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Originally Posted by ving
one must define astronomer first!...the short answer, technology make astronomy easier. but are you involved in the "scientific study of matter in outer space"?
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I think Ving's question is quite appropriate to this poll. The vast majority of us who populate these fora are
AMATEUR astronomers. Even though I work at a planetarium and teach people about astronomy every working day, I will always consider myself as an amateur astronomer for the simple reason, I do no research astronomy.
Professional astronomers need to use gadgets to discover more things and to do their observations quickly (telescope time is paramount) whereas amateur astronomers (IMO) conduct astronomical observations for the simple pleasure of seeing what is up there and marveling at the diversity of objects that the universe is able to conjure.
So to answer the exact question of the poll, "Do electronic gadgets make you less of an astronomer?" - no. If we are talking about
observational astronomy then I ask; who uses electronic gadgets to enhance their ability to observe an object (not find it but
observe it)? I'd say no-one would use such a device. If we are talking about astrophotography then again the answer is no because gadgets come with the territory and the image is the desired product so the means justify the end.
Alot of people who have posted to this thread have also made mention of gadgets to help you find the objects, Argo Navis, GoTo etc.. To my mind, the ability to read a star chart is of vital importance if you are serious about being an amateur astronomer, more so if you want to be an observational amateur astronomer.
Gadgets fail. No-one can deny that.
Last Saturday (6/5/2006) I was setting up the planetarium's observatory for a public observing session. I needed to re-align the Meade LX90 so went about doing a 2 star alignment. I did it on Sirius and alpha Cen. but it decided that the alignment was not sucessful and I had run out of time to go through the process again. So I was forced to do it all manually during the session which was not a problem. It was not a problem because I knew where to find the objects by star hopping and I knew that because I used star charts when I was learning my way around when I started out in this hobby.
Many people see the LX90 slewing as if by magic to the next object when I do these observing sessions and it's usually the men who go "OOOhh...that's soooooo cool. How much?" I tell them the rough price but also warn them that if they buy one as their first telescope then do not rely too heavily on the goto function. Gadgets fail. All of a sudden you have a screwed up computer or the batteries have died and bang...your observing session is over because you have no idea as to how to read a star chart (and that's if you even own one) to continue to find those faint bits of nebulosity. The gadgets have died but does that mean your mirror suddenly can no longer reflect light? Have your own eyes also packed it in? The batteries die and your e.p's go dark as well?
Learn your way around a dozen or so objects first by using star charts and when you become proficeint THEN install something to give you goto functionality.
Peter.
