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The term 'stargazers' / 'stargazing'. Is it just me...

PortableAstronomer

By PortableAstronomer
in The Astro Lounge

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barkis

barkis

Posted
Posted
Amateur Astronomers under-represented in social program's,

Did we not have a character by the name Curly Watts in Coronation Street who was an amateur Astronomer, this is some time ago though.

Yeah I remember Curly. He used to view through his attic window didn't he?:).

Ron.

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Tim

Tim

Posted
Posted

Portable astronomer, I perhaps should point out that my post about lobbying the BBC was meant entirely as a joke, and based on the fact that the greater majority of folk in the UK obtain their social education, such as it is, from watching tripe on TV, and the BBC go to great lengths to make sure they are 'impartial' by having actors portraying just about every ethnic/cultural/sexual persuasion there is, and in doing so, they make the whole thing look contrived, fake and ridiculous. It's a standing joke in the UK that you know you have made it to the mainstream when whatever you do is featured somewhere in Eastenders.

:)

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Teddy

Teddy

Posted
Posted

Dont go to there level !!!!

Saying that the TV is cr*p and a waste of time (as it looks like a few do eg the box in the corner) is just like "them" saying astromomy is cr*p. I like the TV too.

If you enjoy doing something and it does not hurt anyone then just do it !!

I am 34 and up until 32 i was one of "them" , i was the cars ,beer , birds , fashion victim and nutcase.... but i grew up. People grow up at different times (some never). This hobby (or whatever) is somethin i love now but i still drink , play footy etc and have a laugh. So ignor what people say ! Just think of "them" as someone who has spent most of there life living it the same , day in day out.

I am into astronomy,,,,,,,, thats all i say.

Live and let Live !!

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Space Bat

Space Bat

Posted
Posted

I like being different :)

When I am at work - I do the whole work persona, very few know me as a person or my interests...etc but that is fine and the way I want it.

In my spare time - I am me and that is something I have now learned to cherish. Which goes back to a previous thread by lulu.

I am lucky that most of my hobbies and persuits have enabled me to have more closeness with my boys....so people can call me what they want - I know I am happy :D

Chris

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Beulah

Beulah

Posted
Posted
I like being different :)

When I am at work - I do the whole work persona, very few know me as a person or my interests...etc but that is fine and the way I want it.

In my spare time - I am me and that is something I have now learned to cherish. Which goes back to a previous thread by lulu.

I am lucky that most of my hobbies and persuits have enabled me to have more closeness with my boys....so people can call me what they want - I know I am happy :D

Chris

Sums me up as well. ;)

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Spaced Cadet

Spaced Cadet

Posted
Posted

One tabloid label I hate the most is 'boffin' for people of scientific backgrounds. BTW, 'stargazer' can include someone who is a celeb spotter. Talking about representative figures in astronomer, there seems to be a lack of female astronomers in the media. We had Heather Couper appear on TV in the past. How about someone like Myleene Klass doing shows? I like the idea of doing an 'alternative' regular astronomy show of my own I can stick on youtube.

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PortableAstronomer

PortableAstronomer

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If Myleene Klass were out at a star party I don't think I'll be looking through any scopes. Maybe if Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp suddenly revealed that they had an interest in astronomy then lots of females might suddenly become interested in astronomy. Maybe not!

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Capricorn

Capricorn

Posted
Posted

Not what is really wanted but we are stargazers. Get along to one of the universities and see what they do as astronomy. What some do is at the front end of the subject. Looking through a 4/6/8/10/12/14... inch scope is stargazing.

How many here have done research in to Dark Matter, Galactic collisions, does anyone on SGL have a scope capable of identifing exoplanets? Anyone have an x-ray scope for x-ray astronomy? Spectroscopy anyone?

Most of us, me as well, haven't seen all the Messiers, Charles did that a long time ago and I seem to have read that he had a 3.1 inch scope - equally I had thought his scope was larger. Looking at M1-M110 is copying someone, same for NGC and Cadwell objects.

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AstroTiger

AstroTiger

Posted
Posted

The problem is you are dealing with the layman.

We should i suppose be greatful if they realise we study stars and planets, not tell peoples fortunes for them!

The times i've been called an "Astrologer" i have lost count.

I think things are getting better though with increased media coverage.

To my mind though why not just call us all "Astronomers" why do we need to distinguise between those who get paid for it from those who dont.

Perhaps the terms "voluntary" astronomer might serve better than amateur?

I do agree that making things more PC and up to date is necessary.

I think given the way many voluntary astronomers are going the gap between that and pro is going to get less and less anyway.

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brianb

brianb

Posted
Posted
Perhaps the terms "voluntary" astronomer might serve better than amateur?

So professionals are slave labourers?

Nowt wrong with the word "amateur", it just means you love doing it. Some if not most professionals are amateurs at heart. Yeah, there are a few refugees from applied maths & particle physics ...

BTW the professionals certainly appreciate the input of the more serious amateurs ... there is usually an active project on the AAVSO site where "amateur" visual or CCD photometry is requested in support of observations being carried out by large instruments controlled by major observatories.

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Macavity

Macavity

Posted
Posted

Well, I suppose the notion of "Amateur", in the French sense...

Amateur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An amateur (French amateur "lover of", from Old French and ultimately from Latin amatorem nom. amator, "lover") is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training. An amateur receives little or irregular income from their activities ... LOL ;)

In any case, they capture the essential... je ne sais quoi? :)

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GazOC

GazOC

Posted
Posted
Well, I suppose the notion of "Amateur", in the French sense...

Amateur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An amateur (French amateur "lover of", from Old French and ultimately from Latin amatorem nom. amator, "lover") is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training. An amateur receives little or irregular income from their activities ... LOL :)

In any case, they capture the essential... je ne sais quoi? :)

If you put it like that Mac.....;)

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yeti monster

yeti monster

Posted
Posted
I think "Stargazer" is pretty accurate for a lot of us, we don't take recordings, accurately log observations, analysis our images scientifically etc. so "Amateur Astronomer" may be too grand a title.

I guess I'm an amateur stargazer then really, I do love looking at the heavens (aided or no), although I like to sketch and record (of a fashion) what I've seen and when, I don't log long winded descriptions of stuff (perhaps because I've yet to get any real detail) and they could all be painted on the inside of an gynormous football for all the difference 100,000 million light years is going to make to what time I have to start work in the morning.

Perhaps, in time, I'll develop even more of an obsession, then I'll be able to promote myself to amateur astronomer (second class).

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russ

russ

Posted
Posted

I'm happy to be a Stargazer. It suit me perfectly. Just enjoying the heavens and no distractions.

I visited Herstmonceux when i was at school, the teacher knew i was mad on Astronomy, so thought i would be the one person who appreciated it the most. I asked the resident astronomer who was our guide just one question. I knew that one question would answer all i needed to know about being a Professional Astronomer. My question was: " how often do you look through a telescope?" He said "never". He said "the fun was researching and checking the data". Excellent, that's all i needed know. I think my words to my teacher were "i would rather clean toilets".

Now, a technician working at one of the observatories or even cleaning toilets at the observatories would be a dream job.

Russ

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