webspotting 1 - let us embark

Published in the Dec 2007/Jan 2008 issue of SCOPE, the newsletter of the RASC Toronto Centre. Republished here with permission. Very slight revisions applied.

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As Phil [Chow] and I have discussed creating a regular SCOPE column about interesting and useful web sites, it seemed fitting that I make this contribution, being the wrangler of our web site!

I regularly and routinely use the web. I guess I’m a computer jockey. I'm in the business. One might say, "I am the business." I use it every day, all day. It reminds me of life before instant tellers... I can't clearly remember what I did before them! How did I get money? The web, to me, is indispensable. How did I find things, do research, get my directions and maps, email messages, recipes, news feeds before? I had to go to the library! The horror…

With this first entry, I debated what to discuss. It crossed my mind to showcase our own Toronto Centre site. But that could be construed as self-aggrandising! I considered segueing to the national RASC site. But, I would hope, it is not unknown, to you! Hey, I could talk about my personal astronomy blog! No. No, that would definitely be over the top. So, what to talk about then? Gotta start off with a bang, right?

This is not proving easy…

There are many astronomy-related sites I frequently access. Many I use daily or weekly. From weather analysis, to equipment reviews, classifieds, photographs, and so on. Perhaps the most habitually visited sites for me are those listing upcoming astronomical events.

I must remember the sites that I reference reflect my particular interests, which while broad, do not cover every aspect of amateur astronomy. So, in addition to general news, planetary, solar, double star, space agency, space exploration, light pollution abatement, hardware, software, do-it-yourself resources, I'll need to mention some good CCD and digital photography, lunar, and variable star sites.

And anything that others suggest I share, of course, I'll need to relay…

Where to start? I can't decide…

And you'll just have to wait and see!

watching the web,
Blake (astronomy AT computer-ease DOT com)