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Astrofest 2010! (Part 1)

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With the boys, Tommy and Graham

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And the girls, Els and Paola (& Geoff in the back!)
 

Kensington conference and events centre, London, the first weekend of February. I’ve started calling it a tradition now. I’m sure it already was for a lot of other astronomy enthusiasts, but for me and my Galaxy Zoo friends it started with meeting up for the first time two years ago.

 

We had a lot of fun last year as well, so this was going to be our third Astrofest. As soon as announcements buzzed around a few weeks ago, I knew I wanted to be there again but I was afraid I couldn’t make it. Two days before the event I booked anyhow! It made me feel good to decide spontaneously to go to England and see my friends, just for the weekend. I couldn’t have stayed away…

 

And it was so worth it. I love living life enjoying it in details and this felt like seizing the day to the maximum. A beautiful half of the moon welcomed me at Harwich on Saturday morning. I know that harbour well; I lost count of how many times I’ve passed through it. The train to London Liverpool Street gave me a lovely view of an orange Sun coming up and it wasn’t the fog which already made my head feel it was in clouds. While I was listening to Queen’s ‘Breakthru’, I felt like singing and dancing there and then, instead of walking and talking and I figured I must be in love with life.

 

Graham picked me up and we enjoyed the drive over the River Thames, with Tower bridge on one side and the Eye on the other. London holds lots of these beautiful touristic landmarks and they all remind me of former meetings with close friends. It’s been way too long again and since I’d have to go back that same evening, we were going to make a memory of an intense day.

 

And it was a beautiful day; our coats stayed in the car. Tommy was waiting for us outside the building and before we reached the front row seats of the venue, we had met Els from Belgium and Paola from Italy and soon we’d represent five nationalities in one row. Though we’re like one tight family, it’s always great welcoming new people into it and I forgot to tell the young Tony that we’re like the Hotel California: you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.
 

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An audience with Sir Patrick Moore and Dr. Brian May

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While Patrick is signing, someone got Chris to pose with me, Robin, Els and Tommy holding Bill Keel’s Zoo sign up.
 

The guy who brought us all together – Chris Lintott – surprised us by making it for lunch (and then we missed it because it took us forever to get out of the venue)! He had to come our way anyway, as Robin (Rees) told us he’d be there to sign books with Patrick (Moore) and Brian (May). So having missed each other before that moment, we decided to queue up with a looot of other people who were after his autograph. When Chris heard that, he laughed. It was fun though, we had some lovely people around us.

 

I’m sorry by the way, if you were expecting a more scientific review of the weekend. Jim Wild for instance, gave an interesting talk about solar storms and of course it was marvellous listening to the great Brian and Patrick answering questions. But if you’re after that, I can highly recommend joining the live experience yourself next year. I do still have a few nice anecdotes and pictures to share though, so please stay tuned!
 

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Anders during lunch in a pub. Thanks to Paddy for this picture! (I love it)

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Me coming over was sort of a birthday surprise for Tommy – congrats baby!

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Before we headed to the pub – me, Jules, Gemma and Paola

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Els and Graham somewhere in London. Aren’t we a nice big family?! That last picture was taken by me, after I stole Graham’s camera out of his bag. For all the others I’d like to thank him!

16 Comments

  1. Hanny | Posted February 10, 2010 at 11:54 pm | Permalink

    Hehe, I already got Edd saying he wished he had been there! We missed you too, you know. ;)

  2. Graham | Posted February 11, 2010 at 12:46 am | Permalink

    It was a lovely day and this is a great account of it :)
    And Edd, looking forward to seeing you at the next one!

  3. Tommy | Posted February 11, 2010 at 8:59 am | Permalink

    What a great update…these pics bring back memories of the most amazing weekend. So happy that you had such a good time. Yes, I am blessed, I suppose, as my birthday falls on the same weekend as Astrofest. I’m grateful to have so many friends to share these times with. Hanny, I’m so glad you made it, it wouldn’t have been the same without you there. You ROCKED my birthday!! x

  4. cathal | Posted February 11, 2010 at 5:56 pm | Permalink

    it was a great day, its a pity you couldnt stay longer, as well as the others who disappeared early too

  5. Hanny | Posted February 11, 2010 at 7:57 pm | Permalink

    Cathal, from wonderful Ireland, joined us for the first time and wrote about it here:
    http://irlbinky.blogspot.com/2010/02/astrofest-2010.html

  6. Els | Posted February 11, 2010 at 7:59 pm | Permalink

    Lovely day, lovely meet-up, lovely pictures, lovely write-up ! :-)

  7. Hanny | Posted February 11, 2010 at 8:16 pm | Permalink

    Aww, thank you Els! x

  8. John Christopher Fairweather | Posted February 11, 2010 at 8:33 pm | Permalink

    Nice report & set of photos showing the events – missed me.

  9. Tony | Posted February 11, 2010 at 9:01 pm | Permalink

    Hanny

    Thanks for putting this together. It brings back the atmosphere of the occasion. I wish I had come for both days now, but I will know better next year. It was great meeting up with you and the rest of the Zoo friends. Good to put a face to an avatar. Heres to next year.

    Tony

  10. Hanny | Posted February 11, 2010 at 10:39 pm | Permalink

    Thanks John & Tony! It was indeed short, but it always is, I guess. Next time I’m planning to stay longer than 12 hours though. ;)

  11. Geoff | Posted February 13, 2010 at 12:18 pm | Permalink

    Great pictures Hanny! Hope next year is as good or better :)

  12. Graham | Posted February 14, 2010 at 12:06 am | Permalink

    On and nice picture Philip. And nice to have met you too :)

  13. Graham | Posted February 14, 2010 at 12:11 am | Permalink

    And I hope you were impressed with how Tommy and me coordinated our wardrobe for the shot ::)

  14. Hanny | Posted February 14, 2010 at 12:13 am | Permalink

    Well, now you’ve mentioned it.. ;)
    Thanks Geoff too! x

  15. David | Posted February 14, 2010 at 12:36 am | Permalink

    Great set of photos!

  16. Hanny | Posted February 14, 2010 at 9:05 am | Permalink

    Thanks David! (I’m hoping to post more cool ones soon!) And I like yours too. ;)

2 Trackbacks

  1. [...] William Keel’s Galaxy Zoo sign. You’ve seen this sign before when I held it in London – twice actually. And that’s not the only place it has been! Since Bill took it to New Mexico, it has [...]

  2. [...] Chris, two years before the idea of Galaxy Zoo was born. They’re both lovely chaps and it was a delightful afternoon. [...]

 

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