Re: Have refractors hurt the hobby?

From: Stephen Paul (spaul219_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 11/05/04 

Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2004 10:25:54 -0500

"RichA" <none@none.com> wrote in message
news:8q1mo0pvj1hb6mu6g8612kgmk2gj57sjfd@4ax.com...

> So have the cheap refractors hurt or helped the hobby?

Without evidence to the contrary, I have to believe they help the hobby more
than they hurt it. Trying to spark an interest in an individual is never
bad, and the more telescopes that stock the shelves of department stores,
the more exposure "little Jon and little Sue" will get, and the higher the
probability that their parent or guardian will bring one home as an
"educational toy".

I think what helps this hobby more than anything, is getting people (young
and old alike) outside without a telescope, and pointing out the
constellations and the planets. I can't think of a single person I've met,
who wasn't interested in knowing that the super bright star in the east just
before sunrise, or in the west just after sunset, is Venus, or that the
bright star overhead is Jupiter, or that the bright star over the south
horizon in winter, Sirius, is the "dog star". Everyone like dogs.

Stephen Paul
Shirley, MA