APOD assessment poll #3

[Jeremy Wells]

Every day, at work, I check Refdesk for the latest news, as well as checking the daily informational, often historical,
tidbits.
I always check the latest APOD item which is invariably interesting and new information to me.
Excellent and factual, Please keep APOD on going.

Jeremy Wells
Santa Monica, CA

[mjh]

Wonderful impetus to read more about astronomy.
mjh

[juengerm]

I've been a geek since before I started using APOD, but I know it has made my students (high school earth science) WAY more interested in science. It's the only science thing they consistently ask for.

thanks,
Martha Juenger

[arlee1951]

APOD has definitely increased my interest in astronomy. It's the first site I visit at the end of another work day. And the great images of the universe helps to remind me that we're just one speck in the infinite. . .

[LocalColor]

We were both interested in astronomy and science in general before we got the internet. Found APOD in 2004 when we first got the internet up here in the "boonies" and one of the first links we ever saved in the "favorites". I would not say it makes us more interested in science, but feeds the need for "more input"!! I also share the link of the day in our daily e-newsletter so it goes out to many people and I think it has helped our readers be more interested in science.

[Chipmunk2485]

APOD is my homepage. Thank you and please keep up the good work!

[Roderick]

Like most others, I'm inclined to say it feeds my existing intrest in science. But for the last decade my desktop has been my current favorite APOD picture and I've had literally hundreds of people over the years comment and ask me details for details and as a result I think I've emailed out more links to APOD than any other website.

Thanks for all you do, both on the site and in the field to keep us all looking up in wonder.

[agog]

It broadens my understanding of the vastness of the universe
and reminds me that it is not "all about us."

[500pesos]

Beyond taking in the awesome photos posted each day, one of my favorite things about APOD is sharing it with my friends that don't care too much about science.

With that said, I do wish that there was a "dumbed down" version of the text - no one ever reads it because they get confused and I end up having to summarize everything for them separately.

My 10-year old son whose mother tongue is not even English has no problem with the text under the daily image - and he asks a lot of questions.
Furthermore, how on Earth do you even summarise and "dumb down" 5 lines of pretty straightforward text?! "This, big shiny thing up there, pretty" ?

[rstevenson]

Furthermore, how on Earth do you even summarise and "dumb down" 5 lines of pretty straightforward text?! "This, big shiny thing up there, pretty" ?

That would be doubleplusungood.

Rob

[merrymargaret]

An oddly difficult question. I have always had a great interest in Science. APOD hasn't increased that, but rather fed my hunger. Even so, I understand the spirit of the question and that would require a different answer. APOD has been one of my favourites since the earliest days, along with spaceweather.com, STScI (Hubblesite) and a few other prime science sites. Nothing beats being able to LOOK at something in order to increase your understanding of it.

I answered I strongly agree even though it also wasn't totally true. Science I'm interested in but interest in the cosmos and astronomy, yes, has highly influenced me! I visit this then spaceweather.com each day also; Hubble every now and then. There also is Universe Today which is an interesting site. But APOD is always the first one I go to!

[kingtutspiano]

Why own a telescope when the best views and explanations are on APOD with fantastic resolution, color and archives to boot?

[neufer]

Why own a telescope when the best views and explanations are on APOD with fantastic resolution, color and archives to boot?

• To better appreciate the APOD views.

[Vladimir Rentyuk]

It is very nice that you publish these interesting articles. I am read them every day and give it to read to my grandson very often.

[RLee]

I've always loved to look at the stars, but had no idea where or what I was looking at. The photos, the explanations, the cool views from all over the world as well as the distant universe, all delight and inform. I don't know that I'm any more excited about science in general, but Astronomy, oh my YES!

[barrydbowen]

I disagreed because I think you have the causality backwards. APOD is a visual delight and imparts great information. But I check in from time to time because I am interested in science.

[MonicaHoustonTexas]

I have been viewing APOD for several years, every day I check to see the latest photographs. The APOD site is one of the most informative that I have viewed. The best is to click onto the people and agencies who have processed the various images - many have beautiful astrophotography sites; I quite often just lose myself viewing galaxies etc., and whichever galaxy is shown in detail I'm always looking for the galaxies in the background. Absolutely fantastic site.

[ingar-cl@online.no]

My interest for learning about astronomy and what the Universe contains of megaimpressions and astonishing physics has grown through the years after my first APOD hit some four years ago. And I have come closer to the theory of every thing having a beginning, despite Stephen Hawkings ideas.
Every image from deep space increases the wondering of what has been goiong on, and the extreme variety of shapes, light and details are really astonishing.
Great thanks to all contributors, from Ingar in Norway.

[simlstar2004]

I've been an astronomer since childhood.
APOD has been a means to learning about our universe with the great images that they post from astronomers from around the world. Thanks to you people of APOD. You have my vote.
John R.

[sam4u2004w]

I love your website ( apod nasa ); I check it daily, definitely every week, etc.; astronomy has always been an interest of mine, and I enjoy the earth-based and space oriented photos; they help to reveal our small place in this universe as the fascinating treasure trove of discovery as it is. Thank you for ALL your good work !

[daniel sebold]

The US Government is doing something right--free Astronomy education for anyone who wants it. Thank you. I have learned so much over the years, and so have my students of English as a foreign language. I regularly post photos from APOD on my classroom wall. So glad you finally gave me a nice shot of Alpha Centauri. Love to talk about it as a "How long does it take to get there?" question. How long does it take you to get to school in the morning? How long would it take you to get to Alpha Centauri in the space shuttle? Maybe 150,000 years, I think.

[woodyj]

I am 81 years, this is my first time on this site, I have never seen anything like it. I will be back often. It is awsome and appreciated by me thank you

[Frank44]

This poll really begs the question -- which came first, the chicken or the egg? I was interested in science to begin with, especially astronomy, and that's why (and how) I found APOD. However, the information that come with the pictures, the links, and the mini-seminars actually help me find out more about astronomy, which is GREAT!

Hello

I am working on a research project for my psychology class and I am trying to find out the same question as the poll posted here. I am interested in knowing if finding out more information about a field makes you more interested. Personally, I agree with the person who posted above. If you are already interested, then you are going to want to find out more, so I am having a hard time proving that the interest is the result of reading about something and not the other way around. Do you have any suggestions?

[JoeyZola]

This poll really begs the question -- which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Hello

I am working on a research project for my psychology class and I am trying to find out the same question as the poll posted here. I am interested in knowing if finding out more information about a field makes you more interested. Personally, I agree with the person who posted above. If you are already interested, then you are going to want to find out more, so I am having a hard time proving that the interest is the result of reading about something and not the other way around. Do you have any suggestions?

I'm sorry to say my past experience would seem to be counter-indicative of that. What I seem to see is that people have inherent abilities, and all are different. When people find a topic that "resonates" with their personal wiring it triggers pleasure receptors, and they obviously hunt out more of the same. People without an interest in astronomy wouldn't care for APOD under any conditions. They may prefer the richness of marine biology or the Zen of higher mathematics or just the joy of smelling flowers. As more knowledge is gathered it builds into a passion, and excludes items of non-interest. I'm a sociologist, not a psychologist, but this seems to be the pattern I most recognise. Then again, that may be a result of my own "resonances". Best of luck! Study hard!