Re: [meteorite-list] Crackpot in the news
Hi! Darren Garrison wrote: I'm still wondering over this line: Bush said it is common to see meteorites, pieces of a meteor, hitting the Moon's surface, however, but it was a rare occurrence to catch a meteor strike. Both statements are ridiculous, of course. It would be an incredibly rare event to see or photograph. As I recall, there is only one good candidate for a photo of a meteor strike on the Moon. It was, I think, back in the late 1950's (1957?). I read about it (and the arguments that insued from the claim) in Sky Telescope magazine and I'm sure the article is there in my 52 year deep stack of Sky Telescope's. But I ain't gonna search for it. The interesting thing is, at that time, most geologists (especially British and Australian ones) were absolutely convinced that the Moon was geologically active and that ALL the craters were volcanoes. Impacts? Tut, tut, they said, unlikely. So the arguments were about whether what had been photographed was an impact event or a volcanic eruption! So powerful was the hold of the volcanic model on some geologists that I have a marvelous 1976 Australian text (which I bought for the section on Australian tektites) that resolutely affirms that the lunar landscape was all formed by volcanic action. This was years after we had already been to the Moon and seen a small planet's worth of evidence that it WASN'T volcanic. The author dismissed the Apollo observations by remarking that those fine fellows were, after all, aviators, not geologists! As for impacts, no problem. The seismometers left behind on the Moon recorded not only moonquakes, but a number of impacts, including a series of five of what were almost certainly beta Taurid meteor stream objects. Each one was estimated at a weight of 2-5 tons and with a terminal velocity of about 24 km/sec, all five of them on one day! But no photographs... On the other hand, the Moon has been mapped with some accuracy for over two centuries and no one has come up a crater big enough to have been seen that just wasn't there in the past, which puts a limit on the frequency of large impacts. In fact, after two centuries, there have been no verifable instances of any lunar feature changing in appearance, at least that can't be plausibly explained by observer limitations and errors. Most of us here on the List are familiar with NASA's Astronomy Photo of the Day webside: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html But did you know there's a Lunar Photo Of The Day website (since Jan. 1, 2004) for us loonies? http://www.lpod.org/ And of course the Malin Space Science Systems (Mars Observer Camera) web site has a Mars Photo Of The Day (along with its archive of 187,000 Mars images): http://www.msss.com/ And just so the Earthlings don't feel left out, an Earth Photo Of The Day web site: http://epod.usra.edu/ Can't forget the Earthlings... Sterling K. Webb __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Crackpot in the news
It is an urban myth that the Moon is too bright for the HST. It can safely look at the Moon, and has done so in the past. You can go to the MAST site and download WFPC2 FITS data for lunar images. The trick with lunar imaging is that the relative motion of the Moon is very fast, and the HST has to be accurately maneuvered during the exposure. It certainly isn't done routinely. In fact, I know of no real science data collected from lunar images; the images that were made were made as a sort of demo of the HST capabilities. The HST also points at the Earth, which is used as a calibration target for some instruments. I think crackpot accurately describes this fellow; whether or not he is a deliberate liar I'll leave to others. Chris * Chris L Peterson Cloudbait Observatory http://www.cloudbait.com - Original Message - From: AL Mitterling [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Tom Knudson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 1:18 PM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Crackpot in the news Tom Knudson wrote: about the article and Joseph Bush who the article is about said: When I sent him my photos, they actually turned the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to check it out, he said. Having been down to the Hubble Space Telescope launch and talked to many of the contractors who worked on the Hubble along with having lots of information on how the Hubble works (from NASA), I can say that looking at the moon is one of the really big no, no's as that much light will fry many of the sensitive instruments on board. Three things the Hubble's software is programed to do, keep it pointed away from the Earth, Moon and of course the Sun as any could and would be fatal to the Space Telescope. The gentleman is a liar who advised the reporter. There are of course other obvious miss statements and lies. --AL Mitterling __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Crackpot in the news
Hi Al and list, I heard that too, that they could not look at the moon, but then I read an article saying there is some kind of conspiracy going on. For years astronomers wanted to look at the Moon and was forbidden. Then NASA had a probe on something and used Hubble to watch it. The astronomers immediately got suspicious, the resolution was great and they wondered what NASA did not want them to see on the moon, a space station or something? Or was it something else, like they did not want them to look at former landing sites, maybe there is nothing there? Who knows! Thanks, Tom peregrineflier http://www.frontiernet.net/~peregrineflier/Peregrineflier.htm http://fstop.proboards24.com/ - Original Message - From: AL Mitterling [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Tom Knudson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 12:18 PM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Crackpot in the news Tom Knudson wrote: about the article and Joseph Bush who the article is about said: When I sent him my photos, they actually turned the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to check it out, he said. Having been down to the Hubble Space Telescope launch and talked to many of the contractors who worked on the Hubble along with having lots of information on how the Hubble works (from NASA), I can say that looking at the moon is one of the really big no, no's as that much light will fry many of the sensitive instruments on board. Three things the Hubble's software is programed to do, keep it pointed away from the Earth, Moon and of course the Sun as any could and would be fatal to the Space Telescope. The gentleman is a liar who advised the reporter. There are of course other obvious miss statements and lies. --AL Mitterling __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
[meteorite-list] Crackpot in the news
Sadly, the article writer seems to be too poorly educated to see that this guy is, indeed, a lunatic. http://www.pall-times.com/articles/2005/04/23/news/news2.txt MINETTO MAN'S SKYGAZING PASSION IS 'LUNAR-CY' By DEBRA LUPIEN ROBILLARD, Features Editor MINETTO - Amateur astonomer Joseph Bush said he can, and does, spend hours at a time with his eye to the lens watching the Moon. I've been fascinated with the Moon since I was a kid, said Bush. He remembers his first telescope was from the Montgomery Ward catalog - a far cry from the remote-controlled, 1,900mm Meade 125 scope he uses now. I can pick up a marble sitting on the Moon with this thing, he added, nodding at his telescope. Which is why at 4 o'clock in the morning on clear nights, while most of us are asleep in our beds, Bush can be found out on his back deck or front yard staring into space. Bush said although he has no formal training in astronomy, he has been researching and reading everything he can, particularly about the Moon. People say the Moon is dead, but it's still alive, he said. I've got (photos with) eruptions coming off of the Moon. Bush takes pictures with a 35mm camera attached to the telescope, using 110 speed black-and-white film to eliminate what he calls noise, or spots, on the photos you would normally get with color film. He pointed out as there is no atmosphere on the Moon, he cannot say the short-lived eruptions are volcanic, but suggests it is high-pressure steam being released. Bush claims he is the only man who has caught an eruption on the Moon on film. He keeps up a e-mail correspondence with Dr. James B, Garvin, lead scientist for Mars Exploration with NASA. When I sent him my photos, they actually turned the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to check it out, he said. According to an e-mail received from Garvin by Bush, this is indeed unusual as the HST is used primarily for space observations much further away than the Moon, which is only about 384,403 kilometers (238,857 miles) from Earth, a figure that changes as it orbits Earth. Because of how busy the HST is for what Garvin describes as critical astrophysical observations, finding time to make lunar observations with it is difficult. This is why it is important for people such as yourselves and other Earth-based telescopic observers to continue to look at the Moon, writes Garvin. Although he prefers the manual method, his state-of-the-art telescope is equipped with a remote control which can pinpoint about 40,000 different celestial bodies. All you need to do, explained Bush, is set the telescope up so it is facing dead north, select the body you want to view and press go to on the remote. I once actually caught a meteor as it slammed into the Moon, said Bush. I saw a blue flash and then I could see dirt flying all over when it hit. Bush said it is common to see meteorites, pieces of a meteor, hitting the Moon's surface, however, but it was a rare occurrence to catch a meteor strike. The Moon is our sister planet, he said. It keeps us in orbit, governs our seas and it takes a lot of (meteorite) hits for us. He said by Lake Ontario and in particular, Fair Haven, are great places to set up because they are so clear. Bush has a photo of what is called a star burst, which is when a star explodes. It's so far away, it probably actually exploded millions of years ago, and we are just seeing it now, he said. Because he watches the Moon so often and for hours at a time, Bush has seen things he said he cannot identify, which he calls, of course, UFOs (unidentified flying objects). Everything I've taken (photos) so far as the UFOs have come from the southwest (sky), he said. I've picked up some small unidentified objects between 700-900 miles out. When it comes to UFOs, he said his colleagues at NASA, such as Garvin, of course will neither confirm nor deny these sightings as UFOs. But, this does not deter Bush, who understands NASA's stance on the matters of UFOs. He continues to send NASA all of his sightings, under the enthusiastic encouragement of Garvin who writes, Both Dr. (Anne) Kinney, our leading astronomer and director at NASA headquarters, and myself are very impressed with your work and interest and look forward to continued interactions. Bush resides in Minetto with his wife, Betty. __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Crackpot in the news
Yes Crackpot, he should not smoke crack and pot at the same time! He must think the Moon is real small, if he thinks he is seeing it that close with a 125mm scope! Thanks, Tom peregrineflier http://www.frontiernet.net/~peregrineflier/Peregrineflier.htm http://fstop.proboards24.com/ - Original Message - From: Darren Garrison [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2005 7:34 PM Subject: [meteorite-list] Crackpot in the news Sadly, the article writer seems to be too poorly educated to see that this guy is, indeed, a lunatic. http://www.pall-times.com/articles/2005/04/23/news/news2.txt MINETTO MAN'S SKYGAZING PASSION IS 'LUNAR-CY' By DEBRA LUPIEN ROBILLARD, Features Editor MINETTO - Amateur astonomer Joseph Bush said he can, and does, spend hours at a time with his eye to the lens watching the Moon. I've been fascinated with the Moon since I was a kid, said Bush. He remembers his first telescope was from the Montgomery Ward catalog - a far cry from the remote-controlled, 1,900mm Meade 125 scope he uses now. I can pick up a marble sitting on the Moon with this thing, he added, nodding at his telescope. Which is why at 4 o'clock in the morning on clear nights, while most of us are asleep in our beds, Bush can be found out on his back deck or front yard staring into space. Bush said although he has no formal training in astronomy, he has been researching and reading everything he can, particularly about the Moon. People say the Moon is dead, but it's still alive, he said. I've got (photos with) eruptions coming off of the Moon. Bush takes pictures with a 35mm camera attached to the telescope, using 110 speed black-and-white film to eliminate what he calls noise, or spots, on the photos you would normally get with color film. He pointed out as there is no atmosphere on the Moon, he cannot say the short-lived eruptions are volcanic, but suggests it is high-pressure steam being released. Bush claims he is the only man who has caught an eruption on the Moon on film. He keeps up a e-mail correspondence with Dr. James B, Garvin, lead scientist for Mars Exploration with NASA. When I sent him my photos, they actually turned the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to check it out, he said. According to an e-mail received from Garvin by Bush, this is indeed unusual as the HST is used primarily for space observations much further away than the Moon, which is only about 384,403 kilometers (238,857 miles) from Earth, a figure that changes as it orbits Earth. Because of how busy the HST is for what Garvin describes as critical astrophysical observations, finding time to make lunar observations with it is difficult. This is why it is important for people such as yourselves and other Earth-based telescopic observers to continue to look at the Moon, writes Garvin. Although he prefers the manual method, his state-of-the-art telescope is equipped with a remote control which can pinpoint about 40,000 different celestial bodies. All you need to do, explained Bush, is set the telescope up so it is facing dead north, select the body you want to view and press go to on the remote. I once actually caught a meteor as it slammed into the Moon, said Bush. I saw a blue flash and then I could see dirt flying all over when it hit. Bush said it is common to see meteorites, pieces of a meteor, hitting the Moon's surface, however, but it was a rare occurrence to catch a meteor strike. The Moon is our sister planet, he said. It keeps us in orbit, governs our seas and it takes a lot of (meteorite) hits for us. He said by Lake Ontario and in particular, Fair Haven, are great places to set up because they are so clear. Bush has a photo of what is called a star burst, which is when a star explodes. It's so far away, it probably actually exploded millions of years ago, and we are just seeing it now, he said. Because he watches the Moon so often and for hours at a time, Bush has seen things he said he cannot identify, which he calls, of course, UFOs (unidentified flying objects). Everything I've taken (photos) so far as the UFOs have come from the southwest (sky), he said. I've picked up some small unidentified objects between 700-900 miles out. When it comes to UFOs, he said his colleagues at NASA, such as Garvin, of course will neither confirm nor deny these sightings as UFOs. But, this does not deter Bush, who understands NASA's stance on the matters of UFOs. He continues to send NASA all of his sightings, under the enthusiastic encouragement of Garvin who writes, Both Dr. (Anne) Kinney, our leading astronomer and director at NASA headquarters, and myself are very impressed with your work and interest and look forward to continued interactions. Bush resides in Minetto with his wife, Betty. __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Crackpot in the news
On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 22:43:48 -0500, Sterling K. Webb [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi, To be distinguishable in a 125mm objective, on a night of perfect seeing, with maximum contrast (a white marble on the dark moon), that marble would have to be a minimum of 2.31 kilometers in diameter! And, as a practical matter, it would have to be much bigger still if it were an aggie... I'm still wondering over this line: Bush said it is common to see meteorites, pieces of a meteor, hitting the Moon's surface, however, but it was a rare occurrence to catch a meteor strike. __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
