Comets and the general public

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sdbodin United States of America
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Comets and the general public

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Post by sdbodin »


I sent an e-mail pic of the present comet to a friend and neighbor in my little sub-division earlier today and got this response. "How lucky you are to CATCH it". Got me wondering, does the public in general still think that comets 'go by' rapidly and this is the reason for the 'flames' coming off?? I've seen TV shows depicting this falsehood. This mistaken idea would not have been made in the 19th century when astronomy was the only physical science taught in school, chemistry had just started and physics was yet to come. Oh, the state of education!

Anyway, I e-mailed back and said,'no need to catch it, just go outside at 11pm and look a the Big Dipper'.
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Re: Comets and the general public

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Post by Ylem »


I'm sure you are right.
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gregl
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Re: Comets and the general public

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Post by gregl »


In that same vein there was a TV commercial some time back that included a couple who were supposed to be looking at meteors and they were looking through a telescope. I don't fault people for not knowing... our educational system needs more science classes.
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helicon United States of America
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Re: Comets and the general public

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Post by helicon »


I have seen ads for pharmaceuticals where the actors are peeking through a 3" telescope as a meteor goes streaking by, they look knowingly at each other like they have observed it through a scope. Ridiculous.
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KingNothing13 United States of America
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Re: Comets and the general public

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Post by KingNothing13 »


helicon wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 1:44 pm I have seen ads for pharmaceuticals where the actors are peeking through a 3" telescope as a meteor goes streaking by, they look knowingly at each other like they have observed it through a scope. Ridiculous.
Was the telescope pointed at the sky or at the ground? :lol:
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helicon United States of America
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Re: Comets and the general public

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Post by helicon »


KingNothing13 wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:11 pm
helicon wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 1:44 pm I have seen ads for pharmaceuticals where the actors are peeking through a 3" telescope as a meteor goes streaking by, they look knowingly at each other like they have observed it through a scope. Ridiculous.
Was the telescope pointed at the sky or at the ground? :lol:
Well, at least it was pointed at the sky!
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sdbodin United States of America
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Re: Comets and the general public

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Post by sdbodin »


Don't get me started on meteors, even the TV news talkers have no idea what they are broadcasting on this subject. Like the reports of a meteor shower when it was just space junk breaking up and re-entering.

But, I digress, this was suppose to be about comets. I just remembered a comment from a work mate when comet Bennett was visible way back when. I got a pic on film and showed around the office and got the comment " did it go by last night?" as if it was a speeding bullet. Sadly 50 years later, the same thing.

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