Not unlike some other teenagers i was caught by star gazing. I vividly remember that there was a star map in the news paper and decided to check this out at the night sky. It was the beginning of a long voyage, interrupted by periods of other priorities like building a career and taking care for the children. Of course i tried to interest my two daughters for astronomy, but all in vain. My first telescopes were small and easy to carry to darker places. But after i built my own heavy mount on which a 12" newton was placed, i needed an observatory, where i could leave the equipment after an observing session. First in the garden, later on aloft and thereafter in a dark place on a camping.

Although the equipment kept changing, i stayed loyal to a 12" newton as an instrument of choice for high resolution and deepsky alike. A newton is a cheap foton catcher and can be collimated with the right instruments; i use the full set by Cats-eye. Also the coma free field can be broadened by good adapters. My latest newton will be shipped to my next and hopefully last observatory in Southern Spain. "Don't you think you miss the night sounds (owl!) under a starry night?" some ask me. I sure will, but at one useful night a month in the Netherlands, the bitter cold in winter, the grey nights in summer .... do i have a choice? And i can still go on an astro holiday.

First scope, 50 mm single lens refractor; reaction of my grandma on proudly showing her this picture: "what a sweet girl!" (my sister Gea)

First observatory, in my back yard, 1984; the scope is a 12" newton. The scope rests on my home built mount. A small boy asked me whether one could see Russia with the telescope.

My second observatory was placed aloft, hanging on the roof of the dormer! See sketch and the beneath you can see the lid placed on the roof; a C11 is placed in the fork mount here. I still use this observatory, but now for my RCX 400 10" scope. However serious observation is not possible when overlooking the warm roof and chimneys, on top of severe light and dust pollution .... It is merely to show the moon and planets to visitors and to have some idea of an observatory at home, now the third observatory has been removed.

This was my third observatory. The party device had been replaced by a 3 x 3 cm building, developed and constructed by Astrotechniek. It housed again a 12" newton, this time from Orion Optics UK. The very best instrument i ever possessed and the one that will move to the remote observatory.

The immense mount is made by Astrotechniek. I will certainly miss this instrument! It's very robust and accurate, however not easily converted to a robotic mount. I could carry loads of instruments. I jokingly told visitors, it is well possible to sit on the mount and take the camera handhold.

I have been searching for this spot for two years. It led us to various corners of Western and Central Europe, even Hungary and Slovenia.

it is not easy to interest your children for astronomy ....:-)