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The Dangers Of Amateur Astronomy In Afghanistan
Nancy_A writes "Most amateur astronomers take for granted that they can just go outside and enjoy viewing the night sky without encountering many problems. But in order for amateur astronomers in Afghanistan to simply set up a telescope in a dark region, they have to deal with more serious complications, such as making sure the area is clear of land mines, not arousing the suspicions the Taliban or the local police, and watching out for potential bombing raids by the US/UK/Afghan military alliance."
Most of us in the West complain when we don't have enough science grants or when some Bible-thumper questions our biology textbook.
These poor bastards have to practice astronomy in a country where 70% of the population is illiterate, where the Koran-thumpers cut people's heads off, and where the occupying military force takes a blow-them-the-fuck-up-and-ask-questions-later approach to anyone who looks like they have a scope.
Now *that's* rock-hard dedication to getting some astronomical observations.
On the upside, the piss-poor electrical service probably really cuts down on the light pollution.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Wow such an insightful article. Who would have thought that it would be dangerous in a country that has been a war zone for over 2 decades?
... where the Koran-thumpers cut people's heads off ...
In the middle ages muslims thought very highly of astronomy, so why would the guys wanting to base their society on that era be against astronomy?
Some of the scientific work was done in central asia, if not Afghanistan then next door. Perhaps you've noticed that some stars and astronomical terms are arabic in origin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomy_in_medieval_Islam
I spoke to a man that was a college graduate out of Kabul when I was in Golestan, Farah Province, Afghanistan.
He asked, "Which country is better, the USA or Afghanistan?"
I replied "I think the USA is a better country."
"Why?"
"We have paved roads everywhere, and every house has electricity and running clean water." Only SLIGHTLY off, but it gets the idea across.
"I think Afghanistan is a better country because I know that those things are impossible. And we have beautiful gardens and can see the moon."
"We have gardens in America, and we can see the moon, too"
"I know you are lying, because I have been to college and you cannot see the moon from America."
This is a true story. Obviously, the dangers of astronomy in Afghanistan are worth the risk, because we cannot see the moon.
Its funny, I almost said this to a cop yesterday.
I saw that his car (parked in the "police parking only" spot had an expired inspection sticket, so I snapped a couple of quick photos as a "concerned citizen". He came running over to question me.... ROTFL he even asked "who is paying you" LOL!.
Next day I walk by, he has a new inspection sticker (unlike about 10 other cars, including cruisers in the same lot).
I was totally kicking myself for not tossing in a "if you have done nothing wrong...."
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
In the middle ages muslims thought very highly of astronomy, so why would the guys wanting to base their society on that era be against astronomy?
...because Wahabbism (the sect of Islam from which the likes of AQ and Taliban are based) isn't exactly out to bring back the days of classical scientific inquiry. The Wahhabist concept of Islam is a lot like Pol Pot's concept of Communism... skewed all to hell and not exactly what you would think, yet will claim to be the mantle and keeper of it.
Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
"Well, I've never seen that comet before. Hey, I can see it moving! It's almost as if it's heading straight towar ^ `{ &.......[NO CARRIER]
Table-ized A.I.
They are plotting a terrorist attack on the moon.
Bastards.
"We live in a global world" - Harvey Pitt, former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman
It works EXTREMELY well on most dogs. In fact my dog goes absolutely crazy for it, like crack fiend crazy. She gets so excited she shakes, and that is just when I reach near the box that the laser pointer is in. Then she will run until she passes out, literally, chasing the thing. And finally she goes into withdraw if she doesn't get it for a few days. Like crying, shaking, skittish angry withdraw. She has been clean about two months now, I'm tired of the damn thing.
Some minor harassment happens in the US too. We were doing a star viewing event at a local elementary school. There were perhaps 3 big dobsonians and 2 or so smaller scopes, 20-30 people in the ball field of this school at 10:00 in the fall (so it was very dark, well past sundown) and somehow a police helicopter started circling us. We figured some neighbor must have called about some activity in the school and maybe there was a helicopter already near by so the local authorities dispatched it instead of a squad car. Thing is, it wasn't a quick fly-by. It circled us about 10 times, but otherwise left us alone. No police lights, no spot light, no loud speaker announcement, just 10 very noisy circles of our location then it went away.
I think unusual activity of any kind gets noticed and "inspected" these days.
Yeah this is Afghanistan, the commander was power-tripping, and western police as a whole are 100x better behaved,
Sometimes.
Try again in the us as a non-white, or not an obvious "dad trying to educate his kids", let us know how it goes, assuming they don't shoot you.
Actually, even if you take a handful of suburbanite friends out into the country and set up a decent-sized tripod mounted telescope pointed skyward and wait, pretty soon the cops will be by demanding what the hell you think you're doing. Even though it should be pretty damn obvious from the equipment and star charts and red-lens fashlights what the hell you're doing. I can only imagine how much worse it would be if the astronomers were non-white.
I am not a crackpot.
Y'know, if, up on a table in the living room, you had a salt-water aquarium...and if, in that aquarium, you had a small, you know, shark... and if, on that shark, you put a harness...
(do this in a Cristopher Walken voice and just try not to laugh.)