In today's SCIENCE (actually dated tomorrow, March 22, 2002) there is a news article by Daniel Clery (Liverpool, U.K.) where he states that new *High-tech, assembly-line techniques are putting professional-quality telescopes within reach for a global scientific community.* Of course, these will cost approximately a couple million dollars (American), will be robotically controlled, and well within the budgets of major universities who want high-quality astronomy programs. (Perhaps one could be used by Sonoma College? Dr. Phil Plait will need to start working on the administration of his college immediately.) I can see dozens in upscale suburbs. People will need to have them for amusement and prestige. Perhaps they can afford to hire competent astronomers to operate them. What is a couple of million dollars among friends?

However, the down side of all of this is the need to persuade every community to control their light pollution or all will be in vain.

I think I will order a pink one (for girls).

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*Nothing is more damaging to a new truth than an old error.* Goethe

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ljbrs on 2002-03-21 20:16 ]</font>

Oh, yes, so that all of you can order yours immediately: The company making the cut-rate (for millionaires) telescopes is: Telescope Technologies Ltd. (TTL) which is owned by John Moores University in Liverpool, U.K. It has *completed a frontline professional telescope--for less than half the cost of a similar one-off instrument for a consortium of Indian universities and is building two for an educational foundation.* You had better get in line fast so that you will not be left out in the cold...

On the other hand, a pink one might be too bright and might interfere with my night vision. Maybe a dull, drab pink--very dull.

Now if I can only convince my neighbors about this after finding a kind friend to foot the bill...

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"There is in the universe neither center nor circumference." Giordano Bruno Born 1548. Torched 1600.

Shame on you. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

I'll order mine as soon as I win the lottery. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

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When all is said and done - sit down and shut up!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Kaptain K on 2002-03-21 21:04 ]</font>

BadBadBadAstronomer: I wanted to be a physicist when I was young, later an astrophysicist. However, my wonderful physicist father talked me out of it by telling me about the terrible time women had in physics departments. I knew all about the realities of gender at that time and did not want to sit outside classrooms like Lise Meitner (taking notes without getting any credit and losing out on a Nobel). I decided that I could learn about science and mathematics on my own and enjoy it fully, if only vicariously. Times have somewhat changed, but women still have a hard time in the hard sciences. I feel it is easier to joke about it than to suffer. I belong to (and am very active in) what I consider to be the best astronomy club in my area and leave it at that. However, my interest in astronomy has never been strong in *find that star*. I like to know about the physics of it all, as well.

Actually, I enjoy the great *pleasure of finding things out* (Richard Feynman) on my own. So, everybody is happy. I would have given the poor male-chauvinist physicists headaches and heartburn if I had bucked the system. So everybody is happy. I did other fascinating things with my life and kept astronomy and physics as the great unrequited loves of my life.

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__________________
"There is in the universe neither center nor circumference." Giordano Bruno Born 1548. Torched 1600.

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[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]http://www.liv.ac.uk/University/study_at_liverpool/UG/courses_m
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I feel sorry for ljbrs. I truly wish her father hadn't done that to her. I know some very successful women in the physical sciences, including my own daughter with a PhD in Geophysics and the developer of the premiere ENVI software used for image processing. Also, how about Margaret Burbidge a past president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and observatory director. I think she's a gold medal winner from ASP.
But cheer up. Maybe it's not too late to go back and do it now! Indeed there is a lot politics involved inside University departments, but most of it's not gender based.