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Hi, I just joined the Association and wanted to introduce myself. I dabbled a bit back in the days of my youth but that was forty years ago and an awful lot has changed since then. But at least the stars are roughly where I left them last time I looked. I’ve just moved down to Walton-on-the-Naze on the east coast after living in London for the past twenty-five years and the clearer skies down here persuaded me to take up the hobby again. I’m particularly interested in variable star observation as it seems to me to be an area where amateurs can make a valuable contribution. It’s not an area I’m overly familiar with though and I need to get up to speed. So I hope you won’t mind too much if I pester you with seemingly inane questions. I have a NexStar 8SE on order which should arrive in the next few days and can’t wait to get started.
Welcome to the BAA – I am sure you will enjoy your membership. I wish you success with your return to astronomy.
Glad to hear that you have an interest in variable stars – the Variable Star Section (http://www.britastro.org/vss/) is just the place to start. You are quite right that you can make a real scientific contribution in this field – the VSS has been contributing to science for 124 years! Feel free to ask any questions you might have – there are quite a few variable star observers who can help you. Are you interested in visual or CCD observing? Either way, you will have lots of targets accessible with your Celestron. You might also like to know that the Section is holding a meeting on June 21 in York – a bit of a hike for you, but worth considering.
Go well!
Jeremy
Yes, welcome to the BAA. As Jeremy says the VSS are a very active section and they will be able to provide a lot of help and guidance with regard to variable star observing. There are lots of other sections too so have a browse around the site to see what you are interested in. Also, since you are in Walton access to London is fairly easy so come along to one of our main meetings if you can. We also have a meeting next weekend in Milton Keynes which is themed around stars. If you do make it to a meeting search me out and say hello.
Nick.
I’ll be at Milton Keynes too, and as a variable star observer myself would be delighted to meet you to discuss the section and VS in general.
What’s your name by the way? There seems to be no current link to a profile for anyone posting to the forum at the moment.
Gary
Thank you all for the welcome!
You’re right, Nick, London isn’t so far away and I often make the journey there. I wasn’t able to make Milton Keynes but I’m sure I’ll be able to get to some of the other meetings so I look forward to meeting some of you there.
Jeremy, I’m primarily interested in visual observing. CCD would be a whole new ballgame for me and probably a bit out of my reach financially at the moment, but who knows, maybe in the future. At the moment, I just need to practice the basic skills.
Mike
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