Leo76 has landed!!

[Leo76]

Hiya All,

I've been reading all the posts that have been submitted and I thought it's about time I join in on the fun!

So how did my obsession with astronomy start?!? Well, I've always been interested in it but to a reading level only (magazines, books etc.) Anyway, it just so happened that my work colleague Eric (erick) - I'm sure some of you know of him - was also interested and took my interest to another level, he also told me about this website!

I now actually own my own binoculars (again thanks to Eric) and we've gone star gazing a few nights (including Snake Valley). I'm hopeless at navigation so I use Eric as my navigator!

The experience is so different when you're actually seeing the planets, stars, galaxies etc. instead of pictures in a book!

Some highlights for me so far have been seeing Jupiter...and it's MOON'S, the Jewel Box, Orion Nebula, Saturn, the Andromeda Galaxy, seeing Tycho on the moon, Comet McNaught and believe it or not...seeing the Milky Way! Living in Melbourne is always too bright to actually see the Milky Way so I was pretty taken back when I saw it for the first time...I can't believe what treasures it holds!

Anyway, enough from me for now...you'll be hearing more from me as I discover more from the sky!!

Taking off...

Sandra (Leo76)

[Dennis]

Welcome aboard the good ship IIS!

Your intro title reminded me of the famous Apollo 11 words, "the Eagle has landed" when Armstrong piloted the Lunar Lander to a safer landing spot and landed with only 30 secs of fuel left. And, I think that 30 secs included the 20 secs of fuel required for the burn needed for the upper stage to blast off from the lower stage to rendezvous with Columbia in orbit around the Moon.

Glad to hear you are having fun in the hobby.

Cheers

Dennis

[chunkylad (David)]

Hi Sandra.

Have fun learning your way around our beautiful southern skies.

BTW, welcome to IIS!

Cheerrs

Dave W

[RB (Andrew)]

Welcome to IIS Sandra.

[erick (Eric)]

Welcome Leo76 !!!!!

Mind you, I could just call out "Welcome" and you'd hear me!!

This is Sandra (Leo76), acting as cheer squad, as we intently studied bushfire smoke and wondered what Comet McNaught might look like behind it.

[DobDobDob (Ron)]

Welcome aboard Sandra, erick has helped me a fair bit also, he seems a really good bloke. I have binoculars only at this stage myself being a relative beginner to observing, and I guess the first thing you will discover is how important the weather is to you - now that you are an observer. The clouds just kill the sport and lately in Sydney, it has been cloudy for ages. I hope you enjoy your new hobby

[toetoe (Peter)]

G'day and welcome to IIS Sandra, You will enjoy learning about the night sky with your binocs as well learning from all the IIS members so post away and enjoy yourself.

[Leo76]

Thanks for the welcome guys!!

I must say that comet McNaught really challenged my patience. I knew it was there but everything was going against me. If it wasn't the cloudy skies then it was the bushfire smoke!

Finally, one night (I think it was a Tuesday) I dragged my husband out of the house and we headed off to Mt Cooper (a location in the northern suburb of Melbourne). There were so many observers there waiting to see this spectacular. As we were all sitting there patiently scanning the sky, one of the observers got a phone call from a friend saying that the comet was visible, within a few seconds we all spotted the comet and then came the cheers and clapping from everyone...it was quite funny how excited everyone was! I think they were all relieved (as I was) that they finally got to see it...even my husband was excited (only because he spotted it in the sky before I did!!)

[toetoe (Peter)]

What a great sight it was Sandra, something to remember for the rest of our lives. Hope your husband doesn't hold that over you..

[ving (David)]

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Hi Sandra

Welcome to IIS - and good to see more women posting on the forum. Enjoy.

Cheers Petra

[astro_nutt]

Welcome aboard Sandra!!!..hope you'll enjoy your stay here..BTW erick was that photo taken at Mt Ridley???...cause it was vwery smokey that night!!
Cheers!

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by astro_nutt

..BTW erick was that photo taken at Mt Ridley???...cause it was very smokey that night!!
Cheers!

Yes, it sure was, astro_nutt.

See another one here with you and your 10" as part of the photo!

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...hlight=hunters

And here is the smoke you mentioned - the sun set soon after this, behind the smoke, but it was so filtered at this stage that we were able to look at it through binoculars with no discomfort at all.

[Ric]

Welcome to IIS Sandra

Cheers

[acropolite (Phil)]

to IIS Sandra.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Hi Sandra!!!

Glad you joined in here. Pity you didn't get to see much while you were up here at Snake Valley.
Stupid weather! But it was good to meet.

The whole sky turned to glass 5 minutes after you left revealing almost 10/10 seeing

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Hi Sandra,
Welcome to IIS.
Great to have another woman along for the ride.