About Stargazers Lounge

[Saganite]

I wasn't wrong about Ant then.......

Good to know a little of the history, thanks Steve.

[Ant]

Hello all, 

Long time  Hi @Steve yes, we need a catch up! 

It started broadly at the timescales mentioned above. It was indeed a Yahoo group. Russ and I were both members of "UK Astronomy", we kept getting told off for talking about imaging. 

So Russ started a Yahoo Group called UK Astro Imaging (or UKAI). This gained traction fairly quickly and we moved to basic Forum Software, and started to incur small costs - a member (and by then a fellow admin of UKAI) started to cover these costs, and eventually wanted it all to himself. He booted Russ and I off.

We moved to forum software that was free, with limited features and adverts. I did indeed come up with the name Stargazerslounge. I was lucky enough to meet Grant through work. Grant's a bit clever you see, and has done wonders ever since. 

Steve/FLO have been forum sponsor for a long time now, and really enable us to do some great things. All the star parties, competitions etc. 

I hung up my boots a few years back, my job seems to take it all out of me and the thought of "staying up late" is exhausting... let alone ACTUALLY staying up late. 

From what I can see Steve, Grant and the whole mod team are doing a sterling job with my baby 😛

Ant

[russ]

On 19/06/2023 at 15:06, Ant said:

Hello all, 

Long time  Hi @Steve yes, we need a catch up! 

It started broadly at the timescales mentioned above. It was indeed a Yahoo group. Russ and I were both members of "UK Astronomy", we kept getting told off for talking about imaging. 

So Russ started a Yahoo Group called UK Astro Imaging (or UKAI). This gained traction fairly quickly and we moved to basic Forum Software, and started to incur small costs - a member (and by then a fellow admin of UKAI) started to cover these costs, and eventually wanted it all to himself. He booted Russ and I off.

We moved to forum software that was free, with limited features and adverts. I did indeed come up with the name Stargazerslounge. I was lucky enough to meet Grant through work. Grant's a bit clever you see, and has done wonders ever since. 

Steve/FLO have been forum sponsor for a long time now, and really enable us to do some great things. All the star parties, competitions etc. 

I hung up my boots a few years back, my job seems to take it all out of me and the thought of "staying up late" is exhausting... let alone ACTUALLY staying up late. 

From what I can see Steve, Grant and the whole mod team are doing a sterling job with my baby 😛

Ant

That is it in a nutsell Ant  

Myself, I played no part in SGL, I bailed a month or so after it was formed. Fantastic to see what Ant's baby has grown into with the help of all the admins, mods, FLO and all the members. 

Edited June 21, 2023 by russ

[Ouroboros]

45 minutes ago, Ant said:

Hello all, 

Long time  Hi @Steve yes, we need a catch up! 

It started broadly at the timescales mentioned above. It was indeed a Yahoo group. Russ and I were both members of "UK Astronomy", we kept getting told off for talking about imaging. 

So Russ started a Yahoo Group called UK Astro Imaging (or UKAI). This gained traction fairly quickly and we moved to basic Forum Software, and started to incur small costs - a member (and by then a fellow admin of UKAI) started to cover these costs, and eventually wanted it all to himself. He booted Russ and I off.

We moved to forum software that was free, with limited features and adverts. I did indeed come up with the name Stargazerslounge. I was lucky enough to meet Grant through work. Grant's a bit clever you see, and has done wonders ever since. 

Steve/FLO have been forum sponsor for a long time now, and really enable us to do some great things. All the star parties, competitions etc. 

I hung up my boots a few years back, my job seems to take it all out of me and the thought of "staying up late" is exhausting... let alone ACTUALLY staying up late. 

From what I can see Steve, Grant and the whole mod team are doing a sterling job with my baby 😛

Ant

Thanks, Ant. That summarises the early history very well.  I feel I’ve really had my initial question throughly answered. So thanks all. 

[ST_Steve]

Great to hear the origins of this wonderful forum and totally agree with all the comments. A true inspiration…

Perhaps we can get this thread pinned somewhere prominent?

[Chaz2b]

Having been a member of a Europe wide forum, with a few intelligent people , there were asome trolls that belittled certain individuals, they in turn left the forum and it left a bitter taste. This forum looks to be filled with mature and decent folk which I love. I left momentarily after selling up, but I was soon back and have no intention of leaving again, clouds or no clouds.

You know you're in decent company here.

Chaz

[LukeSkywatcher]

FLO, the best astro retailer I've found, SGL, the best online astro community I've found.

Perfect match.

Olly will probably kill me for using so many comma.

Edited August 18, 2023 by LukeSkywatcher