Modern amateur astronomy

[David Swan]

Nothing is better than ‘space-walk’ viewing of globulars, open clusters and bright nebulae through a long focal length, wide AFOV, eyepiece. I think both the ease of acquiring images nowadays (cost, expertise required) and also of sharing them has led to the perception that visual observing and freezing to death at the telescope is over. I don’t think that is the case, in terms of absolute numbers of people. I just think there are many more different types of activity going on – and it’s all good as far as I am concerned! I do a lot of visual observing, and keep a log, but I don’t broadcast it. (My sketches are terrible; Paul Abel’s are amazing.) David