RE: Hubble Bubble

From: Ted Molczan (molczan@home.com)
Date: Thu Mar 09 2000 - 08:00:22 PST

  • Next message: chester.geoff@usno.navy.mil: "Mir last night"

    Steve wrote:
    
    > With a background in amateur astronomy I am somewhat new to satellite
    > observing. I am enjoying it though I cannot shake the feeling
    > that we are looking at manmade objects rather than nature.
    
    Since I see man as just another manifestation of nature, or at least having the
    same origins as nature, then I see satellites as part of nature.
    
    Perhaps the main thing that attracts me to observing manmade satellites, is
    that like virtually all other astronomical objects, they are in orbit around
    something! However, the orbital motion of stars and galaxies is only
    discernible only through precise scientific measurements.
    
    The motion of the nearest planets in our solar system is discernible with the
    unaided eye from night to night.
    
    The motion of Earth's moon is discernible with the unaided eye over a period of
    hours.
    
    But the motion of manmade satellites in low Earth orbit is discernible in
    real-time, providing me with an "up-close and personal" view of orbits.
    
    > One of the
    > reasons I am so
    > interested in astronomy is that it is something that we, as
    > humans, have
    > very little control over, and hence we haven't ruined it yet.
    
    By exercising little or no control over our light emissions, we humans created
    light pollution, which has largely ruined astronomy for those in and near
    cities.
    
    > For many
    > earthbound astronomers, particularly those interested in
    > astrophotography,
    > manmade satellites are something of a PITA, though I hope
    > that I will soon
    > be able to predict and *avoid* seeing satellites.
    
    I am sympathetic to that problem, and what you propose is quite feasible, but I
    hope you don't have too many airplanes to contend with, since I know of no
    practical/convenient way to predict their passages.
    
    Ted Molczan
    
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