July 03, 2007
Pelican Zoom

Not quite your very own trip to space, but it's still nice to watch. I wonder how well the Pelican Nebula can be imaged with a more pedestrian telescope?

Posted by scott at July 03, 2007 09:30 AM

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Comments

Did you mean mere?

Posted by: Lane G on July 3, 2007 09:33 AM

The sentence works either way, and AFAIK both are correct.

Posted by: scott on July 3, 2007 09:36 AM

Yep - both would be correct, though mere might be the more used.

Posted by: ron on July 3, 2007 04:29 PM

But "mere" projects an air of pompous elitism that seems out of place on this blog, save when discussing important things like cars or football teams.

Posted by: Tatterdemalian on July 5, 2007 11:47 AM

On reflection, "more pedestrian" is most likely the correct usage. It is, in this context, the antonym of "elite." The intent is not to imply a difference in kind (as the use of "mere" would), but in degree. So, my earlier position that both readings are correct is in fact incorrect. Rephrased for "mere," the sentence would probably read:

"I wonder how well [it] can be imaged with something that mere mortals have access to?"

Posted by: Scott on July 5, 2007 12:17 PM
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