My main areas of interest are:

Variable Nebulae: I started imaging variable nebulae in 2008 after hearing a talk by Nick Hewitt on the subject. Many of my images are on the Orwell Astronomical Society web site.

Spectroscopy: Experimenting with a 22cm diameter, 12 degree objective prism originally on loan, but then purchased from, the BAA instrument collection. I have also made a 26cm, 3 degree prism for fainter objects at lower dispersion. It is not yet fully figured flat on both sides but still gives useful spectra.

Telescope making: Although now of “historical interest only” for many years I made all my own instruments including the optics. My main telescope for imaging, a 12inch F/3.6 astrograph, now has a mirror made by Es Reid which is a bit better than mine ever were! The F/3.8 mirror is used with a 3" Wynne corrector from Astrosysteme Austria (ASA) to give an F/3.6 fully corrected flat-field for imaging. It is also sometimes used with a 2" Barlow corrector, also from ASA, to work at F/6.8.

Updated: 24th January 2021

Local society membership: Orwell Astronomical Society Ipswich