News article on proposed amateur observatory

The Adirondack Public Observatory in upstate New York.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060129/...adirondack_sky

Mike Simmons

On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 12:48:43 -0800, Mike Simmons
wrote:

The Adirondack Public Observatory in upstate New York.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060129/...adirondack_sky

Mike Simmons

"Subzero winter nights are particularly good, with low humidity and
clear, magnified skies, amateur astronomer Mark Staves said. That's
when he likes to take his telescope outside in Tupper Lake."

Magnified skies?
-Rich

"Mike Simmons" wrote

The Adirondack Public Observatory in upstate New York.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060129/...adirondack_sky

Thanks, Mike. I didn't know that Tupper Lake was a place so special where
one can "actually see the Milky Way," Saturn's rings in color, and highly
detailed views of the moon. ;-)

Tupper Lake was where I caught my first fish - age 7 - at the Blue Jay
Lodge.

"Stan Jensen" wrote

But at least they are getting some good press. And that gets the word
out about how great this hobby is.

Yes, I agree with you. Most people won't be paying as close attention to
those little details as we might.

On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 16:19:46 -0500, Rich wrote, in part:
On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 12:48:43 -0800, Mike Simmons
wrote:

The Adirondack Public Observatory in upstate New York.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060129/...adirondack_sky

Mike Simmons

"Subzero winter nights are particularly good, with low humidity and
clear, magnified skies, amateur astronomer Mark Staves said. That's
when he likes to take his telescope outside in Tupper Lake."

Magnified skies?

Well, the Earth is round, and so is its atmosphere. So you could say
that it slightly magnifies the starry sky...

But I agree that this seems odd. A typo for "magnificent" got mangled by
the spellchecker?

John Savard
http://www.quadibloc.com/index.html
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John Savard wrote:

On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 16:19:46 -0500, Rich wrote, in part:
On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 12:48:43 -0800, Mike Simmons
wrote:

The Adirondack Public Observatory in upstate New York.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060129/...adirondack_sky

"Subzero winter nights are particularly good, with low humidity and
clear, magnified skies, amateur astronomer Mark Staves said. That's
when he likes to take his telescope outside in Tupper Lake."

Magnified skies?

Well, the Earth is round, and so is its atmosphere. So you could say
that it slightly magnifies the starry sky...

But I agree that this seems odd. A typo for "magnificent" got mangled by
the spellchecker?

My initial guess was a garbled transmission of "Nth magnitude".

--
Odysseus

On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 14:49:40 -0700, Howard Lester wrote:

"Mike Simmons" wrote

The Adirondack Public Observatory in upstate New York.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060129/...adirondack_sky

Thanks, Mike. I didn't know that Tupper Lake was a place so special where
one can "actually see the Milky Way," Saturn's rings in color, and highly
detailed views of the moon. ;-)

Tupper Lake was where I caught my first fish - age 7 - at the Blue Jay
Lodge.

You should have looked up. Where else could you see Saturn's rings in
color? ;-)

I've yet to see an astronomy story come out without errors, either by the
interviewer or the interviewee. It wasn't bad, considering, and it's good
to see the idea of a dark sky being good get some press.

Is the fish mounted and on your wall?

Mike Simmons

"Mike Simmons" wrote

Is the fish mounted and on your wall?

No, it only got as far as my stomach.

Originally Posted by Mike Simmons

The Adirondack Public Observatory in upstate New York.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060129/...adirondack_sky

Mike Simmons

I admire the energy and money expended on these major observatory projects but you rarely hear of any 'useful observations' coming out of them..... or have I got it wrong?

Nytecam

On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 16:19:36 +0000, nytecam
wrote:

I admire the energy and money expended on these major observatory
projects but you rarely hear of any 'useful observations' coming out of
them..... or have I got it wrong?

This is a public observatory, intended to provide people with an
opportunity to participate in astronomy, mostly visually. Every
observation made that brings pleasure to the viewer is useful. Every
person who goes back to the city with an appreciation of the value of
dark skies is valuable.

Public observatories aren't generally intended to be useful in the sense
of advancing science, it that's what you mean.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com