Where to begin, at the start I suppose.

I've had an interest in all things astro for years, right back from when, as a boy, my Dad would tell me tales of eclipses and meteorites and shooting stars. I loved sitting at the dinner table after the meal was finished and Mum was clearing away, thats when Dad would start telling my brothers and I all the fantastic stories of life on other planets and UFO's.

One day he came home with a brown box with some bits and bobs poking out the top and announced that a friend of his at work had had a clear out and that he had taken a few bits which we might find of interest.

As I sat there with baited breath he pulled out a small white tube with three spindly legs attached to it.

My first telescope. I will never forget it. Every night I would set it up in the garden, I think I only ever looked up at the moon with it, the fov was tiny and getting it focussed was a chore beyond belief, it would always shift about. The fun I had though was more than worth it. It was only a small sliding refractor but it kept me happy for hours.

My Dad would be out there with me, with his 10x50 bins showing me all the constelations. Orion will always have a special place in my heart because I remember so fondly the first time he showed me the Nebula through his binoculars.

One evening we tried setting the bins and the scope up a-focally so that we could have a closer look at the moon. It kind of worked.

I now, thanks to my Dad and his love of science, have the ability to share all of these experiences with my children and have had treasured moments already. When showing my 4 year old son, Adam, the moon through his first set of bins, he lifted them up in line with the moon and when he saw luna for the first time he took a giant step backwards. It was brilliant.

Now that I have spent some time with the wonderful people of SGL and from the use of books, I have gotten used to using more advanced equipment and have had the pleasure of giving my Dad his first view of Saturn, best bit was it was my first time looking at the ringed giant aswell. Another treasured magical moment.

Astronomy is an amazing experience which can be shared and enjoyed by everyone. Quite often my family and I are out in the garden together enjoying the sites.

So now I have half a clue what I'm doing I'm taking my adventure one step further and will now be able to show pictures of the sights that I have seen.