How long have you been observing?

[Sonia]

I started when i was 7 when i started with a little tasco telescope for the moon.
Have been observing for near enough 13 years.

[yagon]

1 month with a telescope. 3 months with binoculars. 34 years with my eyes.

I guess that makes me a newbie.

[Rodstar (Rod)]

Since January 2005, so less than 2 years for me. Great hobby, love it more and more as my bank balance gets less and less.

[RAJAH235]

Like a few others, I got interested in 1986 when 'Halley's' comet was a really big event. Bought Tasco 114 EQ soon afterwards for a starter & managed to see the impact sites of 'Shoemaker-Levy 9' on Jupiter in '94. Been observing & learning ever since. Joined a local Society in '95, left after a while, n started the W.A.A.C.ers with a few other interested folk in April '99.
A great experience in 'learning & teaching' in this fascinating hobby. L.

[astroron (Ron)]

I had my first view of Saturn through a 50mm spotting scope in Malaya in 1966,then along with watching a recording of man landing on the moon on TV, (I did not see it live as I was listening to it on radio from a jungle dropping zone) in 1969, I had lots of interest in astronomy but did not follow up.
Bought my first scope in july 1986 and have been an active observer ever since.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Originally Posted by astroron

I had my first view of Saturn through a 50mm spotting scope in Malaya in 1966, along with watching man landing on the moon

man that must have been some 50 mm scope Ron and three years before it actually happened. wow they don't make scopes like that anymore.

I've had a little 60mm scope for probably 35 years for casual viewing and I'm still surprise by the night sights I saw through it. I learnt where Jupiter and Saturn were from a very young age and used to look forward to finding them when they reappeared each year. i think I was about 14 when I first saw a crescent Venus. But I really lost it about two and a half years ago. That was when I realized my bank account had a terminal disease.

[avandonk]

My first memory is standing next to my father watching Sputnick pass over Melbourne, He explained to me the physics behind it's ability to move as it did. I did not quite understand (OK I did not at all understand). He gave me his WW2 binocularrangefinder (you could see over your cover without getting your head blown off type) They were marginally better than the naked eye at night. I soon moved on to a pair of 'modern' binoculars.
In the seventies finally got around to building an 8" F7 Newtonian.All was built by my own hand!
So all in all about fifty years. I am still trying to get better and understand a bit better.
I still dont need a go to. I need a cloud go away!
Bert

[toetoe (Peter)]

Been observing for just over twelve months but have wanted to do this for many many years.

[mickoking]

I have been observing since late 1980 ( I am currently 36 years old) My first telescope was a Tasco 60mm refractor with a variable x15-x60 eyepiece. It was a piece of crap. It had no finder. The focuser was broken with in days of purchase and the tripod with in months. But with that scope I had my first views of M42, Jupiter and Saturn and it got me hooked on this great hobby for life.

I didn't start making a log of my observations until the 20 May 1995 when with my trusty Meade 200mm Starfinder 'carboard' Dob observed NGC 4755, Jewel Box in Crux.

[Robert_T]

off and on since I was 15.... that would be "since Galileo was a boy" on the rating scheme above

[Terry B]

Dear All
I am new here but have been interested in Astronomy for about 10 years. I moved to Moree from Newcastle about then and was dazzled by the beautiful dark skies. I decided to buy a scope and bought an ETX90. I then wanted to learn more so enrolled in the Master in Astronomy(AIM) that was being offered at UWS. This gave me lots of exposure to the more professional side of astronomy. I learnt how to reduce data from the ATCA and helped produce a paper published in MNRAS. Since then I have bought a vixen VC200L and built a Genesis CCD and have taken quite a few pretty photos.
My interest has waxed and waned with work commitments since then. I have recently moved to Armidale and joined the local astronomical society (UNENTAS). This has given me my first contact with other amateur astronomers and I encourage others to do the same.

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

2 months ago (74 days to ge exact) at the end of January 2006. I've fast pace a little with the help from users here and plenty of reading . I'm proud to be a newbie. I think I'm the newest here in the hobby itself.

Funny I just searched my first post here asking alot of newbie questions and it was just 2 months ago.

Always passionate about astronomy since I was a kid. Before then, don't even know the difference between a refractor/reflector and collimate what? The current telescope i'm using is my first never had one previously.

You guys can't really compare my knowledge with your 20-30 years experience now can we lol.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by EzyStyles

2 months ago (74 days to ge exact) at the end of January 2006.

Very impressive considering that you're our resident DSI imaging expert

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

Originally Posted by Starkler

Very impressive considering that you're our resident DSI imaging expert

Thanks for your comment Geoff. Just trying my best and learning heaps. More like my second job

[danielsun]

Hey Eazy, I agree, you have come a long way in such a short time!!!
Well done!

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Originally Posted by astroron

I had my first view of Saturn through a 50mm spotting scope in Malaya in 1966,then along with watching a recording of man landing on the moon on TV, (I did not see it live as I was listening to it on radio from a jungle dropping zone) in 1969, I had lots of interest in astronomy but did not follow up.
Bought my first scope in july 1986 and have been an active observer ever since.

Well Ron,

An old timer like you will be one of the few around that remember that magnificent naked eye comet of 1970, Bennett's Comet. This is what got me started as an 11yr old. Been in and out of the hobby many times since that wonderful comet of 1970, some returns have been more serious than others.

Fortunately even during my periods of inactivity, I took note of what was going on in the astronomical world, so I have seen all the memorable events since 1970. These include Haley's Comet in 1986, Supernova 1987A in the LMC, Comet Shoemaker Levy 9 impacting Jupiter in 1994 and a couple of others less significant.

CS-John B

[fringe_dweller]

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

. These include Haley's Comet in 1986, Supernova 1987A in the LMC, Comet Shoemaker Levy 9 impacting Jupiter in 1994 and a couple of others less significant.

CS-John B

does less significant include, ..Comet Hyakutake at its best, from very dark skies, in 1996, and the last aussie total solar eclipse in dec 2002 in SA, the awesome long duration total lunar eclipse of july 2000, the peak of the leonids fireball shower in 1998 (under dark skies), the leonids meteor storm in 2001 (under dark skies), the last solar maximum and resulting auroral activity? if so, I am impressed that these didnt impress you?
I saw Halleys in '86 and i didnt find it that impressive to be honest.

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Originally Posted by fringe_dweller

does less significant include, ..Comet Hyakutake at its best, from very dark skies, in 1996, and the last aussie total solar eclipse in dec 2002 in SA, the awesome long duration total lunar eclipse of july 2000, the peak of the leonids fireball shower in 1998 (under dark skies), the leonids meteor storm in 2001 (under dark skies), the last solar maximum and resulting auroral activity? if so, I am impressed that these didnt impress you?
I saw Halleys in '86 and i didnt find it that impressive to be honest.

I used the term "less significant" as a generalisation and listed only 3 items that quickly came to mind and items that newcomers may be able to assocaite with. I didn't "prioritise" my observing highlights. If I listed everything I looked at naked eye and with optical aid since 1970 that impressed me greatly, I would be here typing for a long time.

FWIW, I didn't find Haley's comet that impressive either, a lot of a letdown IMO. It was certainly not in the class of Bennett's comet in 1970, or Hyakutake or Hale Bopp in 1997. The only reason I listed Haley's Comet was that several prior posts indicated it was the thing that got them started in the hobby. In addition newbies and non astronomers can all associate with Haley's comet and know what it is/was. Ask a newb what was "Hyakutake" and the answers will range from a world war II weapon, to a modern computer game, some may even get it right

CS-John B

[astroron (Ron)]

You would be right John, a lot of people have never seen Halley's comet, and a few on this site will be alive to see it come around next time (count me out ,unless there is some form of elixer of life in the next few years) but they all know about it.
As you say if one was to count all the highlights of ones astronomical lifetime, we would be typing all night.
An idea for a poll!

[astroron (Ron)]

Have you noticed that us Old boys are leading the poll by a country mile