Darran's Astronomy
| History | ||
| Observing Projects | ||
| Astro Photos | ||
| My Society, CaDAS | ||
| Memorable Moments | ||
| Planned Future Projects |
| I’ve been an amateur astronomer since I was six years old, that’s more than a quarter of a century ago. My fathers old copy of ‘Norton’s Star Atlas’ caught my eye, with that and a little encouragement my interest blossomed. I quickly graduated from a pair of 8x50 binoculars to a 60mm refractor. I have a very fond memory of my first view through that telescope, it was a hurried and rushed attempt to catch a look at the moon in a bright blue morning sky, just before I had to leave to go to school. That pale blue, washed out, but detailed view of the crater Copernicus was a thrill I’ve never forgotten. I suppose I was about 8 or 9 then, young and enthusiastic, my interest in the subject flourished. |
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By the time I left junior school I was writing essays on subjects like galactic structure and comparing the different physical characteristics of the planets. Realising my interest was now unlikely to fade my paternal grandparents invested serious money in a Vixen 4 inch refractor. At 10 years old I was awestruck by this 'monstrous' telescope towering over me. But I tamed the beast, and in the following years upto me going off to university I got a lot of mileage out of that wonderful instrument. I can remember being able to find almost anything with it, and the joyful simplicity of simply swinging the thing around the sky. In 1982 I was awarded with the title of Cleveland Astronomer of the Year, at the time I was the youngest to receive the prize, and in 1985 during a public observing session I helped over 400 people to see Halley’s comet. |
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Then in 1987 I went to university to study Geology and my devotion to astronomy took a back seat to study (well, being a student!). My interest was still at a low ebb after I graduated and moved to London, of course this was not helped by the terrible light polution and having to work for a living. But it was during my time in London that for some inexplicable reason my love of the hobby was rejuvenated. Perhaps it had something to do with with the fact that I had fallen in love with my future wife at about that time, romance was in the air - and the sky. But with my view of the sky serverly hampered by the London glow, and my star hopping skills now a distant memory, I decided to buy a 7 inch LX200 so I could find things again. Now having moved to semi-rural Yorkshire I once again live under a star studded sky. I’m embarking on building my own astronomical instruments and I wonder if my own children will fall in love with the stars as I did as a young boy. |
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Last updated: 24th October 2002