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First visit to my local astro club.

M4lcs67

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M4lcs67

M4lcs67

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Well it has only taken me 3 years to finally get to my local astro association. Better late than never I guess.

Went to my first meeting last night where the speaker was Professor Bob Cywinski of Huddersfield University who gave a talk on quantum physics. Well my brain was aching after coming out, but I am glad I went. Really, really interesting.

Spoke to a few of the regulars as well and they seemed a nice bunch. Was pleased that I wasn't the only newbie there and sat with a lovely lady who hadn't been before as well.

Have signed up for the year and hopefully once I get to know them better will get out with the scope and have a group observing sesh.

Bring it on!!!!

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Naemeth

Naemeth

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Well it has only taken me 3 years to finally get to my local astro association. Better late than never I guess.
Went to my first meeting last night where the speaker was Professor Bob Cywinski of Huddersfield University who gave a talk on quantum physics. Well my brain was aching after coming out, but I am glad I went. Really, really interesting.
Spoke to a few of the regulars as well and they seemed a nice bunch. Was pleased that I wasn't the only newbie there and sat with a lovely lady who hadn't been before as well.
Have signed up for the year and hopefully once I get to know them better will get out with the scope and have a group observing sesh.
Bring it on!!!!

Good to hear you enjoyed it - I'll hopefully get the chance to go for my first time observing with my local astronomical society next week :).

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macpurity

macpurity

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I definitely recommend joining a local club (but then, I'm the secretary of mine). As M4lcs wrote, it can be a good group of people. And it's a real plus if the club has an observatory. You gain access to scopes beyond one's financial means. Plus the public viewings keep our ambassadorships vibrant and our interests alive! The ooos and ahhhhs of people young and old who see things through an eyepiece that they've seen only in books is always rewarding. Cheers!

John

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Bungielad

Bungielad

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I wish I could say the same about my first visit to an astronomy club but unfortunately I have to say, well......it was kind of strange!

The folk there seemed a good bunch but I did kind of feel I was in the film....'hot fuzz".

I felt totally out of it and even when I tried to chat with a few people about colimation and asked questions about the scope they were using all I could really here to my response was people talking over me about the cake that was on offer and if it was a space cake.......

I decided at that point that lone observations and reading lots of books would defonatly do me more justice.

All the best in your club though and if it's for you then stick too it.

Bungielad.

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Kai

Kai

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When I went to a local one in Kent before we moved to Devon I felt very much the outsider.

It seemed to me that unless you hadn't made your own scope / ground you own mirror and had a penchant for wooly jumpers with patches on the arms you were not considered a " proper " Astronomer.

Gawd knows what they must of thought about my SCT on a Goto mount !!!! , it must of been an instrument of Beelzebub

Shortly after I found SGL :)

So no I'm afraid societies are not for me

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MattGoo

MattGoo

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I went to the Leeds Astro meet on Friday night, probably around 30 people there, including newbies (me), general public (with kids) with no scopes who came to observe, plus I assume the 'regulars' i.e. actual LAS members.

The Moon came up close to midnight and it was an awesome orange colour :)

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boyfromlincs

boyfromlincs

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i went to my local club and i must admit i was very dissapointed, my mate suggested we try another one which is about 25 miles away so we went the following month, very pleased we did because all the people who go are friendly and very knowledgeable, i get to look at some fantastic gear and gradually im learning the sky with the help of them , and im now a proud member of the north lincs astro club ...

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AlexB67

AlexB67

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You'd find it a lot different here at the Astronomy Centre, we"lean over backwards" to be friendly, inclusive and helpful with great telescopes to use.   :smiley:       

If I was ever that far up that part of the country, I would love to visit one day. Sounds like from reading your posts time to time you can crack a good joke or two as well, a good sense of humour would welcome anyone I think.

The kind of clubs where people spread a sense of feeling out of your debt or make anyone feel uncomfortable would not be the right place IMO.  Nice and casual of atmosphere in the end of the day and try and make it interesting for anyone and everyone is the way into the hobby and attract people to it, after all, it is not a competition  :smiley:

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Lorne

Lorne

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The group I'm involved in couldn't have made me more welcome, its mainly a forum based group but in the summer months we have held social meets just to keep the astro fire ticking over in the lighter months up here. Was good to put faces to people I'd met a few times at our dark observing sites - and wouldn't know them if I saw them in daylight!  :p

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  • 2 weeks later...
night_owl

night_owl

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Just sent an email to my local (Newcastle AS group) and waiting for some feed back, as a Newbi I feel the need to start somewhere I can get some information and to see what's available. Is there anyone on the board a member? I find that their Web page is a little out of date (April 2013) so hope that the meets are informative.

I sometimes think that its up to the individual to try a little harder when meeting new people/groups for the very first and, be patient.  (I'm still getting to know the wife and been married for 35 years)

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