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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
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Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
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> 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)
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