[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

Going with family to my uncles fruit farm in the Stanthorpe region during the 1970's from as early as I could remember. Couldn't believe how dark the sky was and how many stars.

My interest really turned into obsession in 1978 when a maths teacher at my high school started an Astronomy Club. The school bought a 4" Unitron and the teacher built an 8"f6. I began grinding the mirror for my first telescope - a 6" f7.

I joined the AAQ and the Amateur Telescope Makers of Qld. About 2 years later, Aug 1980, mirror ground, polished, figured and coated and a whole lot of machining and construction skills under my belt from making the mounting and OTA components.

Astronomy has had to take a back seat at certain times when life & work got in the way but I've always maintained my interest even if I didn't have time.

The 6" is a beautiful visual scope, still in regular use today along with an 18" dob (AKA Guinevere, built by Rainmaker) and a Vixen VC200L.

I'm now retired and living out in the country under beautiful Bortle 1/2 skies, 30km from the nearest small town (Young) and making up for lost time. The night sky picture with the forest of scopes was taken one night when I had 7 friends come up for the weekend, big 5 br house can accommodate up to 12 people. My 18" and 6" are the two foreground scopes.

Cheers

Joe