What's your name? Introduce yourself to IFAS!

Hi all.

I'm Jeff Young, a transplanted Yank. Married an Irish girl and spent the next decade going back and forth between Ireland and California. Woke up one morning to find the California house sold and all my belongings on a boat. I guess I'm here to stay....

So far, I'm mostly into the observational aspects of the hobby. I also enjoy the physics (I was a physics major at University of Michigan before dropping out and getting swept up in the desktop computer revolution).

I now live a bit north of Drogheda in County Louth and work for Adobe Systems (I'm an architect of the PDF format). Other hobbies include downhill skiing, historic building conservation, and I'm trying to learn the fiddle.

Cheers,
-- Jeff

Hi to all,

I was first hooked as a kid by my dad who took me out and showed me all the constellations and with the help of my uncles 10x50 binoculars I was an addict. For a long time I thought that 10x50s were the ultimate goal and did not know about telescopes. Anyway I went to University at QUB Belfast and got a degree in Geology.
I got a job working in Omagh and then got transfered to Portugal which had lovely clear skies. I saw my first daylight meteor on the way back from Arbeost to Montomor O Novo. It was fairly spectacular since it broke up into about 3 pieces as I watched.
I eventually ended up working in Africa for a Dublin firm and a mate bought me a book (which I still use) as a going away present. The Southern Cross was amazing, as was the Magellanic Cloud however I was most amazed by the fact that the Plough was upside down. At this point I decided that when I stopped living out of a suitcase and settled down I would buy a good scope.
I moved back to Ireland in 2000 and got married. In 2005 I turned 40 and that was my excuse to buy a Meade 10" LX200 GPS. I then did an OU course in Astronomy and Planetary Sciences and was awarded the certifaicate last year.
I have now moved out of Belfast to a fairly dark site and have started imaging. The set up needs some work but every minute out there makes up for missed years.

Kieran

Hi everyone,
My Name is Neil aged 24 and im from Cork. Ive just taken up astronomy....have been a discovery channel sofa addict for ages, and finnaly got up and bought myself a telescope. its not in no way top of the range but does the job. the weather has been quite bad since i got it , so have only had 1 or 2 good nights out with it!! My first object i took a look at was the moon, that first image...i knew id be hooked!! Have been doing alot of web searching for info and once im up and viewing regulaly i shall loads of questions for the bullition board.

So thats it for now...... talk to ye all soon...

Neil

"The universe is like a safe to which there is a combination, but the combination is locked up in the safe."
- Peter de Vries

Welcome Neil - glad you're hooked. If you've any questions or need any help, just holler!

By the way, maybe give the Cork lads a shout:

uk.geocities.com/astronomycork/

and join up. They have an observing session this cominf Friday night. You'll get loads of help and they'll look after you.

Cheers
Dave

Hi

I am fairly new to these boards so I thought I would introduce myself. My name is John O'Mahony and I have only recently taken up the hobby again after many years. I was hooked again after the excellent IFAS trip to Turkey in 2006. I was interested in the hobby form a young age. I still remember my first pair of binocular which I got for Xmas at the age of 13 looking at the skies over Bray Co Wicklow where I originally hail from( I still have the Panorama 10x50s). My interest drove me towards a career in the sciences and I studied physics and chemistry at third level. I moved overses for about eight years in which time astronomy took a back seat. It got rekindled again when I had the chance to study for a PhD in Australia and it was there that I bought my first telescope -a meade 2080B SCT. The skies down under are only incredible. I returned to Ireland in 1999 with my wife (whom I met in Australia) and have been in the Limerick area ever since. As I am hitting the big "40" I had permission to purchase a CGE 11 scope recently.
I am a member of the Shannon AC and am looking forwad to trying my hand at astrophtography.
During the day I work as an industrial chemist/manager. My other passions are fishing (any excuse to go out), travelling and music. I am currently working in my spare time to obtain a diploma in music performance by the end of the year.
My list of equipment includes 8 inch meade SCT, Orion shorttube 80; CGE 11 SCT 10x50 (x3) and 15x70 binoculars.I have been ordered to stop collecting!

John

Hi,

Just joined - not aware of this forum :oops: (must get out more!!)

Late 40's and interested for many years.

Have a fair chunk of armour including N11gps, 2 Refs and 2 Refls and other goodies. Have recently completed warm room and trying to get as much as I can remote (live under reasonable dark skys). As usual I'm considering growing a few more inches so some gear may go.

David