This experience has shown me the great ignorance that the general public has about astronomy, our gear and that it is a noctural pursuit.
Rock up as I did, with a contraption that to them looks like "some kind of device", and Merry Hell breaks loose. Tell them that it's a scope, and you are a 'liar' as "a telescope does not look like that! I know!" Sheeesh,
!
Truss dobs have evolved to such an extent that I can only see that my three pole dobbie with exposed spider will only endear me to ASIO even more.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/a...1&d=1268519691
And this pic is of it in its 'compressed' transport form. I can see it's a scope. You can see it's a scope. Joe Blow sees 'suspicious device'. It's going to be a loooonnng astro career.
And then the Spooks have to get all 'James Bond' about things. Pretty soon we'll have to register our gear...
My little C5 is also viewed with suspicion, even by those who I'm letting have a look through it, like I'm having them on that it's a scope and I'm trying a fast one! For what end? I have never been able to figure it out. And it's only gonna get worse now. Thanks very much Nuclear Arms Race!