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Amateur Hackers of Astronomy

Posted by timothy on from the backyard-explorers dept.

eaglemoon writes "I have often wondered if Hackers and the Hacker culture is unique to software or can it be extended to other domains? This article in the NY Review of Books examines how amateurs are performing as well as professionals in the field of astronomy. The clash between the Baconian view of science and the Cartesian perspective is very interesting to reflect on and should be compared with community based software development and the traditional cathedrals built by firms." And it's from Freeman Dyson, always worth reading.

3 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. hackers are everywhere by bromba · · Score: 5, Informative

    Of course hackers are not only in software developement! People who tune their cars are hackers, people who hack on electronic circuitry are hackers, people who roll on their own boats, gliders, bicycles and so on, are hackers too.

  2. Radio Amateurs have hacked for YEARS... by ivi · · Score: 5, Informative


    Unabashed Plug:

    And... you have to admit... they had an earlier
    world-wide digital data network (carrying eMail
    & bulletins) than our present wireless LANs...

    They continue to innovate (lookup APRS & its
    popular incarnation UI_View), enjoy space-
    communications, and -still- manage to keep
    in-touch via voice (as well as eMail, et al.)

    Like working on your car with your mates,
    & sailing around the world with your team,
    Ham Radio is one of the more humane hobbies
    that's high-tech in orientation...

    Just imagine: In-touch by voice, without pay-
    ing a bandwidth hit, while surfing, hacking
    or (together) trying to design up the next
    killer app (or debug the previous one... ;-)

    Check it out. ;-)

    [Info available from:

    - ARRL in USA,
    - RSGB in UK, &/or
    - WIA in Austraila]

  3. Re:The potential for Amateur Astronomy is HUGE by Mazzaroth · · Score: 5, Informative

    I don't want to blow any bubble here, but this involves optical interferometry - which require control devices capable of tracking and correcting mechanical systems at the optical wavelenght scale. Check here for more details (there are many other technical references, have a look on Google).

    Amateurs will do radio interferometry way before optical. But hey! Amateurs now have access to CCDs... Maybe it is not THAT far off.

    This is not a sig.