Welcome Alan Dyer

[iceman]

It's not often I get the time to personally welcome all new members to IceInSpace.. some days there are lots of new members so I just don't have time to single them all out.

But I did recognise the name when Alan Dyer registered today.

I met Alan Dyer at SPSP15 last year (in 2007), when he came out for the event, gave a talk and also did some observing with us through Rod's 20" SDM scope ("Mary Rose"). Alan (and John Sarkissian) spent some time observing with us in between taking his great astrophotography.

Check out Alan's Website Blog (http://blogs.discovery.com/whats_up_astronomy/) for some great stories and pictures - especially his solar eclipse shots from last week which I also saw featured on SpaceWeather the other day.

:welcome: to IceInSpace, Alan. I hope you enjoy your stay and would love to see your valuable contributions here.

[Dennis]

Thanks for the heads up Mike and a warm welcome to IIS Alan.

Cheers

Dennis

[Alan Dyer]

Hi and thanks for the welcome. I was working on the website for the new edition of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide, creating links to various notable sites we want to refer readers to, and IceInSpace is certainly one of them. So I thought I ought to join up myself. The book's website is at www.backyardastronomy.com. There's still lots to do to fill out the content, but it is presentable and summarizes the book's content. The new edition is just hitting the shops here in North America. I hope Australian dealers and booksellers will stock it -- it was listed on the sites of some of the on-line retailers in Australia. Hope you're having a good winter -- it is hot here in mid-summer. Clear skies! -- Alan

[gbeal]

Welcome aboard Alan.
Good winter? Not sure about our cuzzies across the ditch, but here it has been abysmal. Tonight is clear, and even with the first quarter moon I am out there, as to see the sky at night has become a rarity of late.
Gary

[seeker372011]

Hi Alan , welcome and do stay and join in the conversations in IIS from time to time
Narayan

[ngcles]

Hi Alan,

Welcome to IIS -- hope you have some time to contribute here and there.

When you say it is mid-summer and hot, remember you're talking mainly to a bunch of Aussies here who really know the meaning of hot. How hot is it then?

Best,

Les Dalrymple

[gary]

Hi Alan,

Hope you have been well and that your current Canadian summer is at
least a little warmer than our current chilly, by Aussie standards, Sydney winter. :)

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Mt. Kuring-Gai

[citivolus]

Hi Alan,

This fellow Calgarian now Australian would like to say welcome as well!

Keep up the good work :)

Regards,
Eric Fehr

[Phil]

Hi Alan
Welcome to IIS. Have a copy of your book and let me say there is some good reading in there. Have not put it down since i got it.
Phil

[wavelandscott]

Double Ditto everyone's early comments.

As an owner/reader of your Backyard Astronomer's Guide (a good and useful read) I am struck again of the power of the internet to bring people together for "real time" interaction that could not practically have occured in the past.

Oh sure you could write a snail mail letter and author and they might respond but the communication cycle would be long and slow...with the internet it is nearly instant...

Having said that, I will not comment further as to my opinion on if this is always a good thing or not...

Welcome and Clear Northern Hemisphere Skies to you!

[ausastronomer]

Hi Alan,

Welcome to IIS.

Being an annual visitor to the Southern hemisphere allows you to qualify for HONORARY LOCAL membership to IIS IMO :)

Cheers,
John Bambury

[Jen]

:hi::hi::hi::hi::hi::hi:
Hi there Alan
:welcome:
Gday from downunder send us some clear skies can ya lol :thumbsup:

[Astrolabe]

Welcome Alan,

Thank you and Terence for a very fine book.

I would like to say that that the "Backyards Astronomers Guide, revised (second) edition" book by Dickinson and Dyer and was my first expense relating to astronomy. I couldn't be luckier. I bought this book just under four years ago. I can now say that it was the best and most important investement I made in astronomical gear. I had looked through a telescope once and for five minutes only before I bought the book. Following the book's description of things astronomical and its recommendations I have spent over $20,000.00 on astrogear up to now. I am a bit more knowledgeable and experienced now, but I still consult the book from time to time.

In my opinion it is the best introductory book every aspiring backyard astronomer should buy first, before spending any money on astrogear. I do strongly believe that this should be made known through this forum. I often see questions posed by novices which could be answered in an authoritative and unbiased manner by reading the book alone. I am very confident that the just published latest edition will be as good as the previous editions.

Alan, I haven't been able to meet you face to face but the offer for lunch / dinner I extended to you and Terence several years ago still stands, so when you are next in Sydney please PM me.

Welcome again

George (astrolabe)

[hector]

G'Day Alan

Good to see you here. Its a good place to chat and catch up with people.
Andrew

[Rodstar]

Welcome Alan!

I recall the night at SPSP that Mike describes very well. John Sarkissian kept yelping, "Wow!" and ""Oh my God!" (and other things impolite to quote) as we scanned some fabulous objects in Carina and Centaurus.

It was a great memory to have been able to share the Mary Rose with you, Alan. I hope we see you back Down Under again very soon.