What got you started in astronomy.

[Col B]

I was lucky that my mum used to talk to me about black holes and relativity when I was 5 (I've got a recording on a tape somewhere), and not long after my dad bought me a monocular (made in Russia, and still possibly the best optics I have!). I don't think anything fired my imagination as much before or since. Thereafter, it was Carl Sagan, Sky at Night, the Shuttle etc etc... and thankfully here I am now with BIG optics and really enjoying it

Great story by Gweedo by the way.

[southernman]

Got a book on my 11th birthday called " The Wonders of Space " with the promise of a telescope for Christmas. My birthday is in January of course. I could recite the book backwoods by Christmas. Sadly it had northern hemishere maps ( I live in Christchurch New Zealand 43 degrees South !) my mum didn't understand. Got my wee scope and pointed it at alpha centauri and could see two bright stars close together. I was truly amazed !! The rest they say is history

[PortableAstronomer]

For me it was doing 'O'-level Physics back in 1987; it included experiments with electromagnetism, light, electronics, and at 'A'-level there was quite a lot of quantum physics and relativity. I became fascinated by the scale of speed and size of the universe, so I wanted to look up and see what is out there, because only then could I appreciate what I was really seeing.

During our O-level revision were invited to take some mock exams to 'calibrate' the standards of the new JCB (or whatever they were called) exams that were going to come in the following year. The simplicity of those test papers were really taking the biscuit and all my school colleagues ended up mocking the next generation for it. I hope they've improved the exam standards in UK since then!

Regards,Chris

[nitram100]

RE class at school when I was 12 or so.

My little over active mind required more answers so I began reading Astronomy books in the library. Then Hale Bopp came along and I was hooked.

[Polar Bear]

The Apollo mission and Patrick Moore presenting 'The Sky at Night' back in the 1960's. It is only in the last few years I have started observing, predominantly with binoculars.

[Perryellis]

Like many have said here I have always had an interest, always enjoyed looking at the stars and would always watch the sky@night if I ever noticed it was on but I never really persued it as a hobby until recently.

I dont know why to be honest. I think that I just guessed that it would be too expensive to get into?

I watched "The wonders of the solar system" last year though and was blown away. I immediately purchased the series on bluray,scrambled about for an old pair of binocs and have been in the back garden most of the time ever since:p

I have just started trying to spot items from the messier list and the most recent edition of the sky@night magazine. The other night I spotted M31 andromeda galaxy for the first time and a couple of clusters just under Cassiopeia.

I will have my first scope in a few weeks,needless to say I am hooked! Just wish I bothered to get into it earlier

[Rusty Strings]

The works of Gerry Anderson sparked my interest in all things space, then Apollo and Patrick Moore. First telescope followed then girls, guitars, kids and now, full circle, a telescope or two.

[yeti monster]

^^^ and then back to gurls????