Ever wish you were back in the old days of astronomy?

[hes not well again]

Been downloading a lot of old astronomy books from Gutenberg Project as the cloud cover appears permanent and it occurred to me how exciting it must have been a few hundred years ago when anyone with a 3 inch refractor made by those famous instrument makers Bodgitt and Creepaway could make discovery's that would make real advances in astronomy. Remember this was a time when the small and up close versus big and far away controversy was still raging. I have just finished a book postulating the chances of life on the moon, logical and closely argued it just so happens that it was wrong but this was the early 1700's. Another later book from 1820 had some invaluable advise for those wishing to have an observatory. It boils down to 1. Buy a hill  2.Get some men to build you an observatory.  3. Put some gargoyles on it. I was born too late for my time.     

[JamesF]

Gargoyles!  Oh, how could I have been so stupid!  I knew there was something missing from my observatory plans!

James

[johnd]

Been downloading a lot of old astronomy books from Gutenberg Project as the cloud cover appears permanent and it occurred to me how exciting it must have been a few hundred years ago when anyone with a 3 inch refractor made by those famous instrument makers Bodgitt and Creepaway could make discovery's that would make real advances in astronomy. Remember this was a time when the small and up close versus big and far away controversy was still raging. I have just finished a book postulating the chances of life on the moon, logical and closely argued it just so happens that it was wrong but this was the early 1700's. Another later book from 1820 had some invaluable advise for those wishing to have an observatory. It boils down to 1. Buy a hill  2.Get some men to build you an observatory.  3. Put some gargoyles on it. I was born too late for my time.     

In the Good Old Days wasn't the first order of business for the bored 'Lard'   1. Move the whole town of common folk who occupy the hill  2. Buy the hill ...... ?

[Davey-T]

Watched Cosmos last night about the "good old days" they seem to have had it tough and more down to luck if they made it.

Dave

[Umbraldot]

No as I'd probably have 17 children and be confined to the house washing, cleaning and cooking...mind you that does sound rather familiar.  Female astronomers were pretty rare and in very exceptional circumstances way back then.  I enjoy today's freedom to choose what I want to do without turning heads and hearing gasps of disapproval!

[Zakalwe]

No, absolutely not.

In those days a poxy 3" refractor would have probably cost an arm and a leg, and be only available to the very privileged of people. Plus, without modern medicines we'd all look and smell a bit like Baldrick....

[hes not well again]

Ah, that would be a no then.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

It would be snakes and ladders I'm afraid. A chance to be at the forefront of astronomy, but William Herschel had to cast his own speculum mirrors in a horse dung moulds and had to polish them for hours at a time - a pause in the work would cause them to mist over and become useless. Little light pollution to contend with but more pox.

[Alien 13]

I would love it lots of good skys and a 3 inch frac that would be a big upgrade for me.

Alan

[rowan46]

we are back in the old days. so I am quite happy. A few hundred years from now except for the poor astronomer or determined luddite most astronomy will be done by satellite, observatory and computer

[hes not well again]

Hopefully a few hundred years from now you could get a package holiday on the moon and even a 3 inch would blow you away. Ep's forever, computers just aren't the same.  

[Zakalwe]

We've never had it so good. Even a total eejit like me can produce images that amateurs of 30/40 years ago could only dream of.

[Ags]

We've never had it so good. Even a total eejit like me can produce images that amateurs of 30/40 years ago could only dream of.

...that PROFESSIONALS of 30/40 years ago could only dream of.

Hesnotwellagain, name these books - I want them!

[hes not well again]

Ags the one you want is The Discovery of a World in the Moone by John Wilkens in 1638. It can be downloaded free from the Gutenberg Project. Its subtitle is A Discource tending to Prove That 'Tis Probable There May be Another Habitable World in That Planet. Snappy title

[hes not well again]

I think that the other one is Half Hours with a Telescope by Richard A Proctor