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Scott Regener
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 03/31/06
Posts: 839
Loc: SE Minnesota
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Re: A Case for GOTO
10/03/07 04:33 PM
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As a devout starhopper who owns a computerized telescope, I think the article exemplifies the best argument against Go-To. One fragment sums up the problem: "...in two hours time I was able to bag thirty five objects..." 35 objects in 120 minutes?
My own analogy is that of a scenic view from a mountaintop. There's a long, well-worn trail that hikers have taken for centuries. The park service, in order to make it more accessible, puts in a road that goes right to the top. Once you get to the top, the views are the same. But the experience of getting those views, and the satisfaction one could derive from the view, are very different things. And who is more likely to linger over that view?
There are always going to be those that would never climb the mountain, and I'd rather they see the view than not. But those who choose to drive to the top shouldn't look poorly upon the hikers as antiques or Luddites.
My experience with a computerized scope is that my enjoyment of the night sky is diminished by having everything handed to me. There are times where it comes in handy, particularly when I'm doing a public demonstration and can't ask people to wait for ten minutes while I hunt something-or-other. But when I go out by myself, I do so to slow down from the reckless pace our society has embraced.
Perhaps my skies aren't light polluted enough, but I've had little trouble star-hopping from the middle of a 100,000+ population center. It does take an 8x50 finder, though...
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