hi Folks!

Hate to begin with what may be seen as a nitpick, But -----


Re: the movie “Contact” (1997)….

http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/movies/contact.html


Bad:
In a pivotal scene, Ellie flashes back to the night her father dies. There's a meteor shower, and they have a couple of small telescopes set up.

Good:
You don't watch meteor showers through a telescope! Meteors flash across the sky in a few seconds, while telescopes magnify a small part of the sky. Watching a shower through a 'scope is like trying to find a coin you dropped on the ground with a microscope. It won't work! The best way to watch meteors is lying in a lounge chair, so you can watch a large fraction of the sky comfortably.


Nope. Sorry --- People do watch meteor showers with telescopes.

Here’s the link from the International Meteor Org:

http://www.imo.net/tele?PHPSESSID=bb...759baac72c339f


It isn’t just a one page blurb. They continue for six or seven pages describing the reasons for using telescopes, basic site selection, observing techniques, equipment commendations, forms to use and where you can send your data.