Telescope Reviews: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why?

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General Astronomy >> General Observing and Astronomy

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David Pavlich
Transmographied

Reged: 05/18/05

Loc: Mandeville, LA USA

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: shawnhar]
#5624106 - 01/15/13 10:03 AM

Quote:

You got it Jon, tools is the main factor I think, and yes that is just a culture thing, think I know how to use a double boiler to make fudge? My wife sure does...think she is interested in learning to collimate my dob? about as much as I am interested in learning to make fudge.

Imagine Martha Stewart talking about polar alignment, that would be a sea change

Let's see....I know how and do use a double boiler, not so much for fudge, but I do melt chocolate for use in desserts (tip...add a little butter to the chocolate for some very creamy texture). Last night, I made shrimp bordelaise. I also have an 8X8 rolloff observatory.

David

Post Extras:

Feidb
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 10/09/09

Loc: Nevada

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: shawnhar]
#5624108 - 01/15/13 10:04 AM

My wife has looked through the eyepiece on occasion, but she goes to the major events for the camping and to get out of town.

As for women in this hobby? We mustn't forget Caroline Herschel. She was there right at the beginning. I think it started for her as just the hired help for her brother, but she grew into it on her own.

Then there's Barbara Wilson and the women here on Cloudy Nights, to name a few. Women may not dominate the hobby but they're not unknown to it either.

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NeilMac
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 09/25/10

Loc: MedHat, AB, Canada

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: bumm]
#5624126 - 01/15/13 10:22 AM

Boils down to Astronomy can be technical and Girls are not into that I think.
Guys and their toys

Edited by NeilMac (01/15/13 10:23 AM)

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orion61
Vendor(Clear Edge Optical)

Reged: 10/20/07

Loc: NW Iowa BURRRR

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: csa/montana]
#5624131 - 01/15/13 10:25 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Why not a scope painted and designed to be Lady friendly?

Now what would you consider for a scope to be "Lady friendly"? Guess I'd better give up my 16" because it's not pink.

Thats because your one of us not one of them Carol..ER..
that didn't sound right, I didn't mean.. um..
I think I'd better shut up now...

Post Extras:

hm insulators
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/22/07

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: NeilMac]
#5624136 - 01/15/13 10:29 AM

Quote:

Boils down to Astronomy can be technical and Girls are not into that I think.
Guys and their toys

As a Red Green DVD my mother recently gave me puts it, "We can't help it, we're men!"

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shawnhar
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/25/10

Loc: Knoxville, TN

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: David Pavlich]
#5624203 - 01/15/13 11:14 AM

Quote:

Quote:

You got it Jon, tools is the main factor I think, and yes that is just a culture thing, think I know how to use a double boiler to make fudge? My wife sure does...think she is interested in learning to collimate my dob? about as much as I am interested in learning to make fudge.

Imagine Martha Stewart talking about polar alignment, that would be a sea change

Let's see....I know how and do use a double boiler, not so much for fudge, but I do melt chocolate for use in desserts (tip...add a little butter to the chocolate for some very creamy texture). Last night, I made shrimp bordelaise. I also have an 8X8 rolloff observatory.

David

Everybody knows Coona...ummm Cajuns know how to cook!

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droid
rocketman

Reged: 08/29/04

Loc: Conneaut, Ohio

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: shawnhar]
#5624253 - 01/15/13 11:49 AM

Could als be because a lot of women have children to feed, bathe, get to bed , follwed by dishes, house cleaning, etc......and in my late wifes famous words, a husband to pick up after....after which she was too tired to stay out observing, lol.

And Carol,they sell the most gorgeous shade of purplelicious spray paint , just in case you ever want ot remake your scope.........lol

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csrlice12
Postmaster

Reged: 05/22/12

Loc: Denver, CO

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: droid]
#5624314 - 01/15/13 12:32 PM

Maybe because early telescopes looked like clubs?????

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nirvanix
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 06/07/07

Loc: Saskatoon, SK

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: droid]
#5624315 - 01/15/13 12:32 PM

I'm more interested to know why it's an old male dominated hobby. Last star party I was at had one kid there. Average age was definitely 50s. I was always in love with space growing up, but maybe there are so many other choices for kids now.

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killdabuddha
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 08/26/11

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: droid]
#5624318 - 01/15/13 12:34 PM

It's the math. Everything in this has numbers.

My wife won't look at anything without a name, forcing me to lie and for what? She re-names everything anyway.

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Seldom
sage

Reged: 08/05/12

Loc: Southwest Utah--Elev. 5700 ft.

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: Tom Polakis]
#5624328 - 01/15/13 12:40 PM

Quote:

So is this also because Iranian women are wired differently from men?

Another difference in the demographic is that countries other than the U.S. seem to have more young people that are active in astronomy. Check out the large group photo from a representative IOTA gathering in Tehran.

Tehran IOTA workshop

Other than heavy lifting of large scopes and mounts, it seems to me like there's no reason that woman cannot participate in the hobby to the same extent as men. Often, it's the "good old boys club" mentality of the hobby that puts them off.

Tom

Any possibility that in a repressive society like Iran's astronomy is one of the few acceptable social outlets where folks of both genders can meet? While I'm not a fan of Mullah's and female head gear, this would sure beat the US nightclub scene.

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killdabuddha
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 08/26/11

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: csrlice12]
#5624333 - 01/15/13 12:44 PM

Quote:

clubs?????

Pick yer iconography. But if a club as wielded by our early ancestors, as Chesterton said, "How do we know she didn't deserve it?" (Not one of his better moments.)

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Seldom
sage

Reged: 08/05/12

Loc: Southwest Utah--Elev. 5700 ft.

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: csa/montana]
#5624346 - 01/15/13 12:52 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Why not a scope painted and designed to be Lady friendly?

Now what would you consider for a scope to be "Lady friendly"? Guess I'd better give up my 16" because it's not pink.

Better question, Carol. What would YOU consider would make a scope "lady friendly"?

I'm no lady, but it sure would be nice to be able to set up my dob in less than 20 minutes, have a better integrated and more durable wiring harness, and not have to collimate every night.

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dan_h
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/10/07

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: orion61]
#5624362 - 01/15/13 01:01 PM

Quote:

I have always wondered why our beautiful Hobby is so heavily
slanted to Male dominated?

In two words:

Washroom facilities.

dan

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Kfrank
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 12/20/08

Loc: Northern Colorado

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: Seldom]
#5624423 - 01/15/13 01:34 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Why not a scope painted and designed to be Lady friendly?

Now what would you consider for a scope to be "Lady friendly"? Guess I'd better give up my 16" because it's not pink.

Better question, Carol. What would YOU consider would make a scope "lady friendly"?

I'm no lady, but it sure would be nice to be able to set up my dob in less than 20 minutes, have a better integrated and more durable wiring harness, and not have to collimate every night.

The vast majority of the responses to this thread have been by males and most of them have been the same claptrap you'd have heard a bunch of males say in answer to this question 20 years ago.

As to the above, the last dob I had took me about 5 minutes to set up and had no wiring harness to complicate things. And as for collimating, why I'm always hearing that it is so inconsequential that it bears no mention.

So, is the assertion that if a scope takes a bit of time to set up and needs to be collimated, a female is incapable? Or perhaps she's just too busy raising the kids to deal with it?

C'mon guys, we can certainly get a bit less chauvinistic here - or CAN we?

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csa/montana
Den Mama

Reged: 05/14/05

Loc: montana

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: Seldom]
#5624463 - 01/15/13 01:51 PM

Quote:

Better question, Carol. What would YOU consider would make a scope "lady friendly"?

I don't feel that scopes are male or lady friendly; rather for which ever wants to use them!

Ladies are quite capable of using the same scopes as men. The weight issue is about the only thing that is more difficult for females; but there's always ways to make that easier.

I'm enjoying a beautiful 16" dob in my very own observatory. Is the 16" not supposed to be used by me?

Frankly, until this thread, I've never considered a scope would be any different in either male or a female's hands. Perhaps this type of thread is what may cause other ladies to hesitate to buy a scope & enjoy the night skies.

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Kfrank
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 12/20/08

Loc: Northern Colorado

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: csa/montana]
#5624504 - 01/15/13 02:17 PM

"Frankly, until this thread, I've never considered a scope would be any different in either male or a female's hands. Perhaps this type of thread is what may cause other ladies to hesitate to buy a scope & enjoy the night skies. "

BRAVO - You nailed it!!!!!

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csrlice12
Postmaster

Reged: 05/22/12

Loc: Denver, CO

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: Kfrank]
#5624517 - 01/15/13 02:25 PM

Womenscopes are from Venus; Menscopes are from Mars.......

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kenrenard
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 12/13/12

Loc: Dunmore, PA

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? new

[Re: csrlice12]
#5624554 - 01/15/13 02:38 PM

Thankfully Carol you didn't hesitate. By the looks of your dark sky area I imagine every night is something folks here on the east coast could only dream of.

Raising two young daughters its an eyeopener to how backward some folks still are! I guess the more things change the more they stay the same.

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Kfrank
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 12/20/08

Loc: Northern Colorado

Re: Astronomy Hobby Male dominated, Why? [Re: csrlice12]
#5624555 - 01/15/13 02:38 PM

In an earlier posting, I asked this:

"C'mon guys, we can certainly get a bit less chauvinistic here - or CAN we?"

Quote:

Womenscopes are from Venus; Menscopes are from Mars.......

And I guess I have an answer.

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