John Dobson - the man.

[Dog Star]

Found the following link on, surprising or not, an alchemy web site;

http://quanta-gaia.org/dobson/index.html

A great deal of information about Dobson, his life and his theories can be found here. The following quote really caught my attention;

"If you own a telescope, it is your duty to share it with those who don't...
The side-walk astronomers are Astronomical Entertainers to Her Majesty, the People-at-large. What we need is millions of side-walk astronomers scattered all over the world. If we had several dozen hard core Astronomical Entertainers in every large city, we might be able to get done what we're trying to do.
At least half the population of the world should have the opportunity to see the rest of the universe through large telescopes from beyond the jurisdiction of the city lights and smog. Those who have telescopes should be encouraged to entertain. There is a special beauty in the astronomical knowledge picked up by those who manage telescopes on behalf of the People-at-large.
Every one should see. Every one should understand.
What we do for ourselves is a waste. What we do for others is beauty. Those who help others to see, will see. those who help others to understand, they indeed will understand."

Stirring stuff indeed! Sounds like he is on a mission to make each and every year the International Year of Astronomy!

[PeterM]

I remember John Dobson at astrofest in 1994(?) He spoke about setting up lots of 'scopes in streets, parks, anywhere they would have him. I asked him if he had any telescopes stolen? His reply was also stirring, something like "sure, I just hope those people (who stole them) use them, anyway I'm not running out of telescopes" I recorded that conversation on a cassette which I have transferred to MP3, must make it available to others. An amazing man, even faced with theft of his 'scopes he wasn't worried about getting the 'scopes back, just that the culprits used them to see and learn about their universe.
He was about 80 years old in 1994.
PeterM

[GrahamL]

Thanks guys thats a great read.

Last year I took my scope down by the river on ISAN , setting up in an empty park surrounded by vapour lights didn't seem right at the time .

A great evening for all concerned ,there is something special about the randomness of engaging people and showing them a little of the night sky
like this imo .

[Dog Star]

The more I read about this bloke, the more he interests me!
Wiki article here-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dobson_(astronomer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dobson_%28astronomer))

(Sorry, people. Something wrong with this link. Just Google John Dobson)

Just working my way through the many Google entries about him.

Much more to him than just someone who developed a cheap particle board mount!

[Ric]

Quite a fascinating gentleman, thanks for the link Phil.

[Satchmo]

He never advocated the use of particle board..that was the commercial manufacturers that started using that :)

I had lunch and a 3 hour interview with him in 1988. In true spirit of simplicity he chose a $4 pumpkin soup and asked the waiter for a glass of "intergalactic oxygen" ( H20 !). he could have had anything on the menu.He wasn't that interested in talking about telescopes, much more interested in talking cosmology.

I have a copy of his book " How and Why to Make a User Friendly Sidewalk Telescope" complete with 6mm plywood covers . The first 54 pages are a fascinating read being a biograghical history of himself, the sidewalk astronomers and their many visiits to National Parks in the 60's and 70's. He was an original hippy, living on a diet wild flowers and sleeping out doors inside the tube of the 24" F6.5 when there was no roof over his head.

He grew his hair down to his waist in the 1930's after deciding that money on hair cuts was a waste, and became a dancer in a dance troupe and then a monk for 25 years ago, before becoming swept up in the free expression and appreciation he recieved from the younger generations in the mid sixties in San Franscisco. He was just ahead of his time until then :)

[PeterM]

At the QLd Astrofest he was our guest and so he could have had whatever meals he liked. He chose only to eat eggs and yogurt - from which a saying i've heard on occassion originated "does your scope have goto? - yes it's powered by eggs and yogurt". At the time his 16 year old son Laurin was with him, and every so often in the darkness you would here "oh Laurin come read this mirror" at which point John would ask him his opinion of a particular mirror's quality, more often than not John would agree that his son had been taught well by the master. Everytime since then that I have attended Astrofest this haunting memory of "oh Laurin...." echoing around the observing field returns. The acclaimed 6 part series The Astronomers had not long been on TV and John featured at the start of first episode, one scene had him talking to a group of people I think in Yosemite national park. They were gathered around him hanging on every word as he described their universe to them, similar thing happened at Astrofest in 94 and it wasn't just the newcomers that sat and listened to his interesting stories. Just like the Sunday minister handing out the hymn sheet at the front of the church, John gave to everyone he met a one page sheet he had written titled "Watcher's Of The Sky" http://www.sidewalkastronomers.us/id82.html and he would politely ask "won't you come and join us". Please read "Watcher's of the Sky" - it is so very well written and so simple. For me John Dobson and Patrick Moore are the 2 most inspiring, living legends of our wonderful hobby.
PeterM

[Dog Star]

Thanks very much for that link, Peter.:thumbsup:
Knew absolutely nothing about John Dobson, the man until I started Googling information about him.
As I said earlier, the more I learn about him, the more fascinated and inspired by him I become.
Have long been fascinated by the intellect of Newton. Now I find that I am inspired by the passion and simple humility of Dobson.
It's led me to regard my Dobson mounted Newtonian in a whole new light.
I'm seeing it as both a shrine and a gateway. A shrine to intellect and passion, and a gateway to perfect beauty.
I tips me lid to Isaac and John!:thumbsup: