Is IIS in Decline?

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

Originally Posted by Tropo-Bob

I am impressed!

Have U also any info up your sleeve on the next supernova?

It will be NGC 1365, on March 5th

[Tropo-Bob (Bob)]

Originally Posted by OzEclipse

It will be NGC 1365, on March 5th

[ChrisV (Chris)]

Trouble is, I don't always get answers to questions from more experienced users. For AP, using pixinsight etc. So go to larger (CN) or more specialised forums (PI forum) if I have more difficult question.

And if I see questions from those even more noobie than me I'll jump in with a answer if no one else does.

But the IIS community is a nice one - things can get pretty hostile on some other forums.

Originally Posted by raymo

The only thing I have noticed is that the number of experienced members
answering newbies' questions seems to have declined, resulting in newbies
with two minutes experience helping newbies with no experience by
offering advice which is often incorrect, which is unfortunate, to say the least.
raymo

[raymo]

Hi Chris, The fact that you are not getting answers from experienced members reinforces what I said.
Its great for newbies to chat about their experiences provided that any
advice given is known to be correct. Incorrect advice can lead the
receiver off in the wrong direction, and even lead to expensive incorrect
decisions being made.
Sorry about the slight hijack, but at least it is closely related to the
subject of the thread.
raymo

[AndyG (Andy)]

Originally Posted by Slawomir

Perhaps IIS community, with so many word masters, could put together a few articles

Smashing idea. When I was first starting 1-2 years ago, I googled like crazy before my 1st purchase(s). IIS threads, and reviews/articles rated well in Google searches, and thus laid the foundation for my knowledge (prior to some real experience).

Later, I'd bought an AZ3-R mount, which was largely a blind purchase. I could not find much in the way of independent reviews, only sales pitches from websites. Turns out this mount was damn perfect for it's intended purpose, so I wrote a detailed review - 1000+ words and 8 pictures.

I wrote this, not because I'm a wordmaster, but simply to help others looking for a review as I once was. Naturally, IIS reviews and articles was the place to submit it. Sadly, this went the same way as "image of the week" - for the same unfortunate reasons.

I suspect this place helps multitude of people (via google searches of the achives), who never sign up. The "advice on Astro party hosting" thread I started a while ago could help many, thanks to the fine efforts of the member base.

I don't think this place is in decline- I only worry about it's ability to measure and organise itself. Political bants and rants are inevitable - we are passionate, mentally active humans... nothing to worry about there.

[xelasnave]

It is nice to read the posts in this thread and see the support for this place.
Long live Iceinspace.
Alex

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by Tropo-Bob

I am impressed!

Have U also any info up your sleeve on the next supernova?

The site below is useful for recent (and past) Supernova discoveries.
Discoveries now go through an IAU working group called the TNS (Transient Name Server) then David Bishop picks them up on his Bright Supernova Page within hours of the TNS and usually with images. So those wanting to follow up/image the bright ones can get a pretty good heads up. As far as amateur discovery, while still possible/probable the passing of each year with more sophisticated professional all sky searches will make it all the more difficult, making it all the more exciting when you do find one (and you can).

http://www.supernova.thistlethwaites.com/snimages/
https://wis-tns.weizmann.ac.il//

Re IIS in decline nah, so long as people like Alex are here that will never happen.

[acropolite (Phil)]

Originally Posted by RB

Unfortunately, after 13 yrs of this, when my wife sees I'm on IIS, she kicks the power cord out of the socket.

I can relate to this HRH Liz treats any online activity device as "the other woman" and reacts accordingly. Forum members come and go, many return after a period, Striker is a classic example. I notice much the same with Ausphotography forum, less members and the quality of content has diminished over the past few years.
I think IIS is still very much friendly, relevant and informative, it's still a great place to be IMO.

[MortonH]

Originally Posted by Slawomir

Perhaps IIS community, with so many word masters, could put together a few articles for the equipment reviews section? There are numerous reviews from 2005 and thereabouts, and then either there was less equipment being purchased, or we couldn't be bothered writing reviews, or energy is being directed somewhere else, like political threads etc.

Most equipment is reviewed elsewhere (e.g. Cloudy Nights) so there's no real need for an IIS review, unless you happen to be one of the early recipients of a new product like the Skywatcher 150ED.

[gregbradley]

Is this one of those threads you see on the Net about the Australian economy about to go into a crash and recession or house prices about to implode??

I did not know this site was in decline - by what measure? Seems the same to me if not more active with way more people posting images than say 3 years ago.

Greg.

[N1 (Mirko)]

Originally Posted by The Mekon

....Sure some of the threads are a little trite and frivolous - just recently I was going to ask those with an aviation enthusiasm to cut down on the pictures of aeroplanes, but thought what the heck, they are not doing any harm.

Well, it involves looking up too so you can't really blame them. Plane spotting with a decent scope is quite fun actually. On that subject, I have been following the atmospheric radiation research and the exposure of flight crews and passengers to it over on spaceweather.com and am seriously impressed by their work.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Perhaps it has something to do with the way some comrades will hijack a good thread, with inane comments and no respect for the OP. And the thread is eventually asked to be removed. Another one today I notice. Congratulations.

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by Allan_L

Perhaps it has something to do with the way some comrades will hijack a good thread, with inane comments and no respect for the OP. And the thread is eventually asked to be removed. Another one today I notice. Congratulations.

Sometimes that sort of stuff depends on context and the purpose of the thread. Generally, it's a pretty good natured place, IMO, and folks that want help or advice often get it without too much posing and posturing. Having a sense of humour helps, just like in real life.

Cheers,
Rick.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by RickS

Sometimes that sort of stuff depends on context and the purpose of the thread. Generally, it's a pretty good natured place, IMO, and folks that want help or advice often get it without too much posing and posturing. Having a sense of humour helps, just like in real life.

Cheers,
Rick.

Right on Ricardo!

[Terry B]

Originally Posted by pmrid

If there is a perceived decline in astronomy-related activity, and I can't say there is not, a few other factors could be at work.

1. For the past year the weather has been anything but friendly. Summer was longer and hotter in most parts of the country and cloud cover seemed to be almost unending for the greater part. My own astrophotography activity dropped down to almost zero for a long while. This would also have impacted on spontaneous star-parties and get-togethers.

snip
Peter

I hven't found this a problem this year. The drought has been good for astronomy but not for my grass.

I create a folder of images for each night I have used my scope. I just counted 98 nights so far this year. There would have been other clear nights that I had to work that I didn't open the observatory.


I must admit that I don't usually answer beginner questions unless they are on the science fields I am interested in. Maybe we could all be a bit better at replying.
Terry

[csb (Craig)]

I too have thought there is declining activity on IIS. But the responses to this thread show there are still many who enjoy and have need to come here.

I've not been here much lately and only saw this thread today. It has been very interesting, and encouraging, to read the replies.


And thumbs up to the mods

[taminga16 (Greg)]

A group is only as good as it's members and as such we should all contribute, if in doubt scroll through some of the topics and realise that visitors may well not have that much to go on, when I first visited here it was a wealth of knowledge, but now? Greg.

[Kunama]

Originally Posted by taminga16

A group is only as good as it's members and as such we should all contribute, if in doubt scroll through some of the topics and realise that visitors may well not have that much to go on, when I first visited here it was a wealth of knowledge, but now? Greg.

I think you're right Greg, things have changed a lot just in the past few years.
The forum contributions have swung more and more towards images/imaging.
Whilst I like to look at the pretty pictures, I much prefer the visual side and like to read observing reports etc.

This is also one forum where the "Off Topic" section is at the start of the forum, almost as the introduction to people visiting, whereas CN, AFN and SGL have their Off Topic section buried way down the page....
I wonder if that might be a better place for it.......

[xelasnave]

Hi Matt
May I ask when was your last post setting out your observing session☺
I think it comes down to this ...
Iceinspace is all we have and by we I mean the group that range from star gazers to those who could be professional astro photographers.

It is an impossible task to please everyone but it is not impossible for anyone to look at the good things and overlook the not so good knowing that perfection is something folk demand of others based on their subjective opinion of perfection.
Sure some demand no politics or what they consider irrelevant in their world and they can achieve an absence of what they dont like by not opening threads they dont want in their world...so its simple really if you see "Trump the anti christ" dont open that thread and if you notice "another damn airplane thread" you can get even by posting an observation report☺.

Now lets say you buy a newspaper you get news fashion sport and "your stars" and many adds...do you read "your stars"? or the adds on stuff of no interest to you?
Of course you read what you like and leave the rest.
Why should here be any different.
The key to a happy and sucessful existence I sincerely believe has everything to do with finding what good you can in anything presented to you...

I really think if folk are turned off by the lack of this or that or the addition of this or that or the placement of this or that I expect few things here or anywhere else is going to make them happy.

But I do not think there is any merit in trying to make people happy as often some people only find joy in finding fault in others which I put down to some discontent they have with their own existence.

I notice as one gets old you can find more and more wrong with the world and others and that is reasonable as one learns more...but perhaps one can hold off old age grumpyness by being forgiving understanding patient and tolerant of the bad stuff.

Lets be positive going forward and if you see an absence of say observation reports or technical reports or science...whatever ..take the reins and start a thread.
We all share a common interest and not one of us should forget that fact...if the place is in decline each of us could ask of ourselves..."Given that I am a member here how can I contribute?"
A report? A photo? A joke? The newest plane or grizzling about Trump is at least something...

Alex

[LewisM]

BRAVO Alex!