Observing the Observers

Since I'm new to this, I spend some time getting to know the people
around me at the viewing sites I visit. I've noticed a class of
people I worry about.

First, I have a GoTo scope. I like the challenge of finding objects
on my own though so I find them on the star charts, use Goto go get me
to my starting point (always a bright star I know where it is), and
then use the TelRad and Finder to navigate my way there. I'm always
careful to align my scope because I want to be able to view at high
powers with little twiddling of the controls.

I've noticed a class of GoTo scope owners who have obviously been
observing for awhile and just as obviously have no clue at all what
they are looking at. For example, last night a person near me with a
very nice GPS Meade model was telling his son that he should come look
at M3. I took a quick glance because I was thinking of M3 next and
found that his telescope was nowhere near M3. It also turned out he
was looking at a galaxy. In talking to the guy (he was a nice guy and
actually very interesting), I learned that he really just wants to go
out an look at things but doesn't really care what they are.

Now, this is fine, but you shouldn't be telling people they are
looking at one thing when they are really looking at something else.
Another person with this same type of telescope is constantly pointing
out the wrong area of the sky when a visitor asks to point to what
they are looking at. Most of the time, he points out objects 30+
degrees from where the scope is pointing.

Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing against somebody who
just wants to go out and look at things and doesn't really care where,
or even what, they are. I just cringe when they guide others.

I've found that there is always somebody around that knows exactly
where any given object is. My knowledge of the deep sky is very
limited still (heck, I had to find Vega (and Draco and Deneb and
Hercules) for the first time last night just to navigate my way to M13
and M92. After I got there though, I could have pointed right to them
if anybody had asked.

Just thoughts and not intended to ruffle any feathers.

Now, visualize these same folks collimating their scopes...

On Sun, 16 May 2004 14:58:46 -0700, "Jan Owen"
wrote:

Now, visualize these same folks collimating their scopes...



Shudder! I have a hard time visualizing ME collimating MY telescope.
Admittedly, however, I've only done it twice.

Just thoughts and not intended to ruffle any feathers.


Hi:

None ruffled. Just keep in mind that there's no "right" or "only" way to enjoy
the night sky.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

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.

Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.txt

"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/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.txt

"CLT" not@thisaddress wrote in message
...
"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."

Well... he's only about 950 years late...

Chuck Taylor wrote:
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."

Paul Lawler wrote:
Well... he's only about 950 years late...

That, and the fact that gravity draws it in, and it (as far as we know)
never fails. I'll be charitable and assume he meant to say "fusion power"
or some such, instead of "gravity."

Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.txt