[ARC5] NSS Cutler, ME
J. Forster
jfor at quikus.com
Wed Nov 27 17:18:30 EST 2013
I've done the same, building instrumention for astronomy. And yes, some of
it has been government funded.
But, the same techniques that are used for looking up, are useful for
looking DOWN. Things like advanced sensor technology in the visible and IR
have greatly improved overhead reconaiussance.
If you think about it, the Hubble has a lot in common with the Big Birds.
And, being able to see what the Iranians are hiding has definite value,
IMO.
And, I ask you, which is more worthwhile: spending money on astronomy or
Solyndra?
One 'green' energy project boondoggle would fund a lot of astronomy for a
long time!!
YMMV,
-John
=======================
> I worked in astronomy for about 12 years as a MAKE IT WORK engineer.
>
> There are a bunch of astronomers dreaming up theories and writing
> scientific
> papers on stuff no one and prove of disprove.
>
> TAX PAYERS pay for these clowns!
>
> Once in a while there is a discovery but really of no practical
> importance.
>
> Bob Macklin
> K5MYJ
> Seattle, Wa.
> "Real Radios Glow In The Dark"
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <hwhall at compuserve.com>
> To: <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2013 1:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] NSS Cutler, ME
>
>
>> There was a Scientific American issue a year or so ago in which an
>> article
>> indicated some physicists are considering whether the whole universe
>> might
>> be 'digital' - that is, that everything actually exists and changes in
>> quantized states. I don't know how far out of the mainstream that
>> thinking
>> was, though.
>>
>> Wayne
>>
>> WB4OGM
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Tim <timsamm at gmail.com>
>> To: jfor <jfor at quikus.com>
>> Cc: D C _Mac_ Macdonald <k2gkk at hotmail.com>; ARC-5 List
>> <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Wed, Nov 27, 2013 12:16 pm
>> Subject: Re: [ARC5] NSS Cutler, ME
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> HaHa - That's what I was getting at....Does time "arrive" in quanta?
>> Are
>> there pre, present and post quanta?
>> Time for a beer......
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 11:35 AM, J. Forster <jfor at quikus.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > If you mean is time quantized, ask Stephen Hawkings. He's about the
>> only
>> > one who can answer that VERY deep question.
>> >
>> > -John
>> >
>> > ===================
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > > Good stuff Roy - Thanks!
>> > > Question: Is time digital or analog?
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > On Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 11:06 AM, Roy Morgan
>> <k1lky68 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > >
>> > >>
>> > >> On Nov 27, 2013, at 11:57 AM, D C _Mac_ Macdonald
>> <k2gkk at hotmail.com>
>> > >> wrote:
>> > >>
>> > >> > Were time signals (ala WWV) once sent from a "Naval
>> Observatory?" Was
>> > >> that once the location of WWV?
>> > >>
>> > >> I’m not sure about radio transmissions from the Naval
>> Observatory. It’s
>> > >> possible that time signals from the Observatory went by
>> wire
>> to the
>> > >> NBS/WWV
>> > >> site which was not far away at that time. As I have been
>> writing this,
>> > >> Richard reports hearing time signals on NSS from
>> Annapolis.
>> Most likely
>> > >> there was a wire from the DC observatory headquarters over
>> to Annapolis.
>> > >> And Mac reports hearing the voice time announcement. To
>> See
>> USNO time:
>> > >>
>> > >> Main Navy Time link:
>> > >> http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/ Click “Time†for the
>> choices
>> > >>
>> > >> Simple web page numerical display:
>> > >> http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/simpletime.html
>> > >>
>> > >> Animated GIF window:
>> > >> http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/what1.html
>> > >>
>> > >> The voice by telephone service:
>> > >> Time Voice Announcer, Washington, DC:
>> 202-762-1401
>> &
>> > >> 202-762-1069
>> > >> Time Voice Announcer, Colorado Springs, CO:
>> 719-567-6742
>> > >>
>> > >> The Naval Observatory is in two places in DC. The
>> headquarters is
>> > >> within
>> > >> sight of the Lincoln Memorial at the west end of the Mall.
>> The
>> > >> mechanical
>> > >> clocks for Navy standard time were there, and the more
>> modern
>> > >> physics-based
>> > >> ones may still be. The astronomical observatory was a few
>> miles (maybe
>> > >> 4
>> > >> miles) off to the North, still within the District of
>> Columbia I think.
>> > >> The US Vice Presidents residence is there. There the
>> now-ancient 24
>> > >> (?)
>> > >> inch refractor telescope is still in operating condition,
>> and the
>> > >> “Transit
>> > >> Telescope†is also. This latter was still in use in the
>> late 80’s when
>> > >> I
>> > >> visited there. It is precisely fixed in rotation in
>> east-west angle but
>> > >> moves easily in elevation. We watched the observer lie
>> underneath it on
>> > >> a
>> > >> mechanics-like dolly and swing the telescope to watch a
>> star
>> transit the
>> > >> scope’s center line, and push a button at the right
>> instant.
>> That time
>> > >> mark, combined with much accurate calculation, and many
>> more
>> like it,
>> > >> establishes the sidereal time. As I understand it,
>> sidereal
>> time
>> > >> wanders a
>> > >> bit with respect to UTC (or NIST-A) time but is still used
>> for some
>> > >> things.
>> > >> More info is at:
>> http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/sidereal.html
>> “…
>> > >> Astronomers use local sidereal time because it corresponds
>> to the
>> > >> coordinate right ascension of a celestial body that is
>> presently on the
>> > >> local meridian.†One of the very early transit
>> telescopes
>> was/is located
>> > >> in
>> > >> now-suburban Maryland in Rockville. The building is still
>> there, but I
>> > >> don’t know if the instrument is.
>> > >>
>> > >> The division of responsibility for time keeping is
>> roughly:
>> Military
>> > >> purposes, Naval Observatory. Civilian and international
>> purposes:
>> > >> NIST/WWV. Naturally, the two organizations coordinate
>> with
>> each other.
>> > >>
>> > >> During the early years, the WWV time broadcasts came from
>> Greenbelt,
>> > >> MD,
>> > >> just to the NE of the District. That all moved to Boulder
>> CO, (in the
>> > >> early 60’s I think). I remember hearing the time
>> broadcasts
>> from
>> > >> Greenbelt, and have visited the Boulder facility. At the
>> time of the
>> > >> visit, there were three Master Clocks, made by HP I think,
>> in operation
>> > >> I
>> > >> think there is a compare and vote system to eliminate one
>> if
>> it messes
>> > >> up.
>> > >> the voice that announces the time (and other things) is
>> now
>> solid state
>> > >> memory/playback, but it used to be a drum magnetic
>> recorder
>> that was
>> > >> played
>> > >> automatically.
>> > >>
>> > >> The NIST Time and Frequency Division is part of the NIST
>> Physics
>> > >> Laboratory. The research and development of newer time
>> standards goes
>> > >> on
>> > >> at Boulder. When I was there they had become able to get
>> the “Fountain
>> > >> Clock†to operate for some 20 minutes before it quit.
>> No
>> doubt by now
>> > >> the’ve made considerable progress. The “Fountain
>> Clock†was
>> calculated
>> > >> to
>> > >> develop an error of a second in some gad zillions of
>> years.
>> It’s quite
>> > >> possible that we won’t be here to notice the error.
>> > >>
>> > >> Time is a most interesting topic.
>> > >>
>> > >> Roy
>> > >>
>> > >> Roy Morgan
>> > >> RoyMorgan at alum.mit.edu
>> > >> K1LKY Since 1958
>> > >>
>> > >>
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