Your Present Age & Age You Started Stargazing?

[Mr Q]

In my earlier introduction, a reply mentioned I was one of two members of age 64. So I was wondering what the age range of SGL members are and at what age they started the hobby. I was 10 when I started. How about you?

[RobH]

52....6 or 7 when I started I think....seem to have always been a stargazer...I'm sure you probably feel the same

Rob.

[John]

I started at 11 and I've been at it for 40 years now.

[Dave]

I have looked up since I can remember and have been observing "properly" since the age of 9. I will be 50 in January.

[JimStan]

I was very young when I got my first two telescopes. I received a book on "Astronomy" by Patrick Moore about my Jr. High School years, and never turned back!

I am 64, and as you see below, I am VERY active in our local club's activities! At one point, I was President of the club, but work kind of got in the way for a while.

Jim S.

[Ericgraham]

I tried to make a Newtonian out of a shaving mirror and Meccano when I was 10. It gave a horrible image. By 17 I made a respectable newt from a 10" porthole, equatorial mounting (clock driven by the remains of my Meccano set) and was into astrophotography with a home made film camera.

50 years and many telescopes later, I have a 15" chunk of quartz waiting to be turned into a planetary scope. No more Meccano, now I use a milling machine and a lathe that is older than me.

Eric

[ScubaMike]

Now 48 and a late starter.

Always been interested in Space, only just got around to taking it a little more seriously

[Moonshane]

I am 44 and got into this about 4 years ago on a serious basis.

I have always taken an interest and have seen some amazing things like Hale Bopp, Hayakutake, Solar eclipses etc and come to think of it, even at around 10-11 I can recall the frustration and the butterflies/churning in the pit of my stomach trying to understand what 'Universe' meant and what's 'outside' of the Universe. I still get that now although I understand that there does not seem to be anything outside as there is not really an outside so to speak..

[JohnC]

Started at 10 now 53

[MikeP]

I'm 62 now and been fascinated by astronomy since I was 6 or 7. Didn't own a telescope till I was 57.

Mike

[Rusty Strings]

54 now, interested in space since I can't remember, first scope when I was 10ish.

[damnut]

Now 50 started at 14 :-)

[Charon]

I have been fascinated by the night sky from an early age (according to my mother) but only bought my first real telescope last year when I was 55.

[Tinker1947]

Been interested for years, remember Patrick Moore on a Black and White TV, got my first scope this year sort of 64th birthday pressie.

[RikM]

39 now. Was given my first scope at age 6 by my grandparents and used it a couple of times each year to look at eth moon but really got the bug only about 5 years ago.

[NGC 1502]

I'm 63 now, started at age 9 or 10 by collecting "Out into Space" cards that came in packets of Brook Bond tea. Got my first scope much later at age 31.

Regards, Ed.

[gadieid]

started as a kid. Left it for several years unless major occasions. Got back to it some 6 years ago. However I;ve found in an old dairy that I watched a Mercury occulation back in 1991...

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Started at 7. Now 35.

[m.tweedy]

Apollo 11 got me started. Restarted about 8 years ago when the daughter left home for University and dads taxis were no longer required (and I hated the thought of watching rubbish on the T.V.) I also needed an outlet for my time (and money) when I stopped drinking. Now aged 54-seems a popular age to be a Stargazer.

[lukebl]

Started at 10, O-level in Astronomy at 17, now 52

[Macavity]

Started reading books on astronomy (science and stuff) aged 7-9? Didn't start practical astronomy until I was 40-something tho'. Now 56, so one heck of an "apprenticeship"! Do start the "real stuff" somewhat younger, folks?

[space minx]

started being interested about 9 did nothing about it other then look up at the stars then dad got telescope few years later abandoned it then I took over it at about 24 I'm now 29

[BruceUK]

Started looking through my parent's rifle shooting scopes with them when about 7 or 8, now 34 and just about to buy my first scope

[jon273]

I'm 30 now, I got my real interest in astronomy last year.

I got my telescope earlier this year, so I've not been at it long.

I suppose I'm probably just younger than average for a practical astronomer, so I've got plenty of time to learn as much as possible.

[Telrad]

Hi Mr Q, welcome to SGL