A "Bucket" List Christmas Gift for Your Favorite Astronomer

Most amateur astronomers would like a comfortable observing chair that is lightweight and easily adjustable. Ideally, it should also be inexpensive and multipurpose.

I found some old paint buckets in the woods and some blue polystyrene foam floating in the lake. That trash has now become my favorite bit of new astrokit. 

Have a look at the following four pictures. . . . Not only do you have four observing heights -- three seated comfortably and one standing up -- but you also have two handy buckets for carrying eyepieces, hand-warmers, charts, and a flask of brandy. It's perfect.

The Junk!

Low Stool

Medium Stool

High Stool

Let's Talk About . . . Nature and the Night Sky

Note:
What follows is informational material that Sue has developed for the North Central Arkansas Master's Naturalist's "Let's Talk" table at Arkansas' First Dark Sky Party on the Buffalo National River, Oct. 21 - 22, 2022.
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Let’s LEARN about Human Health and the Dark Sky!

• Circadian rhythms are physiological changes affected by the 24 hour cycle of light and darkness.
• “Night owls” and “Early birds” experience slight shifts in their genetic adaptation to their circadian rhythms.
• Our hypothalamus is a small area in the brain behind the eyes that regulates our genetic “biological clock” in response to the circadian rhythms of night and day.
• Dusk signals the production of melatonin via the hypothalamus signalling the pineal gland; it encourages drowsiness for the sleep cycle. The morning light activates the hormone cortisol, which alerts us to activity for the day ahead.
• Humans can experience depression, sleep disorders, and changes in eating habits when artificial lighting at night disrupts our genetically controlled biological clocks.
• Scientists are exploring evidence that even sleeping in a room exposed to light pollution may increase body fat and the risk of diabetes.
• LED lighting emits high temperature “blue” spectrum light, which interferes with the production of melatonin. To avoid sleep disruption, avoid bright lighting after dusk and use electronic devices with a “night shade” setting.

Let’s READ more about Human Health and the Dark Sky!

Human Health and Artificial Lighting
https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/human-health/
Human Physiology and Circadian Rhythms
https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx#:~:text=Circadian%20rhythms%20are%20physical%2C%20mental,the%20study%20of%20circadian%20rhythms.

The Pineal Gland and Melatonin

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/otherendo/pineal.html

Let’s WATCH VIDEOS about Human Health and the Dark Sky!

A Study of the Human Response to our Biological Clocks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKQH6T1DZvI
How Circadian Rhythms Can Affect Your Weight and Health
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho4sNQPBXMc&list=PL5TLzNi5fYd9_fKTUsJAannC63hLGmOpX&index=5

Chromosome 10 - What regulates our body clock?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCr73nkoa-I

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Let’s LEARN about Birds and the Night Sky!

• 70% of North American birds are migratory—and 80% of those fly at night.
• Most depend on the dark sky to navigate with the moon and stars.
• Birds can be disoriented by artificial light beacons, and can circle until worn out, or vulnerable to predators.
• Night light pollution increases bird collisions with other birds, buildings, and signs.
• The four North-South migratory flyways in the U.S. are the Pacific, the Central, the Mississippi, and the Atlantic—----and each have different urban dark sky obstacles.
• The “Lights Out Program” during the spring and fall migratory seasons is gaining public awareness in more American cities.

Let’s READ more about Birds and the Night Sky!

“What you should know about Bird Migration and Light Pollution”
https://www.darksky.org/what-you-should-know-about-bird-migration-and-light-pollution/
Lights Out Programs for Cities in North America
https://www.audubon.org/conservation/existing-lights-out-programs

Let’s WATCH VIDEOS about Birds and the Night Sky!

Lights Out for Migratory Birds in Texas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FEzCj5npiI&list=PLI3sHpSFmf1UrG0quQxcZZATADMeabhR3&index=1
University of Delaware Explores how Light Pollution Affects Migrating Birds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pJlMqCFHj8
Birds and Artificial Light At Night: An Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdMnztQSDvg

CornellLabs Live Birdcast Migration

https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/live-migration-maps/

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Let’s LEARN about Insects and the Dark Sky!

• Insect populations are threatened by habitat loss, pesticides, water quality . . . and light pollution.
• 50% of flying insects are nocturnal, exhibiting a “flight to light” response to outdoor lighting sources.
• Moths, butterflies, and bees can lose their navigational cues and become exhausted while orbiting exterior lights and bright windows. . . .and they are also spotlighted for predators.
• Fireflies use their flashing luminescence to attract mates and outdoor lighting disrupts their courtship signals.
• Some insects (mosquitoes, bed bugs, and some beetles) can see infrared light giving them an advantage over their prey at night!

Let’s READ more about Insects and the Dark Sky!

“The Devastating Role of Light Pollution in the “Insect Apocalypse”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/light-pollution-contributes-insect-apocalypse-180973642/
“Light Pollution from Street Lights Linked to Insect Loss”
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58333233
“When Fireflies Await a Night that Never Comes”
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/11/science/firefly-light-mating.html

"Infrared Vision"

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/infrared-vision

Let’s WATCH VIDEOS about Insects and the Dark Sky!

“Light Pollution is One of the World’s Biggest Buzzkills”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGg0Wz671Z8
“Reducing Light Pollution at Night is a Simple Way to Help Insects”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7M77BSEwP0

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Let’s LEARN about PLANTS and the Night Sky!

• Plants rely on a 24 hour circadian cycle, using daylight hours for photosynthesis, and nighttime hours to signal the metabolic changes needed for seasonal survival.
• Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) can range from the low intensity sky glow of distant cities to the high intensity of urban and suburban all night lighting.
• High intensity night light (i.e. street lights) can trigger longer periods of photosynthesis. In some species of grasses this can accelerate growth, but in other grasses it stunts growth.
• Artificial lighting at night can disrupt the life cycles of insects with their host plants, resulting in a mismatch of the timing necessary for pollination.
• Nocturnal plants need darkness to activate blooming. Artificial night lighting can prevent blooming and thus the necessary pollination for reproduction.
• Artificial night lighting can delay the onset of deciduous fall leaves, thus weakening the protection that dormancy provides for the winter season ahead.
• ALAN can also disrupt the photoperiod signals for spring budding, risking early growth that endangers the plant’s growth and survival.

Let’s READ more about PLANTS and the Night Sky!

“Ecological Effects of Artificial Light at Night on Wild Plants”
https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2745.12551

“Light Pollution is Disrupting the Seasonal Rhythms of Plants and Trees
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/07/light-pollution-is-disrupting-the-seasonal-rhythms-of-plants-and-trees/

Let’s WATCH VIDEOS about PLANTS and the Night Sky!

“Sunlight vs. Artificial Light in Plant Growth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz4XfheXZc8



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Let’s LEARN about Wildlife and the Night Sky!

• Many animals, such as birds, sea turtles and even dung beetles, use the moon and the stars to navigate at night.
• Artificial night lighting can disrupt mating signals for frogs and insects, and increase the exposure of all nocturnal wildlife to predators.
• Birds can be disoriented by artificial light beacons, circling endlessly until exhausted, and increasing bird collisions with other birds, buildings, and signs.
• The four North-South migratory flyways in the U.S. are the Pacific, the Central, the Mississippi, and the Atlantic—-and each have different urban dark sky obstacles.
• The “Lights Out” program during the spring and fall migratory seasons is gaining public awareness in more American cities.
• Pit Vipers and Vampire Bats see the infrared light emitted by their prey.

Let’s READ more about Wildlife and the Night Sky!

“Light Pollution Effects on Wildlife and Ecosystems”
https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/wildlife/
“The Moon and the Stars are a Compass for Nocturnal Animals. . . “
https://theconversation.com/the-moon-and-stars-are-a-compass-for-nocturnal-animals-but-light-pollution-is-leading-them-astray-142301
“What You Should Know about Bird Migration and Light Pollution”
https://www.darksky.org/what-you-should-know-about-bird-migration-and-light-pollution/

"Moonlight Guides Dung Beetle Activity at Night"

https://astronomy.com/news/2019/02/moonlight-guides-dung-beetle-activity-at-night#:~:text=Dung%20beetles%20who%20work%20during,light%20waves%20%E2%80%93%20to%20orient%20themselves.

"They Can See the Blood Running Through You"

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17eoNVbL8PttuHaiIuMSC3vT7PTjHhNIk/view?usp=sharing

Let’s WATCH VIDEOS about Wildlife and the Night Sky!

“Light Pollution and its Impact on Birds and Wildlife”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooLYWwA43SE&t=19s
“Birds and Artificial Light at Night: An Overview”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdMnztQSDvg

"Heat Seekers: Harnessing the Infrared Senses of Animals"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmwmgUpGRJ0

A Tale of Two Telescopes -- AWB OneSky 130 and Celestron AstroMaster 102AZ

Here is the quick summary: Both of these telescopes are made by Celestron; both are made in China; both give almost identical views of the night sky. The AWB OneSky costs $250, and a big chunk of that goes to support the outreach activities of Astronomers Without Borders. The Celestron AstroMaster 102AZ costs $275. (The scope I actually have is the NexStar SLT 102, but I modified it to remove all the computerization so it is similar to the Astromaster 102AZ.) The AWB OneSky is slightly better overall for astronomy; the Astromaster is excellent for both astronomical and terrestrial viewing.

For the time being, I own both scopes and I think I'll hold onto them both. I slightly prefer the OneSky for astronomy and greatly prefer the AstroMaster for bird watching or scanning the distant lake activity.

Both scopes are so good that I rarely break out my 8" Dob even though I know I'll get a far better view of planets and deep sky objects using it. Often, ease of use wins the night!

The Nitty, Gritty Details

Both scopes have the same 650 - 660mm focal length. One might at first think that a 130mm objective mirror would out-perform a 102mm refractor lens, but the large secondary mirror on the OneSky means that both scopes collect about the same amount of light. Both seem equally sharp. I really see no significance difference between performance either at low power (26x magnification) or at high power (110x magnification). When using the same lenses in each scope, I get about the same viewing.

The red-dot finder is mounted toward the front of the AWB OneSky while it is mounted toward the back of the AstroMaster. This makes a considerable difference. With the OneSky it is always relatively easy to tip one's head in a good position for looking through the finder without having to get out of the viewing chair. With the AstroMaster you have to choose between comfort viewing objects low on the horizon or comfort with objects up toward the zenith. You can, of course, adjust the length of the tripod legs, but that's an extra step and hardship in dark sky viewing. I think the AWB Onesky has the edge in ergonomics.

That edge is given back (and more) if one wishes to use the scope for terrestrial viewing. You can do it with the OneSky, but it's never going to be a viable option for bird-watching. The AstroMaster soars ahead as a terrestrial scope. You can even look at insects on wildflowers 30 feet from you door!

Extras

You'll need an observing chair or stool for comfort when using either scope. I've purchased a three-legged stool like this one:

If you buy the Astromaster, a light observing chair is the only additional expense. If you buy the AWB OneSky, you will also need a small table upon which to set the telescope. You can make one for free by cutting down the shipping box as I have done in the images below. Note that I have strategically reinforced the inside of the box with additional cardboard, I have created four mini-legs to raise the box off the ground by about an inch, and I have used plenty of packing tape and Gorilla tape whenever the mood struck me! The box now serves to hold the scope as I carry it around the yard and is also sturdy enough in use to damp eyepiece vibrations quickly. If I want the box to last longer, I'll probably cover it with water-resistant wallpaper. 

Getting New Gears -- Tongsheng TSDZ2 mid-drive conversion kit

When we are young, time is our friend. We grow taller, we get stronger, we learn how to prosper. But eventually -- for everyone -- time becomes a determined and implacable foe. Sadly, that bad old dude has now turned against me.

Back in 2011 I wrote about my experiences with supraventricular tachycardia, an arrhythmia of the heart that is especially common among endurance athletes. I first learned that I had it in 2004 so I've now had eighteen good years of continuous fitness. But now the SVT has become atrial fibrillation. Fortunately, it is almost entirely asymptomatic, except that my heart-rate does tend to spike high enough during exercise that I get a little frightened. 

When times change, it's necessary to change with the times. Almost the first thing I did when I noticed this fibrillation is order an e-bike conversion kit. Scaling back on biking is possible; quitting is not!

Shopping for e-bikes is a blast, and I've actually been attracted to them for a number of years. The latest road e-bikes by Cannondale, Trek, and Specialized are wonders. They let you ride an e-bike that is so beautifully designed nobody can even tell it is an e-bike. But they are costly and so intricately manufactured that repairs must be a nightmare. I've spent enough years working on my own bikes that I really appreciate having them easy to fix.

When both performance and ease of repair are the top priorities, a mid-drive e-bike conversion kit becomes the obvious choice. At the moment Bafang and Tongsheng are the key players in this segment of the market. The Bafang kits have a little more power and begin to resemble electric motorcycles at times. The Tongsheng kit has a peddle-assist technology that makes riding the electric bike quite like riding a regular bike -- albeit with bionic legs.

Here is a photo of the Tongsheng TSDZ2 mid-drive conversion kit that I bought:

You can see the very hefty (and ugly) battery on the left, then the motor and computer display, then the cranks and speed sensor (along with a few parts I did not use).

Now here is a photo of the full installation on my gravel bike:

Except for the bulky battery, the bike looks about the same as always. And I'm not going to complain about that battery. So far, I have ridden over 40 miles and the charge indicator has only now started to drop. I'm hoping to see if it will go 100 miles before re-charging. If so, I'll be impressed and amazed.

What's it like to ride this e-bike? It's fun. The bike feels almost the same, but the multiple levels of power assist help me up the hills. I'm still getting some decent exercise, but I'm reassured to have "turbo mode" waiting in the wings in case my heart hits overload.

I'll conclude with a few links to YouTube videos that I found useful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPwxwLKfDSw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wThQH5Iy9uQ&list=WL&index=62

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7ve958hJXE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK1Cx2CcNSA

https://youtu.be/0egW8O1MOV4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlMZTA36elQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRYwzLWfvXc

 

Update 2/12/22: I've now ridden my e-bike about 200 miles and have a few preliminary thoughts. (1) The power assist is very smooth. In Eco mode I get just enough help to cruise on relatively flat roads and up hills of 10% or so. In Tour mode I feel as if I have bionic legs, but I'm still clearly riding a bike and getting good exercise. I rarely use Speed mode and Turbo (mostly because I am out there to get some exercise and not to go fast), but Speed mode reaches the kinds of speeds that I used to achieve during a hard time trial and does so with the same amount of work as in Eco mode. Turbo mode is just what it implies -- a nice rush of speed and excitement with relatively little effort. (2) Using the E-bike has forced me to change some of my basic cycling habits. Because the pedal-assist is triggered by pressure on the pedals, I've had to develop a slower, smoother cadence -- and I have to remain seated all the time. The second point is a huge change for me. I was a climber and loved to stand on the pedals while stomping up steep hills. Now I need to remain seated, shift into a gear that keeps my cadence down, and let the motor pull me up. I'm still working harder than on the flats, but I can keep my heart-rate under 160! (3) The honking big battery on my bike is heavy (8.5 pounds) but the total weight of the e-bike (41 pounds) is still ten pounds less than the weight of similar Trek bikes. I've gone more than 70 miles on a single charge and still had plenty of charge left for another 30 miles or so. (4) I can easily remove the battery to put the bike in the back of the car or to use the bike as a normal ride.