30 replies to this topic

[jgraham]

An interesting discussion. I haven’t had anyone try to take a picture through my scope yet, but I have had several families get their picture taken with my scope. I like to volunteer for outreach events where the primary demographic is families with young children and if I can help them experience an “Oh Wow!” moment then I’ve done my job.

 

Thank goodness for Saturn!

 

Edited by jgraham, 19 November 2022 - 09:50 AM.

[Scott in NC]

Thanks,  Bill.  I can understand that the photo is a concrete documentation of the experience,  that can then be shared with others.  It's a memento.  That's a spirit of something I can relate to. 

I can actually relate to this.  Why do I take photos with my phone while I’m vacationing with my family?  I guess mainly so that we can look at the photos in years to come and remember the good times that we had.  I consider the photos a “memory jogging” device.

[stevel3o7]

From someone who does a lot of outreach at FPOA (its been a while) and at local parks.

 

I have worked with a lot of high school and junior college age young adults. My initial reaction to the cell phones glued to their face was initially very negative.  Then, as I stopped judging and started seeing, I realized the way they see and process information is totally different than the way I and others my age did. (I am not quite as old as moon rocks , , yet.)

 

These young adults are centered on technology, and the smart phone is front and center to their experiences in life.  At the same time they are engaged, very much so, in the topic of conversation at hand.  The cell phones are being used to share the experience via live chats and through posts to social media, and at the same time they are present to face to face conversations (quite a skill!)  Heck, they are super sharers!  

 

At start parties I try and engage by asking astro related questions and am amazed at how much some of these "kids" know.  I often let the young adults take over operation of my 12" push-to dob, and they are thrilled to use the telrad and put an object in the eyepiece!  

 

Yes many want to hold a cell phone up to the eyepiece and for that I steer them to a friends with heavy mounts and an SCT (better at staying on target while being bumped around) who also love cell phone eyepiece photo's.  On occasion they end up with a great photo!  

[xiando]

Babies process strained, puréed baby food differently than more mature humans too. They do share one critically important similarity though. Both rely on  someone spoon feeding them.

[No N in collimation]

Use plossls. Make it impossible to get a good picture. 

[No N in collimation]

When I was in college a busload of Japanese tourists drove up and parked at a scenic view. Everyone got out, took turns stepping up to the scenic view, had their picture taken with their back to it, then left never having even looked at the scenic view. They filed back onto the bus and drove away. It was the first time I had seen the behavior. Obviously the picture was more important to them than the view itself.