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(meteorobs) Watching For Fun
Apologies to the long time list members for bringing this up again!
What is the wrong with watching for fun? It seems to me that a great
majority of us started watching meteors just for fun, like watching the
4th of July fireworks display in America. Do we count each rocket or
firecracker? I don't think so!
When we found out that we could make scientifically useful contributions
(even with the existence of video cameras) a small number of us advanced
to the next level and became seriously interested in meteor observing.
To those who wish to still watch for fun and not count; that's great! Go
out once or twice a year to see the Perseids or Leonids. Bring your
children and neighbors out too! Those people provide the possibility for
others to become serious observers. When the fun seekers start seeking
knowledge it will be the AMS, ALPO, DMS, IMO, and NAMN that will be
there extending a helping hand encouraging them to learn how to count,
plot, and analyze their data while still having fun. If I was not having
fun visually observing would you think I would drive 100 miles each
morning to find dark skies? Not on your life!!!
As for that kid with his 4 inch telescope, well like many telescope
users we start out small and look for the fun of it. He may not be
providing any useful scientific data but 10 years from now when that
young adult is viewing Saturn with his 16 inch telescope and discovers a
storm on the equatorial belt he will be glad that no one told him that
he was wasting his time. Also recently there are 3 chaps named Hale,
Bopp, and Hyakutake who were also having fun visually observing while
satellites were busy discovering all the comets!
Visual observing, whether naked eye or through a small telescope, will
not wane in importance. I believe that it's great when anyone looks at
the sky for any reason. The clouds, rainbows, and aurora may not provide
scientifically useful data but they may be a stepping stone to bigger
and better things!
May I suggest a few more positive posts to this group encouraging people
to look and watch? If not, then reading meteorobs may not be fun anymore
:(
Bob Lunsford
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