Re: Have refractors hurt the hobby?

From: matt (mariusrf_at_bellsouth.net)
Date: 11/05/04 

Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2004 12:47:18 -0500

Chris L Peterson wrote in message
<0ldno052i35ptlm2rjfkjh99cjg52j7uek@4ax.com>...
>On Fri, 05 Nov 2004 16:58:59 +0000, Guy Macon <http://www.guymacon.com>
wrote:
>
>>How many years went by from the invention of the telescope to the
>>point where telescope quality became better than a cheap department
>>store telescope of the 21st century? How much real science was done
>>with this inferior equipment?
>
>Yes, but that real science was being done by real scientists, not 10-year
old
>kids. A scientist accepts the limitations of his equipment, and learns to
work
>within them (or to push them). Most kids haven't developed that kind of
focus
>yet; if they can't see anything interesting through their cheap telescopes,
they
>will probably give up trying.
>
>_________________________________________________
>
>Chris L Peterson
>Cloudbait Observatory
>http://www.cloudbait.com

most kids are bored to death even by Hubble like images . They've seen on tv
so much scifi , animated or not, where galaxies, black holes, wormholes,
super power rangers etc all mix up in a simple 2 minute plot that for them
instant gratification on a grand scale is the only thing that works anymore
.
Give them a 1m class scope including someone to operate the scope hassle
free and these kids would still be totally bored. The questions I hear most
are what's this dot, or why is it so small, or can't you make it closer ?
After which their attention always wonders somewhere else, as if this brief
moment of looking through the eyepiece is the end of their astro
experiences forever .
Invariably people came to expect a lot more from scopes than amateur
instruments could possibly deliver. It's due to movies and tv, science
programs, magazines, even things that have nothing to do with astronomy ,
such as calendars . Within the first 10-15 years of life one gets exposed to
these images and then all that could possibly follow is disappointment .
Statistically speaking, people who buy cheap department store scopes (and by
the way there are equally cheap reflectors as well, not just refractors) end
up being interested in astronomy in the same percentage as people who buy a
bicycle and end up becoming avid cyclists, or people who buy a pool mattress
and later become white water kayakers. The drop out percentage is very high
in any serious endeavor, the more serious it gets . I don't delude myself
that people who own better scopes are using them either . Lots of APO owners
are just watching the same few planets, the same few well known eye candy
DSO's, and that's it. No learning involved and no scientific curiosity .
Very few pursue this hobby to a higher level statistically speaking. The
same phenomenon happens in most other fields , for example boating. I live
in Florida , where millions of people convince themselves they really have
to own a boat, and then said boats sit tied to the docks forever, maybe
getting cleaned twice a year, or going out once or twice per year, then
being sold eyars later at a huge loss.
There are millions of scopes sold every year. Over 90% of them end up in
garages, basements , rotting awaiting that final garage sale. It's the same
with all other activities that require time, dedication and even sacrifice .
There is a place on the price performance curve for each market segment .
Department store scopes are just disposable items, of the fast food type
scopes, as opposed to having on staff permanently a French chef . There's a
place for each .

best regards,
matt tudor

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