Newbie astronomer - a big hello from Nick E

[Nick E]

Well it's now the morning after and I'm knackered 'cos I only had 4 & 1/2 hours kip last night but I had a great evening and couldn't be happier. I was made to feel really welcome and everyone was keen to help and to show me some of the sights I had been missing. It was this as well as actually seeing new things which made my evening a really memorable one.

The haze soon cleared and (with lots of help) I saw more last night than in all my previous observing attempts rolled together! I saw the globular cluster M13 in Hercules, the Ring nebula, the Dumbell nebula, the Triffid and Lagoon nebulae, and a quick glimpse of the Duck nebula, NGC2359. And the Milky Way! The last time I saw the Milky Way was around 25 years ago! I also learned that I really need a red dot finder as when your binoculars, telescope and finder all show images in different orientations it makes star hopping a bit tricky. I would never have seen the things I did without all your assistance and it has fired up my enthusiasm no end. I now know my telescope is capable and my eyes aren't faulty! I also have a much better idea of what to look for in the eyepiece in future which I think will give me a better chance of actually seeing an object when it's in the field of view where I may have missed it before.

I won't be able to make Fridays imaging session and then I'll be on holiday until month end but I'll definitely be along again and I hope to meet up with you all in August.

Thanks again,

Nick.

[Mike]

I am also knackered after getting up at 5.30 and not gettign home till 12.30 last night. But it was worth it as it was the best sky we've had at an observing session for quite a few months now.

Nick, Dunc and I were even priviledged (after everyone else had left) to see the NOSS triplets (only 2 visible) pass over. Well at least I presume they were NOSS as I haven't checked heavens-above.com yet. There were two satellites about 1 degree apart that travelled in unison together across the sky.

Glad you enjoyed the night Nick and also glad we could be of assistance to you.

Look forward to seeing you again in the not too distant future.

[JohnP]

to see the NOSS triplets

Now... what were they doing at High Elms at that time of night all by themselves.....

[Mike]

Well that's between them and the 3 of us that were there. No photo's i'm afraid

[JohnP]

ha..... Guess it explains this....

I am also knackered

[Mike]

 

[Tony G]

Nick,

Nice to meet you last night, and I hope this does encourage you to visit more, and as we were saying last night, Tuesnoad is next month and if clear, the skies are great, so try and get down.
On the issue of the NOSS triplets, are they the three OLD grannies that were fleecing you for drinks and pork scratching in the 'Change of Horses', because I actually thought one of them wasn't breathing and was being propped up in the middle by the other two, Who ended up with that one?????????
Another three now you'll have to care for!

Tony G

[The Thing]

Hi Nick, it was great to meet you, you are obviously keen as you stuck it out with Mike and I until the dew started making things unpleasant! I learnt a lot on Wednesday as well, absorbing a lot about where things are in relation to the stars. I have a GoTo scope at home and while it always finds objects it doesn't help you learn the sky.

Hopefully see you at the imaging session tonight, ask Mike for the address. Maybe the three NOSS grannies will make an appearance!

[Nick E]

Hello again Mike, Dunc, Doug, Rose, Tony, Fay, Ian, Carole, John and everyone else,

Well I said I'd be back... It's only been 10 months since my one and only visit to you! I hope you are all well (Carole, I'm sorry to hear about your accident at the hands of a reckless cyclist - I hope you're on the mend. As a cyclist myself I can only say were not all like that - cutting between a bus and the kerb at a bus stop is just stupidity beyond belief...).

My excuses for not being back since are that things have been manic for the last year with too many distractions and commitments to lure me away from thoughts of surveying the heavens.

Anyway my evening classes will be coming to an end in the next couple of months and things seem to be calming down a bit generally so the bug is beginning to bite again. It's strange, my astronomical urges seem to get stronger in the summer when the nights are shorter and my biking urges seem to grow in the run up to winter - I think I've gone a bit wrong somewhere...

I see there's an observing session on the 19th and the DSC on 22nd to 25th. I'd love to make one of these - it may not be possible but if I can I will - Perhaps I'll see some of you soon.

In the meantime clear skies to you all...

Best regards,

Nick.

[Carole]

Welcome back Nick.
Thanks for your kind words.

I am not sure I actually met you last year but we did converse by E mail.  I am going to the Imaging session tomorrow thanks to Doug and Rose as I can't drive yet, and again thanks to D&R am hoping to make it down to DSC for a day, so hope to see you at one of them.

You'll recognise me, I'm the one who can't do much with their right arm at the moment.  Do introduce yourself.

Carole

[Mike]

Nick - Hope to see you soon. Please pop on down to the DSC, even if you're not going to stay overnight you can come down for a visit at least.