John Dobson TV Special

[Satchmo]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

A historical figure worthy of all the adulation? Sorry, but I don't see it.

I thought the program concentrated a little too long on his dialogue of epithets and perhaps not enough emphasis on the revolution he started and its evolution : hundreds of thousands of people now own apertures sufficent to see the Universe in a detailed and personal way, unatainable by the average person 30 years ago.

His ongoing legacy stems not just from cardboard tubes riding on space age Teflon and vibration damping plywood, but developing thin mirror lightweight polishing techniques that made there way to Bob Kestner who passed on that wisdom in a series of published articles which I can guarantee that all the opticians supplying large mirrors today 'cut their teeth on' . Omaroo, I notice you don't own a Dobsonian telescope..perhaps you should spend some time with one and you'd understand better the `reverence' people hold for this wonderful man who realised elegant simplicty can sometimes be far more productive than complexity

Mark

[casstony]

Even though the delivery was monotone, I found the content captivating. I wish I'd had a passionate, eccentric intellectual teaching me in high school physics. In fact I wish I'd had passionate, eccentric, intellectual teachers through all of my schooling.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by Mark Suchting

Omaroo, I notice you don't own a Dobsonian telescope..perhaps you should spend some time with one and you'd understand better the `reverence' people hold for this wonderful man who realised elegant simplicty can sometimes be far more productive than complexity

Mark - please don't get me wrong. I absolutely subscribe to "simple is best". I also understand and acknowledge that he was the "spark" that changed amateur astronomy for so many people.

The only reason that I don't have a Dobsonian is that I haven't managed to get around to getting one yet. I'm very keen to build a 12-16 incher soon.

I think that the Chinese have done more than anybody else to bring large aperture astronomy to the masses. It is they who have developed cheap mirror, tube and accessory production that allows so many to participate.

The thing that I admire Dobson for is his dedication to his hobby, and attempting to bring it to the masses.

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

Did Anyone get a recording of this program ?
PM Me PLEASE

[ving (David)]

nice guy? weirdo? eccentric? i dont know...
I personally am not into hero worship. he put a reflector on, what is essentialy a device created in 1326. yes someone had to think of it and adapt it i guess... i wonder who was the first person to say at a picnic "lets throw this blanket on the ground so we dont get grass stains on our clothes". but adapting is what us humans do best and JD is proof

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by ving

nice guy? weirdo? eccentric? i dont know...
I personally am not into hero worship. he put a reflector on, what is essentialy a device created in 1326. yes someone had to think of it and adapt it i guess... i wonder who was the first person to say at a picnic "lets throw this blanket on the ground so we dont get grass stains on our clothes". but adapting is what us humans do best and JD is proof

David - I have to be careful, being married to one , and having lived there for several years, but I think that our American friends are bigger on the 'hero' worship. If Dobson were English then all of this reverance might be somewhat more muted. I think that we Aussies are a little more pragmatic, and merely take a good idea for what it is - just a good idea.

[ving (David)]

probably right chris. I love to watch the v8 supercars but going up and getting my t-shirt, hat sock, backside signed by one of them? well i just dont see the attraction. Bec tho is another story, she loves it. she has her holden hat signed by 90% of the holden drivers (and maybe a ford driver or 2) maybe thats a kid thing?

[fringe_dweller]

this wasnt the 'sidewalk astronomers/JD' tv show I was thinking of, that was an earlier one then this, which had weaved thru it JD teaching a beginners class on making cheap mirrors/dobs, and they made a solar scope. Also the one i was thinking also had one of my fave JD lines something like 'on dark matter, you are dark matter and your also standing on it'
i think some may of missed the point re JD, hero worship!? what the..?
I think, and millions of others obviously, the zen astronomy aside, think he is a shining 'example' of altruism and selflessness.
On one point alone, to forego the patenting the dob mount and subsequent royalties in the interest of popular amateur astronomy and mass enjoyment/enlightenment is astonishing in this 'me me me' aquisition/corporate/money hungry world. (dont forget someone invented and patented the clothes peg! and i'm sure they were admired and hero worshipped for making money outta something 'simple', as many are)
A kinda gandhi of AA and bringing it to the masses if you will mebbe.
I agree with Mark, theres probably many more contributions he has made than the mount, dont be fooled by his example of modesty and humility and common touch.
Theres PLENTY of hero worship going on in oz (especially by the media), sadly mostly for sports people ie swimmers, and the wealthy, and John Howard.

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Finally got to watch my taped version of JD on Compass.

I enjoyed the program - and will copy for those that are interested.

Cheers Petra

[acropolite (Phil)]

As jjj said, inspirational. I missed the first few minutes. HRH also watched and loved the program. Some of what was in the program can be downloaded from here. Also here's a link to the San Fransisco Sidewalk Astronomers one of many in the US

[GrahamL]

He sure gave a lot to astronomy over nearly 50 years even without the dob
mount ,and really didn't seek out all the fame that came his way IMO.
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/6389/Page1.htm

[astroron (Ron)]

The only reason the Chinese are putting a large amount of cheap but reasonable quality scopes on the market is that they have a vast amount of very cheap labour, but I can guarantee that in the future they will rise in price as they get a stranglehold on the market, just as the Japanese did with their cars, they where cheap when they first came to Australia,but not anymore.
As for John Dobson, having met him I think what is what you saw on the show is what the man is like in real life, with a strong opinion of his beliefs, and his place in the astronomical community.

[Satchmo]

Yes, the Chinese have contributed much new except very cheap prices and better quality control. Meade, Celestron and Orion Dobs were around for many years with American made optics and a little more expensive: it took Chinese prices to make these mid size apertures affordable for the casual stargazer.

As far as the large optics for amateur consuption, Jim Brannigan of Coulter started the big 'commercial' dob revolution in 1980 with its 13 and 17.5" thin mirror Dobs, and then Jerry Wilkinson (?)and John Hudek of Galaxy took up the mantle by selling better quality 2" thick mirrors up to 20" which then gave Obsession an optics source for its premium truss Dobs in the early 90's. From there, countless opticians and Dob companies have sprung up. You can be assured that all these early opticians were climbing on the shoulders of John Dobsons work, not accepting what the books said couldn't be done..

All of this happened becasue JD, being a very non-materialistic guy, could handle the flak from the established amateur astronomy community , who laughed at thin porthole glass and altazimuth mounts, until it became apparent the real depth and breadth of the Universe these instruments will show.

I agree with Astroron that prices will increase, and lets hope that the specialist optical cottage industries can survive to give people their 20" F 3.5 mirrors etc when so many people want to move up from their mass produced `one size fits all' scopes.

I had a three hour lunch with John in 1988 , doing an interview for a new Australian Astronomy magazine. I was very dissapointed when the magazine decided not to run the interview and then apparently lost the interview tapes .

I'll save the story he related to me outlining the conception of his son ( involving a mirror grinding barrel, a Uni student and a rattlesnake) for another time

Mark

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Because we were all at camp this weekend I recieved a phone call from our Mayor informing me that she had taped the show for our Astro Association!!!!!

That's a Mayor that works for the people

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

If Dobson were English then all of this reverance might be somewhat more muted.

For one, the World Wide Web would be called the Tim Berners-Lee!

There were plenty of large aperture thin mirrors which predated Dobson on alt az mounts and using vinyl bearings, but I don't begrudge his fame. Dobson happened for whatever reason to spark a chain of events in the US which ended in the incredible design of scope that I use today.

That's how History works!

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Hmmm... I feel as though I'm being shot for my opinion. It's a forum, and that is what I was under the impression I was meant to give. If I have offended anyone here then I apologise.

[tbentley]

What came through to me was his almost zealot like love of what he did. I admire him far more for that than for anything else. Passion is something that is in fairly rare supply these days. I guess Compass decided to show this because Cosmology was his religion. (Compass is still a religious/spiritual program isn't it?)
Travis

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

Hmmm... I feel as though I'm being shot for my opinion. It's a forum, and that is what I was under the impression I was meant to give. If I have offended anyone here then I apologise.

Don't show weakness, there is nothing wrong with having an opinion contrary to others - Sometimes it's tough being the only one right!

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by AstroJunk

Don't show weakness, there is nothing wrong with having an opinion contrary to others - Sometimes it's tough being the only one right!

hehe.. No weakness intended. It was actually a shot at being ever so slightly facetious.

I don't know - the guy annoyed me although I admire his enthusiasm too.

[Ric]

Hey Chris, You dont have to apologise for having an opinion. Every one is entitled to there own opinions that is the reason we live in a democracy.

cheers