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So who am I? By day I am a civil servant. By night - weather permitting - I am an avid amateur astronomer. My wife and children think that I am mad, after all, according to them who in their right mind would willingly stand outside in freezing conditions squinting down a telescope in the hope of glimpsing a fuzzy patch of light! I disagree, and argue that when you have looked at the rings of Saturn, studied the bands on Jupiter and split a difficult double star then you will appreciate what astronomy is about. Oh yes, and that fuzzy patch of light just happens to be another galaxy from where, who knows, another being may be looking back at our galaxy and trying to convince a sceptical family about his or her sanity!
My interest in astronomy started as a young boy when my father bought me a telescope. It was small, and cheap and although you could focus it there were no interchangeable lenses. But it sparked an interest that is still with me today. About five years ago I finally got around to buying myself a telescope - the one my father bought me is possibly gathering dust in some dark recess of my parents attic - and once more began observing the night sky. It was my experience, or rather lack of, when buying that telescope that has partly prompted me to set up this web site.
The telescope purchased was a Tasco 60mm refractor, commonly referred to, as I have since learnt, as a 'department store 'scope'. I was seduced by the offering of 'a powerful, high magnification telescope capable of up to 525x magnification'. With hindsight I would have done considerably more research into the subject, but at the time what did I know. However, luckily it proved to be quite a reasonable telescope with a good offering of accessories and lenses included in the package. Views of the moon were, for the size and price, excellent, the rings around Saturn clearly visible, as were the cloud bands on Jupiter and even the Orion nebula was within its range. An amusing story is that when I first set the 'scope up and found Saturn I rushed excitedly into the house and dragged my wife out to look at the rings around the planet. She peered through the lens and then went to the front of the 'scope a looked at it. I asked what she was doing and got the reply "Just looking for where you've tipexed this on". It took some convincing that she was really looking at another planet. It also produced surprisingly clear views of star fields and clusters such as the Pleiades. Despite this, it was still a 60mm refractor complete with the limitations of a small 'scope.
I soon began to outgrow the capabilities of the refractor and within three months of buying the Tasco I had acquired a Knous 114mm Newtonian reflecting telescope. This was a much better instrument as it had much greater light gathering abilities than its predecessor and was far better equipped. Because of this, and helped by a theoretical optimum magnification of 228x, more detailed views of the moon, Jupiter and Saturn were possible. More deep sky objects came within range and whole new subjects opened up to me. Traversing across the sky became easier as this 'scope was on an equatorial mount, unlike the Tasco which was on a very basic altazimuth stand. This telescope served me well for some time before this too was replaced a bigger model in an attempt to satisfy my desire to see ever fainter, further away objects as well as even more detail on the closer brighter solar system objects.
I now have a Helios Explorer 200mm Newtonian telescope and a Skywatcher 120mm refractor. The Knous 'scope was sold to help purchase the Helios, but the Tasco is still with me. Both the Helios and the Skywatcher telescopes produce absolutely stunning views of the night skies - the view of the planets being particularly magnificent. Fine detail can be observed within the clouds of Jupiter and through the Helios 'scope at 300x magnification on nights of good, seeing Saturn is a wonder to behold, with the gaps in its ring system clearly discernable. With the lunar and planetary capabilities of both 'scopes and the deep sky grasp of the Helios I feel that now have equipment that I will not outgrow as quickly as previously, and will give me much pleasure for some years to come. As time progresses I hope to add a review of both telescopes to the web site, along with photographs taken through them - although that is an undertaking and a separate item in its self.
Stop Press. I have just bought a Meade LX90, complete with UHTC coatings, Autostar controller and field tripod. A review will follow once I have had a few months use out of it. Regrettably, due to space and monetary consideration the Helios has now been sold.
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