Brent, when you and I started in this hobby, it was for "frustrated scientists". The main goal was to further our own knowledge, and possibly contribute to science. Now it seems that astronomy at the "club" level is a consumer and social activity. Telescope and equipment making have become marginalized and no longer really matter; most ATM's these days build carbon-copies of the Same Old Thing. Even learning the basics is eschewed by most folks. Has our time passed? Is the advice "learn to walk before you run" no longer valid? Is it time to ride off into the sunset and let the Social Consumers do their thing? Let's put it to a vote. Everyone on the list is welcome, one vote each. Should Chuck quit the hobby? Vote yes or no. If the "YES" votes win, I'm gone. POOF! If the "NO" votes win, you gotta listen to Grandpa for a while longer. --- Brent Watson <brentjwatson@yahoo.com> wrote:
Yes, Chuck, it seems the way of the future is to let the machine do it all for you. The computer finds the object, guides the photo and "fixes" the exposure when your all through. It almost seems like there is as much work now to find an image on the internet as there is in taking your automatic scope outside and telling it to produce a digital image of your "target".
Oh for the days when you did it by hand! But then, I guess there are still those who have not yet succumbed to the automation. What would the Herschel 400 be if all the objects were found without digital aid?
Gosh, why then it would actually test the observers skill! How unfair to those who don't want to have to make a real effort! __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover