From: "Leonard Koscianski" <leonard
To: "Michael Linnolt" <linnolt
        "Hubert Hautecler" <brhuna
References: <004701c64904$f864f2e0$bc6fe504
	<f65697842b48c.44195c3c
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 17:31:47 -0500

Mike Linholt, and Why I joined AAVSO.

I have been a professional fine artist and college professor for over 25 
years.  I have always been amazed at what good equipment and art materials 
my "advanced" amateur students have.  It puts mine to shame.  What they do 
with it is really mediocre, but their studios make my eyes pop.

One day I was reading an online forum about which were your two most used 
eyepieces.  Unlike most of the participants, instead of telling which of his 
many Naglers pleased him most, Linholt was talking about doing variable star 
reasearch with Harry Siebert eps on a home built scope.  I knew instantly 
that here was an astronomer with a purpose.

I look to AAVSO to give purpose to my astronomy.  Without a purpose, amateur 
astronomy like amateur photography quickly devolves into equipment talk, and 
telescope envy.

I'm am grateful for Linholt and AAVSO.  Astronomy is one of the original 
seven liberal arts.

But 40 obs a night?, whoa!!  I'm lucky to get 6 on a good night.

Leonard Koscianski (KLX)


From: "Michael Linnolt" <linnolt
To: "Hubert Hautecler" <brhuna
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 3:38 PM


> Yes, I would say this is the major problem! After moving (parttime) from 
> Hawaii to the SF Bay Area (Silicon valley specifically) for work, I found 
> TAC is a very advanced group of observers in the center of the technology 
> capital of the world, and have the most sophisticated and large telescopes 
> and imaging equipment I have seen. I had attended several of their star 
> parties and posted numerous observations of variables to their mailing 
> list, to try and recruit observers.
>
> In a nutshell, the results were a big fat ZERO. Was unable to recruit any 
> new variable star observers, over a years worth of time. In fact, there 
> were some "old timers" who ran the list who were outright hostile towards 
> my attempts to suggest they take up "scientifically useful" observing! 
> And, I found myself essentially banned from there! It appears they(TAC) 
> believe the role of the amateur should consist of and be limited to:
>
> 1. Purchasing the "hottest" new commercial products for testing and use.
> 2. Attending star parties to show off their expensive equipment and 
> observe faint galaxies.
> 3. Simply logging the faint objects in Herschel lists or whatever, as an 
> exercise to see how faint they can see.
> 4. Going on long and expensive trips around the world to find "better" 
> skies, and Oooooh and Aaaaaah about it.
> 5. Observing unusual new objects comets/supernova/exoplanets but simply 
> looking and talking about it, without any attempt of identifying what 
> scientifically useful information should be acquired or reported.
>
> There is an incredible amount of sophisticated visual and CCD equipment 
> out there in the hands of amateurs, but 99.9% of it appears to be used 
> just for recreational astronomy, or sitting in a garage waiting for a star 
> party. When queried as to WHY they dont consider using it for scientific 
> observing, the most frequent responses I got:
>
> 1. I am not a PhD in astronomy, what could I possibly contribute?
> 2. My equipment is too small or inexpensive to be of any value for 
> science.
> 3. I didnt know amateurs could contribute anything.
> 4. I have no idea what to contribute or where to begin.
> 5. I want to look at "eye candy" and enjoy the sky, not deal with data and 
> computers.
> 6. Why would astronomers want to communicate with me?
> 7. I have no idea how to find these variable stars.
> 8. I have no idea how to measure their brightness.
> 9. I have never heard of the AAVSO.
>
> So, my dear colleagues, it appears we have a mountain to climb here to 
> recruit new observers! Any ideas?
>
> Mike Linnolt
>
>
> From: Hubert Hautecler <brhuna
> Date: Thursday, March 16, 2006 11:56 am
> Date: Thursday, March 16, 2006 11:56 am
>
>> workgroup are all helping the newbies. A startingprogramme, email
>> between observers, even helping observing at a site. The only pity
>> thing is that it is difficult to attract new observers.
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
>