Javascript Disabled Detected

You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality.

CNers have asked about a donation box for Cloudy Nights over the years, so here you go. Donation is not required by any means, so please enjoy your stay.

Age Poll of Astronomers

Started by orion61 , May 07 2013 11:45 AM

«
Prev

Next
»

This topic has been archived. This means that you cannot reply to this topic.

363 replies to this topic

#176 newtoskies

Apollo

Posts: 1,441
Joined: 15 Jul 2012

Posted 12 May 2013 - 11:52 AM

47

Back to top

#177 TL2101

Surveyor 1

Posts: 1,968
Joined: 17 Sep 2010

Posted 12 May 2013 - 03:00 PM

58 years young.

Back to top

#178 ahan.tm

Sputnik

Posts: 30
Joined: 06 Jan 2013

Posted 12 May 2013 - 03:35 PM

14 - now 15.

Back to top

#179 stevew

Now I've done it

Posts: 6,952
Joined: 03 Mar 2006

Posted 12 May 2013 - 07:02 PM

52 and counting....

Steve

Back to top

#180 John Boudreau

Mercury-Atlas

Posts: 2,540
Joined: 06 Apr 2008

Posted 12 May 2013 - 08:23 PM

56. About 50 years in the hobby as my childhood neighbor was an amateur and I used to bug him for views of the Moon and planets.

I hope you were able to thank him...he deserves it... $:refractor:$

We met again at a fairly large party about 20 years later and had a short astro discussion. He was out of astronomy by then, but I was hopelessly hooked. He was surprised I stayed with it.

In those nights back in the 60's he was really more focused on my older sister anyway, so he was being especially nice to me back then. :grin:

When I was about 20, a friend got me to help his little brother with a new telescope. He stayed hooked, and went on to work as an engineer in radio astronomy at the NRAO (Green Bank and Arecibo) and now at ARO in Arizona.

Back to top

#181 Don Hall

Explorer 1

Posts: 57
Joined: 28 Nov 2007

Posted 12 May 2013 - 08:45 PM

I am 70 and have enjoyed this hobby for almost 61 years. Started with Criterion's 4" Deluxe Dynascope. Wish I still had it. Maybe one day............
Don

Back to top

#182 bumm

Soyuz

Posts: 3,504
Joined: 07 Jan 2011

Posted 13 May 2013 - 12:13 AM

63
Marty

Back to top

#183 mtymak

Mariner 2

Posts: 253
Joined: 16 Feb 2012

Posted 13 May 2013 - 02:07 AM

45

Mauricio

Back to top

#184 operascope

Mariner 2

Posts: 257
Joined: 03 Sep 2008

Posted 13 May 2013 - 10:39 AM

52

Back to top

#185 dpippel

Surveyor 1

Posts: 1,640
Joined: 05 Apr 2013

Posted 13 May 2013 - 11:20 AM

As a group we're an older demographic, to be sure.

Back to top

#186 Sorny

Viking 1

Posts: 810
Joined: 15 Mar 2012

Posted 13 May 2013 - 12:20 PM

I've got a Vette and like to look at the stars.

Apparently I have grown "old" before my time. :roflmao:

Back to top

#187 Zamboni

Apollo

Posts: 1,301
Joined: 03 Jan 2005

Posted 13 May 2013 - 01:09 PM

I'll be 30 a week from today.

Been doing amateur astronomy for 20 years. Unlike a lot of people who get into it at that age, it wasn't an amateur astronomer parent who got me into it.

Yup. Trekkie.

Back to top

#188 Bill Boublitz

Vostok 1

Posts: 127
Joined: 04 May 2013

Posted 13 May 2013 - 01:41 PM

55 yrs. Been into it since childhood, but unable to become active observer until the past 14 years.

Back to top

#189 Erix

Toad Lily

Posts: 27,717
Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Posted 13 May 2013 - 03:07 PM

44 and enjoying every year

Back to top

#190 cuivienor

Vanguard

Posts: 2,126
Joined: 06 Oct 2010

Posted 13 May 2013 - 03:58 PM

Happy birthday to all the posters who recently had or soon will have their birthday!

The latest data is as follows:
# respondents: 157
average: 49.1
standard deviation: 13.6

Amazing how the average and deviation have stayed basically unchanged since the first respondents!

Yannick

Attached Thumbnails

Back to top

#191 Starlon

Mariner 2

Posts: 285
Joined: 17 Apr 2006

Posted 13 May 2013 - 05:38 PM

68. Started 60 years ago, first scope was heavy duty, tank gunner's scope. Got it at a War Surplus store in Chicago.

Russ

Back to top

#192 philrod

Vostok 1

Posts: 142
Joined: 19 Jul 2004

Posted 13 May 2013 - 07:42 PM

I'm 75. Took several years of nautical astronomy when I was in my twenties, but didn't get my first telescope until after I retired. Great hobby, but can't seem to stay up past 11pm.

Phil

TV85
SV102ED

Back to top

#193 Vince Tramazzo

Ranger 4

Posts: 311
Joined: 21 Aug 2004

Posted 13 May 2013 - 07:50 PM

62 years old. Started at age 13 using a pair of 6x30 binos.

Back to top

#194 David Castillo

Mercury-Atlas

Posts: 2,730
Joined: 09 Sep 2006

Posted 13 May 2013 - 07:59 PM

I'm 62.25 years old and received my first scope for my 50th birthday- a gift from my kids, who were tired of hearing me padding around on the deck watching the constellations. I started 28 years earlier with an old pair of Sears 7X35's and now I have a 16" lightbucket to enjoy the night skies with.
-----
Dave

Back to top

#195 Taylor

Surveyor 1

Posts: 1,516
Joined: 10 Jul 2005

Posted 13 May 2013 - 10:03 PM

28 years young. Started when my parents bought me a department store 60mm Jason scope when I was 9 or 10.
Bought myself a Nexstar GPS complete with wedge and AP equipment as a graduation present from college, and got into grad school shortly after and sold it all.
Now here I am out of grad school and having my first house built and am now planning out the design and having approved, my 6x8 roll off observatory.

Back to top

#196 Carol L

Cosmos

Posts: 8,437
Joined: 05 Jul 2004

Posted 14 May 2013 - 12:06 AM

I'm 60 going on 14 :grin:

and have been interested in the night sky all my life, but had to leave it on the back burner until 1998 - the year I turned 46. I actually started out looking for a good spotting scope to use while long-range nest watching (Eagles, Hawks and Osprey). Lucky for me the ETX 90RA turned up in a search list, so I got one and used it day and night. It's still used for nest-watching, and also for white light solar observing and it's my grab'n'go lunar scope. Those little Maks sure give nice views!

Back to top

#197 Smittty692k4

Apollo

Posts: 1,456
Joined: 05 Jul 2011

Posted 14 May 2013 - 07:03 AM

27 Years old.

First book I every remember with pictures was a book about the solar system. (around 5 or so)

Bought some 10x50 binos about 6 years ago, 8SE 2 years ago... and deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole from there.
My son loves it as well, says he wants to work for NASA.