Neil Waby
I have been keen on astronomy since being a teenager. My first telescope had a small 30 mm aperture that looked a little like one side of a pair of binoculars! It was only about 30 cm long and soon broke. Undeterred, I rapidly moved on to a Tasco 60 mm refractor and then a Vixen 90 mm refractor. I used this to observe the Sun using a projection box, making daily observations and disc drawings whenever possible. Along with observing the night sky, this encouraged me to study for an astronomy degree at University College London. It is via astronomy that I developed an interest in science, mathematics and technology. I went on to do a PhD in physics and have a career in science and engineering.
I currently observe the Sun with a 40 mm Coronado hydrogen-alpha telescope, that is a specialist telescope for looking at activity in the Sun’s lower atmosphere, or chromosphere. This telescope filters out a large proportion of the Sun’s brightness, so that a red disk is seen. I have been a member of the SPA for about 15 years, and I regularly enjoy their meetings online. I also help edit Popular Astronomy – the SPA’s magazine. I have a wide range of other interests, including music and gardening. In the long term, I am aiming to develop my astrophotography skills.