On Sep 23, 5:54 pm, Rich wrote:
On Sep 22, 8:25 am, AM wrote:





Didn't see it but........

I cant believe you all are nit picking the show !!
Here we have a show about astronomy intended and
shown for the public, and yet ya all still complain.

BTW what have ya all done to get the public interested
in Astronomy ? The way some of ya bitch about Starlord,
and the show, it's almost like you want amateur astronomy
to stay a secret.......

I used to do a lot of public outreaches, and am starting
back at it again this year after a long hiatus. (couple
of deaths in family, younger kid off to war......)

Think of how many Orion catalogs ya got people. Every time
ya go to a doctors office, always leave a few behind, I
know I do. Same with small scopes. It is funny watching
people in broad daylight while I setup a little scope (ST 80)
in a park and look at the Sun. The kid's are always the first
over, followed by adults. Kinda funny to watch.

When Mercury transited the Sun, I set the C 11 up for my friends
in a big park across from my house. Wound up showing it to approx
30+ other people jogging, or just walking in the park. Most hadn't
even thought about looking at the Sun, much less a planet transiting
it. But I had a large crowd of happy and impressed people for a
while who were totally engrossed in it.

It don't get no better than that !!

Clear skies.

It's admirable of you to do this kind of public display. Since the
traditional methods of introducing people to the hobby are fading
(magazines) or weak (mostly semi-secreted, club activities). The
educational system's ability to promote interest in science or
astronomy is abysmal, pathetic really. The "people" who run the
schools are more content lecturing everyone about "social sciences."
As for the show, IMO, it should concentrate solely on amateur
astronomy and avoid the professional which has been dealt with in many
other shows on PBS, etc. Show the average person engaging in the
hobby more, and you'll get more people into it.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Never has there been so much material availible to people who wish to
explore celestial/terrestrial phenomena and especially imaging
techniques such as sequencial imaging,time lapse footage and
observations of the Earth from space to ease a person into the
reasoning of the great astronomers or set out on new endeavors such as
combining astronomy with geological and climatological studies.

Everyone is an astronomer but the art of astronomy is something more
than the magnification exercise you guys believe it to be and it
certainly is no 'hobby' in its highest form.As a Christian,I know
about discipline in order to develop the intutive intelligence needed
for astronomical affairs,the fact that most people have it beaten out
of them by the empirical cult does not excuse them from searching out
what the original astronomers like Copernicus,Kepler and Galileo were
actually saying rather than relying on empirical indoctrination
which belongs more to astrology than anything else.

Hauling out your telescopes in the darkness does not make you
astronomers,amateur or otherwise,you have to have a passion for the
astronomical cycles which make existence possible and make the
effort to learn the art which is now almost lost to humanity.It is
not the preserve of those who follow meaningless equations but the
realm of geometry and physical considerations * .Like all things in
life,the reward is worth the effort,as this great Christian author
expresses the basis of all inspirational works of genius -

"Yet there be certain means thereunto, as the saying is, "To learn an
art which thou knowest not, four things are needful." The first and
most needful of all is, a great desire and diligence and constant
endeavour to learn the art. And where this is wanting, the art will
never be learned. The second is, a copy or ensample by which thou
mayest learn. The third is to give earnest heed to the master, and
watch how he worketh, and to be obedient to him in all things, and to
trust him and follow him. The fourth is to put thy own hand to the
work, and practise it with all industry. But where one of these four
is wanting, the art will never be learned and mastered. So likewise is
it with this preparation. For he who hath the first, that is, thorough
diligence and constant, persevering desire towards his end, will also
seek and find all that appertaineth thereunto, or is serviceable and
profitable to it. But he who hath not that earnestness and diligence,
love and desire, seeketh not, and therefore findeth not, and therefore
remaineth ever unprepared. And therefore he never attaineth unto that
end."

Anonymous Christian author


Humanity's astronomical heritage is dominated by people who have
little diligence,little love and desire to be astronomers but the
status of 'astronomer' is still there for those who make the
effort ,the richness of its divisions and how it spreads out into all
terrestrial phenomena is for those who love life rather than
pretension based on transitory guesswork using a non geometric
language.




* "To set down in books the apparent paths of the planets [vias
planetarum apparentes] and the record of their motions is especially
the task of the practical and mechanical part of astronomy; to
discover their true and genuine path [vias vero veras et genuinas]
is . . .the task of contemplative astronomy; while to say by what
circle and lines correct images of those true motions may be depicted
onpaper is the concern of the inferior tribunal of geometers" Kepler