Think back, way back into time. What started your interest in the night sky, be it astrophotography or observing?
For me, it was Halleys Comet in the mid-80's. I clearly remember being in my late teens and lying on my back in our yard with my fathers old (and heavy) binoculars staring in wonder at the comet, and even on a second night climbing a hilltop in the dark to get away from the streetlights so I could get a better view!
Soon after, my father bought me my first telescope - a Hanimex refractor with an aperture of about 30mm, a focal length of about 400mm, and a short spindly plastic tripod - which by today's standards was of very average quality. But I didn't care - I had a telescope! And it got a lot of use, back in the day.
So what got you started? A book? A movie? Star Trek / Star Wars / Blakes 7? Or like me did you see something in the night sky that just hooked you?
Growing up in the country back in the 70's and seeing the Milky Way in all its splendour. My parents bought me a refractor telescope and a book on constellations (which I still have) when I was 8 and I spend many many evenings out on the verandah just browsing the night sky.
Seeing the Aurora Borealis overhead as a three year old back in Finland in 1960, I then spent many winter nights sneaking outside to view the auroral display much to my mother’s annoyance and worry as the temperatures were usually below -20C often as cold as -35.
Our toilet was in an outbuilding so it was a good excuse to get out in the middle of the night. I was always surprised that none of my six brothers shared my interest in the aurorae….
(I’m also the only one with frostbite damaged fingers, C’est la vie)
Location: '34 South' Young Hilltops LGA, Australia
Posts: 1,481
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.
An interest in space exploration for as long as I can remember, and thinking "I can do that" after seeing a few astro images.
It did take a long time to go from "I can do that" to actually doing it. I have to thank my GF for giving me the kick to actually get off my arse and trying it.
So what got you started? A book? A movie? Star Trek / Star Wars / Blakes 7? Or like me did you see something in the night sky that just hooked you?
Good question Warren!
What started it all was being drafted as the family photographer at parties when I was around 7 years old, using one of these guys..... a beautiful Canon QL25 rangefinder of yesteryear
I soon developed a love for photography and had to learn everything I could and lusted over all the top gear of the day: Canon F1, Canon FTB, Canon TLB, Nikon F2 etc, etc....
What really then hooked me, with that camera, was a long exposure (B) photograph of a lit cigarette sitting atop a brick wall. I was amazed that I'd turned night into day and it went from there. I then recall in my teens being on a cadet camp, marching in the darkest of night and being thoroughly amazed at the sea of stars one could see - truly amazing and the visual memory of it stays with me to this day.
Anyway a few years on now and the ability to afford the right stuff and being something of a collector made sure I was geared up. Also just like my Dad did with me, when he charged me with his Canon QL25, I've also had the immense pleasure of I believe, passing on the passion, when I took my first tracked astro image together with my son, Andrew quite a few years ago now .
Hi Warren. I got started seriously in Astronomy finally in 2019 at age 38 after a lifetime of admiring the night sky.
Many things had conspired against me devoting sufficient time to it before that growing up, school, work, marriage, having kids etc .. Finally in 2019 I bought a pair of 10x50mm binoculars, got a star chart and started learning the night sky. In 2020 I bought my first scope, a 10 inch dob and it's been a love affair with observing ever since!
I'm strictly a visual observer so all my spare funds are going to saving up for eyepieces, filters, more scopes and other visual accessories. I'm loving it!
I can kind of relate. I've gone from "I can do that" to "I can experience acute frustration trying to do that..."
Visual or imaging?
I recently spent 6 hours setting up and getting frustrated trying to image through two different models of the same Meade DSI cameras, one worked well with Sharpcap previously, the other required the dedicated Meade software and wouldn't work with Sharpcap. As I wanted to compare images between the first and second model I made sure I had the latest iteration of Meade software, took both cameras and laptop outside after setting up the mount and 8" RC only to have both programs somehow conflict and neither camera wanting to produce an image no matter what I did. I was beyond frustrated, packed up, brought it all inside and haven't taken it out since, constant overcast conditions and rain haven't helped.
Seven years old and our neighbors gave me a look at the moon through a 40mm refractor.
I was hooked and at eight my parents bought me a white Tasco 40mm Variable power 25x-50x refractor (made in Japan).
I've given it to my son now and my grandson will get to use it when he's old enough, family heirloom.
Once I had my Tasco, the only real views I got to see were the moon basically and bright stars because we lived in an inner Sydney suburb and LP was still an issue back then.
Started reading through the World Book Encyclopaedia about astronomy.
Especially Volume 4 - "Earth and Space" of the Childcraft series from World Book.
My love for Astronomy just grew stronger from there.
My first dob was a 4" Tasco back in the late 80s. Pretty sure that it came from Grace Bros. I had no idea how to set up the manual EQ mount and pointed it at the first star that I could see as night fell. It turned out to be Saturn. I was, and remain well and truly hooked.
Visual or imaging?
I recently spent 6 hours setting up and getting frustrated trying to image through two different models of the same Meade DSI cameras, one worked well with Sharpcap previously, the other required the dedicated Meade software and wouldn't work with Sharpcap. As I wanted to compare images between the first and second model I made sure I had the latest iteration of Meade software, took both cameras and laptop outside after setting up the mount and 8" RC only to have both programs somehow conflict and neither camera wanting to produce an image no matter what I did. I was beyond frustrated, packed up, brought it all inside and haven't taken it out since, constant overcast conditions and rain haven't helped.
Imaging. I've been an observer with various 'scopes over the years, and know my way around them fairly well. Imaging however... Backfocus is the bane of my life at the moment.
Imaging. I've been an observer with various 'scopes over the years, and know my way around them fairly well. Imaging however... Backfocus is the bane of my life at the moment.
I cut down my Tasco 17TR tube (80mm-900mm focal length) I'd bought new in 90 from a camera store when I swapped focusers. I was extremely hesitant to do it but got it right. It has a Vixen ED lens cell fitted. I put the Tasco focuser on a little 70mm unit I gave my sister when she was travelling, along with some expensive but useless .96" eyepieces.
It's either a series of long tubes or trying to get something in just that extra few millimetres, never just straight forward. In the past I've taken to wrapping a 1.25" nose cone in silicon repair tape and wedging that in the 2" focuser. It sort of worked with a light webcam.
All else failing I have several angle grinders here, lol.
I specialise in making zombie devices, bits of this and bits of that to get what I need when required. They should improve with a small lathe and milling machine I've long forgotten how to use, just like my TIG welder, just too long between uses (training at TAFE). I'll remember one day.
And it got a lot of use, back in the day.
Backfocus is the bane of my life at the moment.
