RichardHK
sage
Reged: 11/25/06
Posts: 396
Loc: Hong Kong
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Quote:
We'll wait right here... 
Haa.. Ok Tom. Should have finished reading the book before then, so perhaps a book comment before DVD gets here? 
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Richard Entwistle, Hong Kong
ETX-125, SV90TBV, & PST scopes
Canon 15x50-IS & Fujinon 7x50 bins
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desertstars
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 41911
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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It'll give you something to do while you wait. 
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Thomas Watson
Author of Mr. Olcott's Skies. Available in paperback and ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
@desertstarsbks
Under Desert StarsEither Way, It's Reading
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dgs©
Postmaster
Reged: 03/29/04
Posts: 15091
Loc: West Monroe, Louisiana
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I meant to set the recorder before we left home for Ohio, but I clean forgot.
So... it sounds like I shouldn't mind missing it?  Or maybe I should go ahead and order the DVD. I'd really like to get it in HD but I don't have a player for that yet. (55" HDTV kind of wasted with no HD signals ).
Sounds to me (based on this thread) that the film is trying to spark the imagination of potential amatuer astronomers, but maybe didn't point out clearly enough, the difference between the beautiful color images used and what we actually see with our little eye pressed to the eypiece. I think all of us, here in this forum, readily recognize that color astrophotography is far beyond the realm of visual astronomy. But, trying to spark the interest of today's typical television viewer (even PBS viewers, who are more likely to be a notch above the average couch potato) will take something more eyepopping than sketches. Viewers accustomed to high zoot, computerized special effects in modern films need something pretty fantastic to make them sit up and take notice. So I'm willing to forgive a little stretching in this direction.
All in all, I'm really sorry to have missed it. I knew I'd be traveling while it was on, but got distracted by last minute travel disasters and forgot to set the tape machine. Maybe this will get me to get some sort of HD player and get the HD DVD to give it a look-see.
I'm betting I will like it very well, thank you.
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- david
8"Ø Newtonian on SVP, Moonlite CR2, Telrad
PST Oberwerk Ultra 15x70 Orion Ultraview 10×50
Hand-me-down Sears Refractor (Discoverer) 60mm×900mm
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world, remains and is immortal." --Albert Pike
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LivingNDixie
TSP Chowhound
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 17757
Loc: Trussville, AL
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See if your local library gets it.
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Preston
Meade 10in LX200R GPS UHTC
blog (updated 02/15/2013)
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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 24600
Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth
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Well, my local PBS station finally aired Seeing in the Dark and, while I thought that it was fairly good overall, there were certainly some things that could have been better addressed. It would not have hurt in the least if Timothy Ferris had presented a disclaimer as the show started that most of the images of celestial objects that were portrayed simply can not be seen as such through an eyepiece. I was particularly dismayed when a technicolor shot of the Cone Nebula, a deep-sky object that very few amateur astronomers have observed visually, was displayed.
The show has been criticized by some for stressing expensive, high-tech equipment that is well beyond the means of most amateurs, and while this was true, the other side of the amateur astronomy coin was shown too, but perhaps not to the extent that it should have been.
I really enjoyed the scenes from Stellafane, since I was present when some of them were filmed. I was, however, rather amused when, during a discussion of my friend John Vogt's 32" ATM Dob, Ferris said that with a telescope that large some of the brighter stars can be seen even during the daylight. Golly Gee Wow! Won't a 6" or even smaller aperture do that too?
I love the blues but I could have done without the "performance" at the end of the show.
In my opinion, reading the book, which is excellent, would probably be a better use of one's time than watching the program.
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
A man is a small thing, and the night is very large and full of wonders.
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Faith_J
Sketcher Extraordinaire
Reged: 11/17/04
Posts: 5830
Loc: South coast of England
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I have just watched the film and it was beautifully written and presented. It has been accused of a bias towards imaging but to be fair I thought - and I am purely a visual observer - that it was pretty even and covered a lot in the space of an hour.
Loved it.
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Visual deep sky
18" f4.3 dob
7.9" f/4 Celestron Newtonian
8x42 binos
100% visual observing...
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o1d_dude
o1der than dirt
Reged: 10/03/07
Posts: 2534
Loc: The Wolfpack
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This particular DVD has been sitting in my shopping car at Amazon for quite a while now. I keep waiting for the price to drop.
It's my Scottish heritage in action, you see.
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Kit
'Don’t worry about what telescope you own, or its quality. Just get out under the night sky, and enjoy God’s wondrous universe.' - Thomas M Back
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Jaxdialation
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 3196
Loc: Northeast, FL
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Glad you liked it. I did too. It was maligned for a variety of reasons, few of which matched the content I saw. The only thing I would cut is the singing.
Quote:
I have just watched the film and it was beautifully written and presented. It has been accused of a bias towards imaging but to be fair I thought - and I am purely a visual observer - that it was pretty even and covered a lot in the space of an hour.
Loved it.
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John
Find it: A bunch of atlases
Shoot it: 10"RCOS/AP1200/STL6303E
See it: StarStructure/Zambuto 18/4.3
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LivingNDixie
TSP Chowhound
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 17757
Loc: Trussville, AL
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I just got the DVD, I watched the version with Tim's commentary first. His commentary explains alot of why they did things on the film they way it did. Only negative is that there isn't much to the special features other then his commentary to the film and some extra scenes. However most PBS DVDs have zero bonus content so I am not complaining much. 
I also got this on DVD too 
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Preston
Meade 10in LX200R GPS UHTC
blog (updated 02/15/2013)
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EJN
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/01/05
Posts: 1252
Loc: Highway 61
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Quote:
I also got this on DVD too
I saw "In the Shadow of the Moon" in the theatre
and it was Awesome,
the best documentary I have ever seen.
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desertstars
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 41911
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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There's a book of the same title available from University of Nebraska Press: In the Shadow of the Moon. Anyone know if the two are related?
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Thomas Watson
Author of Mr. Olcott's Skies. Available in paperback and ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
@desertstarsbks
Under Desert StarsEither Way, It's Reading
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EJN
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/01/05
Posts: 1252
Loc: Highway 61
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Quote:
There's a book of the same title available from University of Nebraska Press: In the Shadow of the Moon. Anyone know if the two are related?
Other than the title, there is no relationship or
tie-in between the book and movie. They are completely
independent projects.
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desertstars
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 41911
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Thanks!
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Thomas Watson
Author of Mr. Olcott's Skies. Available in paperback and ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
@desertstarsbks
Under Desert StarsEither Way, It's Reading
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LivingNDixie
TSP Chowhound
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 17757
Loc: Trussville, AL
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The Nebraska book is part of a series on manned spaceflight.
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Preston
Meade 10in LX200R GPS UHTC
blog (updated 02/15/2013)
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 17931
Loc: Oort Cloud 9
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I still haven't seen Seeing in the Dark yet. 
I forgot to look for it on DVD. I kept trying to catch it on TV when it first ran, but I'd miss it every time.
Now I'm going to order the DVD.
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
☄ ⒼⒶⓁⒶⒸⓉⒾⒸ ⓈⓉⓄⓃⒺ ☞ www.galactic-stone.com
Edited by Glassthrower (03/06/08 11:21 AM)
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markseibold
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/19/08
Posts: 1493
Loc: Portland Oregon
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Barbara
Great comments here on Ferris' film Seeing in the Dark. I have been a long time fan of Ferris' films and books. I gave copies of the book away to my astronomy students where i taught observational astronomy at a local university here in Portland OR in 2004.
You might find this interesting >
www.myspace.com/marksolarprophet
Also see my art gallery here in CN- You may have seen my art works appear in Spaceweather.com and Astro Pic of the Day. >
http://www.cloudynights.com/photopost/showgallery.php?ppuser=37924&cat=500
I will read all the posts here and see Ferris' site on Seeing in the Dark as someone here just informed me of the site here in this mass discussion on Ferris' film.
thanks for all your great comments and info
-Mark
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markseibold
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/19/08
Posts: 1493
Loc: Portland Oregon
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Scott
I just found this forum on Ferris' film. Excellent. I also just added much of my award winning artwork here in CN.>
http://www.cloudynights.com/photopost/showgallery.php?ppuser=37924&cat=500
As you mentioned Dobson, I thought you might enjoy this >
(about halfway down my left column - I took Dobson to many schools in the area here in Portland) Then I covered the country for 10,000 solo miles doing the same >
www.myspace.com/marksolarprophet
best regards,
Mark
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photonovore
Moonatic
Reged: 12/24/04
Posts: 2792
Loc: tacoma wa
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Checked around just to make sure it was not happening just in the Seattle area--and it is not--so "heck your local listings"!--PBS is re-running this doc several times in most areas this month. Set your TiVo!
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Mardi
4" achromat, ETX-70, 8"cat.
Whitepeak Lunar Observatory Website
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desertstars
Reged: 11/05/03
Posts: 41911
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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It just re-aired in Tucson. My father-in-law watched it, enjoyed it, and says he has a better idea now why I'm so attracted to astronomy. Mind you, he's not going to rush out and buy a telescope... mostly because he says he knows someone who has one... 
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Thomas Watson
Author of Mr. Olcott's Skies. Available in paperback and ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
@desertstarsbks
Under Desert StarsEither Way, It's Reading
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o1d_dude
o1der than dirt
Reged: 10/03/07
Posts: 2534
Loc: The Wolfpack
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Been checking in my area but no love.
I saw it the first go around but didn't get it on tape or DVR. Was hoping to change that this go around.
If it didn't interfere with my hardware purchases, I'd just buy the DVD. =)
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Kit
'Don’t worry about what telescope you own, or its quality. Just get out under the night sky, and enjoy God’s wondrous universe.' - Thomas M Back
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