Ground Temperature / Distortion Question

The past weekend we were in the San Diego deserts and camped at a place
called Agua Caliente. It has natural hot springs in an area of about 10
acres or so. The temperature in the area is 10F warmer than the surroundning
areas. The images in the scope were very distorted by what looked like heat
waves.

My question is, could the distortion have been caused by viewing from this
'warmer' area?

Thanks,
Marc

BINGO, and YES, I am a sidewalk Astronomer and as such, I deal with the Streets
giving off heat. During the winter it's not so bad, but summer time with 100+ in
the high mojave desert, when an object is under the 45deg mark, the heat does
them in, and I have to point that out to anyone stopping to look. But an area
that big, it would be better to be outside of the area by at lest a mile or
more.



--
"In this universe the night was falling,the shadows were lengthening
towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning
lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day go
again."

Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars

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"newb" wrote in message news:_70Ib.93445$pY.33684@fed1read04...
The past weekend we were in the San Diego deserts and camped at a place
called Agua Caliente. It has natural hot springs in an area of about 10
acres or so. The temperature in the area is 10F warmer than the surroundning
areas. The images in the scope were very distorted by what looked like heat
waves.

My question is, could the distortion have been caused by viewing from this
'warmer' area?

Thanks,
Marc




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Thanks,
it didn't occur to me that the temperature difference was the cause until we
stopped a mile down the road at the Vellicito camp that boasts being 10F
cooler the Agua Caliente camp. We then headed to our favorite backcountry
camping site in the Wiley Well district where the skies were truely
wonderful to us. Plenty of ooohs and aaahs from the kids and wife. We can
all name and locate a few stars and constellations now. Saturn is what did
the trick for my little one. Actually seeing the rings brought amazment to
her face. Only trick with clear skies is finding things in the mass of stars
out there.




"Starlord" wrote in message
...
BINGO, and YES, I am a sidewalk Astronomer and as such, I deal with the
Streets
giving off heat. During the winter it's not so bad, but summer time with
100+ in
the high mojave desert, when an object is under the 45deg mark, the heat
does
them in, and I have to point that out to anyone stopping to look. But an
area
that big, it would be better to be outside of the area by at lest a mile
or
more.



--
"In this universe the night was falling,the shadows were lengthening
towards an east that would not know another dawn.
But elsewhere the stars were still young and the light of morning
lingered: and along the path he once had followed, man would one day go
again."

Arthur C. Clarke, The City & The Stars

SIAR
www.starlords.org
Freelance Writers Shop
http://www.freelancewrittersshop.netfirms.com
Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Ad World
http://adworld.netfirms.com

"newb" wrote in message
news:_70Ib.93445$pY.33684@fed1read04...
The past weekend we were in the San Diego deserts and camped at a place
called Agua Caliente. It has natural hot springs in an area of about 10
acres or so. The temperature in the area is 10F warmer than the
surroundning
areas. The images in the scope were very distorted by what looked like
heat
waves.

My question is, could the distortion have been caused by viewing from
this
'warmer' area?

Thanks,
Marc




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.554 / Virus Database: 346 - Release Date: 12/20/03

The long-winded answer is "yes."

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
************************************************** **********

"newb" wrote in message
news:_70Ib.93445$pY.33684@fed1read04...
The past weekend we were in the San Diego deserts and camped at a place
called Agua Caliente. It has natural hot springs in an area of about 10
acres or so. The temperature in the area is 10F warmer than the
surroundning
areas. The images in the scope were very distorted by what looked like
heat
waves.

My question is, could the distortion have been caused by viewing from this
'warmer' area?

Thanks,
Marc