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Martin McKenna
"It made me see the bigger picture. I was never going to look down again"
The Story
Martin and his friend went out driving one night back in February 1997 and ended up on the outskirts of Maghera. The night was very cold, the sky was beautifully clear. They decided to get out and gaze at the stars. Suddenly they spotted a strange object hanging in the eastern sky...
The story continues...
Martin has suggested the following useful web-links for those with an interest in this topic...
Martin's own astronomy website
BBC Astronomy site
NASA's site for amateur astronomers
Armagh Observatory site
JPL's Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 Impact Page
Nightskyhunter Great Comet Mc Naught Gallery
Lunar Picture Of The Day
Astronomy Picture of The Day
Finally - a link to an astronomical forum where Martin and others regularly post observations and images of the night sky...
Astronomical Forum
Comments
Name: Brendan Bradley
Date: 30 September 2008
Comment: hi all
it was martin and myself who that night in feb 1997 stared up at the sky and witnessed the comet in its path across the sky i must admit i did feel a real sense of awe that night at gazing up at this celestial body on its path across the heavens well done martin in turning your hobby into something thats enjoyed by many
Name: Carmel mckenna
Date: 31 December 2007
Comment: This is my son whom I am extremely proud of and I hope he gets good use of his new camera he got for Christmas.
Love
Mum
Name: John C McConnell
Date: 21 September 2007
Comment: Like Paul above I have known Martin for a while and his dedication to his hobby leaves a great impression on everyone he comes into contact with. I have rarely seen the likes of this guy in my fifty years experience in this hobby.
Name: Paul Evans
Date: 13 September 2007
Comment: I've known Martin for about three years and can testify that his enthusiasm and commitment in the field of Amateur Astronomy are an inspiration to all around him. In particular his observing reports are a joy to read. I very much enjoyed listening to his "Days like this" piece - now I know how it all started!
Name: Leo McKenna
Date: 13 September 2007
Comment: I'm impressed with this quy - but then I must admit, I'm his father.
Name: Conor McDonald
Date: 13 September 2007
Comment: I lived beside Martin for a number of years and in my younger days he often got me very confused. Every clear evening, freezing temps or not I would hear the creaking of this monster of a 'scope next door and when I looked over it was the same story every day. Martin would stand for hours looking through his 16 inch telescope (about 6 foot high) searching for comets. I then started to call over to see what was so exciting about the heavens. Granted a few months later I was standing with my own scopes gazing up high. Every day for Martin his interst grows and he takes on new challenges to succeed in his goal. He doesn't think twice about standing out for 10 hours til 7am in the morning. Martin is also an excellent photographer and has a strong interest in weather. I have known Martin now for a long time and I really wish you all the best and I know it wont be long before I will be visiting you abroad working along with the world's top class ;)
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