High attrition rate 1/ 2

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From: (BigKhat)
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Subject: High attrition rate
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Date: 29 Jun 2004 14:14:26 -0700

You really covered the major reasons! An other prime reason for
the high attrition is the lack of local support system or network. Ur
is real, like real, tough to learn a profession like home astronomy by
yourself with no other astronomers near you to call on.
That's why it's important to join a localastronomy club BEFORE
getting into the expense of a telescope and accessories. he local
astronomers will know what instrument s are best for the sky and
territory around you. They will know of places to view the sky from
safely and conveniently and comfortably. They offer answers to your
questions and show you how to work your equipment.
Sadly, so much of the mainstream litterature simply passes over
home astronomy clubs as a major resource; the fixation is on the big
buy a of a telescope.
An other major cause is the supposed identity of 'home astronomy'
with only 'stargazing'. Of course if you have the means and will to do
the orthodox skywatching, go and do so! However, home astronomy is a
lot more than stargazing. In fact, at least in new York, there are far
more chances to get your astronomy fix without the clear sky over you
than with it. Check out lectures, exhibits, planetaria, scinece
museums, bookshops.
If you scan my NYC events calendar, posted here this night, you'll
see many away-from-sky activities to keep your astronomy interest
alive. (There are also, surprise!, a LOT of starviewings in and around
New York in that table!)
I do agree that the frustration factor and learning curve in the
regular route to home astronomy can be extremely steep. This leads to
abandonment of the profession or hobby and the sense of wasting some
very good and substantial money and time. By incorporating the other,
considerable, facets of home astronomy and allying with the local
stronomy club, both frustration and learning curve can be lowered. Low
enough to allow a long and enduring enjoyment of astronomy.
Now i do appeciate, based on the correspondence for my NYC Events
and pazMiniBits (not posted here but only in the NYSkies yahoo
maillist) that New Yorkers are specially blessed with so wonderful an
astronomy climate. Not that I dispute the comment, you see, but I
can't accept offhand that NO where wlse has at lwast a useful slate of
astronomy offerings to supplement or ampliment the orthodox
stargazing.
It may take a bit of spade work and scratching to dig up those
other options. I sure did when I started NYC Events a year and half
ago. *Before then the article was confined to activities of the
Amateur Astronomers Association, in New York,) Once the new column got
going, I have a stable of contacts and correspondents who keep eyes
and ears open for astronomy happenings.
the mian home astronomy is artificially segregated from the society
it's embedded in. Look at any picture of an astronomy event. See the
people? The telescopes? The tents? The cars? Look in the background.
Trees? Fields? Barns?
Where was the picture taken? It could be any where and no where.
There is no interaction between the home astronomer and the community
around him. You guess Podunk? Paducah? Peoria? Piscataqua? Pukingburg?
A picture of astronomy n new York shows the complete amalgamation
of stars and city. COnsdier the recent transit of Venus. The main
group of astronomers, from several clubs, was at Carl Schurz Park. You
see a busy river with ships and barges. pwople coursing by on foot
skateboard, bicycle. Skyscrapers. Strrets fille dwith traffic.
You can HEAR in the picture bells, horns, shouts, chugging,
whirring. You can SMELL in the pictures hot dogs, hot asphalt, slat
air, coffee, dog deposits. You can FEEl the steel fence, the wood
benches, the stone parapets and walks, wind on your face.
The astronomers watching the transit are part and parcel of their
city! They live here, perhaps in that there tower beyond the
bushes. They work here, maybe behind the wheel of that bus pasing by.
They eat here. Likely at the pushcart a little up the path or the
coffee shop out on the street corner.
You can SENSE in those pictures that after the transit, many of
these astronomers will stay together socially, walk home together,
ride the subway together.
And so you KNOW in the pictures that astronomy BELONGS here as an
integral feature of the city life.
And, that's what makes a better astronomer, with lower attrition.




B I was wondering if amateur astronomy his a high attrition rate. I
B wonder this because I read all these postings (here, on cloudy nights
B and on astromart) from newbies about buying a new telescope. After
B newbie gets lots of advice, he/she buys a scope and is very excited
B after the first couple of viewing sessions. Pretty soon, we don't
B hear from them again.
B
B So I wonder what the one year attrition rate is (people stop using
B scopes for all intents and purposes) after one year. My guess is
B around 50% but I might be wrong.
B
B Also, why doesn't this hobby have staying power? Some reasons I can

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