Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site utastro.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!ut-sally!utastro!bill From: bill@utastro.UUCP (William H. Jefferys) Newsgroups: net.astro Subject: Re: Astronomers vs. astrology (long) Message-ID: <507@utastro.UUCP> Date: Thu, 8-Aug-85 11:29:33 EDT Article-I.D.: utastro.507 Posted: Thu Aug 8 11:29:33 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 11-Aug-85 04:30:37 EDT References: <576@ihu1m.UUCP> <42@escher.UUCP> <494@brl-tgr.ARPA> Distribution: net Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX Lines: 22 > 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". > Many astronomers concluded that now that we are exploring the planets and moon directly, these are not properly part of astronomy any more. I'll take the traditional view, though. All that has changed is our methods. -- "Men never do evil so cheerfully and so completely as when they do so from religious conviction." -- Blaise Pascal Bill Jefferys 8-% Astronomy Dept, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712 (USnail) {allegra,ihnp4}!{ut-sally,noao}!utastro!bill (uucp) bill%utastro.UTEXAS@ut-sally.ARPA (ARPANET)