Brent, I suspect homemade setups can’t generally match mass-production models when it comes to precision tracking and astrophotography. Computing power and programs are required, and I doubt homemade gear systems are up to the task. Further, some who enjoy astronomy tremendously are, like me, directionally dyslexic. Without a go-to I would be lost. It’s elitist to claim the person who has memorized the stars and constellations is superior to someone who can’t manage it. To each his/her own, I say. Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 20, 2019, at 7:19 AM, WAYNE A SUMNER <wasum1@msn.com> wrote:
I'll never forget my first RTMC with Brent Watson when we demonstrated Digistar back in the mid 1980's. As I recall, we got a standing ovation.
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: RTMC is no more (Brent Watson)
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Message: 1 Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2019 15:36:11 +0000 (UTC) From: Brent Watson <brentjwatson@yahoo.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] RTMC is no more Message-ID: <496440634.10528072.1571499371701@mail.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
I agree with Chuck.? Home built scopes truly do outperform the mass produced scopes of today.? The big apo refractors available today are a possible exception.? There is great satisfaction to be had by "rolling your own" so to speak. The mass produced scopes are usually more sophisticated with go to mounts, but I feel like many folks who have them really don't have an appreciation for visual astronomy.? That includes knowing constellations and individual stars as well as feel for where things are in the sky.? Not all, but many fit this category.? There is a great appreciation that comes with the meaning of the rising of Capella or seeing the first of the winter hexagon appear. I will continue to bring my home made scopes to star parties that I attend.? That's all I have.? I have never owned a commercial scope for more than a couple of weeks. BTW, I just finished a new telescope.? It employs a 13.1?inch f6?mirror made and signed by John Dobson at a workshop at my house almost 30 years ago, and is on a Dobson mount.? I call it John's Dobson.? Its going to Phoenix with me and I expect to engage in a bit of sidewalk astronomy with it through the winter months. On Thursday, October 17, 2019, 01:09:06 PM MDT, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
I don't doubt what you are saying, Joan, I just don't see ATMing suffering at all today.? Dobson did breathe new life into it, but his death didn't diminish it.? Still going very strong today.
On Thu, Oct 17, 2019 at 12:45 PM Joan Carman <jcarman6@q.com> wrote:
It's not that I disagree with you Chuck, it's just that we have different focuses for our interest in astronomy.? There is a vast need, particularly now, for science education in America and astronomy is the oldest science and perhaps the easiest to share with the masses.? There is a great thirst for such information even in Utah.? Dobson started the Sidewalk Astronomers and continued to do it almost to the day he died.? He very much wanted to share the night sky with everyone.? Reconnect to the universe, if you will.? How an individual explores his interest in astronomy is up to the individual.? If you want to do if for your own pleasure or the challenge of building something, you're not wrong, just different.? And different is the spice of life.? :)
----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Hards" <chuck.hards@gmail.com> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2019 11:19:52 AM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] RTMC is no more
Joan, I was an ATM before I heard of John Dobson.? To me, what he proved is that a large alt-az mounted Newtonian could be a useful telescope. Everything else about his design was crude and minimalist.? They worked, but not optimally.? It doesn't diminish what he did, but establishing a new paradigm was his true contribution- not showing how to build a budget telescope from whatever is on-hand.? That tradition predated Dobson by decades.
On Thu, Oct 17, 2019 at 10:17 AM Joan Carman <jcarman6@q.com> wrote:
John Dobson, RIP, made telescopes and the night sky available to everyone by creating a low cost telescope (port hole glass for mirrors). Engineers and scientists using 3D printers do not support that vision.? You're probably right in that ATM is alive and well, it's just way out there in right field and has lost touch with the common person (trying not to be gender specific :))
----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Hards" <chuck.hards@gmail.com> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2019 1:02:04 PM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] RTMC is no more
When was the last time you saw *me* at a star party?? ;)
Home-made scopes are all I use when actually "observing", even though I have collected quite a few commercial scopes over the years.? They rarely see action because my home-made scopes have much better optics.
ATMing is now a bit of an industry all it's own.? Many of it's practitioners are professional engineers or scientists, and are using digital advances to aid in their work.? Technology moves on, the tools of the ATM have changed, but they are still out there in large numbers.
John Dobson wasn't really in the mainstream ATM tradition, but his ideas live-on today.? He wasn't interested in making the design better because his interest was only in seeing.? The scope was merely a means to an end, whereas most ATMs enjoy the activity of telescope design and construction as much or more than observing.
The Salt Lake club started out heavy with ATM people, I remember the 70's. Today it has become more of a social event, an excuse for people to get together.? The activity of astronomy is very much second these days. Back in the old days, we came up with events for members only, today it's largely focused on outreach.? The more technically savvy ATMer of today is typically a lone wolf, not a socializer.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I met a gentleman from Ogden who is older than I am (I'm 61) and has been interested in astronomy for decades.? He owns a very large Dob and is currently building a large Newt for his weekend get-away home in a rural area.? Yet he has never joined a club and has no interest in joining a club.? I think there are a lot more "no club" types out there than there are regular club meeting types.
It may be that the traditional astronomy club is actually the living fossil.
On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 12:43 PM Joan Carman <jcarman6@q.com> wrote:
I'll bend to your knowledge Chuck, but I doubt John Dobson would have appreciated 3D printers :)? or when was the last time you saw a home built telescope at a star party (Watson excepted) :)
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