Date: 28 Nov 2006 01:45:37
From: Uncle Bob
Subject: Quick cup o joe w John Dobson
|
Being the "Astronomer of Fairfax" has its moments. This afternoon, John
Dobson, returning from a day trip to a Nicasio, CA school passed through
town and joined me for a cup of tea.
I can say he is looking fit and fine at 91, quick to crack a joke,
unrecanting in his opposition to the big bang, and full of tales from his
recent first trip to Germania.
During his travel in Europe, he left Germany briefly while driving through
a corner of France, then re-entered Germany. He told everyone thereafter
that this was "my second trip to Germany".
On the language:
"Everyone spoke English to me. But I remember a little German I picked up
about 75 years ago."
On telescopes:
"We built a 25" telescope and hauled it up to Ukiah. One fellow who was to
care for it left it out in the rain. It didn't do too well. He turned it
into one of those truss-type scopes. I don't know where it is now...People
said the dobsonians don't have good optics, and I reminded them that
dobsonian is the mount. It doesn't have optics."
As the sun dipped below the Fairfax ridgeline, he said "It's
going to be dark soon. I have to get out to 9th and Irving (in San
Francisco). There's a nice first quarter moon I can show people."
Then he was off to San Francisco, where the temp is getting very chilly
these evenings, to do four or five hours of sidewalk astronomy. At 91,
that's one hard-core sidewalk astronomer.
Clear Skies,
Uncle Bob
|
