Perhaps we can
make a (r)evolution. As well as waiting for one.
In reply to Richard ……What you raised was so apt. Replying here, deemed still on-topic.
Visual and low-res processing have value in their own right and also the starting point for –o-scopy.
One possible path to take:
- Yes, stick a grating on. Start with bright stars. Some people say Woww, some people say disappointed. Explore and enjoy for yourself. Plenty of info and helpers. Read posts in fora, especially on IIS ‘…methane on Neptune’ and ‘I found a Wolf Rayet…’ on the spectroscopy sub-forum, for starters.
- Show and tell everyone around you. We owe it to ourselves and Outreach audience, to see and to know the basics. Apart from the striking beauty of it, have everyone conversant on:
“This is how astronomers know so much about objects far far out there….”
- Get the numbers up. Help your club facilitate. Attend/organise workshops. Connect with others (like us) and help with producing sharable resource materials.
By these three, you will already be contributing plenty.
Then…
- Team up. Synergise. Divide work. Compare results. Post, present, submit low-res work. By then, you’ll have found out how (additional texts for this exist). Or sell the thing. (=pass it on.)
- If you then want to go further: next level of equipment, note what money people spend on imaging equipment etc etc etc, explore a team facility –that is what astronomy societies are about. SASER and at least one group (AAQ) are active. Read NACAA 2016 papers!!
It would be really great if you can be a cell, a light spot on a map. Let us make more light spots in all of the SH.
And every astronaut, every space probe has had people explore, experiment, fail, progress, inspire baby-astronauts, pave roads, make moon boots, make numbers.
Yes, Please stick a grating on.
.