Fun fact: the Mt. Wilson 100 inch is the largest telescope amateurs can rent. About $2500 a night. It was the world’s largest telescope until 1949. Gonna go check it out tomorrow, and considering shelling out ~$250 for a group thing they’re offering
Conversation
So amateurs are basically 72 years behind. It’s still a serious research grade scope. After all Edwin Hubble discovered the universe was expanding with it. Still it’s middling now and you’d need luck plus serious talent to do breakthrough stuff with it.
3
32
I don’t want to suggest that the costliest toys are necessary for big breakthroughs. But there is a strong correlation. You do get cases where patience and imagination + ordinary toys = breakthrough. But while these are great stories they’re not the norm.
2
3
53
Luck, genius, expensive instruments. Pick 2 of 3.
Quote Tweet
Replying to @vgr
bbc.com/news/science-e
1
28
Several people are pointing out $1000 dna sequencers. I don’t quite appreciate what’s possible with that tbh. 🤔
Quote Tweet
Replying to @vgr
$1000 DNA sequencer: nanoporetech.com/products/minion
7
27
Side thought. The older I get, the more I appreciate experimental breakthroughs over theory. Theoretical genius breakthroughs are admirable, but science IMO is seeing sone thing nobody has seen before. Everything else is paperwork.
1
4
40
🤔… borderline scut work in some ways, on par with comet searching, but still kinda cool.
Quote Tweet
Replying to @vgr
Smartphone. @inaturalist app gives you naturalist superpowers to find new species: forum.inaturalist.org/t/things-poste
That was the biggest lesson for me with OpenROV etc. The pros are leaving massive holes for sufficiently curious amateurs to fill.
2
16
Replying to
I'd argue that pro science is tedium, too, with rare moments of thrill. Also, pro science is mostly grant writing to keep labs funded. Ask what he does on the weekend: goes birding.
1
2
That’s why I don’t want to do pro science! And why I left academia. It’s gotten too institutionalized and bureaucrat8c and grant-driven. I wanna do high-end am-science. Screw publish-or-perish bs.
2
1
Fair enough! I think we're entering a golden age for amateur science (well, amateur everything, but that's a different story...).
And bring us your projects! experiment.com
1
1
Quote Tweet
When I retire to my @basicmansion I will spend the rest of my life doing mediocre gentlemanly manorial science with premium mediocre instruments.
Show this thread
Have you seen this? Been meaning to invite you to one of our meetings.
2



