APOD assessment poll #3

[RJN]

Thank you very much for your interest in Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD). We very much appreciate the time you have given us viewing our images and reading the explanations; your dedication drives us to keep doing the site. APOD will likely be asking other questions in the near future; your responses will help us better understand viewers like you, and will allow us to improve what we do for you.

Please select the option that best reflects your opinion on the poll statement listed. Please leave any comments you may have on this topic below.

Thank you!

[I don't have one]

I've been "surfing the web" since the time when there was 1 DNS someplace in Europe - 1984 maybe (and, yes, in fact, BETA was a better technology ...Two sites have stuck with me up to this point and represent, IMO, what the internet is all about - Wordsmith.org (AWAD) http://wordsmith.org/words/today.html and Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD).

Both these sites make me realize that there is a lot more "out there" than the bits and pieces I think I know.

It keeps you humble.

[wbd]

More interested in science in general - possibly not.
But more interested in astronomy specifically - without a doubt!
Keep up the good work.

[keerthi2kiran]

APOD was the first website I ever visited (back in 1997). Back then, the address of the site was http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ and I had memorized the whole name
Today, it is the first website I visit everyday. There has not been a single day that I have not liked the APOD. You guys are doing a fantastic job.

Regards,
Keerthi

[JoeyZola]

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.

[Daily APOD visitor]

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.

[adrianxw]

Has been my "home" page for more than a decade.

[Another daily viewer]

Another daily viewer since I have been on the net. I doubt it increased my interest in the sciences but certainly has maintained my interest in astronomy.
A great site and please keep up the excellent and informative site.

Ian G.

[timespinner]

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.

[Uwe]

Been a daily visitor for at least ten years. I've always been interested in science and especially in astronomy, so no need for APOD to increase that , but by presenting a new subject each day and sometimes breathtaking pictures and vids APOD is quite a "sight", as well as it provides "insight"s. Thanks for that and keep up the good work! *thumbsup*

[Derrick Watt]

APOD is a flexible site able to disseminate wide ranging material connected with astronomy and cosmology
and develop new and interesting ideas not easily found elsewhere.

[@star]

It does increase interest in astronomy. Its the first website I visit everyday.. Its too good

[Higgs]

Hello:

For me it's just the reverse!
As a physicist I was of course interested in astronomy.And for exact 40 years I give lessons in a small obeservatory near Antwerp ( in Hove, exactly), and I also give lectures in the Antwerp Planetarium that belongs to the Antwerp Zoo.

So, it's by being less or more an (amateur!!) astronomer, that I became interested in APOD.

In any case: your pictures are marvllous.
( and by the way: sory for evntual mistakes in English )

Herman F.
Borgerhout / Antwerp

[Rubaduk]

This site is a DAILY MUST.
It not only increases our knowledge, but puts us firmly in our place - a minute scrap of life.
As a one time ships navigator, armed with only a sextant and chronometer, how I wish I knew then what I am still learning now.

[Alee]

As a child i tried to buy everythig related with astronomy, now i'm older i found this site by chance, and from then keeps my hunger for science and astronomy at bay! you shoud know that every day this site fills the spirit of every visitor with knowledge and the mysteries of the universe, that's invaluable.

[biker9999]

This is a great site and a number of people have seen me looking at it and expressed interest in finding out more, so I think it works well in creating interest in science and astronomy. Thanks for all the work you do on both the pictures and (mostly) understandable explanantions

[Annie B.]

I Love this site..umm..sight! It's educational..illuminating..Inspiring..Like witnessing the 'artwork of the Gods'..I say Gods..plural..because Surely 1 Being couldn't have been So prolific! It's 1 of the few Projects that if Gov't money is used..I think is Money well-spent.. I feel Enlarged when I look @ some of these photos..less claustrophobic..less 'closed-in' by my Own little life..It gives me 'perspective'..some Sense of the Vastness of the time/space thing..the Distance beyond..and the eons of Time behind all of it..Also not bad for inspiring poetic phrase or two..Thank you Apod.. U Wise old birds..xxO..Annie..

[JohnDoc]

NASA photo of the day is one of my favourite websites, please keep it going . JohnDoc.

[smitty]

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.

Amen! A beautifully crafted comment! To which I'll happily add my "ditto"!

[findlpmac]

Without doubt APOD is a must-see site each and every day. It is sites like APOD and the work of people such as Prof Nemiroff and Prof Brian Cox here in the UK that have raised my awareness and interest in matters scientific. I've got a couple of friends visiting APOD daily now so the word is spreading ! Thanks for all you do.

[Guest]

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.

Maybe this will help with your 'dumbing down':

[url]http://thesaurus.com/?__utma=1.813189081.1340016489.1340016489.1340016489.1&__utmb=1.1.10.1340016489&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1340016489.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=-&__utmk=240280195]THESAURUS.COM[/url]

otherwise, I'm

[tomenajijic]

I agree with the many well phrased reply's above. The 'blue highlighted words' are especially appreciated for expanding my interest in astronomy. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[geckzilla]

. . . 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.

It is already greatly simplified.

[bgooby]

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!

[stevereeves]

APOD has been the first website i visit each day for 16 years.