How I Found Astronomy

As promised, a few notes about my history in astronomy.

I will always, always remember how I came upon my love of astronomy.  I had this wonderful teacher in 4th grade, Mrs. Wallen, who had us draw names of planets out of a hat (or something like that) to write reports about.  Now I know, as a fourth grader, it wasn't that much of a report or paper, but that's where it started all the same.  I got the planet Neptune and it remains my favorite planet to this day, just for starting it all.  I remember my mother taking me to the public library, since the internet and computers and electricity basically didn't exist way back then.  I read and read and read about neptune, and a bit about the other planets too, and I was hooked.  How could it be that I didn't know about all this wonderful knowledge before?  I was astounded and amazed and enralled. 

I read as much as I couldn't, even things I didn't understand (which was a lot back then).  My parents were nothing but encouraging, and I'll always love that about them.  Even encouraging when teachers, students, and maybe other parents thought I was just reading Astronomy magazine to "show off".  Anyone who really knew me, would know otherwise.  I remember reading about variable stars and stars used for stellar distance markers out of the magazine in fifth grade. I remember my mom dropping off copies of astronomy before I would leave with the band or track team for some game or track meet.  I treasured those issues, the first ones I ever had, a special treat since she had to drive an hour to the big city to find them for me.

I got my first telescope, a tiny toy really, but it might as well have been the Hubble to me back then.  I know my parents probably sacrificed to get it for me.  I looked at the Moon and stars, Venus and Saturn and Jupiter with it's moons.  It was all so amazing.  A friend of my father's had a larger telescope that he let me look at Saturn through, and it was even more spectacular.

In high school a man came from the astronomy club from the big city and tried to help me and a few other people form a local club.  We had a few meetings, but then I went off to college and it stopped.  I studied astronphysics in college for a year and a half before switching it to a minor, and majoring in writing.  Not that you could tell I have a writing degree from my scattered ramblings.  During that time I got to travel to Greenbank for Radio Astronomy research, I got to photograph the moon, and use the college telescopes, including an ancient Clarke Telescope.

When I moved south after graduation, I purchased my first real telescope, and probably last, a Meade LX200 12" with GPS and UHTC.  I know, big scope for a first buy, but it's the one I always drooled on in the glossy issues of Astronomy magazine, and swore I'd own one day.

I still visit the local club, although it's a bit of a drive, and I travel to the dark sky site from time to time.  I even served three years on the board of trustees as their loyal secretary. 

I don't have as much time for it lately, with a 14 month old, and a baby due in August, but it will always be there waiting for me.  And you don't always need a telescope.  Sometimes it's just a small fire in the back yard, and a pair of binoculars, or your own two eyes, enjoying the blessings of the night sky.