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 I
received my first telescope (a Tasco 60mm Refractor with an alt-az
mount) when I was 14. I had used binoculars prior to that but
I was in heaven (literally) with this new scope. As a teenager,
I used that scope for a couple of years and managed to buy another
60mm Refractor on a small manual GEM mount that enabled me to
track the Moon very well. At that time all I cared about was
looking at the Moon and the planets (I still remember to this
day my very first view of Saturn). I managed some rudimentary
photos using eyepiece projection into my Polaroid instant camera.
I was truly amazed at being able to pick out Tycho and the Alphonsus/Arzachel
region. I remember referring to the latter as the ‘keyhole’
craters in my observing notes because of the way it looked in
those crude Polaroid photos. I have always had a special fondness
for the Moon and still do today.
I got away from observing after High School
and even though I took a basic astronomy course in college, didn’t
use a telescope until 1986 when I bought my first SCT: a Meade
2120 LX5 from Company Seven, located in Maryland. Boy, I was
really blown away by its size and heavy mount. Also the hand
controller was very nice. I used that instrument regularly as
a purely visual tool for several years in the late 80’s
and early 90’s before I moved on to other hobbies (flying
for one).
Ten years passed where I didn’t use my Meade SCT once. A
couple of years ago, I started thinking about how computers had
improved the instrumentation used in small aircraft and looked
into what had been going on with amateur astronomy and what was
available. I immediately zeroed in on the EQ6 mountand the large
(5-6 inch) APO Refractors that are available today at a reasonable
price. I was impressed with the availability of the ASCOM standards,
and EQMOD open source software to control the EQ6 mounts. I have
been enjoying my new telescope system over the past 2 years concentrating
on minor planet astrometry, photometry, and on high resolution
lunar imaging. I am a member of ALPO, AAVSO, and I have obtained
my observatory code from the Minor Planet Center. I have learned
to tolerate the cold in pursuit of that elusive perfect image.
You can find my photos at www.pbase.com/jerry_hubbell/astrophotography.
 I presently reside in Locust Grove, Virginia with my wife Michelle,
4 children out of 8 that are still at home, and 4 dogs of various
types and ages. I have my degree in Electrical Engineering Technology,
and am working on a degree in Nuclear Engineering. I have been
flying for over 20 years and I serve in the Virginia Defense
Force (VDF) as a pilot in C Company Aviation Battalion performing
search and rescue, surveillance and disaster recovery missions.
My VDF company is based at Orange County Airport. I also work
for Dominion Virginia Power in the Nuclear Design Engineering
group as a Nuclear Instrumentation & Controls Technical Specialist.
I do work on all nuclear plant protection and control instrumentation
and also on the plant computer systems (hardware and software).
I have over 30 years experience in the nuclear and utility Industry
and have worked on all manner and shape of analog and digital
nuclear and non-nuclear instrumentation.
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