Introduction

[SimonTelescopium]

Hi, I'm a new user!
Been interested in Astronomy for many years, have a Physics degree, and have been attending weekly lectures on Astronomy for 15 ish years.

Interests:
General Astronomy, Physics, Maths, science in general, especially science the public can take part in.
Computing - programming - Mainly private astronomy software.
The Moon - this is more a forced interest because of the light pollution
Visual Observation - Imaging is to much like hard work

KIT:
12" Newtonian on an EQ6 mount - Broken The secondary fell off and hit the primary, been too upset to look at getting it repaired (re silvered and the damaged area blackened)
5" refractor (cheap meade, but with a fringe killer filter it's not that bad!)
80mm WO short foucs refractor
Classical Cassigrain (home made by John Wall)
6" Dob - under construction
Bino's - of course
Various Camera's filters, CCD's etc.

[JohnP]

Hi Simon,

Welcome aboard - sounds like you are a pretty accomplished/ experienced astronomer. Out of interest what astro s/w have you written?

Cheers,  John

[Rick]

Thanks, Simon. Welcome to the mad house. You should now be able to post in other sections.

[Mac]

Greetings simon.

Im sure you will fit in here,
we are a bunch of friendly mad astronomers,
Most of us have a serious drinking problem, but thats normally due to cloud cover, light polution, wind, rain
and anything else the uk throws at us.

as you can see from the last deep sky camps off licence trip.



Mac.

[Carole]

Sounds like you've joined the right Forum.  Wow!  12" Newtonian.  Hope you manage to get it going again, but looks like you're not out of action with all your other Scopes.

Are you planning to joint the society, or just the Forum?

Carole

[Tony G]

Welcome Simon,

What an impressive list of equipment. It seems like you will be inundated with requests now for helping out with software and software problems, you would get less bother if you had said 'I'm giving £50 notes away'. 

Anyway welcome to the OAS forum.

Tony G

[SimonTelescopium]

Thank you for your kind words and friendly comments, it has cheered me up (I have been complaining to Bexley council about their latest project to install brighter lights between Bexleyheath and Barnhurst stations their response it is all very depressing...
http://cmhas.wikispaces.com/cfds anyone living in this area and concerned could send an email to the Mayor...

let me answer some of those questions...

Just because I program doesn't mean I am any good at it! I just enjoy the challenge, like others enjoy a crossword, you can see some of my creations here...
http://www.itslifejim.btinternet.co.uk/DawesAstro/software.htm although I haven't updated this site for at least a year been busy on other projects.
The programs are written in a compiled version of basic which suits my mentality but isn't up to tasks such as image processing (that's what AIP is for, right.) but if you have a specific problem you are trying to solve and the problem interests me then you never know... Platforms supported are Windows Mobile, XP, Vista (I tried this for 10 days before chucking it away and going back to XP) W7 will probably work as well...

I was just joining the forum, the trouble is I think you meet on a Thursday and I have other commitments (astronomy related) on a Thursday and can't be in two places at once...

I have a drinking problem (this is getting to sound like AA) it involves real ale (Young's preferably).

I am organising a science project at the moment to measure the orbit of the Geminids (Sunday/Monday 13/14 December) the plan is to image the same area of sky at 4-5 locations over the night then by knowing the location of the camera and time of the image you can identify the same meteors on different images at different locations, then using parallax calculate the orbit of the object observed (sounds complicated but you simply set the camera on the tripod mount in a predefined location and click away) other can just sit back and count meteors for the BAA Meteor section would members of Orpington AS be interested in a joint project with Crayford AS?

It's just a bit of fun really the science is just to give the occasion a bit of purpose.

Anyway, thanks again for the comments, I will be at the Royal Institution tomorrow for Patricks 75Yrs as a BAA member if any of you are going I would be happy to be taken for a beer (Just ask for Simon from Crayford) - I'm not famous or anything! but I know a few of the BAA staff!
Clear Skies,

SimonTelescopium

[doug]

      All I can say is ......... WOW   

      Do hope to meet up with you some time at an observing evening or maybe a Meeting when you ain`t busy.

      Try a pint or two of Doombar or Tribute (Corninsh ales).  Yummy!!!!!

      Welcome to you.

      Doug and Rose.

[Daniel]

Hi Simon, wow, you really are an accomplished astronomer, I feel your pain with the light polution, im down the road from you in woolwich and even on the best nights the sky is orange.

anyway, welcome to the forum

Daniel
:O)