5 replies to this topic

[grif 678]

Hope this is in the right forum, if not, the mod can move. But I am going back 60+ years, summer is about gone, no more working in the fields after school. Getting dark earlier, and most of all, it is about time for the Sears Christmas Wish Book to be coming in the mail. Excitement is starting to increase daily, as I know it will not be much longer, to see if I get a telescope for Christmas. I see the classic Sears ones in the catalog ( did not know back then that they would be such classics ). My friend at school has a white one, learned later that it was a 114 unitron. neither one of us knew what that scope would be worth one day. They will be putting Christmas stuff up in the stores shortly, I can go and see what I can find there. These are the exciting days, if I get a good one, maybe I can see some type of life on one of the planets ( high expectations back then ). Well, as the days go by, the excitement will increase to the point that I will be so excited by Christmas, that I will be a nervous wreck, hope I do not get disappointed.

When we did not get much of anything during the year, kids back then really looked forward to what they got at Christmas. Now many kids get so much during the year,  Christmas does not mean a lot to them like it did us. Weren't we lucky?

[DouglasPaul]

Weren't we lucky?

Yes.

[gstrumol]

I was very young when I got a telescope for Christmas as well. It was a Newtonian, probably around a 3" or so. My first views were of the moon from inside the house through a window. It wasn't very good, but then I took it outside and - wow!

 

Another day, I tried to view the sun using a screw-on "sun filter"! (remember those? Thank God they aren't made anymore). The sun cracked the filter and I heard the sound before I put eye to EP. So lucky! And now the majority of my viewing is solar: WL, Ha, and CaK 

[Bomber Bob]

Easy for me to get nostalgic in October... even at The Swamp.  I'm not from Here... I grew up in NE Alabama, about 10 miles north of Mt. Cheaha (highest elevation in the state), and though Fall is a short season down South, we almost always had an Indian Summer up there.  In fact, if I really want to tug my own heart strings, I'll play Poco's 1970s hit, Indian Summer, while driving up & down & round & round those hilly roads -- especially State Highway 9 (a long scenic road that bikers love, too!) during The Fall.  All those gold & red & neon yellow leaves covering the ancient hills... Really is breath-taking -- especially when they contrast those dry & very dark blue Fall skies!

 

Fall of 1978, I'd rush home after school, pulling those curves like Mario Andretti -- couldn't wait to get my 1978 Tasco 15K (TOWA 339 w/ RA Drive) set up in the back yard -- at the top of our 1800' ridge-line.  I was awarded my first "serious" refractor in April at the Rich's in Atlanta, which made it even more fun to use!  That scope showed me so much in our 10 years together...

 

[Clears Throat]

 

Can't believe 45 years have zipped by!  My Tasco 15K is long gone, but I passed it on to another young star-gazer; and, AFAIK, it's still giving sharp views to someone, somewhere...

[Bomber Bob]

Another day, I tried to view the sun using a screw-on "sun filter"! (remember those? Thank God they aren't made anymore). The sun cracked the filter and I heard the sound before I put eye to EP. So lucky!

 

Yes!  Same thing happened to me back around 1980...  Had the Tasco tracking the Sun, got distracted, until a LOUD POP!!! came from the diagonal, and white light shown.  Very Glad that I wasn't using it when the explosion happened!

[DouglasPaul]

Easy for me to get nostalgic in October... even at The Swamp.  I'm not from Here... I grew up in NE Alabama, about 10 miles north of Mt. Cheaha (highest elevation in the state), and though Fall is a short season down South, we almost always had an Indian Summer up there.  In fact, if I really want to tug my own heart strings, I'll play Poco's 1970s hit, Indian Summer, while driving up & down & round & round those hilly roads -- especially State Highway 9 (a long scenic road that bikers love, too!) during The Fall.  All those gold & red & neon yellow leaves covering the ancient hills... Really is breath-taking -- especially when they contrast those dry & very dark blue Fall skies!

 

Fall of 1978, I'd rush home after school, pulling those curves like Mario Andretti -- couldn't wait to get my 1978 Tasco 15K (TOWA 339 w/ RA Drive) set up in the back yard -- at the top of our 1800' ridge-line.  I was awarded my first "serious" refractor in April at the Rich's in Atlanta, which made it even more fun to use!  That scope showed me so much in our 10 years together...

 

[Clears Throat]

 

Can't believe 45 years have zipped by!  My Tasco 15K is long gone, but I passed it on to another young star-gazer; and, AFAIK, it's still giving sharp views to someone, somewhere...

Alabama really is a beautiful State, it took me off guard my first time there. I really wasn't expecting it and had no idea.