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I'd suggest the answer is an emphatic "Both!".
With light pollution being what it is, and the pace of life being what it is, we're essentially breeding up an urban generation who have never seen more than a dozen or so stars at a time and have never really looked up to see the moon during the day. Who have never seen satellites go by, or shooting stars, or recognized Venus, Mars, etc. On the other hand, with NASA making their visual work widely available, especially on the net, those who become interested can indulge their curiosity despite the challenges of urban life. They can "look up" as easily as a few mouse clicks, or a typed URL, at any time of day or night. On the third hand, these same would-be hobby astronomers have to somehow avoid misinformation from history-vandals like the Sibrels, Hoaglands, and Lieders of the world.
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In Fallout 3, 'happiness' is a warm junkyard dog and a loaded gun. It's mostly the loaded gun. - Moose's one-line review. "your going to regret that one. You are now a colonoscope... - Chrissy, corrupting PraedSt's wish. |
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The main TV sunday night show down here is airing a series called "the dust of stars", presented by the Brazilian astronomer and physicist Marcelo Gleiser from the Dartmouth college, USA. It´s a very good production, using the most adavcned CG effects and on location shots. Last night the show was about The Gemini observatories.
Considering that it is the first time a good quality astronomy show finds its way into maistream popular TV, I have a concrete reason to say that, yes, it´s marginally growing, at least in my area.
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If you're careful enough, nothing bad or good will ever happen to you. Last edited by Argos; 31-October-2006 at 02:06 PM. Reason: Correcting Dartmouth´s college name. :) |
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I would say Moose summed up my opinion very well. From nature hikes I lead or help out with, I would say that generally people are less aware of nature than they used to be, including astronomy. I suspect the average person on the street couldn't tell you what the current phase of the moon is, and probably wouldn't even know what that meant.
But when presented with opportunities to learn, people generally are very interested. I just wish more of astronomy, and science in general, where presented to the general public.
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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King) One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009 |
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I think it's part of a larger, global trend: our world is getting progressively smaller, and there is enough around us right here in Earth to keep us plenty busy. When I was a kid, it seemed like there was more time for things. Nowadays it seems like I'm lucky if I can make it to bed before midnight. My telescopes have been collecting dust most of this year, simply because I can't get out there to use them.
Sometimes I think that people just concentrate on the things that actually interest and concern them, and for everything else it's 'out of sight, out of mind'. |
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By the way, Argos, I think you probably meant "Dartmouth" College... unless there's a "Darthmount" College that I've never heard of. (Sounds like a place that you'd go to learn about the Dark Side of the Horse!)
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Bring back Firefly! "It is quite clear that Occam's razor does not sharpen in your pyramid." (Nicolas) "Still, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest." (Paul Simon) |
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If $ expenditure is any indication, interest is increasing:
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Last edited by sarongsong; 30-October-2006 at 10:49 PM. |
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If you're careful enough, nothing bad or good will ever happen to you. |
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Just yesterday one of my 4th grade students told me she wanted to be an astronaut because "that's the smartest job you can have. And I also want to learn German, French, Spanish, and Latin."
If I could only get her to learn her times tables.... My students frequently ask me questions about astronomy, though. They're interested. Perhaps not as much as kids during the space race, but they're definitely intersted.
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One nuclear bomb could wreck your whole day. |
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Bring back Firefly! "It is quite clear that Occam's razor does not sharpen in your pyramid." (Nicolas) "Still, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest." (Paul Simon) |