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Hi from 'the colonies'.

Cotts

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Cotts

Cotts

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Dave, in Toronto. I'm looking forward to becoming a part of this 'Lounge'. A brief bio: I am 61 years old, a retired high school teacher (music and mathematics) and single. I entered the hobby in the summer of 1960 when, for my ninth birthday, my parents gave me a 60mm refractor (why yes, I do still have it!). My involvement waned as I endured University and the first, uncertain years of my teaching career. My re-enty to active observing occurred in 1984 with the Halley's Comet apparition. I bought a 10" Meade SCT and began a long progression through far too much equipment to today's line-up.

My interests lie with double stars, deep sky and planetary observing. I have done asteroid occultation timings (with VHS video tape....) and would like to resume doing so as I now have the video capability of the Canon T3i. I will also be beginning an effort to reliably measure double stars so as to be able to contribute data on some of the "lost" binaries in the WDS.

I have never really had the inclination to do much astrophotography.

My current equipment: 16" Zambuto/Teeter Dob with Servo Cat Go-To. 6" Astrophysics Triplet APO Refractor (1988) on a Losmandy G11 with Gemini 2. 6" Intes-Alter Mak-Newt (which I will be selling soon...). 80mm William Optics FD refractor.

66mm William Optics SD refractor.

I observe from my hopelessly light polluted back garden (mag 3.5 skies) as well as my club's dark sky site 120km east of Toronto. I attend several Star Parties regularly - The Winter Star Party in Florida, The David Levy Adirondack Astronomy Retreat in upstate New York, Starfest (Canada's largest star party - run by my club, the NYAA), Okie-Tex star party, Chiefland (Florida) star party and the Cherry Springs (Pennsylvania) star party.

I am a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Belleville, Ontario Centre and the North York Astronomical Association. On "Cloudy Nights", as well as here, I am known as Cotts (an abbreviation of my surname and my nickname from my days in school.).

I have observed in the Atacama Desert in Chile (March 2010) and seen my only total solar eclipse in Mongolia, Aug. 1 2008.

In the future I would like to tour the UK for ancestral research (Wales and Scotland) as well as to attend two or three Star Parties (advice sought). I would also like to visit a couple of star parties in continental Europe as well, eventually.

In the non-astronomy world (!) I play lead guitar in a 60's-style rock band (either a 1992 Strat or 1972 Gibson Dove acoustic), read lots of sci-fi and play 'oldtimers' ice hockey (winter) and slow-pitch softball (summer).

So, hello, then.

Dave

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George Jones

George Jones

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Dave, in Toronto. I'm looking forward to becoming a part of this 'Lounge'.

Hi Dave! SGL is a very nice place.

I grew up west of Toronto (Ingersoll), and I lived for a few years in the GTA. My in-laws live just off Jane about 2 km north of Wonderland, and my wife has degrees from both York (physics) and U of T (engineering). In 10 days, my wife and daughter leave for a month-long stay with the in-laws. I have work and other commitments that will keep me in BC until at least July 16, but, after this, I might join them for a week or two.

Beware the sharks in Union Station!

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-buzz/sharks-flooded-union-station-image-goes-viral-kuwait-204251203.html

My current equipment: 16" Zambuto/Teeter Dob with Servo Cat Go-To. 6" Astrophysics Triplet APO Refractor (1988) on a Losmandy G11 with Gemini 2. 6" Intes-Alter Mak-Newt (which I will be selling soon...). 80mm William Optics FD refractor.

66mm William Optics SD refractor.

Nice equipment!

I am a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Belleville, Ontario Centre and the North York Astronomical Association.

There is a RASC Centre in Prince George, but, in the 10 months that I have been here, I have not been to any of its activities. Before moving here, I lived for 5 years in Saint John NB, and I went to a number of RASC NB meetings (and gave 3 talks) while I was there.

On "Cloudy Nights"
I haven't posted on Cloudy Nights in ages.
In the non-astronomy world (!) I play lead guitar in a 60's-style rock band (either a 1992 Strat or 1972 Gibson Dove acoustic),

I love this music.

read lots of sci-fi

I used to read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy, but now I mainly read British mystery novels.

and play 'oldtimers' ice hockey (winter) and slow-pitch softball (summer).

I played hockey as a kid (the occasional game of ball hockey now) and slow-pitch when I was a university student.

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