My Hobby
How I Got Started
I always had an interest in astronomy, however, due to study and
work commitments time availability was a problem.
In early 2006, however, an opportunity arose!! When a working
colleague mentioned that he was selling an astronomical telescope,
which didn’t fit his requirements for terrestrial observing
pursuits.
Having investigated the specifications of the said scope, this
proved to be an exceptional deal, and within days, I was the owner
of a 3.7 inch, Soligor refractor telescope. An ideal starter scope
for my required viewing purposes.
The supplied 25mm eyepiece opened the “dark skies”
to me and within a short period of time I saw my first views of
the Rings of Saturn…WOW!!.. it looked like a Christmas decoration
hanging from the sky. Jupiter and its 4 Galilean moons were next,
as were a number of open star clusters….. I had caught the
bug!!!!!!
Following further research, I invested in a set of Antares eyepieces
(6mm, 9mm, 15mm, 20mm and 32mm), which facilitated experimentations
at a variety of magnifications.
Since then I have acquired more sophisticated eyepieces, filters,
cameras and software… for my Lunar, Solar, Planetary and
Cluster viewing evenings, so one thing is certain, this hobby
has the potential to be a bottomless pit where money is concerned.
However, due to the amount of viewing pleasure I have experienced
during clear skies, it’s worth every penny.
Next on the wish list………… A 10inch SCT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
