How to use Twitter for astronomy?

[starfinder]

Hi,

I don't have a Twitter account to-date. Am a little behind time, I think.

I can't seem to understand the format for cross-references. All that @ and # etc. Who is talking to who? When I read Twitter tweets, it seems to link forever to everywhere and the really useful info is lost in a sea of endless chatter.

And some say I'm missing out on an avenue to follow the latest astro news and esp 'live' developments. Just imagine if a Milky Way supernova occurs at long last, we would want to know it asap!

Also, for astronomy news, what's good to 'follow'? Do I need a Twitter account to 'follow'?

Can someone explain it?

Baby-steps pls. I'm able to use most high-tech consumer stuff, but Twitter still eludes me. Thanks!

[Gary]

Hope to blog or make a youtube video about this subject. Until I miraculously find more time to spend on astro, here is my baby-steps version. They are deliberately simplified to let newcomers get over the psychological "fear" of using twitter most probable created by their friends who probably didn't even bothered to try before condemning it.

So for the moment forget all the twitter terminologies and follow these instructions:

1. Go to http://www.twitter.com. Fill up the 3 fields in the Sign Up column. You don't have to enter your full name if you don't what to, so just any name will do. You can change this later.

2. Select a good short username. This will be your twitter handle just like your singastro forum nickname.

3. Follow the instructions thereafter or just skip every step.

4. Go to the following websites and click on the blue "follow" button:

- https://twitter.com/skyandtelescope
- https://twitter.com/AstronomyMag
- https://twitter.com/SPACEdotcom
- https://twitter.com/NASA
- https://twitter.com/AsteroidWatch (NASA JPL Near-Earth Object)
- https://twitter.com/apod
- https://twitter.com/NEAsg (NEA latest weather report)

5. If you have a smart phone, log in to your Twitter app with the new Twitter account you just created. If you don't have a Twitter app, download the official version for your phone. It's free of charge.

6. For the next few days just do this ONCE a day, more if you want to:

- Visit your twitter account on a webpage (http://www.twitter.com/@yourusername) or on your phone.
- Read the messages (i.e. tweets)

****************************

That's all for baby steps. Dont worry about #, @, RTs, MT, favourite, DM, ....etc. Don't even bother to type or send messages (i.e. tweets). Just go to your twitter account and read the latest messages once a day.

After a few days of doing this and you are still not impressed by the tremendous value of timely information about things that interests you, then don't bother to waste time learning the so-call advanced stuff.

But if you do realise how this seemingly time-wasting social media is actually very useful and you actually have lots of control over it (e.g. interacting with people who share your same interests, un-following people/organisation whom you deem no longer interesting, setting your account to private, download all your tweets offline, ...etc ), then welcome to the club and join the rest of us who have discovered its immense power to spread our love of amateur astronomy locally and internationally!

For Twitter newcomers who already got the basics, watch these youtube tutorials and move on to the next level:

[starfinder]

Thanks a lot Gary!

I've just set-up a Twitter account. It's like taking part in a parallel universe out there.

Much of it is still very alien to me. But who knows, one day I might be good enough in this new 'language' to sit for a TL2 or TOTFL exam!

[Gary]

Thanks a lot Gary!
I've just set-up a Twitter account. It's like taking part in a parallel universe out there.
Much of it is still very alien to me. But who knows, one day I might be good enough in this new 'language' to sit for a TL2 or TOTFL exam!

Welcome to the club!

It's just like the first time we start to learn more about very first telescope. It looks so complicated back then but after a few sessions, everything make sense - fast/slow scope, powered/non-powered finder, eye relief, exit pupil, field stop, afov/tfov, chromatic aberation, infocus/outfocus, star testing, drift alignment, dovetail, ...etc. Personally, I find Twitter easier to pick up.

[VeeJay]

Ok Gary, you've convinced me too - I've signed up for Twitter
What's your account btw? The one from which you post about the sidewalk sessions ...

I've also added Commander Chris Hadfield from the ISS.

[Gary]

Hi VeeJay. You can follow me at @astrosg. Welcome to the club!