Re: When lasers are outlawed, etc...
Kim, respectfully, you can't see the connection because you like using the laser and showing the sky to others. Not a bad thing at all, in fact rather noble and praiseworthy, but not an arguement in favor of laser pointers from my perspective. The long-term benefit is yours because you are doing something you enjoy. The teaching value in terms of retention is very questionable (at best) for the general public. Of the thousands of people who have ever attended a star party, how many actually continued to pursue the interest and/or join the club? A pitifully small percentage, even in the abscence of hard data, judging from the SLAS roster. Why do so many people fight traditional, proven teaching methods in favor of instant gratification, where most of the teaching effort is wasted in the long run? I would rather spend an hour working with one truly interested, committed beginner, than a hundred all-nighters with the general public whom will mostly never look up in wonder again. I would also disagree that having folks look through the "finder" (not exactly what I suggested, but close enough) isn't too time-consuming since they are lined-up at the main eyepiece anyway. Might add what, five or ten more seconds? It's not a race, it's not a contest. The night is long enough for all to have a look. There is time to stop and smell the Rosette... We do agree 100% on the "five-cell flashlight", keep those suckers in the trunk for tire-changes, and off the observing field. Finally, if one sees the lasers being used at "private" star parties, where it is assumed that most or all of the attendees are veterans, there is the proof that it's more of a toy than legitimate tool. I would prefer to keep the lasers under the planetarium dome, but then I'm a firm believer in the KISS principle and low-tech approaches whenever practical. Richard Proenneke is my hero. That's about a dime's worth, man am I getting long-winded in my old age...
From: "Kim Hyatt" <kimharch@msn.com> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 19:42:03 -0700 Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Re: When lasers are outlawed etc...
I can't see any connection between the use of a laser and how well one learns or does not learn the nighttime sky.
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Star Parties turned me on to astronomy in the last few years. Though I don't have a laser, I percieve them to be very beneficial in showing a group of people around the night sky. Gary T. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Hards" <chuckhards@yahoo.com> To: <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 9:58 AM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Re: When lasers are outlawed, etc...
Kim, respectfully, you can't see the connection because you like using the laser and showing the sky to others. Not a bad thing at all, in fact rather noble and praiseworthy, but not an arguement in favor of laser pointers from my perspective. The long-term benefit is yours because you are doing something you enjoy. The teaching value in terms of retention is very questionable (at best) for the general public. Of the thousands of people who have ever attended a star party, how many actually continued to pursue the interest and/or join the club? A pitifully small percentage, even in the abscence of hard data, judging from the SLAS roster.
Why do so many people fight traditional, proven teaching methods in favor of instant gratification, where most of the teaching effort is wasted in the long run?
I would rather spend an hour working with one truly interested, committed beginner, than a hundred all-nighters with the general public whom will mostly never look up in wonder again.
I would also disagree that having folks look through the "finder" (not exactly what I suggested, but close enough) isn't too time-consuming since they are lined-up at the main eyepiece anyway. Might add what, five or ten more seconds? It's not a race, it's not a contest. The night is long enough for all to have a look. There is time to stop and smell the Rosette...
We do agree 100% on the "five-cell flashlight", keep those suckers in the trunk for tire-changes, and off the observing field.
Finally, if one sees the lasers being used at "private" star parties, where it is assumed that most or all of the attendees are veterans, there is the proof that it's more of a toy than legitimate tool. I would prefer to keep the lasers under the planetarium dome, but then I'm a firm believer in the KISS principle and low-tech approaches whenever practical. Richard Proenneke is my hero.
That's about a dime's worth, man am I getting long-winded in my old age...
From: "Kim Hyatt" <kimharch@msn.com> To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 19:42:03 -0700 Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Re: When lasers are outlawed etc...
I can't see any connection between the use of a laser and how well one learns or does not learn the nighttime sky.
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Gary T, That's been my experience as well. You almost have to have a working knowledge of the sky to point the laser correctly anyway. As for myself, when I'm not aiming mine at passing airplanes or at folks with their headlights on high beam, I will usually pass my laser to more knowledgeable folks like Siegfried, Mark Bloomenthal, Mike Bailey, Daniel etc., folks who know the sky, so that they can show the people gathered where the objects are located. Another item that grabs peoples attention at star parties and keeps them coming back, is the technology used in today's telescopes. I can't begin to count the number of folks at star parties who will gather around my 10" LX200, or Toms 11" Celestron or even Robs ETX125, to watch them slew from object to object at the mere push of the button. I see a lot of these same folks returning time after time because of this technology. They are facinated with the idea of being able to "tour" the night sky at the touch of a button. Whether these people run out and purchase telescopes or otherwise become involved in astronomy doesn't matter. What matters is that they keep coming back night after night to engage those of us who show up. I know, I know, with a manual scope or binoculars, and a thorough knowledge of the sky, who needs technology? It is 2005, and while it's great to live in a simpler less complicated time, technology is here and it's here for a reason. It is used to make things better. To help make better use of time. And whether that technology comes in the form of a green laser, or a fully computerized telescope, that will level and align it'self, that will track an object clear across the sky while you sit back and drink coffee, or, shoot the breeze with your friends, I believe that regardless of it's form, technology has a place at star parties...JMHO Guy Quoting Gary Thompson <agaryt@mstar.net>:
Star Parties turned me on to astronomy in the last few years. Though I don't have a laser, I percieve them to be very beneficial in showing a group of people around the night sky.
Gary T.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Hards" <chuckhards@yahoo.com>
Finally, if one sees the lasers being used at "private" star parties, where it is assumed that most or all of the attendees are veterans, there is the proof that it's more of a toy than legitimate tool. I would prefer to keep the lasers under the planetarium dome, but then I'm a firm believer in the KISS principle and low-tech approaches whenever practical. Richard Proenneke is my hero.
Quoting from the Aurora group: "Conditions are shaping up very well for producing periods of potentially strong auroral substorming over the next several hours. If you have clear skies take this opportunity to look skyward." Some people are reporting that activity is already starting. Wish we had clear skies here :( Jo
participants (4)
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Chuck Hards -
diveboss＠xmission.com -
Gary Thompson -
Josephine Grahn