Hello, From Great Basin Desert Nevada
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 6:02 pm
Hello All,
My first exposure to astronomy was as a Cub Scout when we went up to Lick Observatory once or twice a year. From there on out I had to have a telescope, I read lots of books and looked at a lot of pictures. At 14 I got a paper route and now I could make some money . The first thing on the list was a Telescope! However, $150 was a lot of money in the late sixties. Try as I might saving that much money was tough. Then a miracle happened one Christmas morning in 1969 what did I find? A brand new shinny Tasco 7TE-5 set up in the living room! With a tag hung on it that said from Grandma and Grandpa. I still have it and it is complete including all accessories, I was meticulous at taking care of my telescope, in fact I was so meticulous that I got in trouble when I caught my little brother messing with it. He took it out of the wooden case and had it spread all over the place! I was furious! He deserved a pounding, and I supplied it. Needless to say my parents were not happy. What happened to the Rule "if it doesn't belong to you, don't touch it"? Apparently, the rule didn't apply to him because he's my little brother.
In any case, I still take my 7TE-5 out once in awhile and relive some magical moments. Otherwise, it is on display and carefully cared for in my study. I used it through High School, learning on my own. I got my Boy Scout merit badge in Astronomy along with 26 other merit badges. Alas, I could not take an advanced science class because I wasn't good enough in math according to my High School counselors, any idea of me taking sciences was a fantasy as far as they were concerned. On to Junior College, Astronomy 101 was an ace, Observational Astronomy 102 was an ace. Then came stellar astronomy were it all ended, according the prerequisites I could not take the course due to my inabilities in math, they required geometry and trig, I had failed algebra twice. Planets are cool, maybe I could take geology, Geology 101 I passed, Geology 102 I passed, 103 Crystallography required Geometry and Trig and so ended that idea. Cosmology, was definitely not in the cards, it required computers that were the size of an entire room and tedious programing in some weird language that I had never heard of, only Vulcans could understand it. We were fairly certain there were no Martians so it had to be Vulcans. I did finish my advanced degrees in Anthropological Theology, which in other words, is the study of how humanity has related to his deities through out history; and it didn't require advanced math. That aside, it all began when humanity looked towards the heavens and began to wonder..."What if.."
Now, 55+ years later I have a collection of telescopes, am retired and do public outreach and Citizen Science research as a member of an all volunteer staff at a college observatory and have access to research grade telescopes and equipment beyond my wildest dreams that I had dreamed when I was young. Although, I still can't pass Algebra, though the Director of the Observatory says, "Not to worry he has plenty of physics majors to do the math but not a clue about the trade skills that I possess". (mechanics, welding, fabrication, and the challenge to make something work that doesn't.) " I have done for so long with so little that I am now capable of doing anything with nothing". So my message is to those that think they lack the necessary mathematical or advanced science skills to love astronomy as a hobby, " Balderdash I say, Balderdash!!"
Clear Skies, never loose the wonder...
RF
My first exposure to astronomy was as a Cub Scout when we went up to Lick Observatory once or twice a year. From there on out I had to have a telescope, I read lots of books and looked at a lot of pictures. At 14 I got a paper route and now I could make some money . The first thing on the list was a Telescope! However, $150 was a lot of money in the late sixties. Try as I might saving that much money was tough. Then a miracle happened one Christmas morning in 1969 what did I find? A brand new shinny Tasco 7TE-5 set up in the living room! With a tag hung on it that said from Grandma and Grandpa. I still have it and it is complete including all accessories, I was meticulous at taking care of my telescope, in fact I was so meticulous that I got in trouble when I caught my little brother messing with it. He took it out of the wooden case and had it spread all over the place! I was furious! He deserved a pounding, and I supplied it. Needless to say my parents were not happy. What happened to the Rule "if it doesn't belong to you, don't touch it"? Apparently, the rule didn't apply to him because he's my little brother.
In any case, I still take my 7TE-5 out once in awhile and relive some magical moments. Otherwise, it is on display and carefully cared for in my study. I used it through High School, learning on my own. I got my Boy Scout merit badge in Astronomy along with 26 other merit badges. Alas, I could not take an advanced science class because I wasn't good enough in math according to my High School counselors, any idea of me taking sciences was a fantasy as far as they were concerned. On to Junior College, Astronomy 101 was an ace, Observational Astronomy 102 was an ace. Then came stellar astronomy were it all ended, according the prerequisites I could not take the course due to my inabilities in math, they required geometry and trig, I had failed algebra twice. Planets are cool, maybe I could take geology, Geology 101 I passed, Geology 102 I passed, 103 Crystallography required Geometry and Trig and so ended that idea. Cosmology, was definitely not in the cards, it required computers that were the size of an entire room and tedious programing in some weird language that I had never heard of, only Vulcans could understand it. We were fairly certain there were no Martians so it had to be Vulcans. I did finish my advanced degrees in Anthropological Theology, which in other words, is the study of how humanity has related to his deities through out history; and it didn't require advanced math. That aside, it all began when humanity looked towards the heavens and began to wonder..."What if.."
Now, 55+ years later I have a collection of telescopes, am retired and do public outreach and Citizen Science research as a member of an all volunteer staff at a college observatory and have access to research grade telescopes and equipment beyond my wildest dreams that I had dreamed when I was young. Although, I still can't pass Algebra, though the Director of the Observatory says, "Not to worry he has plenty of physics majors to do the math but not a clue about the trade skills that I possess". (mechanics, welding, fabrication, and the challenge to make something work that doesn't.) " I have done for so long with so little that I am now capable of doing anything with nothing". So my message is to those that think they lack the necessary mathematical or advanced science skills to love astronomy as a hobby, " Balderdash I say, Balderdash!!"
Clear Skies, never loose the wonder...
RF
