FAQ
Who is the target audience
Primarily the amateur astronomy community in the UK but not restricted to it.
Can we share the Astrotalkuk.org hyperlink on our website?
If you want.
What sort of topics will AstrotalkUk cover?
No fixed boundaries but topics will include:
- Astronomy public events (talks, exhibitions, equipment, society news…)
- Observing tips and advice
- Astronomy news
- Cosmology
- SETI, Exoplanets, Unmanned space flight
Why is AstrotalkUK required? Are existing on-line astronomy resources including websites, wikis, blogs and forums not sufficient?
Perhaps AstrotalkUK is not required. It is intended to be a regular audio platform for discussion of astronomical topics. It’s primary goal is to help its host learn about astronomy.
Is AstrotalkUK only for amateurs astronomers in the UK?
Primarily yes. But the historic closeness of the relationship between amateurs and professionals implies that professional astronomers will from time to time also feature on AstrotalkUK. The de facto international nature of the internet will inevitably result in participants from outside the UK.
How much will it cost to download AstrotalkUK programs?
Nil. AstrotalkUK is a non profit project and all downloads are free.
Can I make a donation?
No thanks. There are loads of good (and better) astronomy podcasts which will benefit from donations. (Yes, you are right, this question is not even occasionally asked let alone frequently!)
I have a topic for discussion. How can I contact Astrotalkuk?
Send an email to info@astrotalkuk with an outline and we’ll take it from there. Astrotalkuk’s Skype account is, unsurprisingly called “astrotalkuk”.
What’s “Amateur Astronomy… Expert Opinion” all about?
This phrase appears in the logo and else where and is my attempt to capture the fundamental characteristic of the so-called amateur. It is in many cases an inadequate adjective. Frequently amateur astronomers possess an extremely high level of skill, ingenuity, technical equipment and the expertise to use it.
Why is the audio quality so “variable”?
Recording on location is problematic. I seldom have control of the environment so on location recordings are always susceptible to some sort of interference. The main reason of course is that I am still on a steep learning curve and squeeze in AstrotalkUK in to a normal family life and a full time job.
Email gurbir@gurbir.co.uk