[Lvas] My Rant

Wed Apr 1 15:00:08 PDT 2009

I have to tell you boys that from my perspective it doesn't matter why
or how new people get interested and involved in the hobby we love so
much as long as they do. I was a visual only observer for many years and
didn't have the means or patience for photography. Since I have been
able to build out an observatory and the stability a permanent setup I
have been trudging up that long learning curve of imaging. I'm having a
wonderful time as this has re-engaged me with the hobby and I find I
spend many more hours in pursuit than I have in years. A lot of that is
because a permanent setup means I can be observing in five minutes and
not a forty-five minute setup/tear down but a lot of it is the new
challenges that imaging creates. In any case we all have areas that
interest us as individuals and that changes over time. To each their
own.

Jim 

Jim Gianoulakis
Manager Application Services Mobile
702-876-7093
702-253-7213 fax
jim.gianoulakis at swgas.com 

>>> roger ivester <drivester at hotmail.com> 4/1/2009 12:20 PM >>>
Jay,

I agree totally. It was my sincere hope that when I joined the LVAS
that there would be some of this type of disagreement. 

I call them "lively" discussions. However, I would like for everyone to
agree with my point of view. I'm smiling. I am nearing completion of
almost three days of work on a friends $10,000 custom bicycle...so I
feel pretty good right now. 

Doug, not being smarty about why I like to sketch. I did engineering
drawings by hand for 30 years until I started using a CAD system. I did
elevator shafts, parts, machinery, manufacturing areas, exterior
buildings, front, side and back views...and the list is a mile long.

I don't think that I ever told anyone, but I am also somewhat of a free
lance artist. I have some stuff that I will be entering into an art show
in a couple of months. 

If I can see it...I promise you that I can draw it. I would much rather
draw or sketch galaxies, nebula, SN's, double and multiple stars than
all of that dull other stuff that I mentioned previously. 

LVAS, do you ever offer "honorary" memberships to special people?  We
need Tom English, my mentor, astronomy professor, and one of my best
friends.  He is A TRUE MASTER IN ALL FACETS OF ASTRONOMY.

He can do "visual" or "image" anything you would like. He has always
had an observational "visual" class for his students in his astronomy
and physics courses. 

If you ever want information or desire to know anything ..he is the one
to go to. He is the master and I am the grasshopper. Do you remember
Kung Fu?

We used to argue all the time about SN magnitudes, and who was right.
It was mostly him.
I love a "lively" debate. It was an honor for me to be able to argue
(debate) with him. 

Best regards, roger 

> From: Jay.Piper at CH2M.com 
> To: lvas at lvlug.org 
> Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 12:37:44 -0600
> Subject: Re: [Lvas] My Rant
> 
> 
> Rob Lambert said: "...I think what we have in this group effort is
exactly what this hobby needs - a cross-fertilization of techniques and
skills beneficial to all that participate..." I have to agree with Rob!
maybe adding: ... in a shared enthusiasm for and appreciation of the
sky.
> 
> 
> FYI - there is an 11" or 12" Dobsonian for sale (hard to find with
other items listed) in the current Las Vegas newspaper classifieds
"miscellaneous" ads, at 523-3002, owner's name is Dick, on NW side of
town, includes 'scope and accessories. 
> 
> Best regards, Jay
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lvas-bounces at lvlug.org [mailto:lvas-bounces at lvlug.org] On
Behalf Of Rob
> Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 8:30 PM
> To: Las Vegas Astronomical Society
> Subject: Re: [Lvas] My Rant
> 
> LVAS Discussion Group Members,
> 
> I'm going to jump in on this one. 
> 
> First of all, Fred; I have the utmost respect for astronomers like
you and Roger. I know it's taken years and maybe even decades for you to
develop the observing skills you now have. I can appreciate the details
you include in your observation notes, because I struggled the first
time I tried to put on paper the things I was seeing in the eyepiece. 
> Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
> 
> Second; I hope I haven't (but I'm afraid I have) contributed to you
feeling isolated. My exuberance over my Mallincam experience has
probably added to your feeling of isolation. I consider video-assisted
observing a cross between visual observing and astro-photography. 
> Because of the various treatments I've had for cancer, my eyesight
isn't what it used to be and my ability to discern detail in faint
fuzzies is continually diminishing. I don't have the patience for true
CCD imaging. I won't spend hours to capture one image like
astro-photographers do. But I'm thrilled by the fact that I can see
galaxies and dark nebula with my Mallincam that I would never be able to
see otherwise. 
> 
> As for our observing project, I have used yours and Roger's
descriptions of the Crab Nebula to further enhance my video-assisted
viewing of this object and hope to do the same with the future objects
we jointly study. Without them I would not have known to look for an "S"
shaped pattern. I think what we have in this group effort is exactly
what this hobby needs - a cross-fertilization of techniques and skills
beneficial to all that participate.
> 
> I'm sorry that any have been offended by the recent exchange of
emails and I hope that no further retaliatory exchanges occur. Our joint
observing project is too valuable to all of us to have it tainted by
some less than careful choices of words.
> 
> Your friend and fellow observer (although video-assisted),
> 
> Rob Lambert
> 
> 
> 
> Fred Rayworth wrote:
> >
> > All,
> >
> > 
> >
> > I guess I upset a few people. That wasn't really my intent, but it

> > came out that way, and kind of snobbish to boot. However, I don't
take 
> > back anything I said as I am stating facts as I've seen them in the

> > field, at meetings, and NOT just here in Las Vegas.....
> >
> > 
> >
> > The only thing that makes you a serious hobbyist, is your
dedication 
> > to astronomy, whether with a camera or an eyepiece, or both. It
isn't 
> > defined by which model so and so you have, which eyepiece, or which

> > discipline. I certainly didn't want to imply otherwise. At times, I

> > just feel kind of isolated, as do many other observers I know.
> >
> > 
> >
> > For any of you astro-imagers out there that don't hate me for life,

> > I'd love to see an image of those 9 galaxies in Markarian's Chain
that 
> > I did such a crummy drawing of. That would be a hoot.
> >
> > 
> >
> > 
> >
> > 
> >
> > 
> >
> >
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> > _______________________________________________
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> > 
> 
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