a question - is there anybody out there (down here)?

[Ziggy Stardust]

Each to his own.....


I would hate to be chained to a desk and look at stamps all night long...

thats how some would view our hobby,.... they all oooh and ahhhh at the Hubble pics, but what we see is something many would not blink at,,,

my wife says I'm nuts to sit out in -11deg cold on a mountain top to take pics of a little fuzzy ball ( as she calls Omega Cen) and she likes looking at the moon and a few planets, now and again.... but ask her to see the grace in a spiral galaxy and she say..."uhhmmm ok, what you smoking out there again... where is it.... oh you mean that little smudge!!!)

Our hobby is an aquired taste....like bird watching, train spotting and things that drive nutters like us. We should not force it on the youth or others...
but what we should do, is be available to the un-educated when they ask "why, where and what!!!"

I have done many scope demos before, the biggest being an annual event called ScopeX in Johannesburg, every year. The last had about 14,000 visitors and international guest speakers. If we get twenty new memebrs to the society from it each year, that stay... we where happy...

I'd go to say about 49 in 50 department type scopes ( the cheapies) get binned with in a year to the back shed.
I'd say 4 in 5 $200~300 scopes get resold or gather dust to newbie kids.
and I'd say 9 out of 10 scopes over $500 get used ( if only once a month they still used).... so make them buy expensive and then thay have to justify it to Dad when not used...lol...

Tony

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

It's not just us either Tony.

I took my kids to the model Aero Club and the Aero Club people said the same things "why aren't more people interested in model flying".

There is lots of sky to fly in, but they have trouble getting people interested! It's much the same all round with all sorts of hobbies.
Only difference is: we have the best hobby of all of them

[DRCORTEX (Lance)]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Neither did you! You made a statement, so did I.

I don't need to place an argument.

Number of population moving from Suburban & Inner City to Rural & Regional centres outnumbers the opposite!

And the majority are financially secure. Plus, property in Rural & Regional centres is 30% - 60% cheaper than City prices leaving lots more to spend on the trimmings!

Our little town (like most) is being invaded by city folk moving in. It has become such a trend they call it the 'Tree-change'.

Yeah right, suppose that dosn't include Dubbo, Orange, and a myriad other country towns, only those those "trendy" areas.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

It's not just us either Tony.

I took my kids to the model Aero Club and the Aero Club people said the same things "why aren't more people interested in model flying".

There is lots of sky to fly in, but they have trouble getting people interested! It's much the same all round with all sorts of hobbies.
Only difference is: we have the best hobby of all of them

and those little cross hairs on the finders scope scare the !@#$!@#$ out of the model airplane guys too...

My son is now wanting a model train set ( nice one, with board..etc...)... think we obsessive and compulsive nerds, then you need to see these guys in their mock up stockers uniforms and coal dust on the face... rubbing the trains around and around and around...all day.... and then you get the guys that do it the right way....
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/493...andtoys1xa.jpg
like these guys at whiteman park... hell if I had the time... it would be a gas!!!!

Tony

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by DRCORTEX

Yeah right, suppose that dosn't include Dubbo, Orange, and a myriad other country towns, only those those "trendy" areas.

Huh? I have no idea what you are saying!
You sound very bitter about something.

Also, I wouldn't call here 'Trendy'. There's nothing here to be trendy. It's a backwater.

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Huh? I have no idea what you are saying!
You sound very bitter about something.

Also, I wouldn't call here 'Trendy'. There's nothing here to be trendy. It's a backwater.

I have been to Snake Valley and I can wholeheartedly concur.
Ken, for someone never having met you, and especially if they have experienced how quickly people can get very nasty on online forums, might take some of what you said personally. If this was a verbal face-to-face conversation everyone would be happy campers.

Lance, you must be city dweller. You talk like one about country people. But that's cool. City & country folk live farther apart than the distances on the map would indicate. Iceinspace is not like most other forums. Most of us are here to help and learn from each other.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

LOL!

Well said Steve!

I was a city person for 30 years, and I have been a country person for about 18 years, and I know I won't live in a city again. Nice to visit though.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Oh, I just remembered something that does annoy me about living out here!

When more than one car goes by at night!!!

[fringe_dweller]

I agree, well put Steve - so i will too have to be all grown up too and say "take it outside fella's"
It was really one of my "could be a thread about nothing, Seinfield type threads" anyway, you know mostly for fun, so dont go getting serious on me you guys
John and all, whilst i agree that astronomy and related hobbies is just a hobby/pastime/passion after all, and isnt a widespread hobby.
Photography is supposed to be one of the biggest hobbies in the world/Oz included - and had even overtaken fishing recently?? i think as number one??..
So how does one explain the lack of available images?

[DRCORTEX (Lance)]

True

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by ark ark

"take it outside fella's"

I wish I could, but not dark enough for viewing yet

And I might get scared being out in the 'Country' lol

[fringe_dweller]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

And I might get scared being out in the 'Country' lol

yes please be careful out there Ken! I have heard it is very dangerous with drop bears and such
You lucky man stop bragging hehe

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Not enough trees near me for drop bears. I gotta watch out for 'KILLER SHEEP'!!!!

[Volans]

Ok, I'll add my own 5 cents worth (anyone have 3 cents change?)...

For the last 9 years of my working life I have had astronomy included in my job. It has either been the main role of my job or as an extra that I have willingly done. Working in the tourism industry has allowed me to do this and to observe people and their reactions to the subject of astronomy in general.

My first comment is that the vast majority of the population (western style population as a clarification) simply do not look up anymore. So even if these people have a house with an awesome view, how can mozzies and little smudges of faint light compete with Australian Idol on the idiot box?

Added to this is the mentality that I have come across all to often and originally mentioned by Ziggy.

Originally Posted by Ziggy Stardust

.... but ask her to see the grace in a spiral galaxy and she say..."uhhmmm ok, what you smoking out there again... where is it.... oh you mean that little smudge!!!

I used to show people the Sombreo or NGC 5128 and all I got was a yeah.....and??? People expect Hubble quality images through a 4.5" TASCO and it simply ain't gonna happen!! When I was studying tourism, one of my lecturers said all people really want to see are "the big sexy animals" - kangaroos, dingoes, koalas etc. - show them an endangered cricket the size of your thumb with delicate markings and again "so what who cares".

The axiom "familiarity breeds contempt" is quite close to the mark in this case. "Familiarity breeds ambivalence" would be more apt and I can vouch for this personally. How many of you have seen Ayers Rock? If so, were you impressed? One can hardly fail to be impressed but when I lived out there, after 3 weeks I would barely glance at it. So those people who live in small communities, whether you were born in the bush or have had a "tree-change" (love that expression!) then you see stunning skies on a very regular basis. The number of people who have come up to me at the planetarium and stated that they have the "dark country skies at home" are numerous...but they still insist they can

"see Scorpio all the time but you did not mention it"
"That's because it is below the horizon"
"But I can see it all the time"

You get the idea.

So we have the fact that people have other things to occupy their minds at night (TV, internet , movies etc.). Some can't see the beauty and some have it front of them all the time that it simply does not sink in. There is one more thing. An abiding interest.

That's what we have but not all share this interest and I will admit to not seeing the "thing" that attracts many people to other areas. I have a good friend who is nuts on geology. A rock is a rock is a rock to me.

Given all these factors I am not suprised that there are people who live in ideal situations yet fail to take advantage.

Peter.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Very well said Peter!!!!

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Oh, I just remembered something that does annoy me about living out here!

When more than one car goes by at night!!!

You have my full sympathy, I had 3 cars go by the other night.
What I find scariest is when a possum sneaks up behind you and screams.

[avandonk]

A rock is just like any flower in the garden. They are all in a different stage. It tells you where its been.

The stars are the same, a garden of every flower in every stage of development.

It is our job to look and wonder and understand!

Bert

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by Avandonk

It is our job to look and wonder and understand!

I (we) love to look and wonder, but I'm not sure we 'understand'. Makes it even more interesting 'trying' to understand.

[avandonk]

I'll explain it to you when you are older!

bert

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

LOL!

I'll hold you to that Bert!