ASTRONOMICAL JOTTINGS, by S. Waldee Copyright (c) 2007-8, Stephen R. Waldee - All Rights Reserved This is the MASTER MENU of my various astronomical essays: brief (and some not-so-brief) discussions of topics related to telescopes, amateur observing, astronomy websites, forums, and publications, and deep sky viewing techniques. The lengthy pages may take a while to load if you are not on a broadband connection. Earliest essays at the top of the list; latest ones at the end. Last update: Friday 3 October 2008. Astronomical Chauvinism Both professional and amateur astronomers are sometimes too ready to insist that their telescope and site are superior -- or at least are not inferior -- to others. This leads to a misunderstanding of the optimum results that they might experience, and a suspicion of other findings (what Donald Osterbrock called the "Not In MY Telescope" Syndrome.) Honor Amongst (Photon) Thieves The remarkable level of honesty and accuracy that has been achieved by astronomical hobbyists who share their observing reports, photos, and sketches, compared to the sometimes dismal level of integrity of the practitioners of certain other hobbies. "It Can't Be Done!" Don't discourage other observers by being too negative: sometimes an object that is seen by YOU with difficulty in a large scope could be detected by others in a smaller instrument. The Madding Crowd How the bad manners of Usenet have crept into the supposedly collegial astronomy newsgroups and forums. The Assumption of Ignorance Don't be too offended if you ask for help or advice on a forum, and the people who reply assume you don't know all the rudiments: this is merely human nature, as we can't read your mind... In Praise of Anomalies Some observers are SO cautious and conservative that if they don't see something over and over again, they don't "trust" their experiences. Are you being too dismissive of 'boundary' experiences? "You DIDN'T See That!" Occasionally a large-telescope owner will be guilty of "projection": insisting that his or her experience is quite normally representative, dismissing those of observers with smaller telescopes, who report seeing the same difficult objects. In Praise of Cheap Eyepieces -- sort of. Do you HAVE to spend $400-700 on a single eyepiece in order to really enjoy astronomical observing? The author doesn't think so. Lessons from Don A celebration of some personal reminiscences of experiences with a cherished friend and mentor: the late, great Dr. Donald Osterbrock of Lick Observatory. Competitiveness, and Amateur Astronomy What do YOU compete with: the sky conditions and weather; your inertia; the struggle with cumbersome equipment -- or with OTHER amateur astronomers? The author suggests what might be the most rewarding competitive challenges. Know Your "Equipment" Have you tested your eyes, and your ultimate ability to see faint sights (including colors) -- or do you just assume you know what you're capable of seeing? My Mistakes and Failures Our observing reports ought to include, at least once in a while, our FAILURES as well as our successes. Ah, Sweet Vindication! A few immodest remarks about the dawning awareness of the true history of the Horsehead nebula, with my Waldee/Hazen research starting to bear fruit. Dirt: It's Good for You Are you an obsessive-compulsive optics cleaner? If so, are you doing more harm than good? Am I Nuts, Or What? Do you believe that the so-called "reviews" you read on the Net about typical astronomy software are reasonably predictive of YOUR experiences or needs? Wasted Resources? Are you a materialist, obsessed with the fanciest, latest "cutting edge" astronomical gear? Do you waste your money, and never really use what you have? SRW: Usenet Pariah Why I have come to regret my posting activities on usenet; and some remarks about giving advice to beginners that is practical, not merely a way of showing off your erudition. Where's the reference? How do you ground yourself and relate your opinions and the evaluations of your experiences as an astronomical observer? Are you trying to apply some known standards? And, can this even be DONE? Something is terribly wrong... Reacting to worldwide tragic events just before July 4, 2007, the author calls for the science-minded among us to resist the forces that would drag us back to an era of superstition. GOTO what? A recent magazine ad selling GOTO scopes bothered the old-time author (who even owns and enjoys one himself.) He believes it's not necessary to belittle traditionalists in order to promote and sell new techniques and equipment. Astronomy Without 'Juice' A discussion of the carefree pleasures of observing without the aid of electricity.    page 2... Are there any astronomical standards? Two experts duke it out on the amateur astronomy newsgroup about the best and most practical way to publish the astronomical coordinates of deep sky objects: both make good points (but the author knows which way he prefers!) I've Left ANOTHER Forum... Is there any point in arguing with someone who doesn't think the way you do, have your own tastes, and who hasn't had your experiences? It's SO Predictable! The author proposes a mechanism for simulating the predictable arguments that are always breaking out on astronomy forums or usenet, since -- by now -- every objection and opinion conceivable have been trotted out. Instead of the Perseids... The author explores his own observing and reporting techniques, in reply to a severe critic of one of his articles about a deep sky object. Martha Stewart, and Amateur Astronomy Does a certain astronomy website/forum try to assert a sort of "Martha Stewartesque" correctness and formulaic approach to all activities related to amateur astronomy? The author suspects so, and explains why it annoys him. Stupid Little Jobs The author reminisces about some of the part time jobs he's had in science and astronomy shops that failed: and why they were unsuccessful. QT is EVIL! Beware of some software programs that seem to take over your computer, against your will: not merely "spyware" or "malware", but legitimate media players that won't let YOU make your own preferred choices. Averted Imagination? Comments on Mark Wagner's very interesting discussion thread about averted vision, and one's personal decision about which observations are trustworthy. Let's Give Up On This Bad Idea Is it fair or reasonable to demand that major astronomy magazines print not modern high quality, beautifully resolved, colorful deep sky images, replacing them with "dumbed down" grayish eye-view simulations, in the name of "realism"? Some cranky, fogeyish readers keep asking them to do it; I disagree strongly. Computer Star Charts Often Waste Your Time Here is an egregious example of JUNK in a computer star chart that took me days to track down and check out. Why are some software developers so oblivious to the bad data that they use for plotting stars and deep-sky objects? How To Waste Two Days of Your Life Perfecting a Proper Dewshield I finally bit the bullet and bought a commercial dewshield for my C-11, which turned out to be useless as sold. Here is what I had to do to make it workable: a cautionary tale for astro manufacturers. Must You Plan Your Observing Sessions? Planning software authors and sellers insist that we NEED their wares, or we are just stumbling around in the dark. But there are unforseen problems; and conditions on the night of your observation might get in the way of 'the best laid plans...' The astro-boondoggle of all times? New products promise to solve your difficulties of identifying the stars and planets...but the sad results seem, if you believe the assertions of frustrated users, to be typical of high-tech products: they are fussy, erratic, and frustrating. Sometimes, there's no "free lunch" and you just have to buckle down and learn the basics, rather than relying on machines.    page 3... Self-critique of my observing reports Before I explain what bothers me about the observing reports and posts of other amateur astronomers, it's only fair for me to criticize MY OWN, and point out things that could be improved. Telescope Abuse How DARE anybody leave a nice refractor like this one out in the wind and the rain?! There out to be a law... The Incompetence of Utter Boobs An example of laughable "UFO evidence" is very quickly examined, and dismissed. Is Waldee a 'cruel, closed-minded denier" or a rational skeptic? 'Riding on the coat-tails' Can conservatives, small-government advocates, and libertarians support government action that mandates the shutting off of useless night lighting, employed by CLOSED businesses that are shut, locked, and empty most of the night? Maybe they can support it -- if they are ALSO astronomers! Alpha-dog jockeying; or self-expression? Do we post our ideas about amateur astronomy merely because we have an allegedly 'positive', spontaneous need for self-expression? How much personal ego-assertion is the unexamined basis for our contributions to amateur astronomy forums and usegroups? A casual attempt is made to observe the basis of some of the psychological drives of modern creators and communicators -- especially those of us who are 'competitive' amateur astronomers -- as related to the evolutionary biology of primates; and suggestions are offered regarding socially positive compensations that mitigate negative behavior. The Pomposity of Amateur 'Scientists' re: Astrosketching Some persons who post to astroforums, and share their experiences by means of picture galleries, websites, and even books for other amateur astronomers, take their alleged "science" very seriously, while admitting that they are, indeed, amateurs. This bothers me, particularly when I investigate the claims made for the realism of colored astro-sketches.    page 4... Problems With Products A visit to an astronomy gadget emporium left me filled with disappointment and frustration: why don't the makers use experienced amateur observers and imagers to guide their designs and manufacturing? The shortcomings of products often suggest that the makers have never used them for real, practical astronomy. Scope Horror Story With appalled, morbid fascination, I read (with a great deal of sympathy) a fellow amateur astronomer's account of his troubles in getting a brand-new GOTO scope to work out of the box. It was ultimately returned to the factory but a replacement was damaged in shipping; and further problems were experienced. Some of these troubles have been shared by me (but with a competing maker's product); therefore I am tending to suspect that such complex instruments may very well be marginally designed and developed. f/500 Scope! An egregious mistake in a magazine telescope advertisement is discussed, allowing the author to ruminate about ancient telescopes of extreme length, and to compare their documented performance with his own small reflector. Choices We all make our own practical, personal choices as amateur astronomers or astrophotographers: the equipment we believe we need; the activities that interest us. It's unfair to call the choices of another individual "faulty" though we might not be able to help feeling so, if we do a different type of astronomy, or function at a different experience level or orientation to the hobby. Ask Dr. Universe Why waste all this expertise and wisdom? It's time that I put it to good use. Go ahead: ask me ANYTHING at all about the cosmos; I dare you! The Lies People Tell Have you ever tried to get a straight answer from computer tech support? 'Nuff said. Obituary of a Nearly-Dead Newsgroup I made the mistake of downloading topic headers from sci.astro.amateur, and have learned that I needn't ever bother to do THAT again.