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Friendly hello from West Sussex. :-)

benjy85pb

By benjy85pb
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benjy85pb

benjy85pb

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Well where to start! Think I may start from the beginning!

Well, sometime last year my brother showed me Carl Sagan's Cosmos on DVD, and needless to say I was hooked on the program! Its was just absolutely fascinating and it got me more and more interested in astronomy. However, it wasn't until this year that I took things a bit further.

Because of this wonderful recession where I lost my job because my father's factory went into administration and that we've lost our house because of it, I was surprisingly beginning to suffer from stress headaches at the age of 24!

Because of that I thought sod it! I'm going to start viewing the stars. So I looked around the interweb and got hold of a reasonably priced pack that included 10x50 binoculars, a red torch and a little booklet on star gazing with binoculars and started star gazing.

Since then, I've acquired a tripod for the binoculars because I shake like a leaf, and I've got myself a planisphere to learn more. Needless to say it hasn't been a quick process, but I'm slowly picking things up! However, on impulse I purchased a telescope (Bushnell Newtonian something 9003) at a car boot sale for £10! And I know I shouldn't have as has needed some work (needed to re-aligned the lenses, clean them and fix the broken spotting lense), I've managed to have some fun with it. Its not brilliant but it gives me an idea of using telescopes. :-)

But since I started stargazing I've found it extremely relaxing, if a little frustrating at times! But patients is a virtue. :-) But I've found that because of its relaxing nature my headaches have all but disappeared and I'm definitely going to stick with it. :-)

Oh, whilst playing around with the telescope, I decided to experiment with a simple digital camera when looking at the moon. Not amazing, but after cleaning the lenses and re-aligning them as best I could the quality was a little better.

Ben

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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Posted

Congrats on joing the hobby and welcome from me too - sounds like you have had a rough time. I have been there before. Lost 2 houses in fact. Once in the 91 recession and again when I got divorced so I really know where your coming from.

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benjy85pb

benjy85pb

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Thanks for all the friendly hello's. ;)

Hi Ben - nice little project you've had there - must have given you a great sense of acheivement fixing the scope up.

Welcome to the group :)

Indeed it was! It was the first time I've ever used a telescope and I was a little daunted by the prospect of getting back to some sort of working condition, especially when re-aligning the mirrors! But after taking my time reading through this forum and other websites I eventually got to grips with it. Still one or two tweaks to do, but I'm almost there. :)

Hi Ben,

from yet another WS resident - Steve, Jon and I make a lovely triangle. :)

Good to hear that the quiet contemplation of the night sky has had a therapeutic effect. Keep looking.

Mike

For a quick second there I thought you wrote love triangle! haha I was going to say, I never knew WS people were that kinky! :D haha

But yes, the quiet-ness and peace of mind of looking up at the stars has been nice. Definitely been enjpying it so far, its been putting a wonderful smile on my, especially when I've seen something for the first time with my own eyes. :)

Hi Ben, welcome to SGL from a northern exiled WS person

Awww no! That's rubbish! Poor you! But if it helps I'm half northern on my mothers side, so I get the best of both worlds! :p ...Apparently!

Congrats on joing the hobby and welcome from me too - sounds like you have had a rough time. I have been there before. Lost 2 houses in fact. Once in the 91 recession and again when I got divorced so I really know where your coming from.

Damn! That must've been a horrible time for you. This recession stuff is all new to me so dealing with its been rather perplexing to say the least! We're in the process of moving now, will be out by next Wednesday! But I'm definitely happy that I took the plunge to get into this hobby. :)

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