A stargazer's saga

Jeff, Albany, NY — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:00:06 GMT

It is ironic that this program is entitled "Seeing in the Dark." In many parts of the country, it doesn't get dark anymore, thanks to the plague of light pollution.

A stargazer's saga

Jingchun Chen, Seattle, Washington — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 21:01:16 GMT

Frankly I don't think that imaging is the best use of the superb telescopes in this facility. If a picture is actually taken for each request and rigorously computer-processed before being sent to the student, it is a waste of time and money. Besides, the quality of the images is unlikely to rival that of many already on the Internet. Therefore I wonder to what level those images will be able to inspire kids, which to me is what this is all about. Instead, probably a better use of the facility is to open it to the public so parents can bring their kids in and observe and learn and be inspired. To meditate we stare at a candle, usually not a picture of candle.

A stargazer's saga

Michael S. Moore — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 23:48:19 GMT

Nice article. Well-written and evocative.

A stargazer's saga

Frank, Detroit, MI — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 03:48:40 GMT

Watched "Seeing in the Dark" earlier tonight, I think Mr Ferris and team did a great job getting the look and feel of amateur astronomy across to those that that have not yet come to enjoy the hobby. Good Show!

A stargazer's saga

Alan Sheets, Loveland CO — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:39:13 GMT

I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing "distributed astronomy" a la seti@home -- with a bunch of people setting up small automated telescopes in their backyards under control of a central computer?

A stargazer's saga

Ernest Woodman Moncton N.B — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:35:20 GMT

we are not the only ones out there! That I know... ufos, yes, and they are far from us, ten light years away, and they don't want war, peace!

A stargazer's saga

Mike, keithville, louisiana — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 23:21:20 GMT

I have to commend anyone who perpetuates the interest in the heavens. I have always had a fondness to look for anything I could `find' in the sky, always wishing I had a larger, more powerful telescope to bring in "just a little more detail".
Now that I have grandchildren, I appreciate the tuime my father gave me, to help me look to the skies, and teach me just a little about the heavens. There is something out there, worth the effort to find. I hope we continue to "seek out new worlds...and go where no man has gone before"

A stargazer's saga

L. Gunawardana, Kandy, Sri Lanka — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:57:14 GMT

It is a wonderful project that deserves strong and widespread support from acroos the globe! I do hope that the term "students" include school kids from the lower grdes as well.

A stargazer's saga

Wayne, TN — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 04:56:06 GMT

I decided to give stargazing a try a few years back when a friend brought over an old and abused Newtonian telescope he'd picked up at a yard sale and asked me to clean and ajust it. I got it fixed up just in time to get a good view of Mars on its closest approach in my lifetime. That will give you the bug.
Later on I picked up a much smaller galileo type telescope dirt cheap, it was almost new but missing a couple of lenses and the Barlow tube, still good enough to see details of Jupiter and its moons and catch Saturn's rings.
Nothing like it, its a strange feeling using a dirt cheap telescope with better optics than scopes that cost a king's ransome in gallileo's day.
My favorite land telescope is a brass and wood replica I also got for a song. It had been assembled with one lenses put in backwards and sent back to the importer. A few minutes of experimentation put it back in proper trim. That scope has its own presentation case made of exotic wood and brass,very nice.

A stargazer's saga

Washington, DC — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:44:17 GMT

I commend you for seeing stargazing as a meditative practice. We often don't realize we are in a mediative practice because the practice does not entail sitting in a lotus position. I have found that everything out there is actually in the mind. I have to wonder if when I sit in my back yard gazing at the stars, am I gazing into the mind of God? Am I closer to God than I think?

A stargazer's saga

Guy S. Newell — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:44:14 GMT

Ernest, buddy. You need to get out more. Find a hobby. Maybe something like astronomy?

A stargazer's saga

Teymur Mammadzada Azerbaijan Baku — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 06:21:22 GMT

HELLO!Contact"UNO-UFO"international science-popular magazine.Interested in Kosmic and UFO information.

A stargazer's saga

arvin lande northwood iowa — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 23:03:00 GMT

I think that serching the night sky is far more productive then wageing war but i have one ? if nothing is faster then light how come you can look and see light from the big bang that light should have been long gone we should be tring to catch it.

A stargazer's saga

D Ingram, Pacific Northwest — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:55:27 GMT

It looks like there hasn't been much traffic lately so I thought I'd roll out one more message. Did you like the PBS special? Then read Ferris' book, "Seeing in the Dark: How Backyard Stargazers Are Probing Deep Space and Guarding Earth from Interplanetary Peril" . If you passed it up then you have missed 90% of the fun. The much too short PBS special barely touches on 4 amateur astronomers. The book, on the other hand, lavishes "quality time" on real conversations and contacts with the same few people and many more who love the art and how to share the joy of observing and stargazing. It is more than a little sad the latest release of the book has included a name change. It is now titled, "Seeing in the Dark: How Amateur Astronomers are Discovering the Wonders of the Universe." Is it just me or did the author decide to cater to a smaller, more elite and slightly arrogant niche? Remote telescope observing is neat and the Bisque brothers are talented business men, but I agree with Jingchun Chen. No achievement in imaging technology will ever replace the personal thrill and inspiration of standing alongside the next generation in quiet darkness and viewing with your own eyes the sky, the Moon, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter or to collect through a modest telescope the faint and ancient rays of a distant island universe.
I will be interested in how this title change strikes other readers. Still the book is a must read for amateur astronomers and for "stargazers" too, although they lost out in the retitled book.