Astronomy seems to be a popular topic for blogs. There are some folks on the'net doing some amazing things with off-the-shelf technology and many hours of dedicated effort.
I am not one of those.
I've dabbled in astronomy since high school, and got pretty good at rooftop astronomy. I was spoiled by having a fixed observatory dome and Celestron 14 available from the start, but I think I used the time and equipment wisely. My dad and I introduced hundreds of people of all ages to the stars and planets, and saw some pretty cool things. In 1977 we traveled to view a total solar eclipse, and the photo my dad took still hangs proudly by my desk.
Recently I have reintroduced myself to astronomy, and have just purchased my second telescope. The first was a Celestron SLT-100, a computer-controlled refractor with lots of slick features. I love it, except that at star parties I have to wait until well after dark to align and start observing. With a modified webcam I have done some nice simple lunar photography, which I'll post soon (have to transfer from another laptop). Today I ordered a 10-inch Dobsonian for quick setup and to gather more light for my aging eyes. Together, these scopes should complement each other well.
After the winter here I am ready to get out and start observing again. If I see anything interesting, I will let you know.
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