How long have you been observing?

[higginsdj]

I did a fair few years of Astro navigation during my Navy days (pre GPS navigation systems) but as far as serious observing goes, just 6 years for me.

Cheers

[§AB]

started off when I was 9 about 9 years ago with a 60mm Tasco refractor. When I saw that it could magnify 525x I was spell-bound and just had to have it lol

Then got a 4.5" newtonian about 7 years ago and recently got me a 10" dob.

[edwardsdj (Doug)]

My parents got me a pair of 6x30 binoculars for Christmas when I was about 7 or 8. I went on a school camp near the Somerset dam near Brisbane in 1982 when I was about 9 where we looked at the Moon through binoculars and saw Jupiter and Saturn though what I assume was a C8. I was hooked

I bought my fist telescope (a 40mm zoom refractor) from Kmart when I was about 10. It cost $20. I observed the Moon often with this one and saw the satellites of Jupiter on a few occasions.

My next telescope (an equatorially mounted 114mm reflector), also from Kmart, was purchased in 1985 when I was 12. It cost around $250 and I had to save my pocket money for over a year. Saw much with this and used it for over a decade before spending $2700 on a "Celestar 8" in 1999.

[duncan]

Hi All,
I've said less than a year because i live in the tropics. If i added all the clear nights over the last 10 years i'd still be under one year. Sheesh! must be time to move,LOL

[DJVege]

Although I picked the hobby up around 6 or so months ago, I've only really had a few days of actual observing!! Thank those *&$&# *#&*#&# *#&#*#& clouds for that!!!!

[Lyra]

Going on 11 years.

[Bunker9603]

I was just a small boy (6 years old) when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. He instantly became my new Super Hero and in December of that year my parents bought me my first telescope. I thought I was going to be able to see them walking on the surface. I remember that I had to wait a few days to use it because of the clouds. During that time I would drive my parents nuts asking questions about what else we could see besides the moon. I think I even asked my dad if I was going to be able to see god....lol.Finally the sky cleared and even though I could not see anyone walking on the moon, (or god for that matter) I was absolutely amazed by all the craters and the bumps that I later found out to be mountains.I have been hooked ever since.