This is an interesting rant, and one touching on an area that I wanted to bring up but wasn't sure how or where to begin because I guess it has a number of determining factors. Lets face it amature astronomy, no matter how well marketed is never going to be a true mass-market venture but it does seem as if interest by the public can be boosted somewhat by little more than a major public television network taking a gamble that people are actually interested in such matters and may actually have a basic level of intelligence.
The reason I say this point specifically is because over the last two years astronomy has seen a huge boom in the UK which has been directly related to a couple of well placed programs on astronomy and a certain Prof. Cox.
So when I see a quote such as the following one I feel that this certainly doesn't need to be the case.......
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If anything, the industry is shrinking and what we have now may be the best it will ever be.
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You know, this may actually be true and yes a boom in interest by Joe public is not the same as a shrinking industry however they are directly related to each other. No?
If the industry is forced to expand or even speed up maybe they'll get the hint.
At the moment in the UK there is a entry level telescope and accessories shortage of sorts as well as unprecedented levels of interest amongst the groups and forums and it can pretty much all be put down to the "Stargazing Live" program that aired over three nights earlier in the year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00mlr20
This has caught the industry and retailers completely off guard such has been the level of interest that's been stirred up and this can only be a good thing which in theory could lead to an expanding industry more so than a shrinking one.
OK, so I realise a specicfic regional boom in astronomy on a purely novice level is not at first going to cause manafacturers to make an automated ccd calibration system or create more affordable astro dedicated software etc... but this astronomy business a long haul pastime/dedication and the trickle down or up effect of increased numbers involved may take some time to become apparant.
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Although I have learned to adjust to the strange ways of this industry, I still find myself wishing that it would move from the darkness of an obscure DIY niche into the light of a true mass-market retail industry. I’d like for things to be in stock,
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I guess what I'm saying is that I'm seeing possibly the beginnings(or a reasonable how to guide at least) of astronomy possibly shaking the stereotypical image and with that will come more innovation in the industry if it sticks.
And "If it sticks" is a fair point too, there are a number of cynics/realists who seem to take the attitude of 'lets lay low until this blows over, because it will blow over'. Now surely this would be the wrong attitude to take, I feel it's best to embrace those who wish to learn and as mentioned it's for the benefit of all in the long run.
Now this brings me around to what has been bugging me, when growing up in Australia there was nothing to inspire me into astronomy. I'm too young to remember the Moon landings or Apollo missions, even the Shuttle was synonymus with what happened to Challenger and later Columbia. There was no memorable media interest or tv programs I can look back on fondly and unfortunately no inspirational people around me like others have found.
I can't imagine things have changed either in the 3 or 4 years I have been gone, but like I said earlier from what I've seen amature astronomy is not dead nor stuck in the water.
What I'd love to see for Australia as I'm sure most would is some dedicated long term free to air programming and possibly a similar annual show like Stargazing live and it's community outreach initiatives with some real star power(pun intended) leading the charge. I'd love my kids to have more options than I did available to them because without some kind of injection then yes, the situation for all those involved no matter what level they are at could very well be in danger of not having the expansion we would all like to see. But it's possible to turn it around.
So while my observations have probably come from a different starting point than the one in the blog I feel it is directly related in a way. Maybe the best way to address the issues is too start at the bottom and not be scared of new blood.
Sure it might be a niche market but there is no harm in expanding that niche.
Ooh wow, sorry about all that waffle. I got carried away, Im just bummed that what I've seen recently here could so easily be reproduced in Oz and it definitely has a positive infuelnce on many different levels.
Then again.
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There is always that class of hobbyist whose idea of sheer hell is that their interest would somehow blossom into something generates a genuine mass market interest.
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