female amateur astronomers

"Mick" wrote in message
. ..

"Cathy" wrote in message
...
I am a female amateur astronomer/astro-photographer. Most folks think
I'm a bit different. Many ask about astrology. I know alot about that
too. A very select few ask about astronomy. Astrology is what brought
me into my study of astronomy. I needed to know and see what Venus in
Leo looked liked rising above the Atlantic Ocean in degrees
corresponding to the time of my birth. I needed to see my Virgo Sun, my
Libra Mercury, my Taurus Full Harvest Moon and my Pisces Mars.

I have been fortunate enough to find a few other folks with limited
interest in astronomy, and have been able to convey "our" interest to
their children. A township police officer's boy just received his Boy
Scout badge in astronomy with the help of my Astroscan.

I no longer have a problem going to a dark sky site. I divorced my
husband of 19+ years and found a wonderful new husband, who is
interested and who is learning the sky with me. His now retired Dad, who
resides in Antigua worked for NASA on the hydraulic systems for the
satellite dishes around the world.

We are moving to southern Arizona.

Life is good.

Cathy

It seems everything you wrote is designed to bring attention to you and
not
offer any advice. I highly doubt much of what you say is true..IMHO


Wow!!! You could glean all that information from the few words Cathy
posted, you are one special guy. Have you considered donating your brain to
science (if they can find it)?

Al

Maybe you married the wrong guy. Couples are supposed have similar
interests.

Who wrote that rule??

I was married for 25 years before my husband passed away. In all of that time,
I was never able to interest him in astronomy other than taking an occasional
peek at Saturn. On the other hand, I could never see the sense in getting up
at 4 AM to go fishing as he loved to do! Partners should be supportive of each
others hobbies but that doesn't mean they have to be together 24 hours a day.
Trust & faith are far more important.

Cheers,
Sandy Mc.



(Sandy mcgdogmc)
40d 26' N 89d 13' W

You know, I think an amateur astronomer is an amateur astronomer. I've
never felt a need to distinguish between a male and a female amateur
astronomer.

I don't care what their gender is. Or what color their hair or skin is.
An amateur astronomer is someone who enjoys the same things I do. And I
respect that.

I don't respect someone who thinks anyone is less than an equal, aside,
perhaps, from the level of skills they may have mastered, and I don't
respect anyone who thinks they are something special, regardless of their
gender, or their hair or skin color.

I have never seen an amateur astronomer discriminate against another
amateur astronomer of any persuasion. I would have the same reaction,
regardless of the type of discrimination at hand, including reverse
discrimination, were I to witness same.

I think that would be the case with most folks here.


--
To reply, remove the "z" if one appears in my address
"Jeana" wrote in message
om...
I am a passionate amateur astronomer, and am realizing more and more
how difficult it is to be a female in this field. My first
realization of this came when I walked in to a telescope retailer and
they reacted to me like they had never had a female customer before.
They asked me personal questions about my social status, etc. (e.g.
"do you have a significant other? maybe HE can carry the scope for
you") and assumed I knew nothing about telescopes ("this is what is
called a NEW-TO-NI-AN"). When it became clear to the salesman that I
had some knowledge of what I was looking at, he said, "that's not bad
for a girl."

I also live in a very urban area and can't see anything in the night
sky unless I drive out for at least an hour and a half to the
mountains or the desert. My husband, although very supportive of my
love of astronomy, does not like it when I want to drive out alone to
some remote location (and usually those places have no cellphone
reception). He tries to go with me most of the time but can't
accompany me every time I want to go (which is all the time). He does
not want to hold me back from pursuing this hobby, and I recognize
that he has reason to worry about my heading out to the mountains
alone. I try to always take someone with me, which requires that I
can't leave when I want, or stay as long as I want. It also means I
can only go when I have someone to go with me, which means my
enjoyment of astronomy depends on my ability to secure a chaperone for
the night. I understand he worries, and I understand that it is
probably not a wise idea in this day and age for me to head off into a
dark remote location alone. But it is nonetheless stifling.

I also tried to make friends with people in local astronomy clubs.
Perhaps I should give this some time. I don't have too many friends
who share this interest as passionately as I do, and it's quite
difficult to find someone among my existing friends who are willing to
accompany me on these field trips. It takes time to get to know new
people, and it takes a longer amount of time for one's spouse to get
to know people well enough to feel comfortable enough to not worry
about my hanging out with them in a dark remote location until the wee
hours of the night.

Am I the only one with this kind of a problem? Are there female
amateur astro urbanites out there who can relate? Or men who have
female partners with a serious case of the astronomy bug? My husband
is not the overly-protective type, and he hardly ever holds me back
from pursuing various interests, and he personally dislikes having to
have me adhere to certain conditions in order to head out for a
viewing.

I'd appreciate any suggestions or insights anyone might have about
this issue.

It seems everything you wrote is designed to bring attention to you and
not
offer any advice. I highly doubt much of what you say is true..IMHO

And your post isn't bringing attention to you? Am I the only one
who gets the idea that you're stalking Cathy? She can't seem to
get a word in here without you offering some sort of negative
comment.

trane

Yes you are the only one...anyone who has the audacity to mix astrology and
astronomy and calls themself an "amateur astronomer/astro-photographer" and
give "advice" really can't be all there IMHO...

On 10/02/03 11:57 +0900, John Steinberg wrote:

In article ,
"Mick" wrote:

It seems everything you wrote is designed to bring attention to you and not
offer any advice. I highly doubt much of what you say is true..IMHO

Over the years we've had some truly excellent Canadian contributors to
this newsgroup. Gary Seronik, Clive Gibbons, et al., immediately come
to mind.

OTOH, we now have you, and I just want to let any Canadian lurkers know
that we do not believe this trifling cretin in any way reflects poorly
on the whole of the Canadian amateur astronomy community. We implicitly
and explicitly apologize for our S.G. just as I know you would do the
same for this silly, sad, little, demented hockey puck.

Although Cathy can more than take care of herself here, it's noted that
you need a nanny, and I'm here to fulfill that function. You appear to
have some kind of misanthropic tendencies, and -- I'll type real slowly
here -- if you persist in harassing her I *will* rip you a new lower
orifice. million watt smile

Now, be a good little shaver, go brush your tooth, and come back when
you can behave like something other than a lowbrow sociopath who hasn't
had a date since, well, ever.

That ranks as one of the most beautiful flames I have EVER read.
Bloody 'ell, it brings a tear to me blinkin' eye!

You're Canuckian, John? Me, too. WHO KNEW?

trane, apologizing to Canadians everywhere
--
//------------------------------------------------------------
// Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan
// Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.
// http://mp3.com/trane_francks/

You wrote:
(snip)

You appear to have some kind of misanthropic tendencies ...
(snip)

More specifically, misogynistic, as well.
Bill Meyers

On 10/02/03 12:14 +0900, Mick wrote:

And your post isn't bringing attention to you? Am I the only one
who gets the idea that you're stalking Cathy? She can't seem to
get a word in here without you offering some sort of negative
comment.

trane

Yes you are the only one...anyone who has the audacity to mix astrology and

I don't think so, bro. I've read other recent messages that would
indicate that I'm not alone in picking up on this. You've got issues.

astronomy and calls themself an "amateur astronomer/astro-photographer" and
give "advice" really can't be all there IMHO...

Whether she groks astrology is not at all germane to her posting
here as an amateur astronomer. Get over it already. While you're
at it, get over yourself. Audacity, indeed.

trane, mulling over tragic misappropriation of DNA
--
//------------------------------------------------------------
// Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan
// Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.
// http://mp3.com/trane_francks/

Am I the only one who gets the idea that
you're stalking Cathy?

Yes you are the only one.

No, he isn't. Obviously, a lot of folks in here have picked up on your
problem.
anyone who has the audacity to mix
astrology and astronomy and calls
themself an "amateur
astronomer/astro-photographer" and
give "advice" really can't be all there
IMHO...

Well, yup, Cathy is audacious, and makes no apologies for it. Her
penchant for bringing up astrology has sorta been hashed out in here
before, a long time ago. Yes, astrology goes over in here like a fart
in a crowded broom closet, but Cathy doesn't seem to push it, and she
does know the sky and makes wonderful photographs. Most folks like
Cathy, and look the other way concerning her occasional astrological
references just like they do with my necrophilia.
Marty

Marty disclosed:

like they do with my necrophilia.


You too? Well, I'll be darned!

"Alan French" wrote in message By
the way, I really do enjoy Sue's columns, well written and interesting
targets too.

Jon,

Thanks. Sue loves writing and I think it shows.

It does indeed. When I was younger, my favorite columns were the Messier
Album and Scotty's. The Album is gone and no one is Scotty, but Sue is next
in line.

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/