Macavity

That's fair, Jim! To an extent there have always been "Celebrity Scientists"? The perpetrators of the "catchy" phrase... "God does not play dice" etc. 🥳 To me, the issue is more related to "social media" and celebrity worship... our "divided society" etc. I sense Einstein meant it pretty much as a joke? When Cox talks of "Stars as Gods"... and later "regrets it", I do wonder. 🙄 But I see Cox as quite an agent provocateur... Who/what are "Nobbers"? It seems they are NOT "the religious"? Perhaps they are "New agers" - Oh wait, they "Maniacs"... Or just "stupid" people... Or folk he doesn't like? 🤔 I have no desire to be seen as "Mr. CERN" (lol!), but I found working in an environment where folks actively TRIED to smooth over differences of culture... religion... politics, more positive than "Brawling in the Dust" with Deepak Chopra? But it plays well with the (Twitter) Science fans. 😏 Hey, I've probably "said far to much"! (lol) But, if there are *still* "ordinary folk" (my definition!) who love SCIENCE... Minus BS? 🤣

I get the impression "no one really knows"? lol. There are these Professorships for Public Engagement... But the distinction between "public service" and personal (financial!) gain is somewhat blurred? In the PAST, [IMO] you "did science" because you had a passion for the subject? These days, it is a complex superposition of promoting science... "rationalism"... Getting "Gigs"? 🤔 Not necessarily "knocking it", but times have TRULY changed, since my day. lol The Professor that attracted ME to "Do Physics" was NOT like them? 😎

(Another!) "Random" thought: Despite my odd "provocations" (lol) it is a subject that genuinely interests me! I spent FAR too much on "appraising" indifferent scopes, rather than "saving my money"!?! 🥳 Looking beyond standard forums, I was deeply inpressed by the science (effort) involved setting up a high-end Refractor Triplet! 🙀 (It's not a "linear progression" from "yer typical" ED doublet?!? lol) Personally, I quite like to "drill holes" in my *budget* telescopes! To get "the best" out of them - Maybe? lol. But if I owned a truly "work of art" scope... Would I dare use it? I'd need to *collect* it rather than trust UPS/DPD delivery? Just "messing about", but... 😉 P.S. "Heartbroken" to put minor "ding" in my £250 Ukulele. 😑

To remove owner subjectivity, I once pondered some *telescope simulator* images of planets .vs. varying scope designs. Whereas I liked the conclusion drawn (it agreed with theory!) many images looked very similar to me? lol But then, I totally repect the notion, "practiced" observers SEE stuff, I can't - Especially "live" (in freezing cold) field situation? Simply "better eyes"?!? 🤓 For me, the biggest doubt I had e.g. with my Newtonian Reflector: "Have I set up the collimation properly". I suspect that would dominate any "quality of optics" effect. As with "errors" in general, there's no point worrying over some minor issue, while ignoring the "great big uncertainty" elsewhere? 🤔

A bit of my "wry" humour in (Storm Arwen) adversity... In Wales... Just wait for the WIND to make a HOLE?! 🙀 On the POSITIVE note, my Observatory, "took it all"! 😎 P.S. Good old Dick -- Mega 'Tache keeps him warm? 🤣

Not entirely envy, but I recently saw a famous science advocate ask a rank beginner question re. his VERY expensive scope?!? I almost suggested he "Buy a book" -- In same way he often suggests that, re. those he writes? 🤡 Sometimes I think it no BAD thing to buy a scope that is "commensurate with your abilities"? But there is nothing WRONG with owning the most expensive... "whatever" you can afford? Share your "fortune" by helping others better understand Telescopes... Once you have learnt yourself?!? 😅

Remarkable "Hubble" pictures of CW Leonis... Sadly only 10th Magnitude? https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/hubble-celebrates-halloween-with-a-glowering-dying-star I recall I once got a spectrum of Mu Gem. with the gain of my Watec (EEVA) Camera at max. Mu Ceph (The Garnet Star) is indeed worth a visual look? 😎

Welcome. There are still quie a few "sights to see" from N.Wales! As a fellow "inmate", welcome. 🥳

I've started to call things of that ILK, "Pandemic Shovels"! Standard fixtures in suburban gardens 'round here? lol. 🤡 The (British!) "Football Pitch" (length/area) is still used... Hon. Mention to: Albert Hall (Volume measurement)? 🥳 (Link from the days when my world seemed funnier...)

All sort of considerations might come in? The physical strength of materials? 😉 Worst case scenario is when you try to e.g. MATCH the "aesthetics" of (for me) an Electronics (Synth) *Front Panel* and you measure across 10 knobs (9 "gaps") and get 9.17 inches? lol. Was it made to the imperial or metric... or WHAT standard?!? This probably has something to do with BRAND loyalty/returning customers? 🥳 P.S. Sometimes matching Tube Rings and OTA diameters can be like this too? 🤡

The inch - Along with some other (historical!) European measurements was quite convenient... Simply more "people sized" than mm/cm etc. 🤔 Though, the sheer amount of TIME, I have spent on Online Websites... checking size of BSF/BSW/Metric/Photo Threads/clearance/pitch/etc. SWG/AWG wire... Electronics (Chips) will remain 0.1" (2.54mm) pitch? 😏

You're RIGHT of course... Maybe!? But when you find there is NOTHING you want to watch? You tire of TV personalities "opining"? I guess you beome a *Hardcore* ASCETIC Astronomer... who "never watches TV"? 🤣

just thought I'd give you a mention... I do see where you're "coming from" etc. Aside: I'm still wrestling with others re. the "This is not for you" thing though. 🥳 I have sympathies for BC. I recall someone accusing him of "Killing xxxx" folks ... because he admitted he "didn't HATE" people who "Voted Differently"?!? 🙀 Maybe Brian is something of an Old Hippy -- "Do your own thing" after all! lol In the past, when I went on an "Everyone should do Science" rants. I ended with the notion that, these days, I no longer ENJOY Science... Or Astronomy. Part of that is the (incessent) "religion and politics" of "popular scientists"? Mostly, I simply no longer watch this stuff... But I still feel a BIT SAD tho. 😐 P.S. Reflecting on a bygon age: My late DAD staunchly refused to tell ME who he voted for! I was bought up in a *secular* home. But when random "religious" callers accused my MUM of "not caring about others' religion": "I'll have you know I'm PROUD Welsh Methodist"! YAY - GO (late) MUM! 🤣

I think it (might be!) quite IMPORTANT that *someone* is allowed to discuss the way people - who claim (their day job is!) to "represent science" to the public?!? I feel it is important to THINK about *personal* worldview of Scientists... CHECK their associations with political and religious (even anti-religious! lol) groups? 🙂 When I WORKED in Science, it was important to ME, that I tried NOT to express a view on "religion & politics" etc. The people I worked with - in my international Physics Lab, might be from an entirely different religious/political background! Mentioning such stuff was "Bad Form"?! lol. Contrary to the "spirit of science". 😎 Impartiality can lead to you being *percieved* as "in league with the enemy"? lol I can't think of a circumstance where I would call anyone "blind ignorant"?!?! 🙀 I think it is *entirely* possible to discuss such ideas in this ERUDITE company! lol It might help if some folk didn't WHINE... "S/He's being religious/political"? etc. I think it is a Good Policy that the MODS let things continue... within reason... 😉 P.S. Got home from Covid Booster. A sucession of TRAINS and BUSES - Full of Mask Refusniks?!? I might not worry too much what I/others say on SGL? lol. 🤣

I think a FAIRER description might be the *program* (Cox) does/did? But then it's folks who THEN discuss this, that "get it in the neck"?!? 🥳 [IMO] The (religious/political) "Dog Whistle" is quite commonly used by TV Presenters! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_whistle_(politics) Don't let THEM divide US! The mods have my genuine sympathy... 🙂

I'm intrigued... What particular "vibes" are those... That I/we don't have? 🥳 MINE are many, don't worry! lol. To me, the level of stuff he presents on Astronomy would not be beyond many with a (BS.c.) Ph.D. in Physics etc. But TV Science is about *specific* audience appeal? BC has lots of that! Plus he "Shouts at Astrologers"... Always a great plus for "Science Fans"? 😉 Unlike most scientists of yore, he is overtly quite "political"... Expressing views that most of his (e.g. Twitter) fanbase are pretty likely to share... He has doubtless put a LOT of "Bums on Seats" in universities (esp. his!). He is a GOOD promoter of science! But also a creations of our times... As with most *popular* figures, folks LIKE to feel he is "just like them"? 🙂

If Journalists could distinguish between Astro Physicists & Particle Physicists maybe? lol. A SMALL point, probably, but might lend more credibility to the *critical* "Arts Type"! 😅 That said, we should all listen to our critics... The opposing viewpoint / lay perspective... To me, it's BC's personal quest for "Meaning"... the Pale Blue Dot "philosopy/worldview"? https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan OK(!) - But it's good to question ALL things? 🤔 I'd still feel more comfortable if these ideas were not presented as "integral to science". Science has a lot to going for it! Notably collaboration... Also transcending the more mundane squabbles etc. But you can still "LOVE Science"... "Be nice to one another"... 😎

Good points! Such concepts were discussed in the 60/70s when (interstellar!) space travel was mooted? I sometimes watch TV programs like "Wanted Down Under" lol. 🙄 The *genuinely* conflicted emotion. But I lament the current adversarial / sarcastic view re. Space Travel. I'm surprised to see *influential* (intellectual?) voices supporting the "Do nothing"... "Until we have sorted out ALL Earthly problems"? Missing the point re. doing either? One could ask them how long they think their project will take? 🤔 P.S. If you get to light speed, don't Sneer at (Tell!) my "30,000 years Interstellar Ark" to Alpha Cent! 🙃

Book me immediately... Frankly the *isolation* that "Covid" has prepared me for... Anything a MARS journey could throw at me... Ultimate/Sudden Death etc. etc. 🥳 P.S. If I could have a CAT (or two) for company... 😺

I blame Charlie Dimmock! [lol]! Re-viewing a daytime "Garden Rescue" thing... with the "Rich" (sic?) Brothers... A Lighting GANTRY in a suburban garden?!? 🙄 My neighbours are ALL into (various) outide Lighting and Heating these days... But a lot of daytime (more) TV these days is stuck in an alternative universe? 😅

"Sea Change" (I sense not Seed?!? lol) in UK society... "It is my RIGHT"! etc. 🙄 I once chatted to a neighbour about my Astronomy... "Light pollution" etc. He actually tries HARDER to P*** me off MORE now he KNOWS about it? lol Local CRIME rates are about *half* the national average, but everyone is obsessed that "bad people" will "steal their stuff"... without floodlighting. 😬 The UK MEDIA "fear induction" has something to do with this, I sense...

It would seems to be quite possible to have fly/float around, in the Venusian Astmosphere for an indefinite time. No shortage of sunlight (direct AND reflected) at 45-60km. The acid problems could be addressed. But ultimately it's the anhydrous nature - Lack of water, that precludes (potential local!) life that becomes a problem? Venus "has the oxygen" (as CO2) but little ("ppm") hydrogen (ex original water). We'd have to take ALL our own Water? 😏 https://phys.org/news/2021-06-lack-life-venus.html If the locals can't hack it, neither can we (long term)? But the idea of atmospheric Venusian "Rovers" (analogous to Martian) caught my eye. 🙃 Interesting thoughts though! Ultimately it is the radiation levels that rule out quite a LOT of *other* solar system planets/moons? 😐 P.S. Ah Yes - Martian Caves! Shelters from RADs? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_lava_tube 😎

To some extent, I gave up wondering, and invested in a Baader Neodymium filter THEN a Baader UHC Filter. lol. The latter removes almost everything re. light pollution in more "Stellar" & HA/OIII objects! The main question locally concerns replacement of White LED street lighting over old "orange" ones? 🤔 (Most of my light pollution "tests" with a DSLR were perfomed before this!) As a general (more hopeful) thought here: Despite it's obvious attactions, M31 is a *relatively difficult* object to separate WELL from the background. It tends toward being the same (yellowish) colour as light pollution? The (promising) brightness of nearby galaxies is distributed over a large area. The surface brightness of M31's outer regions is only (ISTR!) Magnitude +17 to +20! That is getting close to (many) "sky backgrounds"... 😐 Buy a Baader LHC (a personal prejudice!) for nebulae etc. It will not work well with Galaxies, unless you want to image HA rich regions of M31? If you do want to image Galaxies, more compact (distant!) ones can image surprisingly well despite the light pollution. A "lighter-weight" Neodymium etc., may help? 😉

I have them at an acceptable level with my Chameleon (CCD) Camera. BUT they are still there! My HEQ5 "wanders about" a bit, and if try to do Solar Disk *animations*, the NRs still "dance" over the result. 🥳 But it's gratifying how a STATIC pattern can eventually "disappear"! That said, you can *deliberately* let the Sun's Disk drift over the chip - changing mount tracking to a value close, but not quite, solar rate. Can Help with the final smoothing of a *static* (stacked) image. 🙂 Oooops - Old thread - Good job I mostly agree with myself?!? 🤡

The ST102 was my first scope. Scopes have come and gone... But I still have it! 🙂 I've "jazzed up" the OTA with Carbon Fibre "Sticky"... "Found" a better focusser... I seem to remember it showed (me) Jupiter had Band(s) and Polar Darkening? 🙃 Personally SOME of it's "lack of capabilities" were with my lack of "good eyes"... or rather observing patience? I suspect the latter could have been cured, but... 😁