The push-to vs go-to debate reminds me of a similar debate going on in the flying community. Those of us who learned our "stick and rudder" skills years ago are a little concerned about those learning to fly in these days of computerized cockpits. Recently the FAA released a study showing several instances over the past year or so where airplane electronics broke inflight and the pilots had problems handling the situation because they were so used to the plane flying itself. Air France going into the Atlantic and a flight that went down in Buffalo NY were sited as examples. Still, I guess computers are the way of the future. One day they might not even need onboard pilots. Of course the difference here is that if your scope's electronics break you're probably not going to die. :) patrick p.s. At last count there are 24 portable scopes and gobs of public here at SPOC this evening. On 03 Sep 2011, at 18:33, Joe Bauman wrote:
Daniel, I'm in favor of doing astronomy anyway that gives the astronomer pleasure. Personally, I don't know the skies as well as many of you, and I don't want to use up too many of my limited number of brain cells in learning that. I prefer to , if I can push some buttons and get down to my real job with astronomy, which I see as astrophotography. It's exhausting and time-consuming enough to get even one good photo a night, with hours spent setting up, the variables that have to be calculated and all the adjustments that need to be made, without spending a lot of time with my scope going in circles to find the target. It's just that old adage, to each his own. So let's not mourn a lost art -- it's lost for a good reason. -- Thanks, Joe