SGL is 5 years old!

admin · (#1 (**permalink**))

Happy 5th Birthday SGL

Stargazerslounge was started 5 years ago on the 15th June 2005.

And what a journey it's been! We started with just a few members as somewhere to have a bit of a natter and share some pictures... Now we have over 7000 members, 600 members+ each day logging on and over a million page views!

What makes a sucessful forum?
1. Great members, you guys and girls are great. We have a fantastic balance of experienced observers / imagers / tinkerers and those just starting out. One of the best thing to see is people joining up and asking all the usual newbie questions (we were all there once), then suddenly they are the ones answering the questions to the next wave of new members.

2. Great moderators, I don't care what people say moderating isn't easy - you have no idea how much debating goes on before we change something or moderate/remove a post. Having lots of mods also helps keep the work load down. The amount of moderating that we do isn't that great compared to the number of posts that we get, but it still keeps us all busy!

We have tried to be a community more than a forum. We have had the Imaging Day, which was a fantastic sucess! The SGL Starparty was a great event with around 120 members over the weekend. The new forum software introduced a feature called "Social Groups", this enables members to start little sub groups and it's great to see local meetings arranged around the country through this feature - this brings a whole new depth to an online forum that would be traditionally errr... online only!

I've produced some stats for the forum, Some of them right from the start and some start from the date the we started using the new forum software.

First up, Page Views over 1.1 million per month.
Next, Average number of unique member online in a day - most days are over 600 now.
Next, our users come from 150 different countries. .
Lastly, total threads /posts per month - hitting 2500 threads and 20000 posts!

So really what we are trying to say is thank you to our members, thank you to our moderators for all their hard work and thank you to our sponsor First Light Optics for helping keep SGL running.

We couldn't do it without you all!

Anyone want to take a guess at the date we'll hit 10,000 members?

Thanks
Ant, Daz, Grant, Jamie and Steve.

Psychobilly · (#2 (**permalink**))

Congrats All involved ...

Certainly my Fav Astro Forum

I have given up on the others...

Peter & Billy...

kev 102 42 · (#3 (**permalink**))

the only forum i use great people,great pics great site HAPPY BIRTHDAY

.. .................Kev

Plantins · (#4 (**permalink**))

I've only just joined the site but good luck for the next 5 years!

Mark at Beaufort · (#5 (**permalink**))

Anniversary greetings to the Admin team, Moderators and Steve/FLO and company for producing such a wonderful forum.

I have been with you for over two years and have gained a huge amount of astro information. The SGL4 and 5 star parties were great and I have meet some wonderful like minded people.

Best wishes for continued success.

Mark

Deneb · (#6 (**permalink**))

Thanks to all who keep SGL Running, 5 Years eh ! Keep it going..

Nadeem.

R2-ditt0 · (#7 (**permalink**))

happy birthday SGL...I am a total newbie(1 month 1 day and counting) and I can honestly say that this forum is streets ahead of the rest! the members are helpful and friendly,they don't make people like me feel uncomfortable...in fact it almost feels like a meeting of minds.keep up the good work...really jealous that I missed the 1st 5 years

Doc · (#8 (**permalink**))

Simply the best and it shows in so many ways.

Beulah · (#9 (**permalink**))

That's great news with regards to the exponential growth - and Happy Birthday!!

I was going to start a thread about this place being the main favourite forum I visit despite being a member of several others for many years - I love the inclusiveness of SGL - I don't feel like I am "writing to a brick wall" as I have found with some communities, you know, the tumbleweed experience....

It seems our love of the night skies transcends what equipment we have and whatever little or much one has in terms of gear; you still get treated with respect.

Keep up the great work people - it's a unique and successful formula.

gary1968 · (#10 (**permalink**))

Yeah, happy birthday SGL....

I have been a member since Jan 2007 IIRC. When I started out this was a great source of info and advice, still asking for advice now and again BTW, without which I may have given up. I have also met some very good friends on here, also without SGL I would never have met these guys.
So, thanks to all involved, mods for keeping the forum a friendly and safe place to browse, FLO for the continual sponsorship and special SGL offers.
I hope that SGL continues for many, many years to come......

Gary

StarMan1701 · (#11 (**permalink**))

Happy Birthday SGL

Here's to the next five years...

Lee.

Mikea · (#12 (**permalink**))

Happy birthday!

Cakes all round!!... Actually , I'll pass on the cake - I'm too round as it is!!

kris h · (#13 (**permalink**))

Happy Birthday SGL

The Best Astro Forum In All The Galaxy

George · (#14 (**permalink**))

Happy 5th birthday SGL!

Rob · (#15 (**permalink**))

Wow is it that long already. Nice one guys.

Rob

bunnygod1 · (#16 (**permalink**))

happy birthday and well done to all involved

it is a invaluable source of info and opinions!

russ · (#17 (**permalink**))

Five years gone already.....only seemed like yesterday.

Digz · (#18 (**permalink**))

Happy B'day SGL and congrats to everyone who makes this site what it is. I found this site about a year ago but only in the last month or so have become an active member and all I can say is that I am lucky I found this place.

I have enjoyed every minute of being here and everyone is so friendly and welcoming.

Heres to the next 5 years and beyond

david o · (#19 (**permalink**))

Belated Happy Birthday SGL !

Per molts anys! (Catalan for "Here's to many more years!")

Thank-you to all those that made it possible, continued with it and keep on making it work.

It's a great place to be!

stefski · (#20 (**permalink**))

A very happy birthday to you all

! This forum certainly transformed the hobby for me...and it was great to meet such friendly and helpful people at the various starparties. Special mention to FLO for their sponsorship and fantastic customer service

. Here's to the next 5 years

!!

Stef