Star Hopper.

With a new year come resolutions, reminiscing and in my case responsibility. I have just started astronomy scant days before Christmas, and only spent marginally longer on this site. And starting Monday I begin my promotional course at HMS Collingwood, learning my trade to a higher level, as a Leading Weapons Engineering Technician (LET WE). I am really looking forward to yet an other new beginning and hope that I excel as I have been told I will, that I still get a lot of time to peer through my telescopes, and enhance my knowledge of the night sky along with my job.

I have been with the Royal Navy for over 5 years, served on 3 ships, and been half way around the world, as well as both the Arctic and Antarctic circles, more than most people will do in a lifetime, and I have only just begun. Despite this, I still can not help but look on in awe every time I see something new through my eye piece. And I pray the feeling never fades.

With this year also being the official year of astronomy, celebrating 400 years of the telescope, I hope to generate a lot of interest in the subject as well as arranging or taking part in related events to promote this fantastic hobby, and for most, obsession.

All in all, I think that I am going to have a productive and exciting 2009, on many levels, and look forward to letting you know about it, and maybe even getting to know about yours.

All the best for the new year,

Neil Andrew Nelson