Star Chart Method

 

Method:

I have a David White model 8300 transit. This transit is considered to be the best transit ever made for its accuracy and durability. This transit is not computerized so you don´t point it at one object then another to get the angle from one to the other. This is a 1970 model that gives precise angle readings from exact level to an altitude. It is adjusted to perfect level while mounted on its tripod. This is then zero degrees as set by my calibration room at work. I do not do azmuth readings so there needs to be no direct north allignment. Then I zero in to a specific degree ahead of the path of the star. The star moves quickly through my scope view because it is about 30 times magnification. When the star hits my crosshairs I imediately check the time to the second. The time I use is atomic clock time. It takes about one second to go from one side of my crosshairs to the other. I then go to the Starry Night program and put in that exact time and second to receive the location of where the star is supposed to be at that second. I sometimes make a second reading of the same star at a different degree in order to collaberate my first reading. After the reading is taken I double check calibration to level 0 degree point to make sure it is still correct.

 

Atomic Clock

In the beginning June 25, 2003 and back I did not chart my recordings from computer to sky because they were always on target. I also was not precise with an atomic clock to the second so it could vary a few seconds and I just took that as possibly my error. I purchased an atomic clock on July 6th and made sure everything was to the second thereafter. My computer clock was just a few seconds off. I also have been checking the Atomic clock for accuracy. At the beginning of July as soon as I purchased my atomic clock I purchased a good fishing watch for about 50 dollars. Timex and Casio are excellent watches and are accurate. A quartz crystal watch can be as accurate as one second per year if you get a high quality one. Anyway, I set the watch to the atomic clock and haven't noticed a large change. In the past 2 weeks it seems now that the atomic clock is 2 seconds faster. I too do not trust atomic time without the verification of another good time piece.

 

Sidereal Day

I am also timing the amount of time it takes for the star to reach the exact degree and minute of angle the next night. I also used 2 methods for checking the stars. This second method is to time a star on how long it takes to reach the exact same position from one night to another. I also caught these off times this way. I literally timed the Earth with a stopwatch and it coincided perfectly to the transit measurements. When I did these readings I put them in the section of data called timed Sidereal Day. The stopwatch showed the earth was definately slow at times and fast at others. This is supposed to be 23 hours 56minutes and 4seconds. This is the Sidereal Day. My lat and logitude is put into the computer with a GPS.

 

Confirmation

This data has been checked and double checked by me. Takes about 3 hours a night to do this. I asked other people to use a scope and do the same but no one has. It seems that I´m the only one with a scope and the fortitude to do this for the people that care to know. My times of the stars being off were collaberated by another individual that was taking sky measurements but he did not step forward with this information. He came up with the exact time that the sky was off using a totally different method. They actually told me the night before I read the 7 minutes off in the sky that their readings showed the sky to be off 7 minutes. The next night I was surprised to find that my measurements were exactly the same using a totally different method.

 

Rotational Surging

The other individual that is doing measurements says that it is being corrected by late afternoon. He says that there is still large deviations that happen from morning to noon but it gets corrected before the sun goes down now.

 

Threats and Intimidation

I calibrate and fix these measuring scopes for a living so it is acurate. I have already received some threats and even the Sheriffs Department is now involved. All this to try to make me stop doing these readings. They say now they are investigating me for an internet felony but I don't intend to stop doing these readings. I feel that it is the right thing to do.