Who’s who
| Director: Callum Potter |  The Deep Sky has always been my main passion in astronomy. Whilst I have always enjoyed casual views of the Moon and planets, I would not say I have been an ‘observer’ of these objects, never really paying them the attention that others do, and maybe deserve. I would like to think of myself primarily as a Deep Sky ‘observer’ though – and principally a visual observer. Whilst I have tried out some simple wide field astro-photography in the past, and still do dabble from time to time, I find the simplicity of visual deep sky observing very alluring. Going out on a clear night with a Dobsonian telescope, a couple of eyepieces and a printed chart – this is all you need to explore the universe around us. Perhaps it’s a reaction to a high-tech day job, going low-tech in one’s hobbies. Of course many in the section will be interested in ‘high-tech’ imaging and processing – I can talk that lingo too! And we have many experts in the section, so if this is something you want to get into, we are here to help.
I would also like to encourage all members of the Association to contribute to the section. Don’t feel it is just the remit of those with large telescopes, or expensive imaging equipment – whatever you have you can make a contribution. What is important is to observe, and to report your observations. Whether these are textual, sketches, or images – all are equally valid. |
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| Assistant Director: Jonathan Blake | ||
| Variable Nebula Coordinator: Nick Hewitt |  |
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| Double Star Adviser: John McCue |  |
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| Supernova Search Coordinator Guy Hurst |  |
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| Previous-Director: Stewart Moore |  Stewart was Director of the Deep Sky Section from March 2004 to March 2013. Recently retired from the oil industry, where he was a research engineer investigating the lubrication of large marine diesel engines, he now lives in rural Essex where he has a 300mm reflector in a roll-off roof observatory. He enjoys travelling to observe the southern skies and to have access to large telescopes. Spending much of his working life staring at a computer screen, he now prefers the more leisurely pursuit of peering through an eyepiece. |
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