I am a stargazer here FXBG too. I got an iPod for Xmas and only recently discovered the myriad of wonderful astronomy related podcasts. I subscribed to the 365 podcast and was going down through past programs when I heard your 9/1/2009 entry. I was standing in line at our local Costco when your voice suddenly announced that you lived in Fredericskburg, VA. This was completely unexpected but very cool because it made me feel as though I’m not so misguided as to attempt astronomical observing here in our less than optimal skies.
But the reason I’m writing you is that while standing in line today as Costco and hearing about your experience in the dark skies in the Pocono’s with your daughter brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful experience. I am a new father and have a son who just turned two last month. Witnessing the world through his eyes has been magical. He’s already picked up on my interest in the night sky and can identify and name most of the planets and can consistently distinguish galaxies from nebula in my monthly installment of Astronomy Magazine. He really surprised me about a month ago when he stood at our back door just after dawn and pointed up to the SW sky and said “look daddy, a planet!”. I asked him which one and he quickly replied “Mars”. Although he was right, I’m sure it was mostly luck that he named it correctly, but the fact that he can pick out a planet vs. stars at the age of two is amazing to me. I hope he never loses interest.
Your podcast was moving and reminded me of my experiences with my boy and what I hope to come as more as he gets older. And in addition, I was raised by my Aunt & Uncle who’s daughter that lived with us was mentally handicapped so I have life experience and can relate to that portion of your story as well.
I do all of my astronomy from my back yard and would like to participate with the local club, but it’s been difficult to synchronize my schedule. Either way, I hope that I can meet you one day to share our common interest.
Sincerely,
Brian

I mainly believe that if God explained ‘Life, the universe and everything’ to early man, they couldn’t wrap their minds around the big bang and the total perspective of the vastness of the universe. They’d go mad. They took what they were told, adapted it to the smallness of their understanding of the world and thier place in it… added their sexist and racist slant on it and then Emperor Constantine edited it to keep it down to the parts that gave people faith in god but still made them managable by man’s authority. (namely his.)

Conversely, ask your scientific friends to imagine the energy it would have taken to contain all the matter of the universe in the space of an atom, and then the ammount of energy applied to it to break that force. This is why I think the big bang IS the story of creation… just that it took longer than 7 earth days. (and happened way longer than six thousand years ago.)

I like how Professor Hawking put it, “The universe is governed by the laws of science. The laws may have been decreed by God, but God does not intervene to break the laws.”

anyway, that’s my two cents.

anyway, look forward to following your blog. i’ll try to read some of your other posts soon when i have a little more time. have a great weekend!

So what: This is *precisely* how (local) newspapers have worked for decades. The local angle and the human interest - individual fates - far outweigh any lofty background story. So we should all be happy that amateur astronomy receives “ink” this year as never before. While the IYA meme sneaks in from behind …!