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Astronomy

Post 1

dim12trav

I am an amatuer astronomer from a long time ago. I built my own 10 " newtonian telescope back in 1969, while I was living in San Diego California. I am now living in Oregon and attending Willamette University. A few years ago I actually interviewed at the Very Large Array in New Mexico (didn't get the job).

With the weather Great Britain has, I sometimes wonder how they ever got an astronomy class interested. But I share your love of the stars. Check out this website for some wonderfull pictures of space It is the astronomy picture of the day.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html


Astronomy

Post 2

Cosmo-illogical girl

Thanks for your message. It's true that clouds often spoil the night skies in Britain but I seem to remember lots of frosty clear nights when I was a kid, so there were times when I could go out with a pair of binoculars to check out the constellations. In saying that I have always been more of an 'armchair' astronomer, prefering reading about the subject to going out into the cold.

The APOD website is really cool, its great for finding wallpaper for your comp I find!


Astronomy

Post 3

dim12trav

I remember reading about the English attempt to make apo-chromatic glass. Herschel and the Royal Astronomical society were shut out of the industry because the manufacturer refused to give (or even sell them) the formula so they tried desperately to find the solution never did though. They ended up buying French lenses instead of German.

There certainly is a long history in British astronomy. With your binoculars do you look for comets? or some other terrestial objects?


Astronomy

Post 4

Cosmo-illogical girl

Yep, the Brits have had an illustrious past in astronomy. Don't forget the Irish though. At one time Birr telescope in County Offaly was one of the biggest in the world (can't remember off the top of my head how big exactly) and Armagh Observatory is apparently the oldest continuously operating astronomy research centre in the world.

As for my own observations, I generally tried to find my way around the night sky by looking at any deep sky objects I could find (galaxies, nebulae or whatever) and of course the planets. What are your favourite objects for observing?


Astronomy

Post 5

dim12trav

Actually my favorite object was the moon. However I did a series of drawings of Jupiter and Saturn just for myself not publication. (Must remember this was back in 1968/9)

Yes I've read about the Irish and their love of knowledge. Appearantly they saved the catholic church by preserving many documents and then not given the credit for it. That may be the start of a long series of disrespect they have experienced.

I have friends here that visited Ireland earlier this year. They went to Northern Ireland and saw the book of Kells among many other things. Unfortunately I have not had the pleasure of making this trip.


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