What's been the highlight of your astro year?

[OSD]

Well it has to be getting to use all this new computer controlled equipment which was only science fiction when i was observing last.

Looking forward to meeting some of you at my first star party some time this year. :sunny:

Have a good one

[PhilM]

Given the carp weather I'm pretty pleased with my highlights:

March eclipse

Saturn occultation

Comet hubcap Holmes as well as Lovejoy, VZ13 Linear, F1 Loneos and Tuttle (but missed McNaught )

A fireball exploding in the bowl of Ursa Major

Imaging Venus in the middle of the day

Observing and sketching the Veil through a big dob

Experiencing mag 7 skies 8)

Clear skies for 2008

Phil.

[FLO]

Astrofest, SW Astro Fair, SGL 3, 3.5 and Kelling. Star parties are great social events; if the sky is also clear then that's a bonus

[barkis]

Well I joined SGL a year ago plus a few days, and I can honestly say it has just about taken over my life. At least it seems that way, and my good lady will certainly second it. I've enjoyed every minute I have spent on here, and I only hope I do get to meet as many of you as I can personally in the coming year at the various functions that are astronomy related, starting with Astrofest London February 2008.

I have also had a great time building up the collection of goodies that hopefully will get me back on to the imaging ladder I left years ago.

The technology has all changed dramatically since those days, but I am looking forward to the challenge, and with the help I know is forthcoming, I will do OK. I will need to do an inventory, as I have bought so much gear over the year, I have forgotten where I have put half of it, and I kid you not. I got the Ob. finished, that was a celebration, and I just have to get all connected up, aligned, calibrated, and various other bits and pieces to attend to. Anyway, all I am saying, is that the whole year has been one big highlight, and I'm sure a lot more of you feel the same. I would like to thank everyone on SGL, Admin, Mods, Members, for combining to make this one hell of a good club to be a member of.

So, I am just going to wish you all great success in all you strive for in 2008. And that SGL goes from strength to strength, and we all contribute to that end.

Cheers everybody.

Ron.

[dogfish]

This has been my first year in astronomy, although I've had a long interest in the subject.

The viewing highlights for me were the usual comet holmes, lunar eclipse, first view of Saturn and contemplating the distances to those faint fuzzy galaxies that I was seeing. I've also very much enjoyed seeing various planetary nebulae, including the ring, dumbell and cats eye. I've found the life cycle of stars to be a really interesting subject that I hadn't thought about before.

Other astro highlights have been social. First off, finding a colleague and I shared this interest (Hi PB), secondly, meeting up with the Central Scotland Observers' Group on a number of occasions (Hi Guys) and finally, getting my brother (Starflyer) hooked on this hobby in August this year with just a pair of bino's and some clear skies. My brother is now onto his 2nd telescope and has produced some cracking lunar images. WTG Ian.

Looking forward to some good skies in 2008, seeing stuff I hadn't seen before, and meeting up with lots of like-minded others.

Cheers, Martin

[Amilo]

Wow thanks for the posts guys,I am a newbie at this stuff but the posts above have got me itching to get started.

[ash]

getting my first proper scope after the e-bay nastie

seeing saturn for the first time in near daylight

comet holmes

the double cluster NGC869 at the weekend

my grandson

finding this gr8 site and all the very knowledgeable people, Thanks.

ASH

[themos]

The Lunar eclipse in March, giving people their first glimpse of Saturn in the spring, seeing Neptune and Uranus in binoculars, making sunspot movies in the summer, seeing the whole moon take up 80 degrees of visual field in the Nagler/Skyliner combo, first surface detail on Mars, first galaxy, first planetary nebula, doing a mini Messier Marathon with the help of the Wixey. Every night was a "first" in some way or other.

[astropongo]

As a complete beginner to astronomy I would say the highlight thus far has been simply looking at the night sky, for the first time in a very, very long time. Just using the naked eye and looking at the beautiful expanse made me feel very good. I think it must be healthy for the psychology of a person to broaden the visual outlook.

Beats looking at the pavement eh?

Cheers!

[Ant]

for me it has to be the Star Party at Kelling.

The skies may not be the best in the country, but they are really good compared to home... Meeting all the guys from SGL that I hadn't met before and meeting some of the guys that I had met before.

Great weekend - and then won picture of the week

Can you ask for more than that?

Ant