IceInSpace is 4 years old today!

[iceman]

Hi all

I'm really pleased to announce that IceInSpace celebrates its birthday today, turning 4 years old! It's yet another fantastic milestone reached by our great community, and continues to show the strength and loyality of everyone who makes up IceInSpace.

That's not just me and Terry, or the moderators. It's every one of you that helps to play a part in making IceInSpace what it is today. Everyone who visits the site, reads the forums, posts questions and posts answers, posts your images and contributes content to the site. If it wasn't for all of you, IceInSpace wouldn't still be here 4 years on, as strong as we are today.

What started 4 years ago as a little home on the internet, has grown so much - has exceed all of the expectations we had back then about what we hoped to achieve with IceInSpace. Our goals and vision have grown since then and now we have a grander vision for what we want to achieve with this great site; what we want to offer in a website to the astronomical community around the world.

We have a great number of plans in motion and on the drawing board, and hope to bring some new features to you over the next 3-6 months.

At this time of year, we usually celebrate with a birthday quiz. Hopefully you already know that the birthday quiz has been moved back a few weeks to coincide with IISAC2008 (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/iisac.html).

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/picture/IISis4-60pxh.jpg (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/index.php?id=78,496,0,0,1,0)

IISis4 will begin on the 10th October, and the prizes will be drawn at IISAC2008 on the 1st November.

Please check the official IISis4 (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=33973) thread for more.

Terry and I would like to extend our thanks to the moderators, who do such a great job and are such great friends. They keep things ticking along and running smoothly and you hardly ever notice they're there. Which is what a moderator should be.

Thanks again to the community for your contributions to IceInSpace, and together we will continue to grow and shape amateur astronomy in our region.

:cheers:

[vindictive666]

Happy Fourth Year IIS


:party2:

[Dennis]

Wow – not another annual milestone, another year flown by!:thumbsup:

Congratulations to Mike, Terry and the moderators for keeping the site ticking over, it is a great place to visit each day. The accelerated learning and sharing of ideas within the community continues to inspire me as well as development of on line friendships, mingled with copious amounts of fun. All bodes well for the next 12 months.:2thumbs::jump2:

Cheers

Dennis

[Deeno]

Congratulations on what is the best web forum I've been fortunate to stumble across to date.
Many thanks to everyone involved with the site. From Mike, who as far as I can tell never sleeps. To those who post and unselfishly share there knowledge and experience.
Astronomy could have ended as a passing fad for me, ending in frustration without the know-how gleaned from the pages within this forum.

Many thanks and Happy Birthday IceInSpace
Deeno

[acropolite]

Thanks to Mike & Terry. The growth of IIS has been amazing and the spirit of friendship and co-operation is second to none. As moderators our work is assisted by the reports that come from the members, your assistance is greatly appreciated. :thumbsup:

[GTB_an_Owl]

and best wishes from the owl on this momentous occasion

happy birthday IIS

geoff

[WadeH]

Happy 4th Birthday IIS. :birthday:

Well done Mike, Terry et. al. for making this one of the best sites I am aware of on the net.

And to all of the members well done on making and keeping this one big happy family.

:cheers:

[wavelandscott]

Happy Birthday IIS and best wishes for many more!

Established and made possible by the efforts of the orignators (Mike and Terry) and Moderators (too many to list), it is the many contributing posters that help keep things hopping and moving forward.

Great work all!

I'd tip my hat to you all, if I was wearing a hat!

[snowyskiesau]

Congratulations on consuming so much of my time onlline :)

Will there be cake?

[StephenM]

Congratulations and many thanks to Mike, Terry, the moderators and everyone else invoved with this great site! It's certainly my most visited site, and has played a big role in maintaining astronomy as by number 1 hobby!

Cheers,
Stephen

[RobF]

Fantastic resource you've created Mike - with great people, info and search tools. Happy Birthday IIS!!!!

:thanks: :clap: :party:

[cookie8]

Happy Birthday IIS!:):D:) Well, what can I say. My favourite site in the past 12 months. Just can't live without it!!!!

[matt]

Happy birthday, and well done to all the members who make this site the active and flourishing resource it is today:thumbsup:

[Quark]

Hi all,
Well done Mike and all that have contributed to IIS.
I have only been on board for a relatively short time but this site has great significance for amateur astronomy in this country.

To have such a well laid out and structured forum to promote the various areas of astronomy that amateurs can now contribute to is truly inspiring. To be able to share in this, regardless of where we might live in this vast country, provides a real fillip and allows us all to share with one another ideas and experiences.

Without doubt this is the best astronomy forum anywhere on the net and it's originators deserve great credit for their foresight in creating IIS.

Best Regards
Trevor

[Screwdriverone]

Happy Birthday IIS,

Well done to Mike and all the Team,

I agree, a free telescope for each member is a GREAT idea as an IIS4 surprise!!!

Thanks MIKE!

Well,........it was worth a shot.....:(

Cheers

Chris

[Tamtarn]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IIS :clap::clap:

Thanks Mike for conceiving this great site four years ago.

We only started in amateur astronomy ouselves just four years ago and discovered IIS in 2006 and started deep sky imaging in 2007.

The knowledge we have gained from members of the IIS community has been enormous.

May IIS continue to grow and gain many more newbies who can learn as we have done. :thumbsup:

[RB]

It's been an absolute pleasure to be part of the IIS community for the last 3 years since I joined.
Out of it has come many new friendships, which I treasure above all.

In that time I've learned a lot about two of my hobbies, astronomy and photography, which without IIS, I'd still be a newbie.

IIS has inspired me to push myself to learn and experiment and also hopefully pass on some of that acquired knowledge to others.

I've developed, I feel, a close personal working relationship with Mike, Terry, Paul, John and Phil, all of whom I look up to and admire.

And most of all to all the members, some I know personally, others only through the forum I want to just say thank you for your friendship.

RB

:)

Happy Birthday IIS

[manny]

Happy 4th Birthday IIS
and thanks to Mike and all the moderators for all the wonderful content that is available to all on this fantastic site Wishing you many many more birthdays.
Best wishes
Manny

[h0ughy]

Happy Birthday IIS,

4 years - no way!!!!!! doesnt seem that long..... well Ok maybe it is. think of all those hours online - imageing if we had a running log of time logged on????????!!!!!!!!!!

[Jen]

:birthday::birthday::birthday:
thanks guys for this lovely site cheers :thumbsup:
:bowdown::bowdown:

:cool::cool:

:2thumbs:

:love:

[Amy]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ICE IN SPACE~ You definitely fill a need~ Thanks for the foresight and vision and stick to itiveness to see it thru to become the success it is~ :birthday::birthday::birthday::birt hday:

[okiscopey]

Why did I go through so much angst and expense to get online while travelling in the UK? For access to this forum of course! Can't live without it.

Happy 4th Birthday, IIS!!!

[leon]

Is it really well that deserves a big congratulations, and a hip, hip, horray.

Leon

[norm]

Congrats to all and sundry on this fantastic milestone.:thumbsup:

Without a doubt, this forum has made it possible for so many newbies to get into the hobby with confidence and the knowledge that help is only a keystroke away.

It has brought the astro community a lot closer.

Well done again to the IIS gang!!!:2thumbs::party2:

Clear Dark skies...
Norm

[stringscope]

Congratulations to Mike, Terry and all contributors for the very best Astro website:thumbsup:

[iceman]

Thanks to everyone for your kind words and well wishes! It means a lot and makes it all worthwhile.

[rollmebackagain]

Even as a non-aussie I love the site! keep it up!

[xstream]

It has been an absolute pleasure to work and be a part of this community. The friendships Anna and I have made both off and online are something we both treasure most dearly.

Those of you that know me know I always would say Astronomy isn't my thing, I'm just here as Anna's tech support. Well look at me now! you can't keep me away from the damn place. :lol:

:birthday: IIS

[Buddman]

Congrats to the IIS team.

This site provides an absolute treasure trove of fantastic advice, resources and inspiration. Where would I be without it? (probably where I am now but with more sleep in the bank and less inspiration in my life).

Thanks IIS:party::stargaze::jump2:

[lesbehrens]

happy birthday IIS.
you have taught me a lot
thanks.
les:thumbsup:

[gerry aarts]

On behalf of the Western Sydney Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group (WSAAG).The IIS community offers amateur astronomers a wealth of information, assistance and friendships. Congratulations and happy 4th birthday to Mike and all the team, we appreciate the work you put in to make the site such a success. I look forward to catching up with many of you at IIS4.
Regards
Gerry
President WSAAG

[sticksm]

I've only posted when I want to buy or sell but I read a lot! Congratulations for being such a fantastic resource for southern hemisphere observers. There's plenty of sites out there for our friends and colleagues above the equator but our requirements downunder are often overlooked or comments swamped in these locations. So as plans for the future of IIS develop by all means think global but keep plenty of the action local.
Steve

[netwolf]

Congrats to all who have made it possible. This is a great forum made up with great people, willing to help each other.

[Lester]

Happy birthday to IIS. This forum is responsable for revitalising my interest in astronomy after many years of absence.

Thanks to all involved.

[cjmarsh81]

Congratulations Mike, Terry and all iceinspace members.

Iceinspace has helped me out a lot. Giving me advise on which scope to purchase in the first place, and also just flicking through the forum and picking up useful hints and techniques.

I have been absent of late on the forum with moving, new job and other things. My dob is sitting in the corner looking at me, and I hope to be an active member of the forum soon.

Cheers Mike + iceinspace.:thumbsup:

Chris

[Matty P]

Happy 4th Birthday IceInSpace!

Congratulations to everyone involved and all the members that make this site an invaluable resource.

I don't know what I'd do without it.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[coldspace]

Well done on providing this excellent and entertaining resource. I have learnt many things from here and hope to keep learning and contributing where I can to this site.:birthday:

Matt.

[knackers]

Congratulations to all involved and Happy Birthday IIS.

I am not a big "poster" but have been reading the threads almost daily now for two and a half years. There's always something interesting to read and plenty to learn form the vast amount of experience on this forum

When i need to ask a questions i know i will always receive friendly and useful answers.

What a great community! :thumbsup:

Keep up the fantastic work.

[jjjnettie]

A big fat Happy Birthday to IIS!
4 years.... it's amazing how time flies.
Thanks Mike, Terry, Moderators and Members for making this the best Astro site on the planet.

[gaa_ian]

Well done Mike & the rest of the IIS team ... I continue to enjoy the journey of discovery with you all. Your growth and continued success has shared the same journey as our club and lately my own online endeavors. I look forward to many more years of working together. I am particularly looking forward to catching up with many of you at the IISAC 2008.

[seeker372011]

happy birthday IIS from member 34 ( ?) and way behind in the number of posts :)

[i c with 1eye]

Happy birthday IIS.
May there be many many more.:rofl:

[erick]

Miss a day and I miss a party :sadeyes:

Happy Birthday IIS. I've enjoyed every minute since I was lucky enough to stumble across the site. Well done Mike, Terry and the gang behind the scenes. :hi:

Oh, that thanks to everyone who sold me your gear at anywhere from fair to great prices! I couldn't have got so far into this great pursuit without you! :thumbsup:

[Ric]

Happy Birthday IIS

Thanks all for a fantastic site, I've learnt so much in my time here.

Thanks to the team and the members for making it whats it is.

Cheers and here's to another 4 years, who knows where it will be then.

[Johndavidmac]

I am glad you folks enjoy this enough to offer this site, I know alot of time and effort goes into it, and that shows me how dedicated you are to this.
I am not knowlegable enough to offer any advise, but I do enjoy reading many of the articles and postings others place in your forums, thanks for keeping them cleaned up. John David

[RapidEye]

Congrats Mike - You guys Rock!!!

[joe90]

Happy birthday :D

Well done on an interactive and informative site, looking forward to the future with IIS.

Regards
Joe.

[Dennis G]

onrets for a magnificent effort. The help that members provide is terrific! Thanks to you and all who contribute. May there be many more years ahead.

[dobmeister]

Many Happy Returns to you @ IIS!
Sorry I can't indulge in any of your events in Oz from here in cloudy UK but I dream along with you in the small hours @ my computer.
I must admit that I'm no "poster" nor do I read many posts either but I like to peruse the projects and articles for snippets and tips as I endeavour to complete my 10" homebrewed Dob. I'm about 11 months into the project and in the first makeover, wrestling with my version of a poor man's Crayford; but I'm getting there:).
Keep up the good work.

Kind regards from here in Worcester in the UK on a moonlit cloudy night that's about as bright as a normal, overcast day!

Bryan

[spikeface]

happy birthday iceinspace! many thanks for all the help i've gotten off this site and the boards...

[Starbuck]

Happy belated birthday IIS!! Sorry, have been sick and then busy with work. I still love this site though :)

[GrampianStars]

L.O.L :rofl: still in nappies Mike
full of energy though
and enjoying the ride