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MawkHawk
sage
Reged: 08/23/09
Loc: SE Michigan, USA
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: Bigstar]
#5537084 - 11/24/12 11:28 AM
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Duck and cover...hahaha. I remember that there was a duck and cover song too. They taught us to duck under our desks in order to survive the exploding hydrogen bombs. They also told us to cover ourselves with wet newspapers...hahaha (Newspapers were paper documents that you could purchase and they had somewhat current news and information printed on them. They brought them right to your house daily or weekly...)
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csa/montana
Den Mama
Reged: 05/14/05
Loc: montana
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: Bigstar]
#5537092 - 11/24/12 11:33 AM
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As a young child in the 40's; my mom took us camping. We had no tents, simply used blankets on the ground. When it was bedtime, we'd be on our backs looking up at the beautiful, extremely dark skies, & point out this or that; not having a clue what we were looking at. I had no idea then, that scopes were even available!
I'm a late bloomer, only getting the telescope bug, when someone visited me in 2005, & brought along a 12" dob. One look thru that, had me hooked for life! I immediately ordered a Hardin 8" dob, and have never had one regret!
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desertstars
Reged: 11/05/03
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: droid]
#5537690 - 11/24/12 06:57 PM
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Tom; Mr. Olcott's Skies , was a great read, I loved the book. And it would fit right in with this thread, lol.
Very glad you liked it! 
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roscoe
curmudgeon
Reged: 02/04/09
Loc: NW Mass, inches from VT
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: csa/montana]
#5537710 - 11/24/12 07:12 PM
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When I was a kid, my Dad worked for one of those old-time factories that, every Christmas, gave each employee a turkey, and threw a party for all the employee kids (and their parents) They rented a hall, had a chorus/choir with a soloist or two, sang a bunch of seasonal songs and all, and at the end, lined the boys and girls up by age, and gave each kid an age-appropriate gift, normally something practical or scientific. Well, when I was perhaps 11, the boy-gift was Gilbert 3" reflectors. Now, this was all pretty amazing, because there were perhaps 500 kids, all of whom got something every year, they probably gave away 50 scopes that year!
Anyhow, it being a less-than-perfect scope on a less-than-perfect mount (way less than perfect) I managed to get the moon in sight pretty easily, Jupiter for a fleeting moment as it drifted through, and even once Saturn. Can't say as I was hooked, though. A neighbor kid, who was fortunate to grow up in a family that was 'comfortable', liked looking at the Moon in mine enough that he asked for one for his birthday....his parents bought him a 60mm Unitron..... sad thing is, he looked through it a few times, lost interest, stuck it in their basement, and soon took it apart so he could fry ants with the objective lens. Had I had an ounce of sense, I would have swapped him a BIG magnifying glass for that scope!
The Gilbert soured me on reflector scopes (I still don't own one) and not long after, I bought a decent spotting scope, which worked way better as a lunar/planetary scope. I was in my 30's when I got my first real scope. I still have, and use, the spotter.
Perhaps the coolest thing I saw as a kid was a bolide that was Kriptonite green, and plainly visible in broad daylight, fly clear across the sky. It's the only daytime one I've ever seen.
Russ
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bherv
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/10/06
Loc: WMass
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: roscoe]
#5537782 - 11/24/12 08:15 PM
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I was fascinated with space in the early 70's. Star Trek was my favorite show. When I was 10 in 1975 my father brought home a telescope from work. I remember seeing the moon through it and was amazed at seeing all the craters. I observed my first lunar eclipse in November that year. I bought some books through the scholastic book club at school to learn more about the sky. I purchased a 3" reflector from Sears in the late 70's and a Jason 313 60mm refractor in the early 80's. I did not buy my next scope until 1998.
Barry
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bremms
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 08/31/12
Loc: SC
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: bherv]
#5537988 - 11/24/12 10:41 PM
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It started for me in 70 when we moved to the country. Christmas 72, got a 60mm Sears scope. Loved looking at planets, doubles, brighter clusters and what-not. 1 1/2 years later I got an RV6. Used that one and for a good while. It was a great scope. Got a couple good eyepieces. That made a big diff. Funny, in 71 we had a 8" Tinsley Cassegrain in our house that belonged to a family friend. It was too heavy to move outside and was very "complicated". I do remember looking out the window at some stars one time. The field was narrow and I didn't really know how to unlock the axes. (8 or 9 years old). I do remember a massive, wonderfully made scope and it was VERY expensive at the time.
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jmandell
super member
Reged: 06/15/11
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: Paul Lannuier]
#5538060 - 11/24/12 11:45 PM
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I'm 15 right now. I am using a 12" dob and a nikon D700 on an astrotrac for astrophotography. My interests are in the faint nebulae and galaxies, right now I am working on the Herschel 400. I am also getting into the science aspect such as spectroscopy and variable star observing.
Being interested in astronomy has given me many new friends and volunteer opportunities. It has effected my future career decisions and schooling.
Overall I am thrilled that I am involved in this wonderful hobby.
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Startraffic
sage
Reged: 02/12/06
Loc: Lat. 39.143345, Long. -77.1748...
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: Mr Q]
#5538447 - 11/25/12 09:51 AM
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Mr. Q,
I can remember watching for the Mercury & Gemini capsules in Baltimore. My 1st "telescope" was a 3" f10 cardboard refractor on a sheet metal alt/az mount tubular legs, a plastic R&P focuser, .965" rubber EP's & 1.5x barlow. & plastic (nonbreakable) objective lens from Western Auto. You could barely see the moon but I did try. I swore I'd watch the Eagle land with that thing. Little did I know. Built plastic models of the Gemini, Saturn V, Lem, & Skylab.
I quit for a long time when I discovered girls, & cars & that a car could supply the girls. I got back to it about 20 yrs ago. I think it'll stick this time.
Clear Dark Skies
Startraffic
39.138274 -77.168898
518ft ASL
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csa/montana
Den Mama
Reged: 05/14/05
Loc: montana
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: jmandell]
#5538523 - 11/25/12 10:58 AM
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I'm 15 right now. I am using a 12" dob and a nikon D700 on an astrotrac for astrophotography. My interests are in the faint nebulae and galaxies, right now I am working on the Herschel 400. I am also getting into the science aspect such as spectroscopy and variable star observing.
Being interested in astronomy has given me many new friends and volunteer opportunities. It has effected my future career decisions and schooling.
Overall I am thrilled that I am involved in this wonderful hobby.
Congratulations! We are very happy to have a young person so involved with astronomy, here on CN! We look forward to your career decisions in the future.
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desertstars
Reged: 11/05/03
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: jmandell]
#5538545 - 11/25/12 11:16 AM
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I'm 15 right now. I am using a 12" dob and a nikon D700 on an astrotrac for astrophotography. My interests are in the faint nebulae and galaxies, right now I am working on the Herschel 400. I am also getting into the science aspect such as spectroscopy and variable star observing.
Being interested in astronomy has given me many new friends and volunteer opportunities. It has effected my future career decisions and schooling.
Overall I am thrilled that I am involved in this wonderful hobby.
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FirstSight
Postmaster
Reged: 12/26/05
Loc: Raleigh, NC
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: desertstars]
#5538745 - 11/25/12 01:39 PM
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When I was a kid astronomer, to view the Milky Way we had to walk five miles uphill in the snow both there and back. Our telescopes were made of the cardboard tubing from a paper towel roll, with a magnifying glass stuck into the end. Astronomers today have it so soft compared to how it was when we were kid astronomers...
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MikeRatcliff
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/12/04
Loc: Redlands, CA
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: FirstSight]
#5539739 - 11/26/12 02:00 AM
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I was fortunate to have a neighbor who belonged to the local astronomy club during my Jr High and High School years about 1968 to 1972. I pored over the book "Observe the Messier Catalog" by Holyoke. Beautiful descriptions.
Had a 60mm Sears refractor, costing a huge amount of money something like $70, helped by lawn mowing at $3-$4 per yard. Holyoke had a 3" and a 6" reflector in his Messier descriptions, and the 6" seemed like an impossible dream.
Had a long hiatus until 1996 after moving to a dark site, and to my surprise was still able to recognize constellations. Got a 6" and was amazed!
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desertstars
Reged: 11/05/03
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: FirstSight]
#5539924 - 11/26/12 08:23 AM
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When I was a kid astronomer, to view the Milky Way we had to walk five miles uphill in the snow both there and back. Our telescopes were made of the cardboard tubing from a paper towel roll, with a magnifying glass stuck into the end. Astronomers today have it so soft compared to how it was when we were kid astronomers...
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la200o
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/09/08
Loc: SE Michigan, USA
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: Mr Q]
#5540206 - 11/26/12 12:12 PM
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Edmund Scientific 3" reflector. Cost 30 bucks, an enormous sum to me at that time. I was 12 or 13 and really couldn't find anything except the moon, Saturn, and Jupiter. I also spent a lot of time looking at bugs circling distant streetlights. This took place in north central Wyoming and I sure wish I had those dark skies now!
Bill
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Meadeball
sage
Reged: 10/22/12
Loc: Midlothian, Virginia
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: desertstars]
#5540236 - 11/26/12 12:27 PM
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Wow, bherv and bremms, it sounds like many of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s had the same childhoods! I (who am 47 now) got bitten by the bug when I was 10, and received my first telescope, a Sears 2-1/2-inch newtonian ($19.97!), for my 11th birthday in March 1976. My first look through it was at the first-quarter moon in a daytime sky; I still remember the craters "boiling" along the rim and the blue sky around it. Then came Saturn that night, and I was forever hooked. Unfortunately, I found out later that week that the scope's eyepiece was plastic when I tried to project the sun and saw smoke coming up from my eyepiece, which now had a hole clear through it! That weekend I went back to Sears and used my savings to buy the $59.99 refractor that was on that same page above.
I used that refractor for about three years until my older brother and I purchased a used RV-6 together, and we kept that scope all the way through college (and I wish we'd never sold it now). The rest of the story is long and involves marriages, kids and various comings and goings of inactivity and activity. I'm back now with a Nexstar 102GT, and enjoying the hobby casually again.
bherv, do you remember the names of any of those books you picked up from Scholastic? My school participated in their program too and I bought several astronomy books from them. My favorite was a little pocket-sized book by Patrick Moore called, simply, "Astronomy."
Meade
Edited by Meadeball (11/26/12 12:28 PM)
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BigC
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/29/10
Loc: SE Indiana
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: la200o]
#5540339 - 11/26/12 01:44 PM
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Edmund Scientific 3" reflector. Cost 30 bucks, an enormous sum to me at that time. I was 12 or 13 and really couldn't find anything except the moon, Saturn, and Jupiter. I also spent a lot of time looking at bugs circling distant streetlights. This took place in north central Wyoming and I sure wish I had those dark skies now!
Bill
Saved change for months around 1970? to buy the Edmund 3" reflector for $30 .Used it to split a particular double star mentioned in a S&T magazine from the library. Met with father's hostility and mother's bewilderment;scope got sent back.Unsatisfying experience with small Dob trying to view Mars in 2003?
And another $30 3" reflector in early 2009 0r 2010,this time a Tasco with 1.25" eyepieces that I could finally see something made me feel like a kid getting his first good look!
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csrlice12
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/22/12
Loc: Denver, CO
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: FirstSight]
#5540356 - 11/26/12 01:55 PM
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When I was a kid astronomer, to view the Milky Way we had to walk five miles uphill in the snow both there and back. Our telescopes were made of the cardboard tubing from a paper towel roll, with a magnifying glass stuck into the end. Astronomers today have it so soft compared to how it was when we were kid astronomers...
You forgot barefoot....or were you one of those "elite" astronomers who had shoes? 
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Feidb
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/09
Loc: Nevada
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: csrlice12]
#5540544 - 11/26/12 03:41 PM
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When I was a kid, I trudged 20 miles uphill in the snow... oops wrong story!
My first telescope was a Sears 60mm refractor. I was obsessed with the planet Uranus, for one. Problem was I'd never heard of Sky & Telescope and only had the book I got with the telescope and the Farmer's Almanac to try and locate it. Finally, I discovered S&T and soon realized I'd never find that planet with such a small scope. However, there were other issues such as the small aperture, lousy eyepieces, wobbly mount and poor finder. I could find the moon, Jupiter and Saturn and that was about it. I even spotted the Orion Nebula once.
There was no club, and I knew of nobody else interested until a friend at high school mentioned his dad had a 12-inch telescope. I thought, "Ooh-wow! My scope is 15-inches long, so I wasn't impressed. He invited me over so I went to his house to meet his dad. He took me to his garage. When he opened the door and showed me that "little" 12-inch scope, I almost fainted. It was huge! Back in 1967, an equatorially mounted 12-inch f/7 scope was a monster.
This kids dad, Carl, became my mentor. A telescope maker, he inspired me to go for larger aperture. Since I couldn't afford a larger scope, I made one, an 8-inch f/9.44. I finished it in late 68. It opened up a whole new world. Deep sky became my goal. In the meantime, I found out my science class at Palmdale High School had a Criterion RV-6 and I became the president of the Astronomy club and used it all the time. All 3 of us club members met every week!
After high school I joined the military and was a solo observer for 20+ years.
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mjs
sage
Reged: 02/26/04
Loc: Northern Indiana
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: Bigstar]
#5540596 - 11/26/12 04:15 PM
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I was probably about 10 or so, which would put this in1967 or thereabouts, and while I didn't have a telescope my model rocket buddy Ed did. I would occasionally borrow it and just look around to see what I could see.
One night I stumbled across Saturn. I was in shock (still am, a little bit,) that I could see the rings, just like in the pictures! That pretty much did it.
Got my own telescope for Christmas, a year or so later. A cardboard tubed Gilbert 3" newt. Reflector with the metal mirror conveniently pre-rusted. Couldn't see a darn thing, to no great surprise. My next telescope didn't arrive till much later, so I'll stop here.
Mike
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csrlice12
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/22/12
Loc: Denver, CO
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Re: When You Were A Kid Astronomer?
[Re: mjs]
#5540628 - 11/26/12 04:35 PM
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Was about 10 or 11, so must have been '63 or '64. Bugged the you know what out of my parents for a scope. Got a 60mm Tasco scope from the local Radio Shack for that Christmas. Tripod was a joke and wobbly as all get out. The scope, however, actually had some pretty decent optics. The eyepieces werent the greatest, came with three, a 20someting Hyugens, a 12.5mm HR??, a 4mm Kellner, and a 2X barlow (all .965). Gave me my first views of Saturn and the moon. As life progressed (to a kid, that's about 6 months) other things happened; parents divorced, and the scope got forgotten...Now I'm approaching retirement, and just jumped back in a year ago. So I have come back to the hobby; luckily now, I can afford better "toys"; but I'll never forget those first views of Saturn and the moon...I'll probably no longer see skies as dark either.....
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