"Brian Tung" wrote in message
...
Rod Mollise wrote:
None ruffled. Just keep in mind that there's no "right" or "only" way
to enjoy the night sky.

True nuff. But I agree with him that before you set out to teach someone
*else* the night sky, you ought to make sure you know it that well, first.

I was laughing as I read it. If he hadn't already made some good posts, I
might have thought he was trolling, but the attitude isn't quite right.

Still, it is amazing to listen to what is offered as explanations. I watched
as one fellow with a cam output to a TV showed the moon, pointing out the
various maria and not getting a one of them right. He did get a couple of
craters right, but not many. Still, he was confidently going on, offering a
name for anything someone pointed to.

From the same group I listened as someone explained M1, telling the
appreciative audience that the "whole thing is held up by gravity. When the
gravity fails, it will explode in an instant, and become so bright we'll be
able to see it in the daytime."

I guess it makes no difference if you understand what you are looking at.
You can still enjoy it for the beauty. But when you are hosts at a regular
public star party ...

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
And the Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
************************************

Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
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