Study or 'Bagging' Yet another Go-To thread....

[Macavity]

"Astronomer De-Bagged in GoTo Shocker!"... The SUN says etc.

I am [ever] proposing to make "serious" field notes - Even if I WILL be (unashamedly) "going to".

But sadly TIME, tinkering with m'equipment (Fnar?) and other limitations usually intervene.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

It is a hobby. Just have fun in whichever way seems fit!

[Polar Bear]

"Astronomer De-Bagged in GoTo Shocker!"... The SUN says etc.

Brilliant

I wonder if The Hubble Space Telescope uses GOTO ? or maybe they use the nudge method and a Star Atlas ?

Paul

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Brilliant

I wonder if The Hubble Space Telescope uses GOTO ? or maybe they use the nudge method and a Star Atlas ?

Paul

Didn't you know it requires a space-walk every time they want to point it in a new direction? You need to swap photographic plates manually too

[Syntarsus]

From a totally inexperienced newbie this is a good thread just to get an idea of how people go about the business of astronomy. It's a bit like the thread a short while ago: Are Astronomers Trainspotters, or something similar. That thread ended up being all jokes or in some case people seemed to take offence at being compared to trainspotters.

In terms of GOTO when considering my first scope I decided right away that I didn't want GOTO. The challenge of finding stuff was definitely part of the appeal. Anyway I still haven't got my first scope and currently leaning towards more powerful pair of bins instead.

I don't think there is anything wrong with just bagging and I'd have thought there would be more satisfaction in bagging objects without GOTO than with. I can see bagging as giving a bit of direction to an evening, making it more purposeful. Measuring one's successes adds reward.

But I was wondering if anyone does any stuff that could be considered science. I have heard that amateur astronomers contribute quite a bit to professionals work but does one need really expensive equipment to do this and/or pristine skies? Are amateur contributions now pushed out by the increasing array of hi tech, computer scanning, observations now used by professionals?

I was also wondering about the terminology. Do people think of 'star gazing' as synonymous with 'astronomy' or as something a bit different?

[smudgeball]

Brilliant

I wonder if The Hubble Space Telescope uses GOTO ? or maybe they use the nudge method and a Star Atlas ?

Of course it's GOTO and the guy on Earth controlling it blames poor images from the hubble on clouds, light pollution, duff batteries, that american date format thingy, security lights.............