BBC stargazing live IS going ahead, but in

[geordie85]

29 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

Next lobotomising reality hit “Strictly Celebrity Boxing on Ice”.

I'd watch that.

But seriously it's called stargazing live not stargazing live in the UK so as long as it is actually about stargazing, I can't see a problem where it's filmed. 

[spaceman_spiff]

I am happy to watch it...there are precious few programs about our hobby on mainstream television (outside of the discovery channel). It has to be a good thing that the program generated enough interest to be aired this year.

Personally I would like to see more emphasis on practical astronomy. This would be in line with other programs like Springwatch where the viewer is encouraged to get out there. That said I really enjoyed the coverage of the online search for trans-Neptunian objects on Zooniverse (I got involved with that).

I guess what I am saying is that if we just watch what we are interested in, we never really find new things out, especially at the level of mainstream television.

Dan

[Scott]

I could be wrong but the way I read it, it is being made by the beebs Aussie partner the ABC predominantly for an Aussie audience.

I guess that’s why it’s called star gazing live 2.

[SteveNickolls]

19 hours ago, FLO said:

Speaking personally, I'd rather they returned to Blighty and focused on actual stargazing.

Totally agree.

While I've a soapbox to stand on can I make a plea that the 'names' in our hobby do something to publicise and inform the general public about light pollution. They have the skills but where is the initiative?

Off my soapbox now.

Cheers,
Steve

[happy-kat]

1 hour ago, SteveNickolls said:

Totally agree.

While I've a soapbox to stand on can I make a plea that the 'names' in our hobby do something to publicise and inform the general public about light pollution. They have the skills but where is the initiative?

Off my soapbox now.

Cheers,
Steve

Totally agree. And this is our licence fee paying for an Australian based production for an Australian market. Do we not have a team creative enough to cope if it's cloudy here!

[Davey-T]

Gone are the days of programs like The Sky At Night with Sir Patrick Moore where they don't change much for years, just the presenters get older and the content is pretty standard.

This does not fit with the current philosophy as taught in "meedja studies" where every episode has to be bigger and more exciting than the last, witness soaps that started out with cheerful ordinary folk and now they have more murders than Midsommer Murders, even the Archers has jumped ship

In keeping with the BBC remit they have to be inclusive for every man and his dog whether or not they have any actual interest in the program content.

Going to Australia will attract a few extra viewers no doubt and throwing in a bit of gratuitous CGI will help.

When we colonise the Moon we can have Stargazing Live from there and I'd watch that.

Dave

 

[Guest]

22 hours ago, FLO said:

Again.

They must like it down there... 

Speaking personally, I'd rather they returned to Blighty and focused on actual stargazing. 

Steve 

Here here. We wait for years for a television programme about astronomy in our country that includes amateur astronomers. Along it comes. A sucessful programme and they go and change what ain't broken. Ah well a jolly for some.

[RayD]

6 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

"meedja studies"

[saac]

18 hours ago, 25585 said:

Out of interest what do you want to see in a stargazing programme?

Through the eyepiece? Instant images using TV cameras? What is being used? People wowing at things you can't see as they can?

Stargazing whether individual or communal is a participative hobby. Eyes or imaging kit-on. 

Solar might be better & lunar. Always there. Perhaps Mars, Jupiter & Saturn. Double stars possibly. But anything more elaborate visually is a real challenge to put across to an audience live, as it's happening. 

Oh good question.  Ok we have to be realistic first and foremost it has to be entertaining and secondly educational. What I definitely do not want is nothing but "pure science" - trust me that would be boring as sin; anyone who knows anything about proper science knows that it quickly descends in to data analysis and mathematics and this is particularly so with astronomy. So what I want is a mixture. Nobody is suggesting the programme should be full on "constellations mythology" that would be equally silly. However,  to present a popular astronomy programme to such a wide audience would be simply ludicrous without including a human touch such as history including the mythology.  Seeing and learning something from another culture is and should always be interesting. 

So, I'd like to see something outlining the direction of current research, nothing too intense but a broad summary of theory and development in equipment, forthcoming missions. I would also like to hear some personal stories - at the end of the day it is people that are interesting not facts and figures. And yes, I want to see characters like the Australian  astronomer they had last year.  In sum, I want to be entertained - I couldn't care if it is live or not or from the UK or not.

As for science just remember that most of the average membership of SGL (including myself)  does not engage in science in our hobby.  Some do, but very very few of us make scientific quality observations, record and analyse data and advance or confirm theory.  Those that focus on spectroscopy probably come closets to conducting "real science". I'm going to upset a lot of folk here and say that most of us are a kind of advanced train spotter    If I want genuine science I'll go attend a public lecture or download a scientific paper and try to understand that . So yes give me pictures of stars, constellations, talking heads talking about mythology with an Aussie perspective, presenters being overly and genuinely enthusiastic and showing all the quiet timid overlooked geeky kids at school that this stuff is really cool and that celebrating being smart is nothing to be ashamed of.  Oh that'll be Star Gazing Live then  

Jim 

 

[Cjg]

19 hours ago, 25585 said:

Out of interest what do you want to see in a stargazing programme?

Through the eyepiece? Instant images using TV cameras? What is being used? People wowing at things you can't see as they can?

Stargazing whether individual or communal is a participative hobby. Eyes or imaging kit-on. 

Solar might be better & lunar. Always there. Perhaps Mars, Jupiter & Saturn. Double stars possibly. But anything more elaborate visually is a real challenge to put across to an audience live, as it's happening. 

That's a really great question @25585.

I'd love to see a guided tour of the night sky for the current month, looking at whatever is possible with a moderate sized telescope, the kind that amateurs have at many of the observatories and clubs around the UK...I'd love to get to visit Kielder or one of the Scottish Observatories as well as the Norman Lockyer Observatory in Devon and see "their skies"...I've visited the Astro Farm in France; their skies were superb, likewise Ollie Penrice would be on my list to visit...an outside broadcast from astro locations that are more accessible to amateurs than perhaps locations in Australia. It riled me that the Sky at Night "Takeover at Tenerife" amounted to just three observations. There's a hotel near the top, I believe the Parador(?) That has to be accessible to regular holiday makers, so I'd send a team there to film...has to be less costly than Oz?

As others have mentioned something on light pollution would be great...the organisers of the astro camp in Wales managed to get LED street lights switched off for the duration of their camp in Cwmdu. 

Thanks all for the replies, it's interesting to see many have missed our "fix" of Stargazing Live this year.

Chris

[Stub Mandrel]

Why can't they go to South Africa? Better still, Namibia - guaranteed perfect skies and darkness and wealth of star lore, no doubt.

Aligned with our time zones too.

Bear in mind that without real people, conversation and mishaps you might as well just search images and facts online.

 

<edit> they did an Aussie stargazing live for aussies either before or after the UK one last year. I assume that this is part 2 of that. Be grateful we have access to the Aussie version rather than seeing it as downgrading the UK one.

[Scott]

5 hours ago, happy-kat said:

Totally agree. And this is our licence fee paying for an Australian based production for an Australian market. Do we not have a team creative enough to cope if it's cloudy here!

How sure are you it's your licence paying for this? We (Australia) make programs and pay the production companies to do it. Even if blighty was paying for the production, do you think they just GIVE the veiwing rights away? Believe it or not, Australia is all grown up and can pay for it's own meals without taking handouts from the beeb. we're even generous enough to let you watch it.... for a cost

[happy-kat]

If it works both ways then there's equal share, programs like Blue Planet have a global audience and are well worth any cost.

The value of the production won't be known until it's seen. So we will have to wait and see :-)

[Timebandit]

26 minutes ago, Scott said:

How sure are you it's your licence paying for this? We (Australia) make programs and pay the production companies to do it. Even if blighty was paying for the production, do you think they just GIVE the veiwing rights away? Believe it or not, Australia is all grown up and can pay for it's own meals without taking handouts from the beeb. we're even generous enough to let you watch it.... for a cost

 

 

Yes , But after the "Cricket " episode ? .How do we know we are really seeing it live and getting what we paid for. Without some trickery going on ?????

 

 

 

[Scott]

5 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

 

 

Yes , But after the "Cricket " episode ? .How do we know we are really seeing it live and getting what we paid for. Without some trickery going on ?????

 

 

 

Really?

 

[LightBucket]

18 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

 

 

Yes , But after the "Cricket " episode ? .How do we know we are really seeing it live and getting what we paid for. Without some trickery going on ?????

 

 

 

That is a very good point....

[25585]

14 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

 

 

Yes , But after the "Cricket " episode ? .How do we know we are really seeing it live and getting what we paid for. Without some trickery going on ?????

 

 

 

"And this excellent view is taken using a wide view budget eye piece through a F3 Newtonian, good value for £10 (quickly inserts a Paracorr)"

[Ande]

I'll be more than happy to tune in.  It's either this, or more cookery programs

[Timebandit]

5 minutes ago, Ande said:

I'll be more than happy to tune in.  It's either this, or more cookery programs

 

Yes. I will watch it. But every time I see Orion upside down. It does my head in.

I suppose I could turn the TV upside down. It may make more sense then ?

 

 

[tomato]

Hey, you don’t need clear skies to make classic live star gazing television. What about Patrick Moore’s TSAN anniversary outside broadcast, with his oppo muttering “totally obscured, Patrick” as the live time dwindled, TV Gold!

And, these days you can DSO image live, take a look at Atik’s recent Horizon broadcast from Portugal.

[25585]

Just need some Hubble remote imaging time really. No atmosphere, no disappointments. 

"Dear NASA..."

[Red Dwarfer]

Just heard on the grapevine - though won`t be officially announced until April 1st - that it will be presented this year by Dame Edna , in full drag , with a monocle and pointy stick for added gravitas . 

[Paul M]

34 minutes ago, Red Dwarfer said:

Just heard on the grapevine - though won`t be officially announced until April 1st - that it will be presented this year by Dame Edna , in full drag , with a monocle and pointy stick for added gravitas . 

No, no, I prefer Barry's other alter-ego, Sir Les Patterson. Proper culture  

Anyway, if they go stargazing live downunder I'll probably watch it about as much as the previous years' offerings....

[25585]

Does Australia have a stargazing Steve Irwin type presenter? That's what we want. 

[Stub Mandrel]

11 hours ago, Timebandit said:

 

 

Yes , But after the "Cricket " episode ? .How do we know we are really seeing it live and getting what we paid for. Without some trickery going on ?????

 

 

 

"As you can see we get far superior views of the planets here in Aus..."