Re: [APML] US Amateur Observatory locations???

[KGKIRKLEY@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/24/02 3:46:25 PM, wrmattil@ix.netcom.com writes:

<< 
Hi Kent,

While I have no first hand experience with imaging in the Flagstaff area
there is a rather interesting article in the latest Sky and Telescope
about Percival Lowell and some of his "observations" from his
observatory there in Flagstaff. The short of it is that certain (named
in the text) professional Astronomers didn't like Flagstaff due to:

One side of Flagstaff is facing broken country and hot desert while the
other is a vast forest of pines. To the north lie the San Francisco
peaks, some 12,000 feet high and they have snow on them almost year
round. Barnard stated that the diversity of the terrain was likely to
create turbulance.

Douglass was credited with stating "Of all the places I tried in Arizona
in '94 Flagstaff is next to worse".

Interesting article. But the gist of it is that Flagstaff just generally
doesn't support good seeing. Similar to the Front Range of the Rockies
methinks.

Besides .... <very big grin> Cloudcroft is far closer, higher, and
better seeing.

Best Regards

Bill

PS: No Schmidt Camera yet .... sheesh. >>

Hi Bill:
I saw the article too and your suppositions are interesting.

Sorry you don't have the Schmidt yet..........it seems like it should have 
arrived by now.
I just got an email from Andreas concerning instructions for collimating and 
focusing Schmidt's and he said he's been out of town for awhile???

Kent Kirkley

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