Hi, and thanks for visiting my WordPress page.

My name is Stephan Roy and I have started this blog to provide information and guidance to people which may be interested in pursuing an interest in astronomy or who may already be invested into it and may wish to develop understanding or contribute information and experience for others within the astronomy community.

I am married and we have a three year old son living on the Gold Coast in south east Queensland. By day I work as a cadastral surveyor and by night I study spatial science and try to fit in being a father, husband and amateur astronomer. It can be a juggle at times but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I have always loved things surrounding astronomy and the community and people that comprise it. So I decided to create this blog to give something back to that community and I hope to soon add video tutorials and text articles reviews which may assist newcomers to the hobby as well as established members of the amateur astronomy community.

It is not only directed to people of south east Queensland but to everyone interested in this passion, however some eventual posts will be directed toward astronomers in the southern hemisphere exclusively.

A brief history of (my) time…

When i was 13 years old, i stumbled across an article about the mountain ranges in Cydonia on Mars. The speculation and theories of the possibility of an ancient civilization having built monuments mirroring those of ancient Egypt on our home planet instantly intrigued me.

Shortly after, my father bought me a second hand early model Criterion GEM to mount my homebuilt 4.5″ f9 Newtonian reflector. The optical tube assembly used a 150 diameter uPVC pipe with a third party no-name focuser.  The sheer weight of both the mount and scope was difficult for a 13 year old to contend with to say the least. I persevered anyway after my first glimpses of Jupiter and Saturn through a Coronado 25mm eyepiece and i was hooked on astronomy for life.

I soon learnt how to star-hop and use the GEM’s setting circles to navigate around the sky and spent many humid (and mosquito infested) Queensland nights sitting at the eyepiece sketching what was in the view of my eyepiece. One always remembers their first scope and views of the celestial objects fondly. These memories stay with us and seem to be exaggerated to the point that we often find it hard to compare those first views regardless of the quality of the optics we later have the privilege of owning or using.

Reading early editions of astronomy magazines delving in the art of film astrophotography and the forthcoming advent of ccd imaging (which was prohibitively expensive for the backyard amateur), my desires to try it where there but the budget and time proved to be my largest constraint. Commitments with school and work eventually became more time consuming than my passion for astronomy and i eventually sold my gear and didn’t make a return to astronomy for many years later. However, many people bitten by the astronomy bug will agree that it never leaves your blood and eventually you will return to the hobby.

A few years ago i did just that. My time was still limited with work commitments, tertiary study, our first home renovation and the arrival of our first child. Finances were also pretty stretched, but my wife was lovely enough to allow me to make a return to the hobby non the less. My wife bought me a Skywatcher 8″ Dobsonian reflector for my birthday and upon it’s first light, my youth and passion for astronomy quickly returned. There is one thing that the astronomy curse holds for everyone, the eventual desire to upgrade to something bigger or better. I am sure my wife regrets that birthday present now!

Over the following 18 months i sold the 8″ to finance the purchase of a 10″ scope of the same variety and a NEQ6 mount to swing it around. Out of the box this hardware may be considered mass produced and perhaps even lacking in refinement, but with a little tinkering and time, it is amazing what can be accomplished. Despite the sledging that surrounds these brands, the value for money is astounding and quality of construction adequate and often surpassing the needs of the beginner observer or budding astrophotographer.

Over the subsequent years, i chopped and changed my way through different equipment and combinations and came to the conclusion to sell the heavy NEQ6 and large tube assemblies and persue the direction of grab and go.

I hope that this page will provide people with insight and information which may be beneficial to them. Please, i invite feedback and criticism for my eventual posts. This is the basis to developing the skills and know how which gives us the satisfaction we desire in this wonderful hobby.

Clear skies!