From: "Linda K. Selvig" <lselvig@micron.net>
Subject: Hello from Idaho
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 1996 15:14:21 -0700
I have been "listening" in on your back and forth converstations for about a month now and I am finally getting to the point that I feel I know some of you. Many names sound familiar. I had my high school students do a star count. We took star counts before the eclipse on Wed. during the gibbous phase of the moon and then again during the eclipse on Thursday. I'm not too sure about the counts because Thursday night was also our high school Homecoming and alot of the counts were done at the football stadium (lots of lights). The students did let me know if the 'seeing' conditions were good or bad when they took their counts. Got a couple of students to tally up the results and will give the information next week. Idaho skies were very clear!! Here in Boise we were able to see the eclipse from start to finish. The moon was just rising and going into the shadow as it came above the horizon. The moon was white and the shadow was black. As the sky got darker the moon changed to a yellow and the part of the moon in shadow took on a light orange hue. During totality the moon was a deep red on the s. hemisphere and lighter red on the n. hemisphere, with a small amount of yellow at the very northern limb. Was able to use a computer program called Dance of the Planet to show and explain to my students the results and reasons for the eclipse. We went to different locations (vis computer) and observed what the eclipse would look line from there. For those of you in the clouds or too far west this would be a good way to reproduce the event. The computer brought out some interesting observations and discussions. I too am going to the Pathfinder launch in Dec. Glad that you were able to get funding Fran. I'll see you there. John, can't remember if you said you were going or not. Thanks for the Washinton Science Teachers Program, your state conference sounds great. Ours is this Oct 3-5 in Pocatello. /---\ Linda Selvig (lselvig@micron.net) ( CHS )Earth Science Teacher, Centennial High School \---/ 12400 W. McMillan Rd. Boise, ID 83713