Thursday, February 22, 2007

New star in the sky - Nova Scorpii 2007 - click on picture


New star in the sky - Nova Scorpii 2007
Originally uploaded by edhiker.

Nova Scorpii 2007 peaked at magnitude 3.8 on February 16th. Captured from Tujunga on Feb 21, 2007 when it was at magnitude 4.9 (below red mark). Five second exposure @ f6 , ISO 800 using 135mm lens, fixed tripod. The bright star is Epsilon Scorpii. Sky above Los Angeles not the best, naked eye limiting mag about 4. Best viewed at 1024 x 683

For more, see
skytonight.com/observing/home/Nova-Sco-2007.html

IMG_4936GC_Nova_Sco_2007_marked

Uploaded by edhiker on 21 Feb '07, 4.26pm PST.
spacer image


Some links about this nova are at:

http://skytonight.com/observing/home/Nova-Sco-2007.html

http://www.aavso.org/publications/specialnotice/33.shtml

http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=5215

Friday, February 02, 2007


Rebate problems, rejection, and refused - stories to learn from


My Hewlett-Packard rebate refused because of poor copy of instructions


I just had an $80 HP rebate refused because the store (Office Depot) gave me 12 loose sheets for four rebates on a laptop system - two of them had in bold letters "mail before 1/30/07", the other two, had "45 days" buried in the other 12 sheets, in weak gray color - missed those (of course).

The rebate mail-in submission form given to me at the store was 8 1/2 X 11, single sided and had no "must be mailed within..." statement.

First call on 2/2/07... From Mr P at HP: "All HP rebates are 45 days, the store should have told you. ... nothing I can do..".

Second call on 2/6/07 - I carefully explained about the incorrect, single sided rebate form given to me at Office-Depot. Ms B at HP Rebate center made an exception and I will get the rebate.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I call this a scam, HP is aware that retail stores often make photo copies of rebate forms. The submission form given to me was a single-sided 8 1/2 X 11 with lots information, even a "must be bought by date" , but the HP "must be received within 45 days" requirement is not on it.

All about rebate pitfalls on my detailed page called "HP Rebate Scam" at: http://edhiker.home.comcast.net/rebate_scam.htm

Most important: Tell Senator Figueroa: http://www.dra.ca.gov/legissues/sb1737.pdf *** Amend SB_1737, add "mail before" and "must be bought by date"items on face of all rebate forms.

The bottom line for now is to carefully check "mail before" and "must be bought by date" before leaving the store.

Sunday, January 14, 2007


Daytime Comet with clouds, the brightest to appear in 41 years. Perihelion passage, just 7° from sun.
Originally uploaded by edhiker ( Ed Johnson )
Click on photo for larger version

I like this best out of the nine posted.
Comet McNaught ( C/2006 P1 ) taken on 1/12/07 by Ed Johnson (edhiker)

Daytime Comet McNaught. The comet was visible during daytime hours for several days around 1/12/07, the day of it's closest approach to the sun.


3D orbit visualization http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?des=2006+P1

Sky and Telescope selected shots (has Ed Johnson's image) http://skytonight.com/community/gallery/skyevents/5129766.html

Comet pictures, selected by edhiker
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=353230950&size=l
http://flickr.com/photos/edhiker/357774577/ (from http://flickr.com/photos/edhiker/ )
http://media.skytonight.com/images/McNaught+070114+Karrer.jpg
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=352861845&context=pool-68076698@N00&size=o
http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/mcnaught/13jan07/Finazzi1.jpg Sun, Green Flash, and Comet perspective

Siding Spring Observatory - about the discovery and extensive discussion http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~rmn/C2006P1.htm
The real Rob McNaught http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~rmn/mcnaught.jpg

Links http://spaceweather.com/
http://www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/2006P1/2006P1.html
http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Comets/2006P1_1.html C/2006 P1 (McNaught)--Daily Ephemeris
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&ie=UTF-8&q=comet+McNaught Google search results

Flickr

HOW TO ADD HOT LINKS Select the text you want to link and then hit ctrl+shift+a.

________________


This is a test post from flickr, a fancy photo sharing thing.

Saturday, January 13, 2007


Daytime Comet, the brightest to appear in our skies in more than 30 years, seen at NOON on 1/12/07 at it's closest approch to the sun.
Originally uploaded by edhiker. http://www.flickr.com/photos/edhiker/357774577/

The daytime photos were taken with a Canon DSLR attached to a 8" f7 telescope.

It was at perihelion about the time this photo was taken (around 19:00 UT on January 12th)

--------------------------------------

Daytime Comet with clouds, the brightest to appear in our skies in more than 30 years. Perihelion passage, just 7° from sun

Going through my shots of 1/12/07, I found the one in the entry above with clouds - adds some perspective. Taken midday in the city of Los Angeles, Canon DSLR, 1400mm. Home ground optics.

It was fun watching the clouds passing comet McNaught, too bad I didn't have a video camera running for this event. A time-lapse after sunset series (movie) from a local 6800' mountain (darker skies) would have been neat.

I can't ever recall seeing a comet surrounded by wispy afternoon clouds, let alone from Los Angeles California
......................
This picture is on page 91 of April Sky &Telescope
......................
Half size image, 640x478 on about page 10 at: skytonight.com/community/gallery/skyevents/5129766.html?p...

Monday, December 11, 2006

Legal contractual document - or not?


Office Depot contractual document - or not?
Originally uploaded by edhiker.

Still pending... and pending. No answer to two emails sent a month later. I have a friend who bought the same item at the same time and is still waiting for her reward. At least two employees at Office Depot encouraged us to sign up to get a rebate from the puchase of two HP laptop computers on 9/30/06. So far we have talked to three Office Depot people about this and they all say to talk to somebody else. -
Late news, there was a reply to my third email (having a link to this posting).... "we are willing to make an exception for you, since the store clerk told you this purchase would earn a reward." 12/18/06

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

iPod Zone ...


iPod Zone ...
Originally uploaded by edhiker.

Elaine Runs in the iPod Zone, a voice from her Nike shoe wispers in her ears how fast and far she has gone in the City of Angels Half Marathon

in the zone - In a state of focused attention or energy so that one's performance is enhanced.



Elaine_Runs_Zoned_Out in the City of Angels Half Marathon, to a happy finish

... then we hike to Mt Hollywood from Greek Theater
www.localhikes.com/Hikes/MountHollywood_4472.asp

Elaine was 6th out of 75 division finishers, don't know how many starters. Dec 3rd 2006

Results at www.runraceresults.com

Friday, November 17, 2006

Angeles Crest Highway is missing


Angeles Crest Highway is missing
Originally uploaded by edhiker.

Looks like the S2 highway will be closed for a long time. Funding for big projects is in short supply. Joe and Bobcat got special permission to walk to the site (don't know about the car in the background)
A story about the closed Crystal Lake Recreation Area is at
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2006/09/178176.php -
Crystal Lake -- when will it open?

Monday, September 11, 2006

The Millard Sheets Gallery


The Millard Sheets Gallery at Fairplex
Originally uploaded by edhiker.

One of my main reasons for going to the Los Angeles Fair in Pomona (Fairplex) is to see Photographic and Painted Art. It was missing this year, in this building and under the grandstand. The artists and their art was not found, what have they done? I can watch art on TV, but that's not why I go to an art museum or contest.

Some links found:
Public Relations http://www.fairplex.com/2006/GeneralInformation/Contact.asp

Juried Photography Exhibition – This exhibition will feature contemporary photographs selected by a panel of expert jurors.
http://www.fairplex.com/2006/ExhitbitsAttractions/Museums.asp#ex

digitally submit their images http://www.fairplex.com/fp/Foundations/MillardSheets/index.asp

http://shedresearch.blogspot.com/ Pictures of Jan 2006
http://shedresearch.net/current.html current - a few
Many entries http://utopiano.ning.com/list.php?sort=new http://utopiano.ning.com/list.php?sort=winner

New art director http://www.fairplex.com/fp/AboutUs/Newsroom/ViewPressRelease.asp?PRelId=680

The Millard Sheets Gallery – see local L.A. artists engage the L.A. County Fair working in media traditionally associated with county fairs. http://www.fairplex.com/2006/ExhitbitsAttractions/Museums.asp#ex

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Some notes about our visit to Stony Ridge on 11/11/05 - http://stony-ridge.org/index.html

Sky too bright for deep sky work, and seeing not good enough for Mars or moon.

Reticle batteries dead - Energizer 357 Button Cell Battery ?

Clear, accurate moon data is at below site:
Sun and Moon Data, Stony Ridge - and synthetic image of the Moon ("on following day")
http://cleardarksky.com/cgi-bin/sunmoondata.py?id=SROCA&tz=-8.0


The Stony Ridge telescope was running about 10% slow Friday eve, seemed less severe late in the evening. Could be case of "GLUE GREASE", like I had two years ago, picture at: http://flickr.com/photos/edhiker/62552953/

Would be nice to find a lubricant that is longer lasting, maybe:

MOLYDUVAL Soraja C 402 Synthetic Oil (PAO) Based
Transparent grease for lubrication of bearings, valves and taps. Very tacky. Strong adhesiveness. MOLYDUVAL Soraja C402 is a long-life lubricant with excellent adhesive properties.
* for lubrication of sliding surfaces in food Industry
* for slow running bearings in food Industry
* for lubrication if extreme cleanness is desired
* for packing machinery in the food Industry
-35°C up to 160°C, shortly +200°C http://www.mos2.com/data/cat/doc/en/soraja.doc.
Soraja C 403 Same as Soraja C 402, but harder, NLGI 3

.... but a nice setup, sure nicer than being outdoors in the winter.


Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Geostationary Satellites - this photo from Los Angeles, five marked in red


Geostationary Satellites - this photo from Los Angeles, five marked in red
Originally uploaded by edhiker.

Geostationary Satellites -
The invention of the geostationary satellite has revolutionised global communications. Geostationary satellites orbit at an altitude of 36000 km (22300 miles)

Some background on these satellites can be found at Arthur C. Clarke
The geostationary orbit is now sometimes known as the Clarke orbit in his honor.

I aimed for a group of satellites near 101° west for this first shot and got five in this 1/2 degree wide field.
The bright one could be seen with a small telescope.
The motor drive that normally follows the stars was turned off for these photos, causing the stars to leave trails, the stationary satellites to show as points. See a photo with motor turned on at: flickr.com/photos/edhiker/50627960/in/photostream/

For the mathamtically inclined, there are 700 pixels between the end red marks. Photo taken with 25 inch FL lens. Rebel has 3072 pixels, and an effective sensor size of 22.7 x 15.1mm Exposure: 91 sec
----------------
101.1W = DirecTV 4S
101.0W = GE 4
100.9W = AMSC 1
100.9W = Direct TV1
100.6W = DirecTV 2/DBS 2

GE-4, a hybrid C-/Ku-band satellite, will serve North and South America from its orbital location at 101 degrees west. Launch Weight 5,500 lbs

A series of five photographs were published on Flickr.....
IMG_4585CrSC_GeoSat_101W_Marked

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Need for blink comparison software - Astronomical

I searched the web for such a program, but came up short. What is needed is the ability to take two images, taken on different nights maybe with different instruments. Orientations and scale might vary. It's quite labor intensive to resize and rotate the two images by hand. Below is what I came up with (see Related links, below)

S.B.I.G. CCDBLINK Software: Allows blink comparison with ST-4 images on PC - will it auto-rotate? $99.00
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MaxIm DL allows blink comparison of two images of the same stellar field. Once the two images are aligned and the intensities are matched correctly, any new or changed object shows up as a blinking object when the two images are swapped rapidly. - What a big nothing!

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Graphical Astronomy and Image Analysis Tool ( GAIA )
GAIA is a graphical image display and analysis tool, it provides the usual facilities of image display tools, plus more astronomically useful ones such as aperture photometry, arbitrary region analysis, celestial co-ordinate readout, calibration and modification, grid overlays, blink comparison, defect patching and the ability to query on-line (WWW) catalogues.
.... "Celestial co-ordinates readout." ... under "Image Analysis Capabilities"
GAIA v2.7-3 This is a major release of GAIA incorporating two new automated astrometry toolboxes, a major re-write of the blink comparison toolbox and many changes and fixes.
GAIA now offers two new toolboxes based on the Starlink AUTOASTROM program. These make it possible to provide a minimum of positional information (image centre and scale) and then fit an astrometric solution. They also make it possible, for the first time, to fit optical distortions.
The blink comparison toolbox has been substantially upgraded in this release. New features are options to alignment to NDF origins or FITS CRPIX values. This gives much better behaviour when comparing images of different dimensions. Better performance (less flickering artifacts). The ability to drag images and enter image coordinate offsets. All images can now be viewed together or one-by-one as before. Images should now always scroll and the "Refresh" button has been removed.
------------
A related subject:
Determining coordinates - no easy way found, see http://groups.google.com/group/sci.astro.fits/browse_frm/thread/105fe7913d387aa5/c70cf7ece67e1a8a?lnk=st&q=%22determining+coordinates%22+astronomy&rnum=1&hl=en#c70cf7ece67e1a8a
-----
Related links -
Guide to Minor Body Astrometry http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/info/Astrometry.html and http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/info/Astrometry.html#equip
Accuracy of reference catalogs - http://www.fitsblink.net/astrometry/astrometry.html
Image Processing Resources for Astronomy Teachers http://www.phy.duke.edu/%7Ekolena/imagepro.
Astrometrica is a interactive software tool - html#ipAstrometrica is a interactive software tool
-------------------
'CHARON' ASTROMETRIC SOFTWARE

With Charon, one must provide an image, specifying either the object or an approximate position in the sky. Charon will then examine the image you've taken, and will search through a star catalog (such as the GSC and Tycho databases on the Guide CD-ROM) for stars covering that area. It then will calculate the transformation between J2000 RA/dec and positions in the image.

Once it has done this, it has registered the image to the sky, and will show you the image with GSC stars superimposed as an overlay. You can move the cursor around and collect information concerning the RA, declination and magnitude of objects in the image. You can hit Tab to immediately zoom in on the target object; Charon will show both the computed, "expected" position of the target object, as well as its actual observed position in the image, and the difference (observed - computed, or "O-C", or "residual") between them. http://www.projectpluto.com/charon.htm#description



Tuesday, October 25, 2005

The Space Elevator - my question is how will it be assembled and erected. How does one get the "seed cable" stretched into space?

The Space Elevator will be anchored to an offshore sea platform near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, and to a small counterweight in space at 100,000 km. Mechanical lifters (robotic elevator cars) will move up and down the ribbon, carrying such items as satellites, solar power systems, and eventually people into space. LiftPort's plan is to take the concept from the research laboratory to commercial development. Countdown to Lift: April 12, 2018 How erected? - see http://liftport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242&highlight=erection WOW!

Russian scientist, Yuri Artsutanov, made a design in 1960.

"same studies estimate that the cost of sending payloads into space could be reduced from $20,000 per pound down to $400 per pound" http://liftport.com/faq.php

"Carbon nanotubes (CNT), discovered in 1991, are almost certainly strong enough. Theory says that they are 3-5 times as strong as we need them to be"

"We plan to build a second one immediately (using the first to make it much cheaper) and expect that the second will immediately be used to build a third, fourth, etc." http://liftport.com/faq1.php#basics2

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) objects can and will pose a serious problem. Active avoidance (moving the platform) can be used for objects that would cause damage. On average, an object would have to be avoided every 14 hours.

# How many climbers may be lifted at once?
With the current design, seven. One would lift off every day, with five tons of cargo. ... Then we stop everything, and then its all 'down'.

# Will the ribbon produce an electrical current?
The last space shuttle-tether experiment, which unspooled about 19 km of cable, generated thousands of volts of electrical potential and kilowatts of power, burned through the insulation of the cable, and generated a tremendous explosive arc of electricity, that snapped the tether. ... long answer at http://liftport.com/faq2.php#science2b


Tthe below manuscript is the result of a six-month investigation conducted for NASA under the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. Even though this is the final report for that study, it is really just the beginning.
The study had the same simple title as this manuscript, The Space Elevator.
http://www.isr.us/Downloads/niac_pdf/chapter1.html

The initial "string" we deploy from orbit is actually a ribbon about 1 micron (0.00004 inches) thick, tapering from 5 cm (2 inches) at the Earth to 11.5 cm (4.5 inches) wide near the middle and has a total length of 55,000 miles (91,000 km). This ribbon cable and a couple large upper stage rockets will be loaded on to a handful of shuttles (7) and placed in low-Earth orbit. Once assembled in orbit the upper stage rockets will be used to take the cable up to geosynchronous orbitB&D where it will be deployed. As the spacecraft deploys the cable downward the spacecraft will be moved outward to a higher orbit to keep it stationary above a point on Earth (a bit of physics we will explain later). Eventually the end of the cable will reach Earth where it will be retrieved and anchored to a movable platform. http://www.isr.us/Downloads/niac_pdf/chapter1.html

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

War in Space? ... or camera malfunction (double exposure)? This is IMG_4497, now look at next photo in my photostream, IMG_4498


War in Space? ... or camera malfunction (double exposure)? This is IMG_4497, now look at next photo in my photostream, IMG_4498
Originally uploaded by edhiker.

Spent about two hours on this!
I took a series of pictures a few days ago and have been pondering one intently. It's at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edhiker/51350840

The answer is double exposure. I'm not sure how I did the double exposure with the Rebel, will have to ask the Canon people.

These cameras allow multiple exposures in-camera:
Fuji S3, Nikon D2X, Pentax *ist D
"One of the cool features of the D2X is that it allows the photographer to shoot multiple exposures and save it as a single image."

See corrected http://flickr.com/photos/edhiker/51350840
--------------
We are now seeing "all sky" coverage each month to about magnitude 19.0.
"All sky" amounts to something a bit over 10,000 square degrees. The
current surveys have a resolution of a few arcseconds, or about 10^6
resolution elements per square degree. That means "all sky" consists of
about 10^10 resolution elements. It turns out that we expect around one
asteroid per square degree in the sky to magnitude 19. Mostly these are
main belt, and of course the numbers peak up dramatically within 10 or so
degrees of the ecliptic, but averaged over the whole sky, one should expect
about 10,000 genuine asteroid detections per month. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/15781


In the middle region of the belt the density of asteroids was 160 asteroids larger than 1 kilometre per square degree.

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Picasa - new version 2.1 was tried out
"A free software download from Google. Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC."

The good:
1- Opens Canon RAW (CRW)very fast and transparently. What it does with 12 bit images is unknown(no control seen with conversion)
2- Scans all drives and makes quick view thumbnail images -fast.
3- If sevral copies exist, they are apperant.
4- Histogram and some EXIF data is seen.

The bad:
1- Can't find the "Save as", the closest thing is "Export", but can't figure out how to rename file in this step.
2- EXIF data is not saved. (from RAW or all?)
3- Max resize is 1024 (but can select "original size")
4- Weard nomanclature:
Refining = reading, processing
Highlights = contrast
Fill light = brightness?
Shadows = gamma?
Warmify = adds warm color
Natural Color Picker = gray card selection
Tuning = adjustments or enhance

5- No fine rotatoon, only 90°


Picasa


There is compitition - Microsoft® Codename Max lets you make lists of your photos and turn them into beautiful slide shows to share with your family and friends. other product. That's because it's not a product. - Windows® XP and 54MB install, 200 MB HD space.

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Friday, September 23, 2005

Vibration or seeing


1/30 sec star image exposure to test vibration vs seeing. 52 arc sec wide image
Originally uploaded by edhiker.

Test to find out if soft pictures are vibration or seeing. Conclusion, it is seeing because 1/1000 sec (see other photos) gives not time for vibration cycle to occur.


1/30 sec star image exposure to test vibration vs seeing. 52 arc sec wide image

Crop = 50 pixels wide, camera array = 3072, 22.7mm. 3072/50=61.44 22.7/61.44 = 0.37mm.= Width of cropped image.
FL of scope = 57inch = 1447mm 1447/0.37= 3910 57.3/3910 = 0.0146 or 0.875 arc min wide
-----------------
22.7 = 0.89 in. Width of field of array= 0.89 degree for my 57 inch FL scope. 89/61=.0145 degree (0.87min) field for 50 pixel crop.


1/30 sec star image exposure to test vibration vs

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Flickr Uploader and Set generator

Flickr Uploader and Set generator

How to do it in the most efficient way -
See my "Photo Methods" notebook, below steps are brief.
1- > five pictures, use uploader
2- put all pics in a folder in correct order
3- Drag into UPLOADER, copy any tags in case uploader fails.
4- Make sure that no duplicates and all wanted pics are in correct order.
5- To make SET, grab those just oploaded. Last pic uploaded winds up on bottom unless it is moved in organizer. Right hand pane shows grouping as they will appear.
6- Edit the set all at once, can be done later at left hand lower of SET page.

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Lagoon - noise removed with NeatImage


Lagoon - noise removed with NeatImage
Originally uploaded by edhiker.

Try out Flickr Blog, links to Blogger
---------
Service: Blogger
Username: edhiker
Password: Store your password?
Weblog: Edhiker's Activities (#6048056)
URL:
Label:

Friday, September 16, 2005

Flickr Backup to local computer

This morning I had the idea to try the great new Google Blog Search on "flickr backup" and http://www.flickr.com/groups/api/discuss/83327/ java backup was on top.

The reason I did this is that I have 1000 photos on Flickr and would like a LOCAL BACKUP.
I always keep a folder with uploaded images, BUT the edited title and description are not at this time backed up.

A tool that would save a person's complete Flicker site, with descriptions would be a godsend.

Example of a (mine)description www.flickr.com/photos/edhiker/14777784/in/set-354620/

What do you think.
------------------
More - "save a Web site" "your computer" gives CuteSITE Builder 3.0 You can save your Web site in 2 ways, either as a single file in its native TLX format, or as HTML on your computer.

There is an extension called Spiderzilla that can do it: http://spiderzilla.mozdev.org/
It is based on the HTTrack Website Copier.

SpiderZilla

SpiderZilla is intended to be a Netscape/Mozilla/Firebird extension for offline browsing. Basically, it is only a front-end for the opensource command line program HTTrack Website Copier . "It allows you to download a World Wide website from the Internet to a local directory,building recursively all structures, getting html, images, and other files from the server to your computer. Links are rebuiltrelatively so that you can freely browse to the local site (works with any browser). You can mirror several sites together so that you can jump from one to another. You can, also, update an existing mirror site, or resume an interrupted download"- HTTrack description . Run SpiderZilla by Tools > "Download this site" Spiderzilla for Windows 9x/Me/2k/XP

This version SpiderZilla has Httrack inside the package. SpiderZilla is installing to aplication directory (Administrator permissions required)

Install spiderzilla.xpi (848 kb)
Download spiderzilla.xpi (848 kb)
-------------------------

Spiderzilla is an easy to use website download utility. It uses an external Open Source program Httrack Webside Copier (embedded in the Windows version). It allows you to download whole websites from the internet to a local directory, recreating the directory structure, and retrieving all html files, images, etc.
Once installed it can be found under Tools > Download This Site

Version: 1.06 Released: 2003-11-13 Size: 849KB
---------
The problem - it ran for about 4 hours, I stopped it, it had downloading lots of pages not having prefix
" http://flickr.com/photos/edhiker/ " - why not? (after 4 hr, it had downloaded 159MB with 6878 files, but only about 1/3 of my flickr site)
What a super way to install a trojan, but I searched the web and http://spiderzilla.mozdev.org/ and http://extensionroom.mozdev.org/more-info/spiderzilla - everything looks ok, except it dosen't work as I had expected.

Ed
Link

Thursday, September 15, 2005


Google's Blog Search


... From a Reference Librarian "Want to find a blog on a particular topic?"
http://pfitzblog.royaltylinks.com/archives/2005/09/15/googles-got-a-blog-search/

What is Blog Search?
Blog Search is Google search technology focused on blogs. Google is a
strong believer in the self-publishing phenomenon represented by
blogging, and we hope Blog Search will help our users to explore the
blogging universe more effectively, and perhaps inspire many to join
the revolution themselves. Whether you're looking for Harry Potter
reviews, political commentary, summer salad recipes or anything else,
Blog Search enables you to find out what people are saying on any
subject of your choice.

The Case for Blogging - Explore the next frontier of authorship and knowledge management... at
Great Article

Google's Blog Search help page http://www.google.com/help/about_blogsearch.html

Google's blog search works great with Flickr photos, searching for
items in the photo description and title, and more. Try it out, start
at:
http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&q=edhiker&btnG=Search+Blogs&scoring=d
... then click "Sort by date" at the top, it turns up the item below
that I just posted on the web one hour ago!

Advanced features allow users to narrow searches by author, date and language. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/09/15/BUG8OENLE21.DTL&type=business

More about Blog Search from Google search at: (is this incest?)
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=%22blog+search%22&btnG=Search

The above blog was edited (hot linked) by Google email.