given the ...
by Dave Venne
Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:32 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Anyone interested in MM next weekend at CGO?
Replies: 11
Views: 1688

Re: Anyone interested in MM next weekend at CGO?

Why oh why did I even suggest this?? I should have known Minnesota weather doesn't suffer fools like me! :roll:
by Dave Venne
Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:29 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Anyone interested in MM next weekend at CGO?
Replies: 11
Views: 1688

Re: Anyone interested in MM next weekend at CGO?

One small note, not that it improves the idea, but the first quarter moon will already be in the sky at sunset and won't set until around 2:50. So it's going to be there most of the night. :( It will be parked just west of the Beehive and south of Pollux on Friday night so there will be some room be...
by Dave Venne
Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:31 am
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Artificial Moon to be Launched
Replies: 5
Views: 934

Re: Artificial Moon to be Launched

From the Time article: Scientists estimated that it could be eight times more luminous than the actual, original moon. It will also orbit much closer to Earth; about 500 km (310 miles) away, compared to the moon’s 380,000 km (236,000 miles). This is a low orbit with a period of 1h 34m. Much of the n...
by Dave Venne
Fri Aug 24, 2018 10:51 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: Observing sites around Minneapolis
Replies: 9
Views: 1389

Re: Observing sites around Minneapolis

PS - I noticed the data used is from 2006 so the levels have no doubt changed but it can still be used as a good relative reference. There have been other attempts to modernize light pollution maps, like this one from 2015: https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=7&lat=5440018&lon=-1056077...
by Dave Venne
Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:08 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: Observing sites around Minneapolis
Replies: 9
Views: 1389

Re: Observing sites around Minneapolis

Parish, You may find this website useful. It shows where the darker skies are located. Double-click to zoom in. Perhaps you can find a campsite in one of the dark spots. http://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html You may like this version better- http://djlorenz.github.io/astronomy/lp2006/overlay/da...
by Dave Venne
Thu Aug 23, 2018 9:30 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: Observing sites around Minneapolis
Replies: 9
Views: 1389

Re: Observing sites around Minneapolis

Eagan? I'm in NE Burnsville. Take a look at Cherry Grove (probably under an hour's drive from you); it's our darkest club site and it's free access, too. If you just want to set up you don't need training. Since you're willing to drive to darker skies for a camping experience, I'd suggest Lake Shete...
by Dave Venne
Mon May 21, 2018 2:28 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Adjust time in Stellarium
Replies: 3
Views: 636

Re: Adjust time in Stellarium

I'm using 0.18.0 with Win 10 and I see what Trent sees when I use the left-hand menu. The time adjustment is the right hand portion of the display; in trent's image the time is 13:32:27. Use the little up/down triangles above and below the numbers to adjust the hours, minutes, and seconds.
by Dave Venne
Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:52 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Galactic Distance Ladder
Replies: 6
Views: 949

Re: Galactic Distance Ladder

...even though any astronomy that is beyond this solar system is practically useless at this time. Kind of depends on what you mean as useless. It's certainly a boon to local economies where a lot of money is spent and science/engineering/tech jobs are created: https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/n...
by Dave Venne
Thu Dec 07, 2017 3:40 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: December BSIG -- Intro to Astro Imaging - Sat. Dec. 9th - 2:30pm
Replies: 8
Views: 1214

Re: December BSIG -- Intro to Astro Imaging - Sat. Dec. 9th - 2:30pm

Brad, Sorry you can't make it to the talk! Here's what Suresh is talking about in terms of relative sensor size. sensors.jpg The APS-C is quite a bit smaller than a full frame sensor. This is what the moon probably looks like in it with your scope (the orange box is what the camera sees if you're op...
by Dave Venne
Sun Sep 24, 2017 3:15 pm
Forum: Forum Help, Comments
Topic: Attachment problem
Replies: 4
Views: 5661

Re: Attachment problem

clayton wrote: Sun Sep 24, 2017 3:05 pmUpdate Quota.
Is that something you just did? Is that something I have to do as Imaging Forum moderator?
by Dave Venne
Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:21 am
Forum: Forum Help, Comments
Topic: Attachment problem
Replies: 4
Views: 5661

Attachment problem

The forum is no longer allowing images as attachments. Attempts to attach an image generate the error

"Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached."

Could someone look into this?

Thanks,

Dave
by Dave Venne
Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:33 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: CGO 7/14
Replies: 15
Views: 1749

Re: CGO 7/14

7/16: The end of a great weekend! I shot a lot of extra light frames for the Rho Ophiuchi image I started on 7/14, and at the end of the night took a quick shot of the good old Lagoon area. 10 x 4 min, 200mm FL at f5.6, modded Canon T2i. Uncropped, scaled for forum. LagoonFinal_800.jpg LagoonFinal_8...
by Dave Venne
Mon Jul 17, 2017 12:21 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: CGO 7/14
Replies: 15
Views: 1749

Re: CGO 7/14

Another fine night last night (7/16), five people in attendance, four imaging and one working globs. Some lost and FOUND: Two items in the grass just beyond the end of the old BAD runway: A Celestron binocular mount thingy, and a finder scope cap (see picture). Both items are now on the table in the...
by Dave Venne
Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:23 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: CGO 7/14
Replies: 15
Views: 1749

Re: CGO 7/14

Here's the result of that imaging. Would have been better if not for losing 1/3 of my frames because of a guiding issue, and of course that nasty Moonlight. Probably going to try to add some light frames tonight to see if I can do better.

Rho_800.jpg
Rho_800_solved.jpg
by Dave Venne
Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:00 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: CGO 7/14
Replies: 15
Views: 1749

Re: CGO 7/14

Even after looking at the loop, tonight's not iffy enough to pass up. Tomorrow night might have T-storms, but if it doesn't--it could be a weekend double header!
by Dave Venne
Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:23 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: CGO 7/14
Replies: 15
Views: 1749

Re: CGO 7/14

I was thinking the same thing, but dithering between Friday and Saturday night (Saturday's moon is a bit less bright and rises a half hour later). It's probably going to end up being a drive-time decision based on the satellite loop.