Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site astrovax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!hao!kpno!astrovax!wls
From: wls@astrovax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.news.group,net.space
Subject: net.astro
Message-ID: <124@astrovax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Nov-83 17:47:35 EST
Article-I.D.: astrovax.124
Posted: Mon Nov 14 17:47:35 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 16-Nov-83 00:02:36 EST
Organization: Princeton Univ. Astrophysics
Lines: 26

I would like to propose the establishment of net.astro.  This group would be
for topics in and relating to astronomy.  It would NOT be about the space
program, which is the territory of net.space.  In a sense I am proposing to
split the discussion of purely astronomical topics from net.space.  There is
much excitement going on in astronomy and many people with access to the net
who could contribute information on what is currently happening (indeed many of
those people are making it happen). Many (perhaps, judging from the people at
Princeton, I could even say most) of these people keep silent because they are
not very interested in the contents of net.space (and often, not very interested
in the contents of the rest of the net itself).  I am proposing a news group
for these people, to bring them out of the woodwork.  And I think that news of
what is happening in astronomy is exciting enough to be of interest to the
general public.
  Perhaps what I am really proposing is a net.astro.wizards,  in analogy with
net.unix-wizards.  Just plain net.astro would then be for questions of the
order of "Why does the moon look larger at the horizon?" which would be
unwelcome in net.astro.wizards.  If amateur astronomers wished to establish a
group to discuss topics of interest to them they could call it something like
net.astro.amateur.
  Comments?  Please feel free to mail comments to me or post them to this
group on the net.  This article been posted after consultation with the members
of the Department here, as well has some of the astronomers at the Institute
for Advanced study.
-- 
Bill Sebok	Princeton Univ. Astrophysics
{allegra,akgua,burl,cbosgd,decvax,ihnp4,knpo,princeton}!astrovax!wls