# Bad Astronomer in Discover Magazine **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 11, 2002, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-astronomer-in-discover-magazine/113381 "2002-06-11T03:29:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-astronomer-in-discover-magazine/113381/1 "2002-06-11T03:29:30Z")
Don’t know if this has already been drawn to the Teeming Millions’ attention: the Bad Astronomer is featured in this month’s [Discover magazine.](http://www.discover.com/june_02/gthere.html?article=featsky.html) ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-astronomer-in-discover-magazine/113381/2 "2002-06-11T12:20:51Z")
This guy’s so big it’s scary. But I remember him when he was just a Doper. Before the groupies, before the endless Hollywood parties, before the spectacular crash-and-burn that got him on “Behind the Music - Special Astronomy Edition.” ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-astronomer-in-discover-magazine/113381/3 "2002-06-11T16:14:51Z")
Things were looking up for Phil Plait. But then, tragedy struck. At an all-star Star Party, an inebriated Plait was arrested for assault after exchanging heated words, and finally blows, with Jack Horkheimer. The Star Hustler told _Sky and Telescope_, “He was screaming, ‘Who’s bad? No, who’s bad? _I’m_ bad!’ as they dragged him off me. Before that, he was arguing with a few guys about equatorial vs. polar mounts, and he kicked over somebody’s Dobsonian.” ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-astronomer-in-discover-magazine/113381/4 "2002-06-11T16:24:21Z")
Despite the fact that I haven’t actually interacted with him, I’ll now be telling everyone how he’s almost my close, personal friend. I’m such a celebrity slut. Plus, I love astronomy. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-astronomer-in-discover-magazine/113381/5 "2002-06-11T16:32:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Podkayne \* > \*\*as they dragged him off me. Before that, he was arguing with a few guys about equatorial vs. polar mounts, and he kicked over somebody’s Dobsonian." \*\* equatorial vs. polar mount? ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-astronomer-in-discover-magazine/113381/6 "2002-06-11T17:48:18Z")
Polar mount’ is a term sometimes used instead of ‘equatorial mount’ . . . I was trying to come up with something people would argue about at a Star Party. . . and . . . eh, it was lame. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bad_Astronomer)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-astronomer-in-discover-magazine/113381/7 "2002-06-11T22:42:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lolagranola \* > \*\*I’m such a celebrity slut. \*\* Hmmm… can you post a picture of yourself? 😉 I have never been in a fist fight with Mr. Horkheimer. I am, however, a danger at star parties, since I tend not to look where I am walking. And I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: if you think I am a celebrity, you need to get out more. Sitting in my home office in my underwear talking on the phone until 3:00 a.m. is not exactly the picture I had of The Life Of A Star.