How long have you been interested.......

[heaven31]

in NLC's and astronomy (I'm assuming everyone here has a general interest in astronomy), and is it generally a male hobby?
Also what got you interested to begin with?

I ask the second question as I seem to be the only female on the forum so far lol.

I've been interested since I was about 14 years old and a teacher in school was telling the class about the constellations. I went to the library to find more about them and read an article about meteor showers. I started looking for more info and found that there was all kinds of things to be seen in the night sky and became very interested in looking for them. Back then, all I really had was books to find things out and I never really got to see anything as I just didn't know where and when to look. Then I got my computer in 1999 and all the info I needed was right there on the net I got to see my first meteor shower a few years ago and have seen several since. Comet Hale Bopp got my interest going even more, as did reading about the Northern Lights, then seeing my first NLC display last year. I'm 35 now and I've never been as keen to take my interest further as I am now, especially since finding a few forums around where I can find out more from other enthusiasts who share info with each other. I'm now thinking about buying myself a telescope and a good camera as I'd love to start photographing the things I see.

How about the rest of you?

Jo x

[lionleo]

:)Grandad Leo has been at this astronomy game on & off for 50 years and was fired up by living on a farm on the edge of the moors.Little or no light polution then as any illuminated roads were lit by gaslamps !
Observed aurora in the 1980 s as an adjunct to lots of meteor astronomy . My interest in NLCs was fired by the late Mike Gadsden via a BAA Aurora section meeting at Calton Hill (Edinburgh)in 2001.
Reference ladies and astronomy my own society has approx 10 % female membership. We have two lady chairmen of astronomical societies in our region which shows their ability to organise things and keep societies happy! I am an astrosoc secretary and our talks in some seasons can be up to 25% by female proffesional astronomers or a keen lady amateur.
Astronomy has both an aesthetic and a technical/scientific side and as far as I can see ( and would hope ) it should have an equal appeal to both sexes. More ladies please so long as the guys do not scare them off (bees around a honey pot )

[markt]

I got into the whole astronomy shebang a couple of years before Halley reappeared in 86. Had really dark skies back then Since then i've lived in several parts of the country, all with differing levels of light pollution Where I am now is the best i've had in over a decade but is not as good as I had when I started...

Followed last years NLC season, seen and heard about it periodically before that, maninly through www.spaceweather.com

I just wish I could get a positive sighting on this years season

[heaven31]

markt said:

I just wish I could get a positive sighting on this years season

Me too Mark, but really starting to think the airport lights are spoiling it for me

Jo x

[tmcewan]

Hi Jo,

I'm sure if you get into the habit of checking your northern horizon you'll soon detect some NLC. A strong display should be detectable from city centres and other light polluted areas. Quite a few were reported from London last year. Hope you don't have to wait too long before spotting some!

Tom

[martinastro]

Interesting thread and great reading about your backgrounds.

I would very much like to see more females in astronomy but I do think there are more involved now than ever before. The image of astronomy is changing for the better!

My astronomy interest began over a decade ago when I just looked up at the night sky one pitch black Winters night and decided that I wanted to put all the stars in the sky to memory. The next day I got a book from the library and began my quest on that very night which is still ongoing today. Hale-Bopp caused a radical surge in my interest and ever since then I took passionately to comet observation and comet hunting. My exposure to NLCs came during those bright pre dawn comet sweeps when I spotted strange glowing curls of multi coloured clouds above the horizon. I did not know what they were but they triggered something in my mind. It wasn't until I seen several superb displays in 2005 that I decided I was going to observe NLCs in a serious way and vowed that I would do my best to see and image every display possible throughout all the NLC seasons to come....and here we are today.

This page on my website delves into more detail on how I got into this fascinating hobby...

www.nightskyhunter.com/About%20Martin.html

[thundergod]

I dont have a keen interest in astronomy.I know bits and pieces like most people.My main interest is the weather and clouds.
I got my first ever camera in January after seeing all the fantastic pictures being posted on UKWW.So now I have taken an interest in that and photographing clouds and weather phenomena.