What you say, VAL does!

Last nights viewing included an impromptu test of a new utilitity to control the LX90 - VAL (short for Verbal Astronomical Locator). VAL provides a (limited) hands-off control of the scope by using voice commands alone.

VAL successfully zero'd in on M2, and M7 by voice alone, with each appearing in the centre of the eyepiece. M8 provided VAL with much confusion, not recognising the aussie accent, but successfully slewed to the appropriate location using the graphical interface on the laptop. Spending the 10-15 minutes to complete the voice baseline should resolve that problem.

VAL recognises the Messier and NGC catalogue numbers plus some keyword commands. It is not a complete replacement for the handset, but when using the computer interface does simplify moving around the sky without potentially damaging your night-vision looking at a bright laptop screen.

For Darksyware software (ie donationware), this is very impressive for voice recognition software that functions out of the box with no training or configuration.

VAL can be found at http://www.personal.psu.edu/staff/g/a/gag1/valpage/val.htm

November nights

NT Dark Skies
Hi Space watchers
Last night saw a good clear night for our monthly observing night at our Dhupma rd site.
The Iridium flares were spectacular & right on time !
There was a lot of meteor activity centered on a minor shower with it's radiant in Taurus (the radiant is the point where the meteors seem to be coming from).
Great views were had of nearby galaxy groups centered around Andromeda & Sculptor, the Andromeda group being approx. 3 million LY (light years) away & the Sculptor group being 3 times that distance.

The Great Orion Nebula is now coming into plain view , this is an easy one to spot.
Look for the middle star of the "Handle of the saucepan" IE: Orions Sword handle.
Orion rises in the east at about 9pm in November.
Try looking at it with a pair of binoculars, you will be see a massive star forming region 1500 LY. Away and about 30 LY. in size. This makes it 7 times bigger in size than the distance our sun is from the nearest star Proxima Centuri.

The next celestial event of note is the Geminid Meteor Shower on the 13th of December with the peak predicted in the early hrs of the morning, this shower MIGHT reach 100 meteors/Hr.
Clear Skies

NT Dark Skies

NT Dark Skies
The last few weeks has seen some interesting observing opportunities in Nhulunbuy.
Last week saw two high and bright passes of the ISS, we almost have it down pat for tracking it with the Meade LX-90 !
Last Friday was a club observing night with a first chance to try out our new ultra portable "Astroscan" scope from Edmund Scientific.
The Astroscan is a wonderful little scope with tack sharp wide field views with the supplied 15 & 28mm Super Possol eyepieces.
Those present were also treated to a very bright Meteor, lasting a good 6 to 8 seconds as it broke up inbound from the NE,
we suspect it was a piece of space junk with its bright white colour.
This Fridays Obs. night will see 2 bright Iridium flares (Mag -3 & -4) always a crowd pleaser.
Clear Skies

Ian