New Member saying Hi!

[Garrybk]

Hi
My name is Garry. I only recently joined IIS. I've had it book marked as a favorite for a long time. I'm 58, but didn't get my first telescope until I was past 50. I've always had a interest in space. But as a kid I didn't have the money or family life that encouraged me to build a telescope. As an adult I along with my wife raised three boys. I was enlisted in the military so with the expence of raising kids there was no spare money. Every year I would take the local Boy Scout troop to summer camp, and I always bought a planisphere in hopes of learning the constelations. Finally a few years ago my wife bought me a telescope from Wal-mart for Christmas. I thought it was great. But i quickly learned it was junk. But it got me started. i then bought an Orion XT8, Now that is a TELESCOPE. I started getting books, joined an Astronomy club. I have since upgraded to an xt10i. I also have a Sky-Watcher 102mm refractor, Starblaster and a 1960's Sears 60mm refractor.
My home is in Mountain Home, Idaho- which is in the North Western United States. And although we are a hemisphere apart this a great Astronomy website and I appreciate being able to belong.
Mountain Home has only 12,000 people in it, but I and some friends are putting on a star party Sat for the 100 hrs of astronomy as the local Soccer park.
Thanks For letting me be a member of such a great web site

Garry

[astroron]

G_Day Garry and welcome to iceinspace :welcome: I hope you enjoy you stay, and contribute some observations from the good old USA:thumbsup:

[[1ponders]]

:welcome: Garry. It's always great to have someone come Down Under from Up Over. ;) :hi:

[erick]

Hi there Garry! :welcome:

[sheeny]

:welcome:to IIS, Garry!

Al.

[Jen]

:gday::gday::welcome:to IIS Gary
Grab a chair and surf the forums theres lots of great reading and awsome pics getting around this site :lol: see you around :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Baddad]

G' Day Mate,:)
Marty's the name, party's the game.

I was recently in the USA, Arizona, Nevada and California. (Jan-Feb 09)

My son, Andrew is in the US Army. Pschologist at Fort Huachuca.

:welcome: to the IIS site. There is serious stuff to learn, help available or some fun.

Look out for the Orion Slave Girl. Turns everything green, like my dog. Also will take your toys.

I was in the military for 20 years. Electronics Tech. Various places around I met some of the USA Army techs. Swapped info and spare parts, generally helped each other in different ways.

This IIS site is kind of like that but on a much broader scale. It also covers virtually the entire world. :earth: What impressed me when I joined in late Feb 09 was the professionalism in the developement and design of the site.
Enjoy it like I have.;)

[norm]

G'day Garry and welcome to the forum :welcome:.

Us Aussies are a weird mob down here.:screwy::nerd:.

[Baddad]

Hey, Me again.:):hi:

You're not wrong Norm, Us Aussies are a weird mob down here.:nerd::screwy:

In the '50's An Italian Fella', by the name of Nino Culotta, arrived in Sydney.

His book, "They're A Wierd Mob" was a real hit. A clever comedy of the lives of a limited cross section of Aussie middle class.

Language contained in it, like, "Smack us in the eye with another lump of dodger, thanks." It typified how middle class communicated.

Translation: Pass over a slice of bread.:lol:

It was made into a movie in the 60's. Brilliant stuff in its day.

I would like to obtain a copy and send it to my Daughter in Law in Arizona.


Cheers Marty

[Terry B]

Nino Cullotta aka John O'grady wrote quite a lot of similar books (Cop this Lot etc). I read them years ago. I'm sure they would still be available.

[Baddad]

Hey Terryb,:)

Nino Cullotta aka John O'grady wrote quite a lot of similar books

Yes, that he did. I liked the one where he became a full time fisherman. Can't remember the name of the book.

He had something to do with "A Bottle Of Swandwiches." too I believe.

It was the story of two blokes travel around Australia in a car that refuses to proceed past a "rubbity" until its had a rest. Translation rubbity = pub or for our American friend, a bar.:D

Cheers Marty

[jjjnettie]

Welcome to IIS Garry!

[Liz]

Yes, ditto on the big welcome to IIS. :)
Yep, let us know what you are observing over there too.
Good luck for the 100 Hours sessions :thumbsup:

[Ric]

Hi Garry and welcome to IIS

hope you have a great time here.

Cheers

[Inmykombi]

Hope you feel welcome Garry.

I would love to see a clear sky and the Stars from the Northern Hemisphere.

I once went to Japan for work but couldnt see the stars for the Pollution in the air. I was very dissapointed as I wanted to see the Constellations the " right way up ":whistle:

I hope you have clear skies there and I as well as others down under here, look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers.

Geoffro.

[garyp]

Hi Garry,

:welcome: to IIS. It's a great site here. Good to have some northerners on board. How did your saturday night go for the 100 hours Astronomy? We had a really clear night for our local event here in Timaru.

Cheers

Gary:)

[Garrybk]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!! We had a great turnout for our 100 Hrs star party on Sat. night. We had about 60 new people show up. We had a great time showing off the moon and Saturn to people to ooh and aww . It went so well that were going to have another Star Part the 25th for the New Moon. The Orion Nebula was also easy to show as it is bright and wasn't totally washed out by the moon. At 42 N Lat Orion is still very viewable.

Thanks
Garry
:)

[Baddad]

Hey Garry,:)

Its good to hear that clear skies exist somewhere. :)

Here, just N of Brisbane its been cloudy and for the past 2 weeks rain.:sadeyes:

I set my Schmit-Cass to view birds during the day. A Lorikeet tree hollow about 1100 yds away. (I'd promised the visiting Grandson). (Rainbow Lorikeet)
Even the 'Lorries' were not to be seen.:mad2:

He was fascinated at how well the nest site could be seen though.;)

Here's hoping for clear skies soon.

Cheers Marty

[Garrybk]

Marty
I have to admit that beyond the wealth of Astronomy information on IIS part of the fascination is the differences in culture between two english speaking countries. i know what a lorrie is, but had to look up the parrots. Just for the record I think its easier to relate with people in IIS than people from the East Coast, especially New York.
Here the weather clouds over around Thanksgiving (late November) and stays that way until about April. if I'm lucky I 'll get to stargaze 2 or three times between Nov and April. But I don't do it for long. There is something about watching the frost form on the dob while I'm looking. When it finally warms up enough at night it doesn't get dark until 11pm or later.
I intend to use my Sky-Watcher 102mm refractor as a spotting scope for my 30 year old son when he and I go on our fishing vacation this summer. he likes to look for BigHorn sheep. Of course I'll use it skyward after dark.
I do wish you clear skies at night and lots of parrots during the day.

Garry:thumbsup:

[Baddad]

Hey Garrybk, :)

Ref: Lorries, I use the term to describe Rainbow Lorikeets. I detected some confusion in your reply.

I intend to use my Sky-Watcher 102mm refractor as a spotting scope for my 30 year old son when he and I go on our fishing vacation this summer.

That sounds much like what I would enjoy as well. I happened to be visiting my 25 yr old son in Arizona Feb 2009.

We fished Palmer Canyon Lake. I bagged my first couple of wild Rainbow Trout. Tasty too.

What is so different about East Coast People? I've been to the West Coast twice. L A, Sacramento, Tuscon Sierra Vista, Los Vegas,to name a few. I've found people are very friendly and generous toward Australians.

Afro Americans included. " You are a guest in America, we buy the drinks for you." It happened several times when I frequented the odd bar.

My next visit to the USA I want to see NY and maybe Yellowstone Park.

I understand the weather must be starting to look better for you day by day, now, being April. Bring on Brisbane Winter.

Good to hear from you again.

Cheers Marty

[spearo]

Welcome aboard Garry
frank

[Garrybk]

Marty
Your right about my confusion about lorees. I spent a few years stationed in England in the 70's and thought you meant a truck. Possibly you might find this amusing but Australians are loved in this part of the world. Outback Restaurants are popular because they are Australion. Anyone on TV with an Australian accent can sell anything. Actors with Australian backgounds are very popular. Australia is very well liked by General Americans. Some of the popularity may be be a result a WWII and the great cooperation our countries seem to have always have . I live about two and a half hours drive from Yellowstone. After your visit to New York you can tell me about it as I have no desire to go. The eastern and western United States are Diametrically opposed philosophically. Calif and the east coast share common values and the rest of west , North West, and central States share similar values. Our Civil war of 100+ years ago only ended on the battlefields.
There are many wonderfull things in Australia both on the ground in the Sky that I would love to someday see. But I'm not sure i will ever make it.

Cheers
Garry
From up over:)

[Baddad]

Hey Garrybk,:)

I thought I might send some pix of the birds that I see often around my yard. We have 2 acres and some of the shots are in the yard.

The Magpies, Butcher Birds, Kookaburras I feed each evening. Also (some not shown) fed are Lorikeets, Pale Headed Rosellas, Sulpher Crested White Cockatoos, Corellas and Galahs. They all feed in turn in a pecking order.

[Baddad]

Hey Garry,:)
And some more

The Chick in the former post is a Masked Lapwing or more commonly a Plover.

[Garrybk]

Marty
I don't now if you'll read this because its been over a month. i really enjoyed seeing the pictures of birds in your part of the world. I was getting together some pictures of birds here in Idaho, when i got very sick. I rarely get sick. But I caught some sort of respitory garbage that really set me on my ear. If your still paying attention to this tread I'll post some pictures. We have lots of raptors here.

Garry
From up over

[Baddad]

Hey Garry, :)

Marty
I don't now if you'll read this because its been over a month.

I'm still here. Post away. Coincidentely on a past blog my pen name was T- Raptor. Long boring story behind it.
Looking forward to seeing your shots.

Cheers Marty