what would you rate as the most special astronomical experience

[Talitha]

Most historic: the Venus Transit

Most awesome: my first full-blown Auroral storm

Most memorable: the Moon with near-perfect seeing

edit

Ooops, forgot to add this one.

Most wanted: Total solar eclipse

[Sam]

I have two moments that are special:

1. Saturn for the first time - just mind blowing.

2. Seeing the spiral arms in M51 the first time I used the 16"Lightbridge.

Sam

[Helen]

Tough one, so choosing a few!

First view of Saturn, and first view of the sun in Ha - and running these close showing both of these to my nephew and my friend and seeing their reactions!

Watching the Venus transit - I made time to watch this even though work was particularly bad at the time, and I'm so glad I did

Total solar eclipse from France 1997 - absolutely awesome (yep Carol, you've got to do it!!)

Total lunar eclipse 2007 - watching it with a friend from her garden, because I was clouded out at home!

Being stuck in a broken down landrover in the middle of the Botswanan bush surveying the awesome milky way from amazingly dark skies (while trying NOT to think about the proximity of the Lions etc etc ).

...and more recently, the first light from my Observatory I still can't quite believe I've got an Observatory

Helen

[Whippy]

Even though I wasn't into stargazing at the time, the solar eclipse in '97 (I think) was an 'event' full stop, let alone an astronomical event. I was working in the City of London at the time for an american law firm and when it actually happened everything stopped (rememeber this was mid-afternoon), went eerily quiet and noticeably cold. Definately one of 'those' moments.

Since then of course, my appreciation of the universe has got considerably greater and your first view of Saturn is always going to knock your socks off. Observing your first galaxy, in my case M81 (and 82). Not because of what they look like but knowing what they are. Viewing M13 through a huge Takahashi Mewlon at Kelling last September was pretty special. My recent entry into imaging was provided a couple too. The first sub exposure of M42 done afocally put a huge grin on my face as was the M51 I did earlier this year with my 'proper' camera .

Tony..

[GazOC]

1999

[Whippy]

My brain just isn't what it used to be....

[Rosanella]

Back in February we had clear skies, albeit very c-c-c-old and the most I could stay outside was for about 1/2 hour.

I looked up, as you would , and noticed a very bright star (or so I thought) forming a triangle with another couple of them, and through the binoculars it was even brighter: I was looking at Saturn with what I think they were Regulus and Algieba with little (it's a giant actually) 40-Leo, all to the right of Ursa Majoris.

It wasn't much, but it meant a lot to me and they remained my fascination throughout the latter part of Winter and Spring :-) , because they were in view right from my kitchen window from past 10 pm till well after 1am.

[Johnny Jupiter]

I've been fortunate to be able to see 2 total eclipses - Bulgaria in '99 and Turkey in '06 and the fact that I've talked my better half to go to China next year speaks for itself. Absolutely mindblowing and unfortunately doesn't last very long.

[John]

Standing on the beach at Marazion in Cornwall with my family and witnessing the total solar eclipse in 1999 with several thousand other people. Despite the cloud, the atmosphere as the shadow came across and the lights went on on St Michaels Mount and around Mounts bay was something I'll never forget. My children were 8 and 6 years old and still talk about it unprompted today - simply magic

John

[StarMan1701]

Being out in the middle of a field with my (then) girlfriend and seeing Jupiter and Saturn for the first time, (one after the other), through a small refractor.

Still gives me goosebumps when I think about it, some 20+ years later.

Lee.

[S2]

In reverse order:

3. Comet Halley. It went on for ages, but my favourite moment was watching it during a meteor shower.

2. Seeing Saturn's rings for the first time through my daughter's TAL reflector.

1. (Echoing Astro_Baby and Helen) naked eye views of the sky from rural Tanzania (about 150 miles away from the nearest electric light bulb).

We do get dark skies up in North East Scotland, but it doesn't compare - I think the high altitude and an absence of industry played a big part.

[Greg]

Comet Halle Bopp. I photographed it with a Praktika camera on slide film from Heavitree park in Exeter...Still got the slides..

Saturn in my ETX-70..

And the lunar Eclipse from last year and having my images on the local news and BBC website.. :shock:

The noise levels are generally very low and the atmosphere seems to be very still - almost like the calm before the storm.

I don't see that time of day very often... shame.

I used to be an evening person..But since the birth of my daughter I now get up with her at 5am and take the dogs out...It's the best time of the day..

Quiet, restful..

[NickH]

Transit of Venus, picking up a Moreton wave on the Sun (still up for debate, but a few people think it was...), seeing a massive eruptive prominence a few years back, literally moving in realtime, seeing Saturn for the first time, imaging Hadley Rille (been on my list of to do's for years), going to Spain for the annular eclipse..and the best one

Walking back from the ideal home exhibition a few years ago, along Chiswick high street about 10-11pm, and seeing a meteor break up literally in front of our eyes (can't guess how high up it was, but it was very very bright), it just broke in to a lot of pieces, and my wife just went "wow...amazing...". We got home 2 hours later, still talking about it..

[SteelRat]

Last years lunar eclipse was just great. Beautiful crisp clear night. Clear for the whole thing. Got some nice pics with my phone and my old Tal refractor. Remember sitting back in m comfy chair watching the stars come out at totallity 'thinking how good is this?' - a really lovely night that was.

cheers

Matthew

[thing]

Laying on the beach on Morton Island off the coast of Queensland last summer and just looking at the most perfect sky until dawn. One of those 'We're barely a speck of dust in the general scheme of things' moments. Quite awe inspiring.

[Azelfafage]

1st view of the Moon through my scope. :hello1:

Being able to find Mercury would probably equal it (if I ever do) - on a "sense of achievement" basis.

A

[roberte76]

yep shoemsker levy comet impact here too barkis,jupiter had been one of my favourite objects to study ,so too see it transformed only a few hours after impact was truly memorable

[Tim]

Hale-Bop was pretty special.

Saturn through a £14.99 Toys R Us telescope.

M42 for my first time photo of a dso.

Saturn through 12inch dob.

[Beyond_Vision]

1.) Seeing the Veil Nebula like it was in 3D through Mike Cooks 16" LX200R whilst at Kelling Heath Autumn 2007, truly awesome.

2.) Same event but this time seeing M13 through Arthur Ambermile's 22" Dob, again truly gob smacking.

3.) Seeing Saturn for the first time with my 10" LX90

Regards

Kevin

[kpax]

The first time I looked through a telescope was into the Orion Nebula which was a night of amazement for me personally. Everytime I look at Orion it brings back the memory of that first night. It was my cherry breaker and always remains a personal favourite.

[Brass n glass]

My first view of Saturn with my first telescope (a Britex 20X35, made in Tottenham). It was 1958 (yes, really) and the rings were at their widest so even in a tiny refractor with uncoated lenses they showed reasonably clearly. I was at a boarding school where lights went out at 8 o'clock sharp and I tiptoed down to the washroom at about 9.30 and poked the telescope out of the window. When I pulled it back in Matron was standing behind me. I was caned the next morning. I've been into astronomy ever since, but never into punishment, I hasten to add! - Hugh

[RobH]

The first thing to come into my mind when I saw the question was, without a doubt, my fist, tiny view of Saturn's rings through a 2 inch scope I'd made myself from cardboard tube and a couple of lenses my Dad had managed to get, when I was 9 or 10

After that, the solar eclipse of 1999 from Romania.....

clouds had rolled in at the last minute so we leapt into the car and drove like maniacs to outrun them, screeched to a halt by a farm on a country road, and leapt out of the car just in time to see the corona break out.....fantastic...and a wierd feeling too. Your mind knows the science but your animal subconscious hasn't a clue!!

The farmer (according to our Romanian driver ) said.....' my pig, he has gone to sleep' , the birds stopped singing and everything went eerily still.

Both memories I shall carry into the beyond with me

Cheers

Rob

[georged]

Without a doubt, seeing the first hint of black on Jupiter after the Shoemaker-Levy comet(s) collision. That was interplanetary action!

[John]

On 11 August 1999, being with my family (and a few thousand others !) on the beach at Marazion in Cornwall as the total eclipse unfolded. We had clouds but it was still an absolutely magical experience, my kids still talk about it, unprompted, 12 years on

[laser_jock99]

Hale Bopp from a dark sky in Cumbria, coronal aurora from my garden in 1990.