Re: NO STARHOPPING ALLOWED!!!

From: Chris L Peterson (clp_at_alumni.caltech.edu)
Date: 09/16/04 

Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 16:03:36 GMT

On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 15:55:34 GMT, Phil Wheeler <w6tuh-ng5@yahoo.com> wrote:

>OTOH -- how much professional astronomy is visual? Finding Polaris from
>your backyard is hardly a qualification to operate today's observatories
>-- ground or space-based.

Agreed. But Astronomy 101 (for non-majors) is hardly designed to prep students
for an academic life in professional astronomy.

Also, this is procedural. You follow a set of directions and the result is a
properly set up instrument. Professional astronomers have to follow the same
kind of directions to use their instruments, even if finding Polaris isn't
usually one of the steps. ("Rotate the azimuth mounting plate of the Keck until
the control panel is facing south- use Polaris for this- before beginning your
two star alignment... <g>)

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

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