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Hello from a 7 year old Astronomer

albedo0.39

By albedo0.39
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albedo0.39

albedo0.39

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Hi everyone - thought I'd drop by and introduce myself.

Like many of you I'm sure, I got into astronomy with the purchase of a simple childs scope - a 40mm Tasco from the mail order catalogue my mum ran. My dad (just departed this world) being incredibly practical, made me some aluminium extensions to the table top tripod and armed with that and a chair, I went onto the flat roof of our council house, aged 7 to begin my venture into astronomy.

Of course, you don't get to see much with a 40mm scope, but how was I to know that ? To me, the universe was mine for the taking.

[i dreamt of one day owning the bigger brother - the 60mm, wow - could I EVER afford that ?]

Joining the school astronomical society aged 13, I saw then a sight that has never left me - Albireo through a 3.5" refractor. It hung in the night sky like a jewel.

Forgetting scopes and astronomy for the next 20 years, I migrated to a "real" scope - yes a GIANT - a 114mm [can they get any bigger ?] from, yes, you guessed it TASCO. It seems my education wasn't quite as full as I thought.

There then ensued about 3 or 4 years worth of intermittent activity, out until "qtr to cold-o-clock" learning constellations, all about what you could (or couldn't) see with all that a mid 1980's scope with 0.965" eyepieces offer you. I sold the scope a few years back for £100. It wasn't bad, but...(well, you know the score)

Taking up long distance running, triathlon, MTB racing and heaps of international travel, astronomy was far from my mind until I moved to Cheltenham with my wife of 25 years. Here in a small village in the countryside, I saw blacker skies.

Could this be the place ? Should I invest ?

Well, I've decided to take the plunge and have secured the purchase of a 16" Lightbridge (with a few mods) owned by a very experienced astronomer. I'm now spending a great deal of time catching up how to mod, collimate, select the right eyepieces and all manner of issues.

SGL is a brilliant site. I cannot emphasise what a great source of help, advice and support that seems to be on offer. Moreover being involved in a classic car club, there is NONE of the politics associated with other hobbies.

I feel I've returned to my spiritual home and this time, I hope to stay.

Last year my mother died suddenly, she didn't have much, but there was little left over after the bills have been paid and with this in mind it will be with some emotion that now aged 45, I point my new scope to the skies - in wonder of what I'm going to see.

I cannot wait to be 7 again. :)

Steve

PS - I've booked into Kelling in September, so hope to see a few of you there. Between then and now, I hope to get to know a few of you a little better. I will ask daft questions until I get the hang of my "new" hobby (sorry) but most often, I'll read and read until I get it. Thanks in advance !

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barkis

barkis

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Welcome to SGL Steve, and thanks for your very interesting account of your early experience of life as a very young astronomer.

I too owned a Tasco, a beautiful glossy white tube with black trim.

It too was the very small objective, not sure but I think it was 50mm.

However, I found it totally useless, and it almost killed my Interest stone dead.

The Lightbridge monster you have now, is years away from your little Tasco, both in time, and certainly in aperture.

You will hopefully keep the enthusiasm of a 7 year old, and go to enjoy some mind blowing sights through your LB.

You will always remember that lovely double Albireo that launched you to wards today, and hopefully many tomorrows.

Enjoy Kelling, and you surely will meet many SGL Members there.

It's a pity you are not attending the Star Party SGL4 in Hereford next week. It promises to be something special.

Enjoy SGL, and we look forward to many reports from your 16" observations.

Best Wishes.

Ron.:)

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albedo0.39

albedo0.39

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Thanks for the kind wishes Ron.

Indeed, I'm just down the road from Hereford, but I've got some racing on and I'm not sure I can make it. However... that said, I'm forgetting that this hobby wakes up when nothing else in the world is happening

Could I just "turn up" with my missus, stay a few hours and then dart off ? Is that acceptable form ?

PS - those old white Tasco's and the Rand McNally Moon map - aaahhh the stuff of nostalgia.

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omneferuss

omneferuss

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Hi Steve I started reading thinking this is a rather articulate 7 y.o. hehe..

I never had a scope as a child, but my inner 7 y.o. is making up for it now! :)

I can however relate to your story of Life's adventures occupying the intervening years.. and one day finding yourself pondering "Should I invest?" (And GLAD we DID :))

Cheers, and clear skies!

Russ

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The Warthog

The Warthog

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Welcome aboard, Steve! My interest in astronomy was sparked when I was seven by a Patrick Moore book. Fifty-three years later, I've been able to equip myself with scopes and time. I am still a kid again sometimes under the sky.

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Ant

Ant

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Welcome to SGL

My first thought was that you string a sentence together really well for a 7 year old! :)

Glad you like it here. I look forward to hearing about your adventures with the 16".

A friend of mine (many years ago) ha a 16" Dob, the veiws were something else!!!

A load of us have booked up in the same area for Kelling this coing Autumn, we plan to have a tea/coffee gazebo - so make sure you come down and see us and warm yourself on free coffee :)

We're at the far end of the Blue field.

Cheers

Ant

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albedo0.39

albedo0.39

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The 7 year old inside me also took delivery of a Star Yacht - Endevour IV - a model Pond Yacht - exactly the same one I saw in the shop window when I was a lad at Cromer.

From the responses, looks like I'm not alone in the "class of youngsters". Isn't it great how a lifelong hobby grabbed us all ?

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centroid

centroid

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Hi Steve, and welcome thanks for the interesting introduction, and welcome to SGL.

I assume that you are still in Gloucestershire (my ancestral home), which is pretty adjacent to Mordiford, where many of us will be attending SGL next week.

Dave

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Helen

Helen

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Indeed, I'm just down the road from Hereford, but I've got some racing on and I'm not sure I can make it. However... that said, I'm forgetting that this hobby wakes up when nothing else in the world is happening

Could I just "turn up" with my missus, stay a few hours and then dart off ? Is that acceptable form ?

Yep, not a problem just popping in to say hello. We'll have a welcome tent.

Helen

PS If you're coming after dark it might be best to just park at the road end of the site and walk up to the rally field (headlights and night vision don't go well together)

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ZOG

ZOG

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Hi Steve, welcome to SGL, and what a lovely story.

Like many things in life, you started your journey young and had to take one of lifes long breaks. i'm sure many of us can identify with that.

Now you're ready to complete the journey and there will be many memorable landmarks along the way, especially with that scope.

You'll also find that each time you set up, the childhood memories will come flooding back.

Enjoy the trip :)

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albedo0.39

albedo0.39

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A load of us have booked up in the same area for Kelling this coing Autumn, we plan to have a tea/coffee gazebo - so make sure you come down and see us and warm yourself on free coffee :)

We're at the far end of the Blue field.

Cheers

Ant

Hi Ant - great to hear back from you and many thanks for the kind offer. I'll look out for the Gazebo and you will have no worries spotting who I am.... (look for the badge)

Cheers

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albedo0.39

albedo0.39

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I am still a kid again sometimes under the sky.

Hi Warthog - thanks for the kind wishes and welcome. Your last few words sum it up for me. Whilst I'm as technically minded as the next person, to me it's that emotion of pure wonder that only childhood delivers that has me hooked.

Of course, astronomy has the potential to be a very technical hobby, but it's that "wow" that we all feel looking at something that is just so much "bigger" than we will ever be, that I'm attached to.

And it's free.

(Well, judging from the amount we could spend, perhaps not exactly free :))

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Jarndyce

Jarndyce

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Hi Steve

Welcome to SGL. I was also attracted by the friendly and positive attitude here.

Envious of your darker skies! I live in Light Pollution Central, but still not enough to spoil my enjoyment.

Now, clouds, on the other hand...

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glowjet

glowjet

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Hi Steve,

A warm welcome to SGL, I am sure there is something that sparks an interests in Astronomy in all of us, mine was space travel while at school, which resulted in the construction of a 3" refractor with carpet tube, a little bit different to your Tasco though, the views, with brilliantly coloured fringes, were spectacular to us at the time. Enjoy the forum Steve.

John.

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RobH

RobH

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Hello Steve, and thanks for your finely written story.

It reminds me of what happened to me....I got back into the hobby properly after my dad passed away too....he got me involved in the hobby at a similar age to you, and I bought a fine scope to remember him by.

Welcome to SGL :)

Cheers

Rob

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