Hello and welcome to the North Star Astronomical Society group!
We can share photos here and information and chat.
Enjoy.

Moderator,
Patrick Stonehouse

Hope more people show up on line and join our group as the meeting
tonight needs many many more members to be productive.

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
northstarastronomical group:

Is meeting on line during the cold
winter months preferable to meeting at a
physical meeting site?

   o yes
   o no
   o sometimes


To vote, please visit the following web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northstarastronomical/surveys?id=996029

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

Yes discoverer98, meeting on line spares this member a sometimes
treacherous drive over snowy roads.  Could we have more meetings this
way?  An on line meeting would be so much easier, it seems like a
weekly meets would be possible.  By the way, I responded to the poll,
hope to see everyone at the next on-line meeting.

Best regards,

Steve

We again will be meeting at the Elkwood campground recreation building
at 7PM on July 7th.
We will be kicking off the 4 day long Sirius Star Gazing party at that
time discussing the party and presentations.
Also I will be reviewing the 12-36 Zoom 70mm Barska binoculars.
Hope to have president of the Sirius Stargazers club Jeff Driscoll in
attendance to speak on the party and the big telescopes his club will
be using there. Lets hope for clear skies those days!
Patrick

A great time was had by all. Heather and Chris showed off the go to
abilities of their new Meade scope and Jan Messerchmidt learned many
constellations and deep sky objects and Jeff Driscoll learned how to
use his new DSI Imager and Dr. Kropf showed many objects in his short
tube and PJ Amway showed us many double stars while Mr. Blascha showed
us many deep sky objects and Mr. Stonehouse lit up the sky with his
green laser pointing out many celestial objects.

Hi,
We will be discussing the recent discovery of a 10th planet in our
solar system and the supernova in M51 and planning a star party for
the night of the Persied meteor shower.
Patrick

Hi,
   We will meet the first thursday of the month as usual at the Elkwood
Campground near Wolverine at 7PM.
  We will be discussing future star parties and good sites to observe from,
I will review the new Meade RCX-400 12" scope.
Discuss the Persieds and plan for Mars observing in October.
Patrick

Hello to all,
             I just signed up to this group and would like more info
about the group as I have a cottage in the Gaylord area and am
currently using a Meade 10" LX200GPS ( UHTC ).I would like to know
where you meet for viewing,dates,time,meeting locations, etc.THANKYOU
IN ADVANCE!!
                                   CLEAR SKIES!!
                                      "RICH"

Hi Rich,
   You can go to this site
  http://www.elkwoodcamp.com/contact.html
to get directions to our meeting place at Elkwood campgrounds  about 6
miles SE of Wolverine.
We meet the first thursday of the month every month so hope to see
you at the meeting on the 1st next week
we have a small group that enjoy visual observing with a wide range of
telscopes.
Experienced observers like you would be a most welcome additon to our
club.
Patrick









--- In northstarastronomical@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Kenneth Payne"
<rkpayne59@y...> wrote:
> Hello to all,
>             I just signed up to this group and would like more info
> about the group as I have a cottage in the Gaylord area and am
> currently using a Meade 10" LX200GPS ( UHTC ).I would like to know
> where you meet for viewing,dates,time,meeting locations, etc.THANKYOU
> IN ADVANCE!!
>                                   CLEAR SKIES!!
>                                      "RICH"

"Patrick" and group, Thankyou for the warm welcome! I'm looking forward
to joining the group for some viewing time when I get the chance.
                                            CLEAR SKIES!!
                                               "RICH"

Jim and Galen stopped by my observatory thursday after the meeting and
we looked at Venus and Jupiter and some star clusters through galen's
new scope and observed a bit through the Meade 12" RCX4000
Patrick
--- In northstarastronomical@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Kenneth Payne"
<rkpayne59@y...> wrote:
> "Patrick" and group, Thankyou for the warm welcome! I'm looking forward
> to joining the group for some viewing time when I get the chance.
>                                            CLEAR SKIES!!
>                                               "RICH"

"PATRICK" , WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE MEADE 12" RCX-4000 ? GIVE US
THE DETAILS IF YOU WOULD,WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU ( FIRST HAND )
THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND HOW IT PERFORMED FOR YOU .

                                                    CLEAR SKIES !!
                                                       "RICH"

Hi Rich,
   The RCX400 has many nice functions you can read
about in their ads but as of right now I get much
better quality images using my little LXD55 10". Still
learning about the scope though.

Truth and beauty can be found by all who search the Heavens above.
Regards,
Patrick Stonehouse




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"PATRICK",
          I HAVE READ AND HEARD GREAT THINGS ABOUT YOUR NEW SCOPE,HAVE
NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO CHECK ONE OUT YET.I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW IT WAS
WORKING OUT FOR YOU SO FAR.MY OPINION : WITH ANY NEW SCOPE OF THIS
CALIBER I THINK THERE WILL BE A DEFINITE LEARNING CURVE TO GO THRU AND
I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE FUN OF IT ALL.I"M SURE YOU WILL DO JUST
FINE WITH IT. BEST OF LUCK WITH YOUR NEW SCOPE AND KEEP ME ( US ) UP TO
DATE ON HOW IT'S GOING.

                                               CLEAR SKIES!!
                                                  "RICH"

Hi,
   Last night I imaged 21 objects stacking several
exposures on each without leaving my chair so Goto and
tracking both function very well.
problem is in the 3 motors that do the collimation. So
not getting very good images. Here is M57 which was my
first image taken through the scope.

Truth and beauty can be found by all who search the Heavens above.
Regards,
Patrick Stonehouse




______________________________________________________
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http://store.yahoo.com/redcross-donate3/

Subject: e-tracking through yahoo groups

A helpful hint

Please read on. I disabled the "Web Beacon" from my work computer
today. I
will do the same on my home PC tonight.


If you belong to any yahoo Groups this is important...
Sharing a tidbit of information:
Yahoo is now using something called "Web Beacons" to track Yahoo
Group users around the net and see what you're doing and where you
are going similar to cookies. Yahoo is recording every website and
every group you visit. Take a look at their updated privacy
statement:

1. http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy
2. About half-way down the page, in the section on cookies, you
will see a link that says web beacons.
Click on the phrase web beacons.
3. That will bring you to a paragraph entitled "Outside the Yahoo
Network." In this section you'll see a little "click here to opt
out" link that will let you "opt-out" of their new method of
snooping.
4. Once you have clicked that link, you are exempted.
Notice the "Success" message on the top of the next page. Be
careful because on that page there is a "Cancel Opt-out" button
that, if clicked, will *un do* the opt-out.

Feel free to forward this to other groups.

Excellent colored aurora tonight extending past the zenith
Patrick

Concentrated within 20 degrees of the Northern horizon is a greenish
purple aurora tonight very bright. Otherwise a grand night for
observing deep sky objects like NGC 7814

Hi,
   Even on these partly cloudy nights mars can be seen through high
clouds and sometimes the clouds filter the light from Mars so you can
see more detail in your telescope eyepiece than you can see on a very
clear night.
Many details are seen now as Mars draws closer to earth each night.
Our group will just be meeting on here on line through the winter
until the spring.
Patrick

Hi Mark,
   I think your wife mentioned that you were closing
the store in October for the winter so we would nt be
able to meet there. We usually do not very good
attendance anyway in the winter and just meet or leave
messages on line at the NSAS yahoo group.
Dr. Kropf is updtaing our web site now.
You should be able to see mars and the moon pretty
well in that little club scope .
Hope we can meet back at your place again in the
spring when you open the store back up.


Truth and beauty can be found by all who search the Heavens above.
Regards,
Patrick Stonehouse



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http://farechase.yahoo.com

Tonight Mars will be closer than it will be again for another 13 years.
I observed Mars under poor seeing conditions this morning and saw many
details on the Martian surface.
If anyone gets a good image of Mars send it to me and I will add it to
the Photos section.
Patrick

Hi,
  This Wednesday December 21 2005 is the Winter Solstice and will be
celebrated at the Raven Hill Science Center. At 4PM observers will
leave the Center and snowshoe over to the stonehenge project to
observe the alignment of the sun with the stones as the sun sets. Also
if the sky is clear I will be showing the planets and DSO s to the
public with the Raven Hill telescopes.
Patrick

Hello Northstar Group!

It was frustrating to see all your announcements about meetings and
celestial events that we couldn't really appreciate without a decent
telescope.  My sister gave me a copy of Astronomy magazine for
Christmas and they had a good review of several scopes for kids, one
reviewed was the Skyquest Orion XT8 and I couldn't resist ordering one
for us.  Now we can join you in seeing the celestial delights you're
always talking about!

I'm looking forward to using this new scope and eventually meeting you
all in a warmer season for a night of star gazing.

Best regards,

Steve

Congratulations Steve on owning such a nice scope.
Have never actually looked through one myself but did read a nice
review of it. You should be able to observe thousands of celestial
sights with it that is if this lake effect cloud cover ever clears.
I went out last night for the first time in weeks and turned on my
scope and took one image of capella through the clouds just to make
sure my SAC 10 ccd camera worked. It did.
Hope you have many clear nights of discovery with your new scope.
Patrick





--- In northstarastronomical@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Downing"
<sjdown@y...> wrote:
>
> Hello Northstar Group!
>
> It was frustrating to see all your announcements about meetings and
> celestial events that we couldn't really appreciate without a
decent
> telescope.  My sister gave me a copy of Astronomy magazine for
> Christmas and they had a good review of several scopes for kids,
one
> reviewed was the Skyquest Orion XT8 and I couldn't resist ordering
one
> for us.  Now we can join you in seeing the celestial delights
you're
> always talking about!
>
> I'm looking forward to using this new scope and eventually meeting
you
> all in a warmer season for a night of star gazing.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Steve
>

Thanks Pat.

The review I read about that scope in Astronomy magazine was very
positive and as a beginner it was just what I needed to prod me into a
purchase.  It's going to be a lot of fun and I hope to get everyone
here interested in observing.  The youngest two daughters already have
said they want to see Jupiter and Saturn, so we're going in the right
direction.

With this scope in the house we'll have even more incentive to come to
Gaylord for a meeting, good thing I found you on the yahoo directory.
  Gosh, I can hardly wait to get this scope in the house!

Thanks again for the reply.

Take it easy!  --Steve

Hi Steve,
   You should get some nice views of the cloud belts
and moons of Jupiter and the ring of Saturn and Titan
with that scope at powers over 160X if the skies are
steady.

   We do not meet in Gaylord anymore but at Elkwood
campgrounds starting in April near Wolverine which
will be much closer for you.
Patrick
--- Steve Downing <sjdown@...> wrote:

> Thanks Pat.
>
> The review I read about that scope in Astronomy
> magazine was very
> positive and as a beginner it was just what I needed
> to prod me into a
> purchase.  It's going to be a lot of fun and I hope
> to get everyone
> here interested in observing.  The youngest two
> daughters already have
> said they want to see Jupiter and Saturn, so we're
> going in the right
> direction.
>
> With this scope in the house we'll have even more
> incentive to come to
> Gaylord for a meeting, good thing I found you on the
> yahoo directory.
>  Gosh, I can hardly wait to get this scope in the
> house!
>
> Thanks again for the reply.
>
> Take it easy!  --Steve
>
>
>
>


Truth and beauty can be found by all who search the Heavens above.
Regards,
Patrick Stonehouse

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Hi Pat!
   Gosh, it will sure be great to have that new scope in the house.  It
looks like I'll be flying to Galveston tomorrow and won't be home when
the scope gets here, but hey, at least I'll be able to pay for it!  Ha
ha.  That's why I work, after all.
   Oh golly, I can hardly wait.  My wife and the kids can put that
scope together if they want, and I'll get to hear about what they
observe.  I am lobbying hard for them to join this group so they can
get some tips from seasoned astronomy buffs.
   It's good to hear you've moved a little closer to our area and I am
sure we'll meet sometime this spring, for sure.

Best regards,

Steve

Hi Steve,
    Hope you ahve a safe trip to the sothern regions of
the US and have clear skies to check out the southern
stars there.
Have you ever been below the equator to see the
southern constellations? Always wanted to but never
have.
Patrick

--- Steve Downing <sjdown@...> wrote:

> Hi Pat!
>   Gosh, it will sure be great to have that new scope
> in the house.  It
> looks like I'll be flying to Galveston tomorrow and
> won't be home when
> the scope gets here, but hey, at least I'll be able
> to pay for it!  Ha
> ha.  That's why I work, after all.
>   Oh golly, I can hardly wait.  My wife and the kids
> can put that
> scope together if they want, and I'll get to hear
> about what they
> observe.  I am lobbying hard for them to join this
> group so they can
> get some tips from seasoned astronomy buffs.
>   It's good to hear you've moved a little closer to
> our area and I am
> sure we'll meet sometime this spring, for sure.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Steve
>
>
>
>
>


Truth and beauty can be found by all who search the Heavens above.
Regards,
Patrick Stonehouse

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