Mount Wilson Observatory web site

Mike Simmons wrote, in part:


Though it's still somewhat of a work in progress I'd like to announce a
new web site for Mount Wilson Observatory for those on s.a.a. that might
be interested. The old one was, quite frankly, an embarrassment to all
of us. The new one is easier to read and follow and has current
information.


Thanks for the link.

As an aside, I've always wondered about the NELM at some of the major
observatory sites. Do you have an approximation of it at Mt. Wilson?


Martin

Great site, Mike. Works & looks just fine with Microsoft IE
6.0.2800.1106.xpsp2; 128 bit; and a slug of updates.

Phillip Coker

"Mike Simmons" wrote in message
...
Though it's still somewhat of a work in progress I'd like to announce a
new web site for Mount Wilson Observatory for those on s.a.a. that might
be interested. The old one was, quite frankly, an embarrassment to all
of us. The new one is easier to read and follow and has current
information.

http://www.mtwilson.edu

Very nice. Just one question: Will the PostScript Star Map generator ever
be returning? You know, the one that used to be at
http://www.mtwilson.edu/Services/StarMap/? That was a great service, and I
still haven't found a comperable web based solution.

-- Zan

Starstuffed wrote:

As an aside, I've always wondered about the NELM at some of the major
observatory sites. Do you have an approximation of it at Mt. Wilson?

Martin

Hi Martin,

I don't know the NELM (and I haven't really tried to estimate it myself)
but there is some published data on sky brightness in magnitudes per
square arcsecond at various wavelengths:

B 19.9
V 18.8
R 18.5
I 18.8

Maybe someone here can convert that to NELM. This is quite bright
compared to dark observatory locations. The paper this data comes from
also gives measurements for darker sites including Calar Alto, Cerro
Tololo, Mauna Kea, Kitt Peak and Mount Hopkins. On the average Mount
Wilson is 2.5 magnitudes brighter in the V band than the mean of the
other locations. Bummer. The seeing, however, is Mount Wilson's claim
to fame.

The paper quoted above is Teare, SW, 2000, The Observatory, 120, 313.

Mike Simmons

Thanks, Phillip, for the compliment and the browser data point.

Mike Simmons

Phillip Coker wrote:

Great site, Mike. Works & looks just fine with Microsoft IE
6.0.2800.1106.xpsp2; 128 bit; and a slug of updates.

Phillip Coker

Zan Hecht wrote:

Very nice. Just one question: Will the PostScript Star Map generator ever
be returning? You know, the one that used to be at
http://www.mtwilson.edu/Services/StarMap/? That was a great service, and I
still haven't found a comperable web based solution.

-- Zan

Thanks, Zan. Ah, I knew some would ask that. There are no plans to
resurrect it at this point. It needs a rewrite to get it working on the
newer web server (I don't remember from what to what, though). It's on
the wish list but I'm afraid there are a number of necessary (and
simpler) additions above it. But knowing it's still useful and
requested after all this time could encourage us to get it back online
sooner.

Mike Simmons

Hi Mike,

Someone else reported having problems with formatting with
NS 4.76 and an even newer one. I'd appreciate reports from others
(off-line to the above address is probably best) on whether or not their
browsers are finding and using the cascading style sheets (which should
make all backgrounds grey and all the fonts the same). I use Opera and
it doesn't quite look the same as in IE.

Try to stay close to the HTML standard; this should eliminate most of
the problems (and the browsers that cannot correctly display valid HTML
are usually not worth worrying about :-)
You can have your page tested he
http://www.htmlhelp.org/tools/validator/
http://validator.w3.org/

Greetings,

Jan

There's nothing in these pages that current browsers should have trouble
with but some people use such outdated software there's not much to do
about them. I like to accommodate all browsers by staying within the
HTML standards, as you suggest. We even considered not using some
simple Java for those that can't handle it and keeping the resolution
down for those on old boxes but in the end decided not to limit the site
that much just to accommodate the small minority that's so far behind
the current technology.

Thanks for the links for testing the pages! I hadn't seen that before
but they should be very handy.

Mike Simmons

Jan Harnisch wrote:

Hi Mike,

Someone else reported having problems with formatting with
NS 4.76 and an even newer one. I'd appreciate reports from others
(off-line to the above address is probably best) on whether or not their
browsers are finding and using the cascading style sheets (which should
make all backgrounds grey and all the fonts the same). I use Opera and
it doesn't quite look the same as in IE.

Try to stay close to the HTML standard; this should eliminate most of
the problems (and the browsers that cannot correctly display valid HTML
are usually not worth worrying about :-)
You can have your page tested he
http://www.htmlhelp.org/tools/validator/
http://validator.w3.org/

Greetings,

Jan

John Oliver wrote:

I notice that although there is a Concam located at Mt. Wilson its
presence is unmentioned on the site.

It's on the Links and Contact Info page. Scroll down to the Weather
links and it's under Cameras on Mount Wilson.

Mike Simmons

John Steinberg wrote:

A smaller group is really a lot better than having a crowd of 25. You
can either get to more objects or spend more time at each one. The
latter is much better. With a long line that takes an hour to go
through, even when you're just taking a quick look you can't be
comfortable taking your time.

Yes, makes sense. C'mon, people, we're not talking about Mr. Wilson, of
Dennis the Menace fame, here, we're talking about Mt. Wilson!

I forgot to mention that the December/January time frame you mentioned
carries with it a higher chance of clouds than other seasons. Winter is
our rainy season. Less stable air, too, as weather changes more
rapidly. October is much more likely to be good if that's a
possibility.

Named after...um, a tennis ball?

It actually *was* named after Mr. Wilson. Not the one in Dennis the
Menace, however.

At least people wouldn't think you're the real Alvin Clark. Or Alvin
Chipmunk.

Alvin Chipmunk is dead!?

uncontrollable sobbing, keening, wailing

So much wailing for a rodent with an attitude! No, I don't think he's
dead (though I haven't been following his career lately). I just
figured people could tell me from a chipmunk. Perhaps that was a poor
assumption.

But now that I have your attention, would an 8" Dob be useful/practical

Are you kidding? You're talking about a country where there are
thousands -- perhaps millions -- of enthusiasts (2/3 of the country's 65
million inhabitants is under age 30 and amateur astronomy is huge with
the younger people) and there are fewer than 30 telescopes as large as
8" in private amateur hands.

I'm going in May and June for our Venus transit tour and other
activities. Maybe you'd like to come along and deliver it yourself? I
can offer you much more than your allotted 15 minutes of fame for such
an act of kindness.

Mike Simmons
Venus Transit Tour to Iran
http://www.vtransit.com