Amateur Astronomy in popular media

[Argonavis (William)]

The movie "Down with Love" featured a 20 inch (or was it 10inch) Celestron SCT. It was merely a prop, and like many telescopes before and after it, it was undoubtedly stored in the garage and forgotten.

The movie "Heartbreakers" was very different. Here the hero and one of the main characters and all round nice guy in this very funny movie was an amateur astronomer. The scenes of M1 and some other objects were frightening. It was like a disco light. Artisitc license I guess.

And then, on 2 and a half men the week before last in one of the scenes Allen was seen reading "Astronomy". Perhaps the writers saw this as part of his character, which for those of you who don't watch this TV show, involves being a failure in life.

Does anyone else have any popular depictions of amateur astronomy in the media? I know one bio I read in the local paper about Laurence Springborg (the State Opposition Leader here in Qld) was disparaging about his amateur astronomy interest.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

The movie "Deep Impact" opened with a students astronomy night.
Also the movie "Roxanne", with Steve Martin and Darryl Hannah, the character Roxanne is an astronomer, waiting to have the comet she found confirmed. Note that they observe from her porch with the light on.
My son assures me that there was an episode of the Simpsons, where Lisa buys Bart a telescope after he breaks his leg.
There is an article about Mars in our little local paper last week. Here is the funniest bit. "To the naked eye, Mars will look as large as the full moon. Mars will be easy to spot."
I'll bring along the full article to Astrofest for others to get a giggle.
"T

[dhumpie]

Yup I did see that article. It has been making its round in the e mail format. Also I have seen that episode where Lisa fights light pollution so she can view the meteor shower. That was one of my fave episodes from the Simpsons. Also in the Mandy Moore movie A Walk to remember" she has a dob that she looks through....

Darren

[beren]

Roxanne come to mind straight away {a favourite} but JJJnettie picked that one {Darryl Hannahs scope was a Meade } and ive seen the Simpsons where Barts principal has bart help him conduct a observing session where they take down RA/DEC cordinates with a ALT/ALZ mounted scope . The movie Addicted to Love has Matthew Broddrick play a astronomer and in one scene he has very large observatory refractor {the Yale scope i think} that hes using to observe a supernova at midday and then swings the whole setup to observe his girlfriend having lunch in a nearby park.