Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!brl-tgr!wmartin
From: wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin )
Newsgroups: net.astro
Subject: Re: Astronomers vs. astrology (long)
Message-ID: <494@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 7-Aug-85 13:34:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.494
Posted: Wed Aug  7 13:34:33 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Aug-85 23:47:39 EDT
References: <576@ihu1m.UUCP> <42@escher.UUCP>
Reply-To: wmartin@brl-bmd.UUCP
Distribution: net
Organization: USAMC ALMSA, St. Louis, MO
Lines: 14

Interesting thought -- if and when we get out there, and actually
directly observe neutron stars, the effects of black holes nearby, etc.,
will it really be "astronomy" any more? That is, when it is no longer
theoretical speculation based on small amounts of data gathered by
instruments and eyes, but "ordinary" direct observation and recording of
visible phenomena, it won't be "astronomy" as we now know it, any more
than "geography" is the same as "surveying".

After interstellar spaceflight becomes common, will "astronomy" as a
science exist any more? Or will it be subsumed into some form of
practical engineering or the like? I could see general cosmology
continuing as a subset of physics, but that's about it...

Will