"John Dobson Heading down under"

[Dale Gorman]

Hi members.... Dale here with my first effort in spreading some news and gossip!
I have a reliable sorce in the US that has told me that John Dobson is heading down under to an up coming star party and not only that!.....He is also going to be supplying cash and prizes along the way.
Not sure on the finer details yet but will keep you all posted as things come to light.......Maybe someone else has info on the master of the Doby popping in to pay us a visit.......will be following this trail with baited breath me thinks.
If anyone else knows more,please let us know........

Regards to the group......D. Gorman.

[Kal]

Hi Dale,

One event in which he is billed as the 'key-note speaker' for is skytopia downunder 2008 (http://www.darksky.net.au/events.html). It is mentioned in the pdf that is linked in this (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=21070) thread.

[Jarrod]

hi everyone,

yes he's visiting the 'Macedon Ranges Observatory' in victoria, this is the article from the Macedon Ranges Observatory website:


'Skytopia Downunder' is a new organization specially set up by 'Macedon Ranges Observatory' (MRO) and 'Sky and Space Magazine'.

This will be a new annual event on the calendar of 'astronomical star parties' in the Southern Hemisphere and the inaugural event will be held on 6-10 March 2008 at MRO.
The key-note speaker for 'Skytopia Downunder 2008' is John Dobson – the noted astronomer who invented the Dobsonian mount and arguably the most influential amateur astronomer of this century. We're bringing John Dobson out from the USA to speak at this inaugural event and to officially commission the MRO Optical Telescope Facility.

One lucky person will walk away with the Skytopia Downunder 2008 'Grand DoorPrize' valued at $40,000 and consists of:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One acre Freehold Title Land / Sirius Home Observatory / Meade 8" LX200R Package
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In addition there will be a wide range of other prizes.


go to: http://www.darksky.net.au/events.html

jarrod.

[Outbackmanyep]

How old is he now??
I met him at Nepean Astronomy Centre back in 1995 (!?)
I guess age shall not weary them.....
Good to see him coming back!

[Kal]

John Lowry Dobson (born September 14 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_14), 1915 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1915))

That makes him 91, and still going strong!

[ballaratdragons]

Hmmmm, I must get him to autograph my telescope again!

Might make it 3 times as valuable then :lol:

[Satchmo]

He'd have to be 91. I remember having lunch with him in 1988 , doing an interview for an Aussie astronomy mag that was never published. He was then 72 and had his then 10 year old son with him. I found him sharp as a tack , very fit and handsome. He could have had anything on the menu, but true to his reputation for liking simplicity he ordered a $4 plate of soup . The waitress looked a little startled when he asked for a glass of `intergalactic oxygen' to go with his soup ! .

When I showed him a picture of my own 8" Dobsonian Newt binoculars he told me how that as Neil Armstrong was walking on the Moon he was gazing on th elanding site with a 12" binocular which you stood between the tubes and looked in the same direction. A smaller pair the Vendantin monks threw into San Francisco Bay... He seemed a little bemused by all the fuss about his telescopes and was very keen to talk about his own brand of steady state cosmology for which he receives the most criticism :)

[Ric]

91 not out is an excellent innings, I have seen a documentary on him and he seems like a very interesting person to hear talk about the cosmos.

Skytopia might have to be my first starparty although I'm not sure what I do about the grand prize if I won it, just a bit too far for weekend commuting.:lol:
Still it looks like it will be a grand event.

Cheers :thumbsup:

[matt]

Interesting stuff.

Hi Dale:hi:

Nice to see another Canberran at IIS:)

There are a few of us here.

[iceman]

Welcome to IIS Dale, hope to see you at Border Stargaze in August!

[matt]

Yeah. Head along to Border Stargaze, Dale.

I'm really excited about this event as it will be the first major star party that I have been able to attend.

I'm hoping to catch up with plenty of IIS folk for the first time face-to-face:)

I reckon I'll do more chatting than viewing/imaging:lol:

[Dale Gorman]

Hello Iss members,

Dale Gorman here,

I feel the need to reply to many of you who have seen fit to send info in regards to my original request about John Dobbson visiting Australia next year.
My original post recieved some succsess after some time, as I am now aware of, and it seems over time, that many of you have seen fit to put you your own fine additions in as well, to those of you of the likes of Matt,Mike,Ric,Kal and Jarrod I extend my warmest thanks and would say to you all that I am appreciative of your efforts.
It is however relevant to mention that on my initial thread reply there was a text ref to a site that had info on JD's visit and in an admission on my behalf being new to this type of forum, it appears that my lack of experience was evident with direct result being it was not picked up!
There is no doubting the fact that my innexperience and the delay in getting direct responces initially,(my own fault) caused me to go elseware,specifically to a site called, My astro space , I have to admit that I found the direct feedback on that site to be more suited to the enquiry style that I had been using and want to point out that it bares no negative reflection apon the ISS site directly other than my own shortfalls in being familiar with the pros and cons of navigating and interpreting the information at hand.
It does however concern me that in reply to a post I made,in frustration, at MAS regarding the lack of initial direct feedback from ISS, that I was then informed by ISS that the original request would have recieved more attention if it were not in the thread that was related to Australian sky and telescope,and that because the information that was required was in, and I quote, "a competitors magazine" I would be less likley to get a result?
I understand that it took time for my request for info on JD's visit to filter through to the members who's reply's I am more than thankfull for but I have to say I,m concerned by the immpression that I am given to believe that, because Aust Sky and Telescope are so called by your own admission "competitors" you would see fit to inform me that I would be better to look outside of that criteria.
I guess in short, I,m dissapointed that Aust Sky And Telescope would not be full of info on the arrival of such a renown astronomer as John Dobbson in Australia,If I bought a copy today!.... would I not find anything at all about him just because a competitor magazine has taken interest in the visit and is running with it.....I wonder?
If so, I can,t help feeling that they would be letting the vast majority of thier readers down, and the whole Australian astro community in general.
It seems to me that some things are more important in the big scheme of things than having a single focussed agenda on what is GOOD and what is NOT for Australian astronomy based on sponsor ship rivalry,maybe its time to collaborate and rely less on where the sponsorship dollars come from and focus more on the bigger picture of advancing Australian amatuer astronomy as a whole and not as a subscription list!
To this end I am resigning my membership at Iss and wish to point out that it is in no way a bad reflection on the Members or administrators of the site who have been helpfull in any event.
I base this decision to leave on the belief that my current membership with other groups who have a different outlook and perspective on the direction of amatuer astronomy in Australia, will be better serve me in the future.
Thanks again to all members who repliedto my posts, and remember One Thing!
We are all dedicated to our passion under the same sky's, follow it the way you feel is the best! :hi:

[ballaratdragons]

It is the ONLY event he is attending. I have recently been in touch with John Dobsons secretary who informs me that the organiser of Skytopia has demanded that John do no other events while he is here.

I was actually enquiring about an event at another time, but somehow the dates were muddled and she thought I wanted him next March while he was here.

He (John) is booked out waaayyyy into the future. He's a busy busy boy!

[matt]

Boy!!!

I have no idea what has taken place here.

Regardless, am sorry to read that you felt it necessary to withdraw your membership, Dale.

Likewise, all the best for the future and clear skies:)

[Briz]

As the membership here is free, I cannot see the point in Dale's gesture other than that it's a form of self-censure. :confuse2:

[Jarrod]

What the?

have i missed something?

[ballaratdragons]

As far as one magazine advertising another magazines connections, of course they won't. Makes good business sense to me. I am not in support of one mag over the other for any reason. But I can't blame one for not advertising the others sponsorship.

Parts deleted coz I was wrong in some info :doh:

[xstream]

Just to keep it correct, No posts have been deleted from this thread. But there has been one edit of a post, by the poster.

[bkm2304]

It's a long way up to be resigning so quickly. How will you get down? What will the Russians think?

[ballaratdragons]

Sorry John, they must have been in the other similiar one. Hard to keep track of all the threads in here. :lol:

But it was on the same topic.

[xstream]

Not a problem Ken. :thumbsup:

[Ric]

Sorry to see your leaving us Dale. I wish you all the best with your astronomical endeavours

Cheers mate.

[iceman]

Question asked and answered.