Adam Marsh’s Astronomy Pages

My name is Adam Marsh.  I have been conducting Amateur Astronomy for around 22 years now and have been a member of the Astronomical Society of Victoria for most of that time.  I’m 33 years old and have 5 kids (4 girls and 1 boy)

 

What are my main interests in Astronomy?  Well, Meteor Observing of course.  You don't watch meteors for over 1200 hours and travel to all parts of the country if you don't like it…  I have a telescope, an 8” Newtonian on a Dobsonian mount.  I am currently using it to sketch the 100 Messier objects visible from my observing location.  Not for any other reason, that to say I have, as Charles Messier did.

 

My location in Tocumwal has given my deep sky observing a new lease of life, and while observing Messier objects, I am observing and sketch many other deep sky objects.

 

What else?  I take astronomical photos.  Have done since I first become interested in astronomy.  What I don't have now, and used to have, is an equatorial mount for guided shots.  Never mind, I will get one again.  I do however have a couple of nice SLR cameras, and they still take good shots.

 

Greatest astronomical highlights. 

 

1. Well, I don't think anything can beat the 2001 Leonids from Alice Springs.  The trip itself was great, the meteors were unbeatable.  The sheer anticipation and 15 years of lead up to it ever since I started observing meteors was worth the wait.

2. I think the South Australia total solar eclipse and the trip with EAMN members in 2002.  Once again, the trip was huge, and the eclipse was a moving experience.

3. Comet McNaught 2006 P1.  40 degree tail!  Brightest comet in 40 years.  Might never see a brighter one.  I’m 32 now, might see one next year, might be one in 70 years and I’m gone.

4. 1998 Leonids from Woomera.  Again, top trip, great fireball display and not likely to see it again.

5. 1989 Vastroc in Geelong.  Myself, Roger Vodicka and a friend David Pervinscus were blessed, as was the whole of southern Victoria I’m sure, to an all night aurora display that covered half the sky.  Sensational.  Watched it while observing meteors from the beach at Torquay.

 

That’s my top 5.  There are other great trips and moments, but it would take 5 pages to list them all, so I will stick with that for now.  Well, where to from here?  I hope to finish my Messier sketches, eventually get a bigger scope up here and stick it in a dedicated observatory.  I hope to get right back into the meteor observing soon as well.  I am currently writing the meteor column for Australian Sky and Telescope, and should continue that indefinitely.

 

Just finished rebuilding the EAMN website (link to the left) which will hopefully give some good info to anyone interested in meteors.

 

Have fun looking around.

 

Adam Marsh

 

 

About Myself