Just found this ancient photo of me and my first scope.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very much faded, but it shows me with the 6" F/8 Newtonian I built as a 17 year old, on the roof terrace of my parents' place. 

I had a lot of fun with that scope. 

[andrew s]

It cost you the shirt off your back! 

Regards Andrew 

[maw lod qan]

Ah, to be that young again, and know what I know now.😁

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Just realised this picture was taken about 40 years ago . The crosshairs in the finder scope I built out of an old pair of 10x50 binoculars were quite literally cross hairs, made from what was then visibly plentiful, but now alas a dwindling natural resource 😉

[dweller25]

Good thread.....

This Is me (the one holding the baby 😂) getting ready to look at Halleys Comet in 1986 - only 34 years ago 😄

The scope was an 8.5” F/5 Alt-Az Newtonian built by Rob Miller of Astrosystems.

 

[Stu]

Excellent picture Michael, it looks a fine scope, bet you did have fun with it. Just an observation; you are almost as skinny as it! 🤣🤣

I don't think I have any early pictures of me with my first scope unfortunately. It took smartphones arriving for me to really start taking photos of everything.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

7 minutes ago, Stu said:

Excellent picture Michael, it looks a fine scope, bet you did have fun with it. Just an observation; you are almost as skinny as it! 🤣🤣

I don't think I have any early pictures of me with my first scope unfortunately. It took smartphones arriving for me to really start taking photos of everything.

I was quite skinny, I have expanded since (as my hair thinned 😜), but have knocked over 20 kg off, and while I might not get as skinny as in this photo, I am steadily getting back into shape. 

[JamesF]

I think the next time I am that skinny I shall be wearing a wooden box.

James

[JamesF]

I don't believe in hair "thinning", btw.  I think it's explained by the fact that hair follicles are migratory.  As one gets older they just move to other parts of one's body, though I admit to being baffled as to the reason that evolution selected for the need to have eyebrows that are two inches long once one reaches fifty years of age.

James

[dweller25]

As I have grown older and amassed a huge amount of knowledge my head has grown through my hair 🙂

 

 

Edited January 20, 2020 by dweller25

[Swoop1]

Years of shoving fingers in ears and up nostrils causes the hairs to catch under the nails and, as you withdraw the digit form the orifice it pulls the hair with it. Therfore, the hair on the head thins as you pull it through to the now hirsuit orifices.

 

[John]

This was my 1st proper scope and the one I used in 1986 to observe Halleys Comet. It's the 6 inch version of the one that David had back then but on a Fullerscopes MkIII equatorial mount. No photo of me with it unfortunately. Before this I used a 1960's Tasco 60mm refractor but I don't seem to have any photos of that.

 

[Mark at Beaufort]

I bought my first telescope in 1965. The photo below, showing me in the middle, was taken at my parents home whilst we were observing a partial solar eclipse. Could check back but I think it was about 1968. The OTA was using a Swift (Japan) Herschel Wedge.

In 1972 I bought a 6" Newt and fitted the OTA on a Charles Frank Eq Mount.

Looking at the group photo the structure behind us was my wooden observatory - I am surprised my parents accepted this - it looks rubbish.