Astronomy, embarrassing? Believe it. And what better authority than someone who’s played the fool in each phase of his career.
As a kid, when I still lived in the city, I set up my little 2.4-inch refractor on the sidewalk. One cold night the streets were empty. Then, from around the corner, I heard slow footsteps. I kept gazing into the eyepiece, the steps getting louder. I was spooked. Finally, gathering my courage, I looked up, and came face to face with . . . a little old lady.
“Don’t set it off now, sonny!” she commanded. I stammered something, but she wouldn’t believe the tube I was bending over wasn’t fireworks.
