Technology is taking romance out of astronomy

Given that running professional observatories is very expensive and getting time on one of these instruments is very competitive, a professional astronomer has to make every single minute of observing time count. That means using automation and cameras that maximise the amount the information in the shortest possible time.
I haven't worked in an observatory but I have in the past used international research facilities such as x-ray syncrotron and neutron beam instruments where there can be a one to two year waiting list to use the facilities (and you get to use it for 36 hours). Every minute has to count and you don't get any sleep. There is nothing romantic about it at the time, just a frantic rush to get information. The "romance" comes afterwards when the data is ready to analysed (and a good nights sleep).
For true romantic astronomy there is nothing like spending the night under a dark sky with a small scope or binoculars and watch as a myriad of scintillating points of light pass over head and mark the passage of time, just the same as our ancestors did. Ahhh... who said romance was dead !! :twisted:

For true romantic astronomy there is nothing like spending the night under a dark sky with a small scope or binoculars and watch as a myriad of scintillating points of light pass over head and mark the passage of time, just the same as our ancestors did. Ahhh... who said romance was dead !! :twisted:

I totally agree !!